Severe Flu Season Under Scrutiny for Potential Link to Brain Issues in Children
WASHINGTON — Federal health officials are investigating whether this year’s severe flu season, the worst in 15 years, has led to an increase in a rare and dangerous brain complication in children.
The CDC estimates that 19,000 people, including 86 children, have died from the flu this winter. On Thursday, the CDC reported that at least nine of these children experienced brain complications and has requested assistance from state health departments to investigate if there are more cases.
On a positive note, the CDC also reported that this year’s flu vaccines are effective in preventing flu-related hospitalizations among the 45% of Americans who received them. This announcement follows the Trump administration’s cancellation of a meeting of experts responsible for determining the composition of next winter’s flu vaccine, adding to the uncertainty surrounding government health agencies.
It’s still not too late to get vaccinated this year. According to Dr. Sean O’Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics, “If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, get it because we’re still seeing high flu circulation in most of the country.”
The effectiveness of flu shots varies each year. Vaccine expert Dr. William Schaffner from Vanderbilt University explained that while they may not be great at preventing infections, their primary function “is to keep you out of the hospital and to keep you alive.”
Preliminary CDC data released on Thursday indicated that children who received this year’s vaccine were 64% to 78% less likely to be hospitalized than those who were unvaccinated, while adults were 41% to 55% less likely to be hospitalized.
Regarding brain complications, state health departments and hospitals had previously alerted doctors to monitor child flu patients for seizures, hallucinations, or other symptoms of “influenza-associated encephalopathy or encephalitis,” including a more severe form known as “acute necrotizing encephalopathy.” Encephalitis is characterized by brain inflammation.
On Thursday, the CDC released an analysis of 1,840 child flu deaths since 2010, identifying 166 cases with these neurological complications. The majority of these children were unvaccinated. However, the agency concluded that it remains unclear whether the nine deaths with such complications this year, including four with the more severe subtype, represent an increase.
The lack of consistent tracking of these neurological complications makes it challenging to determine definitive answers. Dr. Keith Van Haren of Stanford Medicine Children’s Health in California mentioned earlier this month that he had learned of approximately 15 flu-related cases of the severe subtype from doctors across the country and was aware of additional cases that may also meet the criteria. He did not specify how many fatalities occurred.
O’Leary of the pediatricians’ academy emphasized that parents should remember that this complication is uncommon. The recommendation remains to seek medical attention if a child with the flu exhibits unusual or concerning symptoms, such as difficulty breathing.
Doctors observe more neurological complications during severe flu seasons, potentially linked to specific influenza strains, and survivors may experience ongoing seizures or other persistent issues, he noted.
Meanwhile, vaccine manufacturers are initiating the lengthy process of developing next winter’s flu shots. An FDA advisory committee was scheduled to convene on March 13 to assist in selecting the flu strains to include, but with the meeting canceled, it is uncertain whether the government will make the decision independently.
O’Leary stated, “We have historically worked really hard to get transparency around all of these vaccine discussions,” emphasizing the importance of public understanding of the factors involved in determining flu vaccine composition and other vaccine recommendations.
Andrew Nixon, communications director for the Department of Health and Human Services, stated in an email that “The FDA will make public its recommendations to manufacturers in time for updated vaccines to be available for the 2025-2026 influenza season.”
AP reporters JoNel Aleccia and Mike Stobbe contributed.