January 2001
SAN DIEGO - When children who attend day care are immunized against influenza, other members of their household experience significantly fewer cases of respiratory illness.
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Studies have shown that
influenza vaccine is an effective way of preventing infection in young
children. Eugene Hurwitz, MD, medical epidemiologist with the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention at the time the study was conducted, and
colleagues, found that unvaccinated household members of children who received
the vaccine experienced 42% less febrile respiratory illness than those living
with unvaccinated children. They also had 80% fewer cases of febrile
respiratory illness among school-aged children (ages 5-17) and 70% fewer missed
work days for adults caring for children. The household members had 70% fewer
missed school days, reported earaches, physician visits and antibiotic
prescriptions for school-aged children, according to a study published recently
in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"We knew that day care children were at increased risk for influenza and we knew that the flu vaccine is an effective means of protecting children against influenza," said Hurwitz. "This study shows that by immunizing children who attend day care against influenza we can also reduce the transmission of infection to other household members, especially school-aged children."
He added that public health authorities are currently seeking measures to help control a possible influenza pandemic that could cause severe illness and death. "This study also suggests that vaccinating day care children may be one strategy to reduce spread of influenza to others in the household and perhaps the community at large."
The study was conducted among families of military personnel, most of whom had already received influenza vaccine as part of a military requirement. "Thus, we are very interested in conducting additional studies in civilian populations where influenza vaccination is not required and where the influenza prevention impact may be even greater," said Albert Chang, MD, professor of public health at the graduate school of public health at San Diego State University, lead agency for the study.
A total of 127 children ages 24 to 60 months enrolled in 10 military day care centers in San Diego and their 328 household contacts were randomized into two groups. Children in the first group received two doses of an inactivated influenza vaccine (FluShield, Wyeth Lederle Vaccines). Children in the second group received two doses of a control vaccine. Researchers followed the groups for six months.
As many as 50% of children in day care are infected in a given influenza season. These children are the main channel through which influenza is brought into households.
For more information:
- Hurwitz ES, Haber M, Chang A, et al. Effectiveness of influenza vaccination of day care children in reducing influenza-related morbidity among household contacts. JAMA. 2000;284(13):1677-1682.
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