The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published their surveillance report on the Influenza Season 2017/2018. We have summarised some points of note below.
- Steep rise in incidence of influenza in USA since December.
- Increased hospitalisations and outpatient illness services.
- Pneumonia and influenza mortality above epidemic threshold.
- Nearly 80% of cases reported are Influenza A, with nearly 80% of this being H3N3 subtype.
- Potential for treatment with Neuraminidase inhibitors.
Antiviral treatment as early as possible is recommended for patients with confirmed or suspected influenza who have severe, complicated, or progressive illness; who require hospitalization; or who are at high risk for serious influenza-related complications.
High risk:
- Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
- Adults 65 years of age and older
- Pregnant women (and women up to two weeks postpartum)
- Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
People who have medical conditions including:
- Asthma
- Neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions [including disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and muscle such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy (seizure disorders), stroke, intellectual disability, moderate to severe developmental delay, muscular dystrophy, or spinal cord injury].
- Chronic lung disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and cystic fibrosis)
- Heart disease (such as congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease)
- Blood disorders (such as sickle cell disease)
- Endocrine disorders (such as diabetes mellitus)
- Kidney disorders
- Liver disorders
- Metabolic disorders (such as inherited metabolic disorders and mitochondrial disorders)
- Weakened immune system due to disease or medication (such as people with HIV or AIDS, or cancer, or those on chronic steroids)
- People younger than 19 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy
- People with extreme obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 40 or more)
References
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/
Other links
WHO Flu net: http://www.who.int/influenza/gisrs_laboratory/flunet/en/
WHO Influenza update: http://www.who.int/influenza/surveillance_monitoring/updates/latest_update_GIP_surveillance/en/
