Influenza in older adults: Impact of vaccination of school children

The extent to which immunizing school children reduce the burden of influenza in adults is controversial. We enrolled a systematic sample of adults >= 50 years hospitalized with respiratory symptoms in two counties, one with and one without a school-based immunization program. We tested all Subjects for influenza by polymerase chain reaction. Hospitalizations per 1000 adults aged >= 50 years were 1.28 (95% Cl 0.59, 2.04) in the intervention county and 1.53 (95% Cl 0.71, 2.34) in the Control County. These rates did not differ significantly except in the subgroup aged 50-64 years where rates in the intervention county were significantly lower. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.