Skip to main content

Master of Public Health

Vaccine Effectiveness against Influenza Hospitalization and Emergency Department Visits in Two A(H3N2) Dominant Influenza Seasons among Children <18 Years Old, New Vaccine Surveillance Network 2016-17 and 2017-18

AUTHORS

Kim SS , Naioti EA , Halasa NB , Stewart LS , Williams JV , Michaels MG , Selvarangan R , Harrison CJ , Staat MA , Schlaudecker EP , Weinberg GA , Szilagyi PG , Boom JA , Sahni LC , Englund JA , Klein EJ , Ogokeh CE , Campbell AP , Patel MM , , . The Journal of infectious diseases. 2021 12 24; ().

ABSTRACT

Studies have shown egg-adaptive mutations in influenza vaccine strains that might have impaired protection against circulating A(H3N2) influenza viruses during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. We employed the test-negative design and multivariable models to assess vaccine effectiveness against influenza-associated hospitalization and emergency department visits among children <18 years during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. Effectiveness was 71% (95% CI:59%-79%), 46% (95% CI:35%-55%), and 45% (95% CI:33%-55%) against A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2), and B viruses respectively, across both seasons. During high-severity seasons with concerns for vaccine mismatch, vaccination offered substantial protection against severe influenza outcomes requiring hospitalization or emergency department visits among children.

Tags: