Retrospective Analysis of Pediatric Cancer Patients Diagnosed With the Pandemic H1N1 Influenza Infection

Background Limited data are available on disease characteristics and outcome of children with cancer who contracted the H1N1 influenza infection during the 2009 pandemic Methods All 76 pediatric patients with cancer and documented H1N1 infection who presented to the Pediatric Department at King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) between October 1 and December 1 2009 were reviewed for clinical characteristics and course of the disease Results Two thirds of the patients had hematological malignancies and half were receiving non intensive chemotherapy at the time of infection With the exception of two patients who needed pediatric intensive care unit admission the course of the remaining patients was uneventful whether they were hospitalized or not No deaths related to H1N1 influenza infection were reported Sixty three percent of patients became afebrile within 48 hr of receiving oseltamivir One third of hospitalized patients were discharged in <3 days Conclusion The course of H1N1 influenza infection in children with cancer appears to be mild in most cases Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011 56 86-89 (C) 2010 Wiley Liss Inc