Topics in Clinical Biosecurity: Influenza

Listed below are all CBN articles on Influenza published since 2005

• 06-09-2017: NSAID-Macrolide-Antiviral Combination Improves Mortality in Flu A new study suggests that a combination of antiviral and immunomodulating drugs in addition to standard oseltamivir and broad spectrum antibiotics improves survival in patients with H3N2 influenza pneumonia.
• 03-03-2017: The Increasing Pandemic Potential of H7N9 Avian Influenza In this issue we summarize the concerning news about the growing H7N9 epidemic
• 08-19-16: Hutterite Flu Vaccine Trial: Questions on Optimal Flu Vaccine In a study, children in 52 Hutterite colonies received IIV or LAIV to assess whether LAIV was superior in inducing herd immunity. PCR-confirmed influenza infections occurred at similar rates between the groups.
• 02-05-2016: Severe H1N1 Influenza: Still a Risk The CDC has been notified of severe flu infections in young to middle-aged adults, some of whom died. Rapid antigen diagnostic testing was negative in some of these patients. The importance of antivirals and vaccine is emphasized.
• 01-08-2016: An Influenza Viral Swarm A new study demonstrates that because influenza is so mutable influenza infections are actually made up of a swarm of related but distinct virus and that many different variants may be transmitted from one individual.
• 11-06-15: Diminishing Returns with Healthcare Worker Influenza Vaccination? A new study shows limited incremental reduction in nosocomial influenza infections when healthcare worker vaccination rates exceed 50%. This highlights the importance that other interventions to reduce spread of flu in healthcare facilities.
• 09-18-15: More Evidence for Herd Protection of the Elderly
• 05-29-2015: Afebrile Influenza in Healthcare Workers
• Asymptomatic H5N1 Avian Influenza Infections The true prevalence of asymptomatic avian influenza infection has been unclear. A new, well-designed and well-controlled study in Egypt demonstrates a low level of asymptomatic infection in people exposed to backyard poultry.
• 02-20-2015: A Flock of Bird Flu Viruses Recently there has been a spate of bird flu viruses causing human and avian disease all over the world. Some are infecting only birds; others both birds and people. Here I give a brief update on the most noteworthy of these viruses.
• 01-09-2015: New Tools for a Harsh Flu Season A new IV antiviral (peramivir) and a new CLIA-waived, PCR-based, rapid flu test (Alere i) have just been approved and are now available. These should be important additions to the fight against this year’s harsh flu season.
• 12/19/2014: Preparing for Influenza: An H3N2 Season with a Vaccine Mismatch As this year’s flu season begins to pick up speed, early indicators point to a particularly severe season. Thus far, flu activity has not been widespread across most of the nation, but several southern states have been reporting high rates of influenza.
• 08/01/2014: Harnessing the Power of Convalescents for Severe Viral Infections The use of convalescent serum has sometimes been advocated for the treatment of acute severe viral diseases for which no specific countermeasure exists.
• 2/21/2014. Another Visit from H1N1: Anecdotes from this year’s flu season include a high number of young adults with severe disease admitted to ICUs. There is no confirming evidence that the culprit H1N1 virus has undergone a major genetic change, but severe illness has strained hospitals.
• 05/03/2013. Statins for Treatment of Severe Sepsis: Do statins have a role in the management of severe infectious diseases? Results of a recent trial answer some questions about the use of statins for severe sepsis, but questions remain regarding their role in the treatment of specific conditions.
• 04/19/2013. Factors Influencing Control of the H7N9 Epidemic: Testing expanded; case numbers are up; no evidence of sustained person-to-person transmission; there is concern about asymptomatic infection and not-yet-identified animal reservoirs; specific factors will influence control of the epidemic.
• 04/12/2013. Update on Novel H7N9 Influenza Epidemic The epidemic of novel H7N9 avian influenza in eastern China that was first reported on March 31, 2013, continues with no sign of abating. As of 9:00 AM (EDT) today, there have been 38 confirmed cases, with 10 deaths.
• 04/05/2013. Novel H7N9 Outbreak in China According to media reports and official announcements from the WHO,1 CDC,2 and ECDC,3 as of 8 AM on April 5, 2013, there have been 14 confirmed human cases of infection with a novel H7N9 influenza A virus in the eastern part of China.
