TY - JOUR AU - Okumura, Akihisa AU - Nakagawa, Satoshi AU - Kawashima, Hisashi AU - Muguruma, Takashi AU - Saito, Osamu AU - Fujimoto, Jun-ichi AU - Toida, Chiaki AU - Kuga, Shuji AU - Imamura, Toshihiro AU - Shimizu, Toshiaki AU - Kondo, Naomi AU - Morishima, Tsuneo T1 - Deaths Associated with Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 among Children, Japan, 2009–2010 T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2011 VL - 17 IS - 11 SP - 1993 SN - 1080-6059 AB - To clarify the cause of deaths associated with pandemic (H1N1) 2009 among children in Japan, we retrospectively studied 41 patients <20 years of age who had died of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 through March 31, 2010. Data were collected through interviews with attending physicians and chart reviews. Median age of patients was 59 months; one third had a preexisting condition. Cause of death was categorized as unexpected cardiopulmonary arrest for 15 patients, encephalopathy for 15, and respiratory failure for 6. Preexisting respiratory or neurologic disorders were more frequent in patients with respiratory failure and less frequent in patients with unexpected cardiopulmonary arrest. The leading causes of death among children with pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in Japan were encephalopathy and unexpected cardiopulmonary arrest. Deaths associated with respiratory failure were infrequent and occurred primarily among children with preexisting conditions. Vaccine use and public education are necessary for reducing influenza-associated illness and death. KW - Pediatric death KW - pandemic (H1N1) 2009 KW - cause of death KW - influenza KW - preexisting conditions KW - children KW - viruses KW - unexpected cardiopulmonary arrest KW - encephalopathy KW - pneumonia KW - Japan KW - research DO - 10.3201/eid1711.110649 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/17/11/11-0649_article ER - End of Reference