More young Australian children are hospitalised with influenza each year than any other vaccine-preventable disease

24 March 2009: Australian influenza experts today joined with some of the nation's leading paediatricians to highlight the potential severity of influenza, which can cause serious illness and even lead to hospitalisation in young children.

Dr Alan Hampson, OAM, World Health Organization (WHO) consultant and Chair of the Influenza Specialist Group, explained that many people remain unaware of the seriousness of influenza for young children, where it causes similar rates of hospitalisation as it does for adults over 65 years.^1-3

"It is well known that influenza is a serious illness amongst elderly Australians," Dr Hampson said. "However, many parents and carers are unaware that influenza is a common childhood disease that can rapidly lead to hospitalisation."

Of all vaccine preventable diseases, influenza is the leading cause of hospitalisation among Australian children under five years of age.¹ When compared to other diseases, influenza in the zero-four year age group causes:¹

• Four times more hospitalisations than meningococcal disease
• More than three times more hospitalisations than pneumococcal disease
• Double the number of hospitalisations than chickenpox

While the vast majority of children will recover from influenza in a couple of weeks, others may become seriously ill and need appropriate treatment.

"The thing about influenza is that it may come on quite suddenly. Parents should be on the look-out for symptoms including irritability and a high temperature - or in more severe cases symptoms like very fast breathing or febrile convulsions," said Professor Robert Booy, Professor of Paediatrics, University of Sydney.

"Some young children with influenza can look so unwell when they arrive at hospital that a spinal tap - otherwise known as a lumbar puncture - is performed to rule-out meningitis," Professor Booy added. "Much of this might be prevented if children were vaccinated against influenza each year."

Australian studies confirm influenza hospitalisation rates are highest among children aged under five years.^1-3 In fact, local and international data indicates children under five are more likely than any other age group to present to Emergency Departments^4,5, GPs^4,5 and need hospitalisation^1-3 due to influenza. Young children hospitalised with influenza can spend anywhere between a few days to a couple of weeks in hospital recovering.³

Not only are influenza infection rates generally highest among children, children are also a main transmitter of influenza in the community.^6,7

"Children are one of the main spreaders of influenza, particularly within households. Therefore vaccination is not only important to protect the health of the child, but also because of the key role they play in transmission, particularly if they are in contact with at-risk people or older adults," Professor Robert Booy explained.

Current Australian immunisation guidelines recommend annual influenza vaccination for anyone who wishes to protect themselves.⁸ In particular, Australians over the age of six months who are at risk of severe complications from influenza should get a vaccinated, including those with heart conditions, asthma and other lung conditions, diabetes (type 1 and type 2), kidney problems or impaired immunity.⁸

"Influenza is often passed off as something which isn't serious in kids," said Dr Jim Buttery, Murdoch Children's Research Institute and Infectious Diseases Unit, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne. "Unfortunately this isn't always the case - each year nearly 1,500 Australian children are hospitalised for influenza. It is worth parents considering measures like vaccination to help protect the health of their children and discussing with their family doctor."

"In Western Australia - where there has been a concerted program for parents to vaccinate their children as part of a clinical trial since last year - we are already seeing promising signs that parents are receptive to these messages," concluded Dr Buttery.

Influenza infections typically start to increase in June, peaking between July and September. Children under nine years of age who have not been vaccinated previously are recommended to receive two doses the first year they get vaccinated. In subsequent years, they only require one dose.⁸ As it takes two weeks for full immunity to develop after vaccination,⁹ now is the time to get vaccinated against influenza.

- ENDS -

NOTE:. The ISG is holding a media briefing and photo opportunity at 10am on Tuesday 24 March at the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick.

If you would like any further information to arrange interview or to receive photographs please contact:

Notes to the editor:

• Annual influenza immunisation is recommended in the Australian Immunisation Handbook for children aged 6 months and older with underlying medical conditions.
• Please refer to separate fact sheet for more information on influenza and vaccination.

The Influenza Specialist Group:

The Influenza Specialist Group (ISG) consists of medical and scientific specialists from around Australia and New Zealand with an interest in influenza. The ISG is chaired by Dr Alan Hampson, former Deputy Director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza. Dr Hampson was instrumental in the formation and development of the ISG and continues in a consultancy role with WHO and the Australian Government. The ISG works in conjunction with key professional and consumer groups and also with the Australian State and Territory government departments of health in their educational activities regarding influenza and its prevention. The ISG receives funding from industry and through its Board of Directors maintains full control over all of its activities and published materials.

References:

1. Brotherton J, Wang H, Schaffer A et al. Vaccine preventable diseases and vaccination coverage in Australia, 2003 to 2005. Communicable Diseases Intelligence 2007;31(Suppl)

2. Zurynski Y, Lester-Smith D, Festa M et al. Enhanced surveillance for serious complications of influenza in children: role of the Australian paediatric surveillance unit. Communicable Disease Intelligence 2008; 32 No1

3. Milne BG, Williams S, May M et al. Influenza A associated morbidity and mortality in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. Communicable Disease Intelligence 2004;28(4):504 -508

4. Government of Western Australia, Department of Health. Childhood influenza frequently asked questions (fact sheet). Last accessed March 2009. Available at: http://www.public.health.wa.gov.au/2/687/2/questions_and_a.pm

5. Heikkinen T, Booy R, Campins M, Finn A. Should healthy children be vaccinated against influenza? A consensus report of the Summits of Independent European Vaccination Experts. Eur J Pediatr 2006;165:223-228

6. Principi N, Esposito S, Gasparini R et al. Burden of influenza in healthy children and their households, Arch Dis Child 2004;89:1002-1007

7. Weycker D, Edelsberg J, Halloran M et al. Population-wide benefits of routine vaccination of children against influenza, Vaccine 2005; 23: 1284-1293

8. National Health and Medical Research Council, The Australian Immunisation Handbook 9th Edition 2008, Available at: http://immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/Handbook-home

9. National Institute of Clinical Studies. Flu Questions (factsheet). Last updated 18 February 2009. Accessed at: www.fightflu.gov.au/questions