• 03/22/2013. Nitazoxanide for Treatment of Drug-resistant Influenza: Nitazoxanide, an FDA-approved oral anti-parasitic used to treat Giardia and Cryptosporidium infections was recently the subject of a $44 million BARDA contract for advanced development as a treatment for drug-resistant influenza.
• 02/22/2013. Influenza Vaccine Efficacy: As Low as 31%?: Influenza prevention relies most on annual flu vaccines, which have 60% efficacy rate even when well matched to circulating strains, and may confer no benefit to some groups. A recent study provides more evidence that current flu vaccines are deficient.
• 1/25/2013. The D222G Mutation and Severe Influenza: During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, the D222G mutation was posited to affect disease severity when it was found in isolates from 3 patients in Norway. A new article from Norwegian researchers confirms the association of this mutation with severe influenza.
• 1/11/2013. Influenza Type C as a Cause of Pediatric Pneumonia: More sophisticated respiratory viral testing is now shedding light on the role of influenza type C in causing disease, particularly in children. A new study characterizes the role of type C in pediatric pneumonia and points to important questions.
• 12/21/2012. A Prospective Study of Influenza Shedding in the Community: Characterizing how and when shedding occurs is vital to creation of strategies to limit the spread of influenza. A new paper from the Robert Koch Institute, published in PLOS ONE, offers important insights into viral shedding of influenza.
• 12/7/2012. Flu Season Starts Early: CDC flu data for the week ending Nov. 24 indicated a rise above the regional baseline in influenza-like illness (ILI) and in the percentage of positive flu tests in 5 of 10 HHS regions of the US. This is the earliest start of a US flu season since 2003.
• 11/9/2012. CIDRAP Report Calls for Novel Influenza Vaccine: A recently released report by Michael Osterholm and colleagues at CIDRAP provides a detailed review of the status of influenza vaccine in the United States and calls into question the efficacy of currently available vaccines.
• 7/27/2012. Deaths in the Elderly Associated with Several Common Viruses: Although mortality statistics often list "pneumonia and influenza" as a leading cause of death among the elderly, unbundling that category reveals important pathogen-specific granularity, as demonstrated by a recently published study from the Netherlands.
• 06/29/2012. Revised Estimate Increases Global H1N1 Mortality Figures by Factor of 15: Previously reported deaths due to lab-confirmed H1N1 during the 2009 pandemic were grossly underestimated because most flu patients were not tested. New estimates based on improved modeling provide a more accurate picture of the pandemic’s global toll.
• 06/15/2012. Intensive Care Outcomes During the H1N1 Influenza Pandemic: A new article by authors from the CDC provides detailed descriptions of ICU care provided to patients during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. The results provide information essential to planning for future pandemics and influenza seasons.
• 05/11/2012. H5N1 Transmission in Ferrets: Two recent studies of genetically modified H5N1 influenza viruses in ferrets have sparked international debate about the biosecurity risks of increased mammalian droplet transmissibility. The first of the papers, summarized here, has now been published.
• 03/16/2012. Fatal Flu Cluster in Maryland Highlights Complications of MRSA: Three deaths and 1 case of severe pneumonia were recently reported in 1 MD family; H3N2 flu confirmed in all 4; MRSA in at least 2. Death from H3N2 influenza complicated by secondary MRSA pneumonia is not surprising—it can be fatal in up to 60% of cases.
• 03/02/2012. Rapid Influenza Antigen Tests: Specific But Not Sensitive: Results of meta-analysis assessing accuracy of rapid tests vs. PCR or viral culture for influenza DX indicate that rapid tests have low sensitivity, but high specificity, which makes them most useful for confirming DX in patients with flu-like symptoms.
• 02/03/2012. Influenza B and Severe Disease: Influenza B caused 38% of pediatric flu deaths in the 2010-11 influenza season. A CDC team analyzed autopsy data from the decade between May 2000 and February 2010 to better understand the pathology of fatal cases of influenza B.
• 01/06/2012. Statins and Influenza: Results of a recent multistate retrospective analysis of the effect of statins on 30-day mortality of laboratory-confirmed influenza provides new evidence of the benefits of statins in reducing inflammatory changes associated with influenza.
