Selective immunization of children may help reduce community transmission of influenza

Immunizing children and adolescents with inactivated influenza vaccine resulted in reduced rates of influenza in their community compared to a similar community in which children did not receive the vaccine, suggesting that vaccinating children may help prevent transmission of the virus and offer protection for unimmunized community residents, according to a study in the March 10 issue of JAMA.

Influenza is a major cause of illness and death, resulting in an estimated 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths annually in the United States alone. "Current vaccine policy focuses on immunizing those at high risk of complications of influenza. As a component of a broader policy to prevent the spread of influenza and reduce its complications, using immunization to interrupt community-wide transmission of influenza may be effective for protecting the entire population, including those at high risk," the authors write. They add that children and adolescents appear to play an important role in the transmission of influenza, and that selective vaccination against influenza among this group may interrupt virus transmission and protect those not vaccinated.