Pediatria pre prax 6/2011

Vaccination of children against influenza: considerations before the upcoming epidemic season

Influenza infection in children involves certain specific features. In children up to two or three years of age, influenza often results in hospitalization with a clinical presentation dominated by febrile convulsions, bronchiolitis, croup or otitis media. The approaches to vaccination of children vary from country to country. In the Czech Republic, vaccination of children against influenza is, in accordance with the current legislation, restricted to risk groups only. It can be considered a reasonable compromise to maximally support vaccination of all school-age children since the great importance of vaccination of this very segment of the population has been clearly evidenced.

Keywords: influenza viruses, influenza in children, influenza vaccination