Results from a nationwide investigation, led by Children's Hospital Boston, found that simultaneous infection with MRSA increased the risk for flu-related mortality eight-fold among previously healthy children.
During the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, many previously healthy children became critically ill, developing severe pneumonia and respiratory failure that was sometimes fatal. For their study, researchers tracked 838 children admitted to 35 pediatric ICUs around the country with probable 2009 H1N1 influenza from April 2009-April 2010.
While most of the children critically ill with H1N1 had one or more chronic health conditions that increased their risk, such as asthma, 251 children (30 percent) were previously healthy.
Among these otherwise healthy children, the only risk factor that was identified for death from influenza was a presumed diagnosis of MRSA co-infection in the lung, which increased the risk for mortality eight-fold. Almost all co-infected children were rapidly treated with vancomycin, considered to be appropriate treatment for MRSA. Researchers said the fact that they died despite this treatment is alarming given the rising rates of MRSA carriage among children in the community.
The researchers hope their findings will promote flu vaccination among all children aged 6 months and older. No flu vaccine is currently available for children younger than 6 months.
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During the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, many previously healthy children became critically ill, developing severe pneumonia and respiratory failure that was sometimes fatal. For their study, researchers tracked 838 children admitted to 35 pediatric ICUs around the country with probable 2009 H1N1 influenza from April 2009-April 2010.
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While most of the children critically ill with H1N1 had one or more chronic health conditions that increased their risk, such as asthma, 251 children (30 percent) were previously healthy.
Among these otherwise healthy children, the only risk factor that was identified for death from influenza was a presumed diagnosis of MRSA co-infection in the lung, which increased the risk for mortality eight-fold. Almost all co-infected children were rapidly treated with vancomycin, considered to be appropriate treatment for MRSA. Researchers said the fact that they died despite this treatment is alarming given the rising rates of MRSA carriage among children in the community.
The researchers hope their findings will promote flu vaccination among all children aged 6 months and older. No flu vaccine is currently available for children younger than 6 months.
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