Report highlights pediatric influenza-associated encephalopathy in 2024–2025 season

Influenza-associated encephalopathy (IAE) and the extreme type termed acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) occurred in 109 kids within the 2024 to 2025 influenza season, based on analysis published within the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Following experiences of deaths amongst kids youthful than 18 years with a extreme type of IAE termed ANE in January 2025, Amara Fazal, M.D., from the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues describe requested notification of U.S. pediatric IAE instances from clinicians and well being departments in the course of the 2024 to 2025 influenza season, which was a excessive severity season with a file variety of pediatric influenza-associated deaths.

The researchers discovered that 192 experiences of suspected IAE had been submitted to the CDC, 109 (57%) of which had been categorized as IAE: 34% and 66% had been ANE and different IAE, respectively.

Total, 82 experiences didn’t meet the standards for IAE and had been categorized as different influenza-associated neurologic illness. Youngsters with IAE had a median age of 5 years; 55% had been beforehand wholesome.

Of the kids with IAE, 74% and 19% had been admitted to an intensive care unit and died, respectively; 41% of youngsters with ANE died. Of youngsters with IAE who had been vaccination-eligible, solely 16% had obtained the 2024 to 2025 vaccine.

“Well being care suppliers ought to think about IAE in kids with latest or present febrile sickness with encephalopathy, monitor these kids for medical deterioration, and provoke acceptable supportive care,” the authors write.

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