Global Role and Burden of Influenza in Pediatric Respiratory Hospitalizations, 1982–2012: A Systematic Analysis

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The global burden of pediatric severe respiratory illness is substantial, and influenza viruses contribute to this burden. Systematic surveillance and testing for influenza among hospitalized children has expanded globally over the past decade. However, only a fraction of the data has been used to estimate influenza burden. In this analysis, we use surveillance data to provide an estimate of influenza-associated hospitalizations among children worldwide. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We aggregated data from a systematic review (n = 108) and surveillance platforms (n = 37) to calculate a pooled estimate of the proportion of samples collected from children hospitalized with respiratory illnesses and positive for influenza by age group ( CONCLUSIONS: Influenza is an important contributor to respiratory hospitalizations among young children worldwide. Increasing influenza vaccination coverage among young children and pregnant women could reduce this burden and protect infants PMID: 27011229 Funding information This work was supported by: NCIRD CDC HHS, United States Grant ID: U01 IP001048 Medical Research Council, United Kingdom Grant ID: MC_UP_A900_1124 Medical Research Council, United Kingdom Grant ID: MC_UP_A900_1116 Medical Research Council, United Kingdom Grant ID: MC_U190088478