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Infectious disease child mortality decreased from 1969 to 2004
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Childhood mortality due to infectious diseases has decreased substantially during the past 3 decades, according to study results published in The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.
The Finland-based study included data from the official cause of death statistics for 1969 to 2004. Infectious disease mortality rates of neonates and children, aged 1 month to 15 years, were calculated separately.
Researchers found that childhood infectious disease mortality decreased 89% from 1969 to 2004 and neonatal mortality by 69%.
During the analyzed time period, researchers found that 14,214 children aged 1 month to 15 years died; 11% of those deaths were attributable to infectious diseases.
The most common causes of childhood mortality due to infections were pneumonia, central nervous system infections and septicemia. Neonatal mortality due to infections was mostly caused by septicemia.
Researchers also found that deaths could have been prevented with the administration of vaccines: two deaths annually with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine; one to two deaths with rotavirus vaccines; one death with influenza vaccine; and 0.07 deaths with varicella vaccine.
“We found that even though mortality from infectious diseases in childhood decreased markedly during the period concerned, it could have been further reduced by means of existing vaccines,” researchers said. “Even though the number of deaths prevented would have been small, the number of years of life saved would have been great, because the life expectancy of children is long.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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