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Inflammation related to influenza virus infection can lead to multiple neurological presentations. Encephalitis is one of them, mostly accompanied by seizures, with different profiles depending on the epidemics and previous medical conditions. All children presenting neurological symptoms and positive for influenza virus RNA detection in a respiratory sample between November 2018 and April 2023, hospitalized in the Department of Paediatric Neurology of Toulouse Children's Hospital, were retrospectively analysed. Among the 1,277 children diagnosed with influenza in our centre, 131 (10.3 %) were hospitalized for neurological features. The year 2020–2021 was marked by zero incidence of positive influenza tests, associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the 131 patients included, 71.6 % were under 5 years old. Most of them (80.9 %) were infected by influenza A virus. The first neurological symptoms were mainly seizures in 73.3 % of patients. Possible or confirmed encephalitis was observed in 29 % of cases, including one acute necrotizing encephalopathy. Few children (6.1 %) presented with acute myositis. Twenty-seven patients (20.6 %) had a personal history of significant previous neurological disorders. Most patients (88.5 %) displayed a rapid favourable outcome, marked by the disappearance of their neurological symptoms within the first 2 days. Anti-epileptic drugs were introduced in 1.5 % of cases, and adapted in 16.8 %, mainly in patients with febrile status epilepticus and an abnormal EEG. Neurological features were frequently associated with influenza infection in children; most were transient. Effects on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes need to be clarified as our follow-up was limited, especially in children with pre-existing neurological conditions. • Influenza associated neurological manifestations are frequent in children. • Most neurological presentations of influenza are transitory but responsible for a significant number of hospitalisations. • Severe complications of influenza-associated encephalopathy remain rare. • Patients with pre-existing neurological conditions are at greater risk of severe neurological forms of Influenza. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spread of SARS-CoV-2 and the resulting disease COVID-19 has killed over 2.6 million people as of 18 March 2021. We have used a modified susceptible, infected, recovered (SIR) epidemiological model to predict how the spread of the virus in regions of France will vary depending on the proportions of variants and on the public health strategies adopted, including anti-COVID-19 vaccination. The proportion of SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7, which was not detected in early January, increased to become 60% of the forms of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in the Toulouse urban area at the beginning of February 2021, but there was no increase in positive nucleic acid tests. Our prediction model indicates that maintaining public health measures and accelerating vaccination are efficient strategies for the sustained control of SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]