Influenza

While COVID-19 may have impacted flu-like illness reporting, the CDC estimates there were between 24,000-62,000 related deaths this year.

Experts argue that though public officials may liken coronavirus to "just another flu," the true numbers show a stark difference.

It is known that the type of respiratory specimen, sampling environmental factors, and time from symptom onset impact the sensitivity of rapid influenza diagnostic tests.

Flu burden for children can be reduced by improving adherence to a 2-dose series of flu vaccinations.

A team of investigators lay out 3 scenarios for the global pandemic duration—based on previous pandemic learning and public health adherence.

As the influenza season for 2019-20 comes to a close, Contagion® has the latest on baloxavir and what other infections adults with the flu may have.

Investigators performed avian influenza surveillance in wild bird gatherings across China between 2017 through 2019, isolating and exploring the biological characteristics of 2 different H16N3 subtype influenza viruses.

CDC investigators believe they have determined the cause for influenza vaccine effectiveness decline.

Tina Q. Tan, MD, discusses vaccine misinformation.

Tina Q. Tan, MD, discusses the particular severity of the ongoing flu season.

The FLU-v experimental vaccine designed to protect across influenza strains showed promising results in a recent clinical trial.

A new influenza vaccine, the global burden of the flu in children, and the CDC’s latest numbers on the flu disease dominates the flu update this month.

With community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), the numbers tell the story.

The influenza hospitalization rate for children and young adults has surpassed the rate documented during the second wave of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.

Jason Gallagher, PharmD, discusses the risk factors for experiencing complications of influenza.

Influenza-associated hospitalization rates among children and young adults are considered higher than recent flu seasons.

Based on data from 4112 children and adults, vaccine effectiveness was estimated to be 37% against influenza A and 50% against influenza B viruses.

The US Food and Drug Administration approved the first adjuvanted quadrivalent influenza vaccine for adults 65 years and older.

Just as influenza season started ramping up in the Northern Hemisphere, news hit the wire that Sanofi had secured over-the-counter rights for oseltamivir (Tamiflu).

Investigators recently mapped out influenza and pneumonia cases among residents of long-term care facilities. They found distinct regional variations.

The CDC’s plan for testing patients with flu for coronavirus will inform their response strategy, should the infection spread, the agency said.

With cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) increasing across the globe, why should we be paying attention to influenza—a respiratory illness that is seen year after year?

The first strain of influenza virus a person is exposed to in early childhood impacts their ability to fight flu for life. The phenomenon is known as antigenic imprinting.

There have been more than 19 million cases of influenza recorded in the United States over the 2019-20 flu season.

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Audenz, an adjuvanted influenza A H5N1 monovalent vaccine.

As January comes to an end, we’re looking back at important infectious disease news from the past month.

This flu season seems to be disproportionately affecting young people as more than 50% of positive influenza test results from public health laboratories have been in individuals under the age of 25 years.

Although flu vaccine effectiveness estimates are not available yet for this season, authors of a new article in The Lancet Infectious Diseases are calling for new vaccines with alternative administration methods to improve the efficacy of the flu shot.

CDC estimates indicate that there have been 13 million influenza illnesses, 120,000 hospitalizations, and 6600 flu-related deaths so far this season.

Traditional influenza surveillance typically has a 1- to 3-week reporting lag and is usually preliminary and revised as more information becomes available. Therefore, more accurate surveillance tools are needed.