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About 90 million children get seasonal flu each year
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
To mark World Pneumonia Day (November 12), scientists have released for the first time global estimates of seasonal influenza and influenza pneumonia in children under 5 years of age. The findings are published in the journal Lancet. Scientists estimate that seasonal influenza affects about 90 million children each year, with 1 million hospitalized and nearly 111,500 dying from flu complications such as pneumonia. Of these deaths, 99% occur in developing countries.
Unfortunately, in developing countries, most influenza cases and deaths from influenza-associated pneumonia remain unreported. So study author Dr Harish Nair from the University of Edinburgh in the UK and her team decided to form the International Childhood Influenza Study Group.
After reviewing 43 studies containing data on about 8 million children, they concluded that there are approximately 90 million new cases of influenza in children under 5 years of age worldwide each year, and 20 million cases of pneumonia caused by influenza. This represents about 13% of all pediatric pneumonias, or one in every 8 cases of pneumonia diagnosed.
Experts estimate that about 1 million cases of influenza are associated with severe pneumonia, accounting for 7% of all severe pneumonia cases in children worldwide.
Scientists found that illness and death rates varied widely each year. There was insufficient data to make a global estimate of the incidence of a particular flu type or subtype of the virus, although it was noted that the incidence of influenza A strains was generally higher than that of influenza B strains.
In conclusion, the authors say:
"Influenza virus is the most common pathogen identified in young children with acute lower respiratory tract infection (pneumonia), often resulting in hospitalization and death. Our estimates should help public health authorities in developing vaccines and implementing other influenza prevention strategies, particularly in developing countries.
While widespread implementation of an effective influenza vaccine remains elusive, the use of oxygen therapy to prevent hypoxemia and antibiotic treatment of secondary bacterial infections can significantly reduce the risk of complications and mortality associated with the disease."
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