Ok Sung Son; Chi Eun Oh; Seom Gim Kong; Yu Jin Jung; Yoo Rha Hong

doi:10.14776/piv.2016.23.2.87

Journal List > Pediatr Infect Vaccine > v.23(2) > 1095954

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Son, Oh, Kong, Jung, and Hong: Influenza A Outbreak in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit During the 2011–2012 Influenza Season in Korea

Original Article

Pediatric Infection & Vaccine 2016; 23(2): 87-93.

Published online: 25 August 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14776/piv.2016.23.2.87

Influenza A Outbreak in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit During the 2011–2012 Influenza Season in Korea

Ok Sung Son, Chi Eun Oh, Seom Gim Kong, Yu Jin Jung, Yoo Rha Hong

Department of Pediatrics, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

Corresponding author (pondhong@gmail.com)

Received 16 September 2015 Revised 19 October 2015 Accepted 3 November 2015

Abstract

Purpose

An outbreak of influenza virus is uncommon in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The clinical presentation of influenza virus infection in neonates is diverse. This study was aimed to report an outbreak of influenza A in a NICU and to investigate the clinical characteristics of influenza virus infection in neonates especially preterm infants during the 2011–2012 influenza season in Korea.

Methods

We reviewed the medical records of 29 patients who were evaluated by respiratory virus multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at NICU of Kosin University Gospel Hospital during the 2011–2012 seasonal influenza outbreak in Korea.

Results

Eleven patients (37.9%) were influenza A virus RT-PCR positive during the survey periods. They were all preterm infants and three of them had no symptoms. Eight patients had symptoms and it was fever (18%, 2/11), respiratory difficulty (72.7%, 8/11) without symptoms of upper respiratory infection, and gastrointestinal symptoms (27.3%, 3/11). The median duration of symptom was 5 days. There were differences of duration of admission at the test of respiratory RT-PCR, Clinical Risk Index for Babies (CRIB) score, use of mechanical ventilation, and use of dexamethasone before infection between influenza A virus RT-PCR positive and negative group. All 11 patients with influenza A were discharged without any complications.

Conclusions

The symptoms of influenza A virus infection in the preterm infants is nonspecific. Influenza A virus should be considered as a possible cause of infection in NICU during the influenza season in the community.

Keywords: Influenza A virus, Intensive Care Units, Neonatal, Outbreak

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Comparison of Clinical Characteristics Related to the Positivity of Influenza A RT-PCR

Abbreviations: GA, gestational age; SD, standard deviation; IQR, interquartile range; CRIB, clinical risk index for babies; BPD, bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

^*P-values were calculated by Pearson's chi-square test for categorical data and Mann-whitney test for continuous data.

Table 2

Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Influenza A in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Abbreviations: GA, gestational age; WBC, white blood cell; N, neutrophil; L, lymphocyte; M, male; F, female; C/S, Cesarean section ; NSVD, normal spontaneous vaginal delivery.

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