We investigated the recent epidemiology and characteristics of influenza-related hospitalization in Japanese children. This study included 3741 children with influenza. Children hospitalized for febrile seizures (FS) induced by etiologies other than influenza also served as a disease control. Most outpatients (92.8%) visited our hospital with complaints of respiratory symptoms, whereas FS were the most predominant symptoms of inpatients (58/154, 37.7%). Children with influenza-induced FS were significantly older than those with FS induced by other etiologies (P <0.001). Although the characteristics of severe influenza may vary throughout the world, the analysis of influenza-induced neurological disorders is important for understanding its epidemiology.
Keywords: Febrile seizures; Geographical difference; Hospitalization; Influenza virus; Older children.
© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.