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Influenza in the paediatric population in 2024: a single-centre study

Aldona Ząber1, Martyna Zabłocka-Sznajder1, Natalia Gołuchowska1, Julia Święcka2, Nina Sługocka2, Agata Tomaszewska1,2, Bolesław Kalicki1,2

Affiliation and address for correspondence
Pediatr Med Rodz 2025; 21 (4): 234–240
DOI: 10.15557/PiMR.2025.0035
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Abstract

Introduction: Influenza remains a significant public health concern in the paediatric population, contributing to substantial morbidity, risk of complications, and burden on healthcare systems both globally and nationally. In Poland, between several hundred thousand and several million influenza cases are reported annually, with a considerable proportion occurring among preschool- and school-aged children. Objective: To analyse the incidence, clinical course, and selected laboratory parameters in children diagnosed with influenza in 2024 at the Department of Paediatrics, Paediatric Nephrology and Allergology, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on medical records of 166 children aged 6 months to 16 years with laboratory-confirmed influenza. Demographic characteristics, viral type, clinical course, vaccination status, laboratory findings, treatment setting, and therapeutic management were assessed. Results: The most frequently affected group comprised preschool-aged children (median age: 4 years; interquartile range, IQR: 2.0– 7.0). Influenza type A was the predominant etiological agent (74.1%). Most infections occurred during the winter season (70.5% of cases). Hospitalisation was required in 7.8% of patients, primarily due to persistent fever unresponsive to antipyretic treatment. Household transmission was reported in 19.3% of cases. Influenza vaccination was documented in 18.1% of children. Antibiotic therapy was administered to 15.1% of patients. Conclusions: Influenza in 2024 was characterised was characterised by typical seasonality and a predominance of influenza type A virus. Low vaccination coverage among children contributed to viral transmission, increased incidence, and hospitalisations. The findings highlight the need to intensify educational efforts promoting vaccination as a key preventive strategy.

Keywords
epidemiology, influenza, vaccines, infectious disease, vaccine-preventable disease

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