Journal Article Epublish
PubMed: 40142409 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms13030517
Epidemiology and Clinical Characteristics of Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 and Influenza Infections in Children: A 2015-2024 Study in Taiwan.
Microorganisms 13(3)
Authors: Hao-Yuan Lee, Chien-Chin Chen, Shu-Hua Ko, Yu-Lung Hsu, En-Pen Chang, Yu-Chau Hsu, Meng-Yen Li, Chyi-Liang Chen, Wen-Yuan Lee
Affiliations
- Department of Nursing, Jen-Teh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Miaoli 35664, Taiwan.
- Department of Pediatrics, Wei Gong Memorial Hospital, Miaoli 35159, Taiwan.
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei 242062, Taiwan.
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, China Medical University Children's Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan.
- Molecular Infectious Disease Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 333423, Taiwan.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan.
- Department of Neurosurgery, China Medical University Children's Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wei Gong Memorial Hospital, Miaoli 35159, Taiwan.
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic and Taiwan's strict prevention policies from May 2020 to April 2023 significantly altered the epidemiology of viral infections. This study analyzed pediatric COVID-19 and influenza cases at Wei Gong Memorial Hospital from January 2015 to March 2024. Clinical features were compared among children hospitalized during the Omicron BA.2.3.7 (April-July 2022), Omicron BA.5 (August-December 2022), and Omicron JN.1 (2024) waves and those with influenza in 2024 and 2015-2016. Between 2015 and 2024, there were 2729 influenza A (36.6%), 974 influenza B (13.1%), and 3752 COVID-19 (50.3%) cases, with 84.7% of COVID-19 cases occurring in May-December 2022. In 2024, high fever (>40 °C) was more common in influenza A cases (32.9%) than in COVID-19 or influenza B ( < 0.004). Leukocytosis (>12,000/µL) was more frequent in COVID-19 cases (33.3%) than in influenza A (12.2%) or B (0%) ( < 0.001). Pneumonia was more prevalent in COVID-19 cases in 2024 (27.3%) than in 2022 ( ≤ 0.030), and pneumonia rates for influenza A (14.8%) and B (16.7%) in 2024 exceeded those in 2015-2016 ( ≤ 0.030). Increased pneumonia rates in 2024 emphasize the importance of vigilance and timely intervention for pediatric COVID-19 and influenza cases.
MeSH
Epidemiology, Laboratories, Covid-19, Pneumonia, Influenza, Human, Infections, Child