Preliminary inferences on the age-specific seriousness of human disease caused by avian influenza A(H7N9) infections in China, March to April 2013

Euro Surveill. 2013 May 9;18(19):20475.

Abstract

Between 31 March and 21 April 2013, 102 laboratory-confirmed influenza A(H7N9) infections have been reported in six provinces of China. Using survey data on age-specific rates of exposure to live poultry in China, we estimated that risk of serious illness after infection is 5.1 times higher in persons 65 years and older versus younger ages. Our results suggest that many unidentified mild influenza A(H7N9) infections may have occurred, with a lower bound of 210–550 infections to date.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Bayes Theorem
  • Birds
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • China / epidemiology
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype*
  • Influenza in Birds / transmission*
  • Influenza, Human / epidemiology*
  • Influenza, Human / transmission
  • Middle Aged
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Rural Population
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Urban Population
  • Young Adult