Influenza among Children Admitted to the Emergency Department of
Children’s Hospital in Vilnius: two seasons, two viruses
Abstract
Background. No specific clinical signs of influenza are defined,
although type A is thought to dominate and be responsible for more
severe cases of influenza diseases. Our study aimed to determine the
value of clinical signs and routine laboratory results on influenza
diagnose among children, reveal possible differences among different
influenza subtypes. Methods. A retrospective study was conducted at
Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos during two influenza
seasons (2016/2017 and 2017/2018 year). Basic demographic, clinical
data, vaccination for influenza status and results of laboratory
testing, were collected. Results. Data of 655 influenza cases were
analysed. Among them 355 (54.2%) were boys. Influenza A cases from
2016/2017 season and influenza B cases from 2017/2018 season were
compared. Average age of influenza patients was 6.25±2.1 years: in
influenza A group - 5.5±4.5 years, and in influenza B - 7.2±4.3 years.
The main symptoms were fever 647 (98.8%), cough 387 (59.1%) and
rhinitis 302 (46.1%). Diarrhoea, stomach ache, muscle pain, headache
were more prominent in the influenza B group. Complications were found
more common in influenza A group (82 (55.4 %)) and among children above
12 years of age (28/112 (25 %)). Overall 159 (24.3%) children were
hospitalized (influenza A dominated (56.6%)). Conclusions. The
incidence of influenza B is increasing in children under 12 years of age
and the incidence of influenza A is decreasing with increasing age of
children (p =0.00). No significant statistical difference was found in
clinical signs, complications and hospitalisation rate among two
influenza virus types.