Vaccine Effectiveness Against Life-Threatening Influenza Illness in US Children

Samantha M Olson, Margaret M Newhams, Natasha B Halasa, Leora R Feldstein, Tanya Novak, Scott L Weiss, Bria M Coates, Jennifer E Schuster, Adam J Schwarz, Aline B Maddux, Mark W Hall, Ryan A Nofziger, Heidi R Flori, Shira J Gertz, Michele Kong, Ronald C Sanders, Katherine Irby, Janet R Hume, Melissa L Cullimore, Steven L SheinNeal J Thomas, Laura S Stewart, John R Barnes, Manish M Patel, Adrienne G Randolph, Kong Michele, Meghan Murdock, Ronald C Sanders, Katherine Irby, Glenda Hefley, Adam J Schwarz, Cathy Flores, Ofelia Vargas-shiraishi, Aline B Maddux, Peter M Mourani, Kevin A Van, Bria M Coates, Avani Shukla, Jairo Chavez, Adrienne G Randolph, Margaret M Newhams, Tanya Novak, Sabrina R Chen, Emily Jung, Heidi R Flori, Mary K Dahmer, Chaandini Jayachandran, Janet R Hume, Lexie Goertzen, Brittany Faanes, Jennifer E Schuster, Megan C Bledsoe, Shannon E Clark, Melissa L Cullimore, Rachel L Wellman, Shira J Gertz, Ryan A Nofziger, Nicole Twinem, Steven L Shein, Amanda N Lansell, Rajashri Rasal, Mark W Hall, Maggie Flowers, Lisa Steele, Scott L Weiss, Jenny L Bush, Ryan H Burnett, Neal J Thomas, Debra Spear, Natasha B Halasa, Laura S Stewart, Tricia L Lynch, Samantha M Olson, Manish M Patel, Leora R Feldstein, John R Barnes, Shoshona Le, Juliana Dasilva, Lisa Keong, Thomas Stark, Garten Kondor Rebecca, Wu Michael

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Predominance of 2 antigenically drifted influenza viruses during the 2019-2020 season offered an opportunity to assess vaccine effectiveness against life-threatening pediatric influenza disease from vaccine-mismatched viruses in the United States. METHODS: We enrolled children aged <18 years admitted to the intensive care unit with acute respiratory infection across 17 hospitals. Respiratory specimens were tested using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction for influenza viruses and sequenced. Using a test-negative design, we estimated vaccine effectiveness comparing odds of vaccination in test-positive case patients vs test-negative controls, stratifying by age, virus type, and severity. Life-threating influenza included death or invasive mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, dialysis, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. RESULTS: We enrolled 159 critically ill influenza case-patients (70% ≤8 years; 51% A/H1N1pdm09 and 25% B-Victoria viruses) and 132 controls (69% were aged ≤8 years). Among 56 sequenced A/H1N1pdm09 viruses, 29 (52%) were vaccine-mismatched (A/H1N1pdm09/5A+156K) and 23 (41%) were vaccine-matched (A/H1N1pdm09/5A+187A,189E). Among sequenced B-lineage viruses, majority (30 of 31) were vaccine-mismatched. Effectiveness against critical influenza was 63% (95% confidence interval [CI], 38% to 78%) and similar by age. Effectiveness was 75% (95% CI, 49% to 88%) against life-threatening influenza vs 57% (95% CI, 24% to 76%) against non-life-threating influenza. Effectiveness was 78% (95% CI, 41% to 92%) against matched A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses, 47% (95% CI, -21% to 77%) against mismatched A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses, and 75% (95% CI, 37% to 90%) against mismatched B-Victoria viruses. CONCLUSIONS: During a season when vaccine-mismatched influenza viruses predominated, vaccination was associated with a reduced risk of critical and life-threatening influenza illness in children.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)230-238
Number of pages9
JournalClinical Infectious Diseases
Volume75
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 25 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2022.

Keywords

  • case control
  • influenza
  • pediatrics
  • severity
  • vaccination

PubMed: MeSH publication types

  • Journal Article
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

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