In a February 2, 2018 news interview, host Speaker A discusses the alarming rise in flu hospitalizations and pediatric deaths reported by the CDC, noting 16 deaths in a single week and a season total of 53 child fatalities. Dr. Tiffany Di Pietro explains that the dominant influenza A H3N2 strain is mutating, reducing the effectiveness of that season’s vaccine. She highlights that young children (especially under age 6), the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals are most vulnerable because their immune systems are not fully capable of mounting a strong response. Dr. Di Pietro advises parents to keep sick children home, seek pediatric care promptly, and use antiviral medication (Tamiflu) when indicated, while emphasizing that severe outcomes are still rare. The conversation also addresses a circulating story about a 16‑year‑old who allegedly committed suicide after taking Tamiflu; Dr. Di Pietro acknowledges that hallucinations and psychiatric effects are listed as extremely rare side effects, but stresses that the benefits of treatment outweigh these risks. The interview concludes with a call for parents to consult their doctors about risks and benefits.
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The flu outbreak is only getting worse and even more deadly. The CDC just released new numbers and the report says hospitalizations are at the highest officials have seen in years. CDC officials also announced 16 pediatric deaths from the flu reported this week alone. A total of 53 children have now died from the flu this season. So let's talk about that. I'm joined by Dr. Tiffany Di Pietro, an internist and cardiologist. Welcome, doctor.
Hi, thanks for having me.
Thanks for being here. I think when parents hear those numbers, 53 kids died from the flu, a lot of them healthy kids, they're freaking out. And, um, and in my mind, they ought to be. The question for you is, why are so many children getting the flu and dying from it this year?
The problem with this year's flu strain, it's a, it's a, it's a, you know, we have influenza A and influenza B, and there's a strain of influenza A this year, which is an H3N2 strain. And what's happening is this strain is mutating as it goes through the population. So when we make the flu vaccines, which are done months before flu season, we basically take an estimated guess as to what strain it's going to be. And the problem is, is our flu vaccines this year are not extraordinarily effective because of the mutation of that one particular strain. So the— really, the only thing you can do is try and be otherwise healthy, lots of handwashing, and by all means avoiding anyone who you think might have the flu.
But, but why would this strain of flu affect children, healthy children? What is it about this flu that's proving deadly for 53 kids this year?
You know, it's just more— it's more potent. It's, um, it's just— it's more dangerous. It's why, um, you know, I will say most— not all of the children have been completely healthy. The, the people and the children who are most at risk are very young children because their immune system is not completely advanced. Very old people because of the same reason, immunocompromised people, people that have underlying severe chronic medical conditions that don't have a very good immune system to really mount an immune response against the flu. And children really don't have great immune systems. We really have a full immune system by, you know, 6, 7 years of age, and these younger children just don't have the immune response to be able to fight off the flu.
Okay, so you send your kid to school and you know there's going to be a kid in class that has early symptoms of the flu that maybe their parents didn't realize, and your kid might get the flu from that kid. Um, so can you kind of calm the fears of parents out there?
Yeah, look, I mean, overall, it's, it's, it is quite rare to, to die of the flu. So although we're seeing it and it's, and it's the numbers are devastating this year as compared, it's still, you know, look at all the children in the United States and it's, it's still 53 out of every child in the United States. Um, I, I would advise parents that if you do think your child has the flu to probably keep them home. And by all means, take them to the pediatrician, make sure that they're getting the treatment that's necessary. If Tamiflu is indicated, take the medication and just try and keep fevers down. And, you know, I have a 3-year-old, so I get it. I mean, I held him down on my bed and gave him the flu vaccine myself, so I get the fear. But at the end of the day, most children are very healthy and they're perfectly capable of mounting an appropriate immune response to fight the flu.
And just a word about Tamiflu, because there's a story going around um, a kid committed suicide, 16 years old. The parents were giving the kid Tamiflu, and they thought that Tamiflu caused this kid such harsh anxiety that he committed suicide. Is there any truth to that?
Potentially. I mean, if you read the, the side effects of Tamiflu, it is listed where hallucinations and delusions and, and, and significant psychiatric problems are a known, however extraordinarily rare, side effect. So is there truth to that? Potentially. But, you know, now we're talking about risk versus benefit of medications and whose responsibility is it to really go through every single adverse potential risk of a medication. I mean, this is no different than saying that ibuprofen has a potential of causing a severe anemia, but we all take ibuprofen every single day almost. So, you know, Could— is there some truth to that? Yes, but it is so extraordinarily rare, and I would say that the benefit of taking the medication, because of these deaths we were just talking about, far, far outweighs the risks of taking it.
So talk to your doctor about the risks. Best bet. Thank you very much, Dr. Tiffany Di Pietro.
