Otherwise healthy preschool-age children drive the spread of influenza in the community, a finding that could have major implications for immunization policy, investigators contend according to Reuters. "What we found was quite striking," Dr. John S. Brownstein from Children's Hospital Boston noted in an interview with Reuters Health. In all six healthcare settings monitored -- including ambulatory care sites and emergency departments -- "3- and 4-year-olds were consistently the first age to get infected with influenza," he said. This age group developed influenza-like illnesses as early as late September, while younger children showed up 1 or 2 weeks later, followed by older children in October and adults in November. The findings, based on influenza surveillance data spanning four recent flu seasons for the greater Boston area, are reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Current immunization policies recommend universal influenza vaccination for the elderly and for children 6 to 23 months of age. Influenza vaccination is currently advised for children 2 years of age or older only if they have high-risk medical conditions. --more 2224 Local Time 1924 GMT
