Decline of Neurologic Varicella Complications in Children During the First Seven Years After Introduction of Universal Varicella Vaccination in Germany, 2005-2011

Streng, Andrea; Grote, Veit; Rack-Hoch, Anita und Liese, Johannes G. (2017): Decline of Neurologic Varicella Complications in Children During the First Seven Years After Introduction of Universal Varicella Vaccination in Germany, 2005-2011. In: Pediatric infectious Disease Journal, Bd. 36, Nr. 1: S. 79-86

Abstract

Background: Universal varicella vaccination for 1-year-old children was introduced in Germany in 2004. We investigated changes in the incidence and type of varicella-associated neurologic complications in children during the first 7 years after universal vaccination recommendation. Methods: A surveillance study was conducted based on patients <17 years of age with an International Classification of Diseases (10th Revision) discharge diagnosis of varicella, annually reported by 22-29 pediatric hospitals in Bavaria, Germany, 2005 to 2011. Annual incidences were estimated and linear trend across years was assessed by Poisson regression models. Results: Of a total of 1263 varicella-associated pediatric hospitalizations, 228 children (18.1%) had neurologic complications (median age 4 years, interquartile range 2-7;56% male). The most frequent neurologic complications were febrile convulsion (32.0% of 228 children, median age 3.0 years), varicella encephalitis or meningitis (28.9%;median age 4.5 years), syncope (13.2%;median age 7.0 years) and cerebral convulsion (11.0%;median age 4.0 years). Other complications included ataxia (3.1%), facial nerve palsy (2.6%) and cerebral vasculitis/infarction (1.8%). Neurologic complications showed a continuous decrease between 2005 and 2011, from an incidence of 2.8 (95% confidence interval: 2.1-3.6) per 100,000 children <17 years of age to 1.2 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-2.1;P < 0.001). In particular, a marked decline was observed among children up to 7 years of age, mainly because of a decrease in the number of febrile convulsions and encephalitis or meningitis. Conclusion: The incidence of varicella-associated neurologic complications in children decreased approximately by 60% during the first 7 years following the recommendation for universal vaccination.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Medizin
• Themengebiete: 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
• ISSN: 0891-3668
• Sprache: Englisch