To the Editor: Young children are at increased risk of severe influenza compared with the general population. Routine vaccination of children using trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV) is recommended in the United States and Canada. The Western Australian government, with support from vaccine manufacturers, has been providing TIV free of charge to all children aged 6–59 months since 2008.1
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- 1. Dixon GA, Moore HC, Kelly H, et al. Lessons from the first year of the WAIVE study investigating the protective effect of influenza vaccine against laboratory-confirmed influenza in hospitalised children aged 6–59 months. Influenza Other Respi Viruses 2010; 4: 231-234.
- 2. Department of Health and Ageing, Therapeutic Goods Administration. Investigation into febrile reactions in young children following 2010 seasonal trivalent influenza vaccination: status report as at 2 July 2010 (updated 24 September 2010). Canberra: TGA, 2010. http://www.tga.gov.au/safety/alerts-medicine-seasonal-flu-100702.htm#fullreport (accessed May 2011).
- 3. Armstrong PK, Dowse GK, Effler PV, et al. Epidemiological study of severe febrile reactions in young children in Western Australia caused by a 2010 trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine. BMJ Open 2011. In press.
- 4. Blyth CC, Currie AJ, Wiertsema SP, et al. Trivalent influenza vaccine and febrile adverse events in Australia, 2010: clinical features and potential mechanisms. Vaccine 2011. In press. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2011.05.054.
- 5. CSL Biotherapies. Fluvax. Product information, October 2010. http://secure.healthlinks.net.au/content/csl/pi.cfm?product=cspfluva11010 (accessed Apr 2011).
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We thank Christine Baker, Dale Carcione, Christine Robins, Caroline Wharton, Filomena Mascaro and Nicky Conway for assisting with collation of data.
Christopher Blyth, Tracy Markus and Peter Richmond are members of the Vaccine Trials Group. The Vaccine Trials Group has received funding for research from vaccine providers including CSL Biotherapies, Sanofi Pasteur and GlaxoSmithKline. Peter Richmond has also previously been a member of a CSL Limited vaccine advisory board.