Varicella associated pneumoniae in a pediatric population

Elena Bozzola,Renato Cutrera,Nadia Mirante,Laura Lancella,Alberto Villani,Chiara Rossetti,Guido Castelli Gattinara,Luciana Nicolosi,Andrzej Krzystofiak,Alberto Eugenio Tozzi,Marco Masci,Mauro Bozzola

doi:10.1186/s13052-017-0366-8

Elena Bozzola, Renato Cutrera + Show 10 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-017-0366-8

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Abstract

BackgroundVaricella pneumonia has been studied extensively in adults; it may also affect children and may require hospitalization.MethodsWe examined pneumonia complications in children hospitalized for varicella, over a 13 year period.ResultsPneumonia occurred in 8.2% of children hospitalized for varicella. The median length of hospitalization was 6 days. No statistically significant difference in length of stay was detected between immunodepressed children and previously healthy children. The hospitalization was on average shorter in patients who started antiviral therapy within 24 h of varicella onset. None of the included patients had been previously immunized for varicella.ConclusionsOur results support the need for increased awareness of current varicella prevention recommendations among both immunocompetent and immunodepressed individuals. In children affected by varicella, prompt antiviral therapy may be indicated to reduce the number of days of hospitalization.

Highlights

Varicella pneumonia has been studied extensively in adults; it may affect children and may require hospitalization
Few reports focusing on pneumoniae complications of varicella in pediatric age are available in the literature as pneumonia is frequently detected as an adult varicella complication [7, 8]
We have reported our experience as we consider that data on varicella complications are useful to improve local immunization strategies

Summary

Introduction

Varicella pneumonia has been studied extensively in adults; it may affect children and may require hospitalization. Methods: We examined pneumonia complications in children hospitalized for varicella, over a 13 year period. Results: Pneumonia occurred in 8.2% of children hospitalized for varicella. The hospitalization was on average shorter in patients who started antiviral therapy within 24 h of varicella onset. None of the included patients had been previously immunized for varicella. In children affected by varicella, prompt antiviral therapy may be indicated to reduce the number of days of hospitalization. Varicella is an exanthematous infectious disease that usually affects children. It generally has a benign course, but in some cases it may require hospitalization [1, 2]. Varicella may cause pneumoniae [3]

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