[Incidence of cerebral palsy in Himeji City in 1983-1997].

We retrospectively investigated the incidence, neuroimaging findings, and motor and intellectual disability of infants with cerebral palsy (CP) who were born between 1983 and 1997. The incidence of CP was found to have increased gradually and the major cause was periventricular leukomalacia. The prognosis of preterm infants was better than that of term infants. These findings suggest that the increase in the incidence of CP has been due mainly to changes in medical care for neonates.

Failure of inactivated influenza A vaccine to protect healthy children aged 6-24 months.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of inactivated influenza vaccine in healthy infants and children younger than 24 months has not been confirmed. The aim of the present study was to determine the prophylactic effect of inactivated influenza vaccine against influenza A in healthy children aged 6-24 months. METHODS: Healthy infants and young children (6-24 months old) were immunized by subcutaneous injection of inactivated influenza vaccine before influenza seasons. Age matched children were randomly assigned as the control. These children were followed up from January to April in each year (2000, 2001 and 2002). The attack rates of influenza A infection was compared and statistically assessed. RESULTS: The attack rate of influenza A virus infection in the vaccine group and the control group were 14.8% (n = 27) vs 12.5% (n = 32) in 2000 (P = 0.526); 2.8% (n = 72) vs 7.2% (n = 69) in 2001 (P = 0.203); and 3.4% (n = 52) vs 8.9% (n = 56) in 2002 (P = 0.205). The attack rates of influenza A between the two groups were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Inactivated influenza vaccine did not reduce the attack rate of influenza A infection in 6-24 month old children.

Prophylactic effect of inactivated influenza vaccine on young children.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of inactivated influenza vaccine in healthy infants and young children has been controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the prophylactic effect of inactivated influenza vaccine in young children. METHODS: Eighty-six healthy infants and children younger than 7-years-old were immunized by a subcutaneous injection of inactivated influenza vaccine before the 1999/2000 influenza season. Ninety-four age-matched children were randomly assigned as the control. These children were followed-up from January to April, 2000. A diagnosis of influenza A virus infection was made rapidly by a positive result of the the enzyme immunoassay membrane test using enzyme-conjugated monoclonal antibodies specific for a conserved epitope of influenza A nucleoprotein. The incidence of influenza A infection was compared and statistically assessed. RESULTS: The prevalence of influenza A virus infection, diagnosed by the influenza A rapid detection test, was 5.8% in the vaccine group and 17.0% in the control group, that is significantly lower in the vaccine receiving group than the non-receiving group (P = 0.016). However, four out of five infected children in the vaccine group were younger than 2-years-old. CONCLUSION: We conclude that inactivated influenza vaccine reduces the incidence of influenza A virus infection in 2-6-year-old children.