Impact of Influenza on Invasive Pneumococcal Disease
Author Information
Author(s): Katarzyna Grabowska, Liselotte Högberg, Pasi Penttinen, Åke Svensson, Karl Ekdahl
Primary Institution: Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control
Hypothesis
Does influenza contribute to the occurrence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD)?
Conclusion
The study confirms that influenza is associated with an increase in invasive pneumococcal disease cases.
Supporting Evidence
- The study estimated a yearly increase of 72–118 IPD cases due to influenza.
- Influenza was found to contribute to 6–10% of IPD cases per year.
- A lag time of one to three weeks was significant in the relation between IPD and influenza.
Takeaway
When people get the flu, it can lead to more cases of a serious infection called invasive pneumococcal disease.
Methodology
The study used negative binomial regression models to analyze the relationship between influenza and IPD.
Potential Biases
Potential biases include changes in health-care seeking behavior and patient-sampling due to holiday periods.
Limitations
The study did not perform age-stratified analysis due to lack of age-specific data.
Participant Demographics
50% of isolates were from elderly persons (65 years or older), 43% from adults (20–64 years), and 7% from children and teenagers.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.005
Confidence Interval
95% CI for excess cases: 24 – 243
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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