Influenza
Basics
Description
An acute febrile illness characterized by fever, malaise, and respiratory symptoms
Epidemiology
- Although influenza affects people of all ages, the highest morbidity and mortality occur in young children <2 years old, the geriatric population, and those with high-risk conditions.
- Influenza epidemics occur almost exclusively during winter months, peak ~2 weeks after the index case, and last 4 to 8 weeks.
- Attack rates are highest among school-aged children (range 10–40%).
- An estimated 10–20% outpatient visits among children <5 years old attributable to influenza
- Transmission of influenza virus occurs via large respiratory droplets or contact with contaminated surfaces.
- After an incubation period of 1 to 4 days, viral shedding starts 24 hours before symptom onset and usually continues for 7 days.
- Prolonged shedding in young children and immunocompromised individuals
Risk Factors
High-risk conditions for severe disease include the following:
- Chronic pulmonary disease (i.e., asthma)
- Hemodynamically significant cardiac disease
- HIV and other immunodeficiencies
- Chronic immunosuppressive therapy
- Hemoglobinopathies (i.e., sickle cell disease)
- Long-term salicylate use
- Chronic renal dysfunction
- Chronic metabolic disease, morbid obesity
- Neuromuscular disorders
General Prevention
- Vaccination
- Routine influenza vaccination for ALL individuals ≥6 months old
- Prioritize vaccination for those at highest risk for influenza complications and their close contacts, including (see Risk Factors):
- Young children ages 6 to 59 months
- Older adults ≥50 years, adults, and children with certain chronic diseases and high-risk conditions
- Long-term care facility residents
- American Indians/Alaska Natives
- Pregnant women
- Health care professionals
- Out-of-home caregivers
- Household contacts of all children <5 years old OR children 5 to 18 years old with high-risk conditions
- Vaccine types
- Trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) Afluria® (Seqirus) for ages ≥9 years and Fluvirin® (Seqirus) for ages ≥4 years
- Quadrivalent influenza vaccines newly available for 2013 to 2014 season and beyond; include second influenza B strain
- Inactivated: Fluarix® (GlaxoSmithKline) for ages ≥3 years, Fluzone® (Sanofi Pasteur), and Flulaval® (Seqirus) for ages ≥6 months
- Live-attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) FluMist® (MedImmune), Fluzone® (Sanofi Pasteur); for healthy nonpregnant 2- to 49-year-olds; administered as an intranasal spray
- Cell culture–based inactivated vaccine Flucelvax® (Seqirus) for ages ≥4 years
- Recombinant trivalent hemagglutinin vaccine Flublok® (Protein Sciences) for ages ≥18 years; egg-free
- High-dose (Fluzone® High-Dose, Sanofi Pasteur) and adjuvanted (Fluad®, Seqirus) trivalent-inactivated vaccines available for older adults ≥65 years
- Special vaccination considerations:
- There is no preferential recommendation for one vaccine product over another for children who are eligible for more than one available vaccine.
- Children ≤8 years old receiving seasonal influenza vaccination for the first time should receive 2 doses of vaccine at least 4 weeks apart.
- LAIV not recommended for individuals with high-risk conditions, young children (ages 2 to 4 years) with history of wheezing in past year, contacts of severely immunocompromised persons (such as contacts of BMT patients in a protected environment), or children receiving chronic aspirin therapy
- Contraindications to vaccination: history of severe allergic reaction to any vaccine component or after previous influenza vaccine dose
- Precautions: Those with history of Guillain-Barré syndrome within 6 weeks of previous influenza vaccination should consult a physician before receiving the vaccine.
- Influenza vaccines can be safely administered to children with history of egg allergy (see https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/egg-allergies.htm#algorithm for specific recommendations).
- Postexposure chemoprophylaxis
- Indicated for high-risk children who are unvaccinated or were vaccinated within 2 weeks of exposure, immunocompromised patients who have a poor vaccine response, or to control outbreaks in institutions housing high-risk people
- Chemoprophylaxis should begin within 48 hours of exposure to be most effective.
Etiology
- Orthomyxoviruses influenza types A, B, and C. Influenza C virus has not been reported as a cause of influenza epidemics.
- Influenza A subtypes defined by two surface antigens: hemagglutinin and neuraminidase
- Currently circulating subtypes include pH1N1 (pmd09) and H3N2.
- Mild variation, or antigenic drift, for both A and B viruses results in seasonal epidemics; antigenic shift occurs only with A viruses and results in pandemics.
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Citation
Cabana, Michael D., editor. "Influenza." 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 8th ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2019. Pediatrics Central, peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617731/1.2/Influenza.
Influenza. In: Cabana MDM, ed. 5-Minute Pediatric Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2019. https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617731/1.2/Influenza. Accessed November 13, 2024.
Influenza. (2019). In Cabana, M. D. (Ed.), 5-Minute Pediatric Consult (8th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617731/1.2/Influenza
Influenza [Internet]. In: Cabana MDM, editors. 5-Minute Pediatric Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2019. [cited 2024 November 13]. Available from: https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617731/1.2/Influenza.
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