Consecutive influenza infections in both adults and children

Abstract

Möst and Weiss recently described 13 cases of consecutive influenza infection among immunocompetent children during the 2014–2015 influenza season in Austria. All 13 children had presented to a medical practitioner with clinically compatible symptoms, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to diagnose an influenza A virus infection followed by an influenza B virus infection. With a mean interval of 50 days between diagnoses, the authors found that timing of the consecutive influenza A and B virus infections correlated with the peak prevalence of each virus subtype cocirculating within the Austrian population. They concluded that infection with influenza A may not confer protection against influenza B virus infection in children; however, prior infections and vaccination may confer protection against consecutive influenza infection in adults