Antiviral Use Among Children Hospitalized With Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza Illness: A Prospective, Multicenter Surveillance Study.

Background: Guidelines state that all hospitalized children with suspected or confirmed influenza receive prompt treatment with influenza-specific antivirals. We sought to determine the frequency of, and factors associated with, antiviral receipt among hospitalized children.

Methods: We conducted active surveillance of children presenting with fever or respiratory symptoms from 1 December 2016 to 31 March 2020 at 7 pediatric medical centers in the New Vaccine Surveillance Network.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease Burden and Nirsevimab Effectiveness in Young Children From 2023-2024.

Importance: During the 2023-2024 respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season in the United States, 2 new RSV prevention products were recommended to protect infants in their first RSV season: nirsevimab and Pfizer's maternal RSV vaccine. Postlicensure studies are needed to assess prevention product impact and effectiveness.

Objective: To compare the epidemiology and disease burden of medically attended RSV-associated acute respiratory illness (ARI) among children younger than 5 years during the 2023-2024 RSV season with 3 prepandemic RSV seasons (2017-2020), estimate nirsevimab effectiveness against medically attended RSV-associated ARI, and compare nirsevimab binding site mutations among circulating RSV in infants with and without nirsevimab receipt.

Underutilization of Influenza Antiviral Treatment Among Children and Adolescents at Higher Risk for Influenza-Associated Complications - United States, 2023-2024.

Annually, tens of thousands of U.S. children and adolescents are hospitalized with seasonal influenza virus infection.

On-time childhood vaccination before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in seven communities: Findings from the New Vaccine Surveillance Network.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic raised unprecedented challenges to vaccinating children. This multi-center study aimed to compare on-time vaccination of children before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify key factors associated with on-time vaccination.

Methods: This study was conducted among children aged 0-6 years enrolled in the New Vaccine Surveillance Network at seven geographically diverse U.

Pediatric Clinical Influenza Disease by Type and Subtype 2015-2020: A Multicenter, Prospective Study.

Background: Previous investigations into clinical signs and symptoms associated with influenza types and subtypes have not definitively established differences in the clinical presentation or severity of influenza disease.

Methods: The study population included children 0 through 17 years old enrolled at 8 New Vaccine Surveillance Network sites between 2015 and 2020 who tested positive for influenza virus by molecular testing. Demographic and clinical data were collected for study participants via parent/guardian interview and medical chart review.

Perceived Effects of COVID-19 on Vaccine Hesitancy and Clinician Discussion: A Qualitative Study.

Background And Objectives: Studies note a high prevalence of pediatric coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-specific vaccine hesitancy in the United States. Our objective was to assess whether clinicians perceive a spillover effect of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy onto other vaccines, and the impact of this spillover on their general recommendation behavior.

Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with pediatricians in California and Colorado pediatric practices (January-March 2023).

Evaluation of a Modified Vesikari Severity Score as a Research Tool for Assessing Pediatric Acute Gastroenteritis.

A modified Vesikari severity score (MVSS) is a useful research tool for assessing severity of acute gastroenteritis. We present a MVSS for studies in which a follow-up assessment of symptoms cannot be obtained. The MVSS significantly correlated with other markers of severity, including illness duration and work and school absenteeism.

Changes in School-Age Children's Well-being and School-Related Needs Post COVID-19 Pandemic.

COVID-19 highlighted the importance of schools for child health, as emerging data suggest that pandemic-related school closures may have led to worsening child health and exacerbated health disparities. This study examines school-aged children's well-being, and characterizes changes in school-related needs, from 2021 to 2022. This is a secondary analysis of a longitudinal cohort study, where a nationally representative sample of parents of school-aged children were surveyed in June 2021 and 2022.

Influenza C virus in U.S. children with acute respiratory infection 2016-2019.

Influenza C virus (ICV) is an orthomyxovirus related to influenza A and B, yet due to few commercial assays, epidemiologic studies may underestimate incidence of ICV infection and disease. We describe the epidemiology and characteristics of ICV within the New Vaccine Surveillance Network (NVSN), a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-led network that conducts population-based surveillance for pediatric acute respiratory illness (ARI). Nasal or/combined throat swabs were collected from emergency department (ED) or inpatient ARI cases, or healthy controls, between 12/05/2016-10/31/2019 and tested by molecular assays for ICV and other respiratory viruses.

Trust in health workers and patient-centeredness of care were strongest factors associated with vaccination for Kenyan children born between 2017-2022.

Objective: Although vaccination confidence is declining globally, there is little detailed information from low- and middle-income countries about factors influencing routine vaccination behavior in these contexts.

Methods: In mid-2022, we surveyed people who gave birth in Kenya between 2017-2022, and asked them about their children's vaccination history and about hypothesized correlates of vaccination per the Behavioural and Social Drivers of Vaccination model.

Results: Of 873 children in this sample, 117 (13%) were under-vaccinated (i.

Accuracy of Influenza ICD-10 Diagnosis Codes in Identifying Influenza Illness in Children.

Importance: Studies of influenza in children commonly rely on coded diagnoses, yet the ability of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes to identify influenza in the emergency department (ED) and hospital is highly variable. The accuracy of newer International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes to identify influenza in children is unknown.

Objective: To determine the accuracy of ICD-10 influenza discharge diagnosis codes in the pediatric ED and inpatient settings.

Medical Costs of Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Associated Hospitalizations and Emergency Department Visits in Children Aged Younger Than 5 Years: Observational Findings from the New Vaccine Surveillance Network, 2016-2019.

Objective: To assess medical costs of hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) care associated with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease in children enrolled in the New Vaccine Surveillance Network.

Study Design: We used accounting and prospective surveillance data from 6 pediatric health systems to assess direct medical costs from laboratory-confirmed RSV-associated hospitalizations (n = 2007) and ED visits (n = 1267) from 2016 through 2019 among children aged <5 years. We grouped costs into categories relevant to clinical care and administrative billing practices.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Associated Hospitalizations Among Children <5 Years Old: 2016 to 2020.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of hospitalization in US infants. Accurate estimates of severe RSV disease inform policy decisions for RSV prevention.

Methods: We conducted prospective surveillance for children <5 years old with acute respiratory illness from 2016 to 2020 at 7 pediatric hospitals.

Maternal Vaccine Effectiveness Against Influenza-Associated Hospitalizations and Emergency Department Visits in Infants.

Importance: Influenza virus infection during pregnancy is associated with severe maternal disease and may be associated with adverse birth outcomes. Inactivated influenza vaccine during pregnancy is safe and effective and can protect young infants, but recent evidence, particularly after the 2009 novel influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, is limited.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of influenza vaccination during pregnancy against laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits in infants younger than 6 months.

SARS-CoV-2 Epidemiology and COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Effectiveness Among Infants and Children Aged 6 Months-4 Years - New Vaccine Surveillance Network, United States, July 2022-September 2023.

SARS-CoV-2 infection in young children is often mild or asymptomatic; however, some children are at risk for severe disease. Data describing the protective effectiveness of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines against COVID-19-associated emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalization in this population are limited. Data from the New Vaccine Surveillance Network, a prospective population-based surveillance system, were used to estimate vaccine effectiveness using a test-negative, case-control design and describe the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in infants and children aged 6 months-4 years during July 1, 2022-September 30, 2023.