Burden of influenza among hospitalized febrile children in Ghana.
Influenza Other Respir Viruses
; 11(6): 497-501, 2017 11.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28991406
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Influenza surveillance data from Africa indicate a substantial disease burden with high mortality. However, local influenza data from district hospitals with limited laboratory facilities are still scarce.OBJECTIVES:
To identify the frequency and seasonal distribution of influenza among hospitalized febrile children in a rural hospital in Ghana and to describe differential diagnoses to other severe febrile infections.METHODS:
Between January 2014 and April 2015, all children with a temperature of ≥38°C admitted to a district hospital in Ghana were screened for influenza A and B by RT-PCR and differentiated to subtypes A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2). Malaria microscopy and blood cultures were performed for each patient.RESULTS:
A total of 1063 children with a median age of 2 years (IQR 1-4 years) were recruited. Of those, 271 (21%) were classified as severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and 47 (4%) were positive for influenza, namely 26 (55%) influenza B, 15 (32%) A(H1N1)pdm09, and 6 (13%) A(H3N2) cases. Influenza predominantly occurred in children aged 3-5 years and was more frequently detected in the major rainy season (OR = 2.9; 95% CI 1.47-6.19) during the first half of the year. Two (4%) and seven (15%) influenza-positive children were co-diagnosed with an invasive bloodstream infection or malaria, respectively.CONCLUSION:
Influenza contributes substantially to the burden of hospitalized febrile children in Ghana being strongly dependent on age and corresponds with the major rainy season during the first half-year.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Respiratory Tract Infections
/
Child, Hospitalized
/
Cost of Illness
/
Influenza, Human
/
Fever
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
Language:
En
Journal:
Influenza Other Respir Viruses
Journal subject:
VIROLOGIA
Year:
2017
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Germany