Influenza Vaccination in the Prevention of Acute Otitis Media in Children

TLDR

The study evaluated whether influenza vaccination could prevent acute otitis media in 187 day‑care children aged 1–3 years during the 1988–1989 influenza A epidemic. Researchers compared 187 vaccinated children with 187 unvaccinated controls of similar age and background during the epidemic. Vaccination lowered influenza infection from 16% to 3% and reduced acute otitis media by 36% overall, an 83% reduction among influenza‑associated cases.

Abstract

We studied a new approach to the prevention of acute otitis media through the administration of influenza vaccine to 187 day-care center children aged 1 to 3 years before the influenza A epidemic of 1988-1989. The control group consisted of 187 unvaccinated children of similar age and background. During the 6-week study period, influenza A infection was diagnosed in five (3%) of 187 vaccinees and in 29 (16%) of 187 controls. Acute otitis media developed in three (60%) of five vaccinees with an influenza A infection compared with 18 (67%) of 27 controls (excluded were two children with a double viral infection). The incidence of acute otitis media associated with influenza A was reduced by 83% in the vaccinees. The total number of children with acute otitis media in the vaccine group was 35, compared with 55 in the control group, disclosing a 36% reduction among the vaccinees. We conclude that influenza vaccination decreases the incidence of acute otitis media in children during an influenza A epidemic, suggesting also that other vaccines against respiratory viruses may be an effective way to reduce the incidence of acute otitis media.