Highlight
– Influenza-associated acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) in US children showed a 27% mortality rate and 63% moderate-to-severe disability among survivors at 90 days.
– Most affected children were previously healthy, but nearly half of those tested carried genetic risk alleles, including RANBP2 variants.
– Only 16% of cases had received seasonal influenza vaccination, and the 2009 H1N1 influenza A strain predominated.
– Early recognition, prevention, and standardized treatment protocols are urgently needed.