El Comité Asesor sobre Inmunización de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC) de Estados Unidos ha votado unánimemente a favor de recomendar la vacuna antigripal a todos los niños mayores de 6 meses y menores de 5 años.
Hasta ahora se recomendaba la vacuna a niños hasta los 2 años de edad. La ampliación fue solicitada por la Fundación Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas, cuya presidenta electa, Carol J. Baker, manifestó que "la razón de vacunar a estos niños es que presentan las mismas tasas de hospitalización y enfermedad que los grupos de edad más avanzada, exceptuando los ancianos".
Los CDC señalan que en la temporada 2003-2004, la gripe mató en Estados Unidos a 153 niños, cifra superior a la mortalidad causada por la varicela, la tos ferina y el sarampión juntos.
Casi dos tercios de los niños que fallecieron a causa de la gripe eran menores de 5 años y la mitad estaban previamente sanos. El 43% presentaba asma.
Por otro lado, los CDC indican que esta temporada la gripe está siendo más débil y sólo ha causado la muerte de 12 niños.
Webs Relacionadas
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
CDC
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