Past flu shots effective in young kids

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Despite vaccines that were poor matches for flu strains in the 2004-05 season, flu shots still were effective in young children, U.S. researchers say.

"These years were poor matches and fully vaccinated children were still half as likely to get the flu," Dr. Katherine Eisenberg, a doctoral candidate at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in New York who was the study author, said in a statement. "Conservatively, we can estimate that vaccination for flu could prevent 2,250 hospitalizations and between 270,000 and 650,000 doctor visits for children if half of U.S. children 6 months to age 5 were vaccinated."

The study included 2,400 children ages 6 months to 5 years in Rochester, Nashville and Cincinnati. Nasal and throat swabs were used to determine whether children who came to the hospital or participating outpatient practice had the flu, the researchers said.

In the 2004-05 flu season, the vaccine was effective almost 60 percent of the time in children between 6 months and 5 years, who were fully vaccinated compared to those who were not. The results indicated the vaccine also may have been effective in the 2003-2004 season.

The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found partial vaccination -- receiving one shot when two are recommended for children -- did not provide any protection.