A(H1N1) flu virus more likely to affect children: CDC

LOS ANGELES, March 11 — The A(H1N1) flu virus is more likely to affect children once it spreads in a household setting, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Wednesday.

But the virus spreads slower than seasonal flu, it said the study.

"We found that about 9 percent of people who lived with a household member with A(H1N1) flu also got flu," said leading researcher Oliver Morgan, an epidemic intelligence service officer at the center.

"We found that 18 percent of children under five, and 11 percent of children five to 18, got flu in the household," Morgan said, adding that children were more likely to introduce flu into the household.

The so-called attack rate of the A(H1N1) flu was four percent, which is lower than that seen with seasonal flu and lower than what would be expected for a pandemic flu, the researchers said.

Most of the flu and the highest attack rates were seen among children, reinforcing earlier findings that the A(H1N1) flu tends to target children and younger adults.

For the study, researchers at the center began looking at the A(H1N1) outbreak when it first started in the United States in April and May of 2009. The researchers examined more than 3,400 flu samples from the San Antonio, Texas, one of the first sites to experience infections.

The researchers were able to identify 97 cases of the A(H1N1) flu in 77 households. In about 30 percent of the homes, additional family members became sick within four days of a child coming down with the flu.

This study proved earlier findings that the transmission rate of A(H1N1) strain may have been lower than anticipated.

However, experts noted that this study was done at the start of the pandemic and the findings may not hold up once later data are available. (PNA/Xinhua)

DCT

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