Infants and the seasonal influenza vaccine. A global perspective on safety, effectiveness, and alternate forms of protection.

Seasonal influenza is a substantial cause of severe illness among infants under 6 months of age globally. There are multiple methods of vaccination against influenza, including inactivated and live vaccines that are approved and recommended for children and adults over 6 months of age, but there is no vaccine that protects against seasonal influenza for children <6 months of age. This group is at a high risk of severe illness and is associated with higher rates of hospitalization and mortality during the influenza season. In absence of an available vaccine, approaches protecting young infants from influenza must be taken seriously. These methods include vaccinating pregnant women for influenza as a method of protecting mothers and the fetus as well as vaccinating caregivers and close contacts of individuals in this age group.