A 1-year cross-sectional study on the predominance of infuenza among hospitalized children in a tropical area, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Kai, Joo Lim and Jecelyn Leaslie John and Syed Sharizman Syed Abdul Rahim and Richard Avoi and Mohd Rohaizat Hassan and Mohammad Saffree Jeffree and Mohd Yusof Ibrahim and Kamruddin Ahmed (2022) A 1-year cross-sectional study on the predominance of infuenza among hospitalized children in a tropical area, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Journal of Physiological Anthropology, 41. pp. 1-9. ISSN 1880-6805

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Abstract

Background: Children are at higher risk of infuenza virus infection, and it is difficult to diagnose. They are also responsible for the transmission of infuenza because of their longer viral shedding compared to adults. In Malaysia, studies on infuenza in children are scarce, and as a result, policy decisions cannot be formulated to control the infection. Hence, the objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of infuenza among children with upper respiratory symptoms in the Sabah state of Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study with a simple random sampling was conducted among children with upper respiratory symptoms in Sabah from 1 March 2019 to 29 February 2020. Patients admitted to a pediatric ward of Sabah Women and Children’s Hospital who presented with a fever >38 °C and cough within 48 h of admission were enrolled in this study. A nasopharyngeal swab was taken, and infuenza was diagnosed by lateral flow test. Clinical features of infuenza-positive children were compared with children whose results were negative. Results: A total of 323 nasopharyngeal samples were collected, and 66 (20.4%) of them were positive for infuenza. Fifty-six (85%) were infected by infuenza A whereas ten (15%) were by infuenza B virus. Higher temperature (aOR 2.03, 95% CI 1.296–3.181), less activity (aOR 2.07, 95% CI 1.158–3.693), and seizure (aOR 4.2, 95% CI 1.614–10.978) on admission were significant risk factors associated with infuenza in children. Meteorology parameters such as humidity and rainfall amount were statistically significant at 95% CI [1.133 (1.024–1.255)] and 95% CI [0.946 (0.907–0.986)]. Conclusion: The prevalence of infuenza was high among children with upper respiratory symptoms, and they were infected predominantly with the infuenza A virus. Children presented with seizures, less activity, and fever were the significant risk factors for infuenza. Infuenza vaccination should be prioritized as preventive measures for children.

Item Type:	Article
Keyword:	Infuenza , Prevalence , Factors , Children , Sabah
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA1-1270 Public aspects of medicine > RA421-790.95 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive medicine > RA643-645 Disease (Communicable and noninfectious) and public health
Department:	FACULTY > Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Depositing User:	SAFRUDIN BIN DARUN -
Date Deposited:	09 Aug 2022 09:44
Last Modified:	09 Aug 2022 09:44
URI:	https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/29039

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