Swine flu targets 5 to 14 age group

By Sheilah Downey (sheilahd@foodconsumer.org)

The H1N1 virus has the highest "overall attack rate" among children aged 5 to 14 years, according to a report issued today from the Centers for Disease Control.

Children in that age group were 14 times more likely to get the flu and to be hospitalized from it than adults aged 60 and over, stated the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

"These findings affirm prevention strategies that target children and young adults," stated the report, "who are at a disproportionate risk for infection and hospitalization."

Based on the figures from the Chicago Department of Public Health from April 24 to July 25, the report stated that children ages 5 to 14 became sick with the flu at a rate of 147 per 100,000 people, in the study of 1,557 cases. That included reports of seven deaths, stated the report.

The report also found "substantially lower" attack rates in people over 15 years, including lower hospitalization rates.

Of the 1,557 cases, a total of 205 patients were hospitalized, with the highest rate among children four and under (25 per 100,000), followed by children aged 5 to 14 years (11 per 100,000).

The H1N1 virus had higher attack rates in Chicago among Hispanics, blacks, and Asian/Pacific Islanders, stated the report.

"The cause for these higher rates is unknown," said the report, "and could not be explained entirely by differences in the age distribution of these populations."