OBJECTIVETo understand the clinical and epidemiological aspects of avian influenza A (H7N9) virus infection in children.

METHODThe clinical data of the first confirmed pediatric case of avian influenza A(H7N9) virus infection were collected, and the epidemiological information, presenting symptoms, laboratory investigation, management and outcome were analyzed. The data of the pediatric cases were also compared with those of the adults cases.

RESULTThe case reported in this paper was a previously healthy 3.6-year-old boy residing in rural area of Shanghai. He had onset of fever and mild rhinorrhea on 31 March 2013 and he was afebrile and well since April 3. Influenza A (H7N9) virus was detected in his nasopharyngeal sample collected on 1 April through national Influenza-like Illness surveillance using real-time reverse transcriptase PCR and virus culture.His family raised domestic poultry with no apparent disease and there was no virological evidence of H7N9 infection. Monitoring and testing of 16 contacts had not found any secondary infection.

CONCLUSIONThe clinical course of H7N9 avian influenza virus infection in children was relatively mild as compared to adult cases. The source of infection and detail of exposure for children have not been known yet. Continued surveillance studies of mild and severe respiratory disease and subclinical infection are essential to further characterize the epidemiology and clinical spectrum of this emerging H7N9 virus infection in children.