New data show young children need higher antibody levels than adults to ensure protection from influenza infections

A long-standing controversy on the use of influenza vaccines in young children might be coming to an end. Two questions have been discussed among pediatricians and within regulatory agencies worldwide: Should young children be vaccinated against influenza? How can the efficacy of a new influenza vaccine (a new vaccine must be formulated every year) be assessed for indication in young children?

Steven Black, professor of pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Ohio, USA, presented an analysis of clinical trial results on new influenza vaccines published in recent years, which brought key evidence to answer these questions at the 29th annual meeting of the European Society for Pediatrics Infectious Diseases (ESPID), in The Hague, Netherlands, This demonstrated that:

• The standard measurement of protection for influenza vaccination may not be applicable for young children; and
• There is a need for pediatric influenza recommendations based on appropriate correlates of protection.