The purpose of this statement is to update recommendations for routine use of seasonal influenza vaccine and antiviral medications for the prevention and treatment of influenza in children. Highlights for the upcoming 2013-2014 season include (1) this year's trivalent influenza vaccine contains an A/California/7/2009 (H1N1) pdm09-like virus (same as 2012-2013); an A/Texas/50/2012 (H3N2) virus (antigenically like the 2012-2013 strain); and a B/Massachusetts/2/2012-like virus (a B/Yamagata lineage like 2012-2013 but a different virus); (2) new quadrivalent influenza vaccines with an additional B virus (B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus [B/Victoria lineage]) have been licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration; (3) annual universal influenza immunization is indicated with either a trivalent or quadrivalent vaccine (no preference); and (4) the dosing algorithm for administration of influenza vaccine to children 6 months through 8 years of age is unchanged from 2012-2013. As always, pediatricians, nurses, and all health care personnel should promote influenza vaccine use and infection control measures. In addition, pediatricians should promptly identify influenza infections to enable rapid antiviral treatment, when indicated, to reduce morbidity and mortality.
Keywords: children; immunization; inactivated influenza vaccine; influenza; live-attenuated influenza vaccine; pediatrics; vaccine.