SARS-CoV-2 coinfection occurred in 6 percent of pediatric influenza-associated hospitalizations <\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
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TUESDAY, Dec. 20, 2022 (HealthDay News) — In a report published in the Dec. 16 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report<\/em>, data are presented on coinfection with influenza and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in pediatric patients.<\/p>\n Using data from two Respiratory Virus Hospitalizations Surveillance Network platforms, Katherine Adams, M.P.H., from the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues describe the characteristics and prevalence of laboratory-confirmed influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 coinfections among patients aged younger than 18 years who had been hospitalized or died with influenza.<\/p>\n The researchers found that in 6 percent (32 of 575) of pediatric influenza-associated hospitalizations and 16 percent (seven of 44) of pediatric influenza-associated deaths, SARS-CoV-2 coinfection occurred. A higher proportion of those hospitalized with versus without coinfection received invasive mechanical ventilation (13 versus 4 percent) and bilevel positive airway pressure or continuous positive airway pressure (16 versus 6 percent). None of the seven coinfected patients who died had completed influenza vaccination, and only one had received influenza antivirals.<\/p>\n “To prevent and mitigate the incidence of severe respiratory virus-associated illness during periods of influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 cocirculation, the public and parents should be aware of the risk for pediatric coinfection and adopt prevention strategies, including considering wearing well-fitted, high-quality masks when respiratory virus circulation is high and annual influenza vaccination and up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination,” the authors write.<\/p>\n Two authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.<\/p>\n