• 12/16/2011. Transmission of 2009 Pandemic Influenza to Healthcare Workers: A recent study reinforces the importance of droplet precautions, PPE, and other prevention measures during a flu pandemic and as standard practice for all HCWs in all healthcare settings where daily prevention of nosocomial infection is essential.
• 12/2/2011. Does Asymptomatic H5N1 Influenza Infection Occur?: Asymptomatic H5N1 infection may be more common than thought. A new study suggests that standard methods to detect H5 antibodies are not sensitive enough; consequently, H5N1 seroprevalance may be higher and case fatality rates lower than established rates.
• 08/19/2011. Chinese Herbal Therapy Efficacious Against Influenza: Maxingshigan-yinqiaosan (MY), was used during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic in rural areas where drugs like oseltamivir were scarce. Wang et al. have now published the results of their clinical trial comparing oseltamivir with MY for treatment of H1N1 influenza.
• 07/22/2011. Can Systems Biology Improve Influenza Immunization Practice? With a systems biology approach, the changes that occur in gene expression and metabolic pathways after vaccination can be studied to identify specific alterations that predict response to vaccination.
• 06/24/2011. Does Antiviral Therapy Prevent Lower Respiratory Tract Complications in Influenza Patients? Oseltamivir’s efficacy in shortening the duration of influenza symptoms when administered promptly is widely accepted; however, the drug is also often used to prevent serious complications secondary to influenza, including bacterial pneumonia.
• 06/03/2011. Influenza-Associated Heart Attacks: While the majority of deaths from influenza are caused by pneumonia and ensuing respiratory failure, influenza can also trigger many other potentially fatal conditions. The link between influenza and myocardial infarction has been difficult to establish.
• 05/20/2011. Redefining Influenza "Pandemic": Even a mild pandemic can have serious consequences, as can the terminology and definitions that are used to describe an outbreak. Applying the refined definition should serve to capture the essential characteristics of pandemics and inform planning.
• 02/04/2011. Healthcare Worker Mortality During the 1918 Influenza Pandemic: A team of researchers from the Australian Army, funded by the DoD’s Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System (GEIS), recently published results of its study of mortality among nurses and physicians during the 1918 influenza pandemic.
• 01/06/2011. Intravenous Immunoglobulin for Pandemic Influenza: In 1918-1919, passive immunotherapy (transfusions of convalescent sera) was used as a salvage therapy, reportedly with some success. Australian researchers published their study of the use of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) during the 2009 pandemic.
• Efficacy and Safety of Peramivir. November 19, 2010.
• Influenza Update: Highlights from the 48th Annual Meeting of IDSA. October 29, 2010.
• Universal Flu Vaccination of Healthcare Personnel: A Patient Safety Issue. October 22, 2010.
• The Evidence for ECMO Use in Severe Influenza. June 11, 2010.
• Universal Vaccines: Hope for the Future. May 28, 2010.
• ACIP Endorses Universal Flu Vaccination. March 3, 2010.
• Clinical Aspects of H1N1 Influenza A Infection. October 14, 2009.
• Single-Dose Vaccination for the 2009 H1N1 Influenza A Virus. September 15, 2009.
• Zanamivir Resistance in Influenza. August 14, 2009.
• A Novel H3N2 Influenza A Variant Emerges. July 31, 2009.
• 2009 H1N1 Influenza A: Clinical Details, Antiviral Resistance, and Other Mutations. July 17, 2009.
• High-dose Influenza Vaccination of the Elderly. July 2, 2009.
• H7-subtype Influenza Infections: Pandemic Potential? June 5, 2009.
• Oseltamivir Protective Against Influenza-induced Cardiac Events. April 3, 2009.
• Broad-spectrum Flu Antibodies Characterized. March 6, 2009.
• Is Airborne Spread of Influenza Possible? January 22, 2009.
• Modeling Drug Resistant Influenza. November 21, 2008.
• Rising Staphylococcus aureus Co-infection among Pediatric Influenza Deaths. October 10, 2008.
• Hong Kong Study Finds that Closing Schools May Not Have Helped Slow the Spread of Flu. September 26, 2008.
• This Year's flu Season Marked by Vaccine Mismatch in the U.S. and Antiviral Resistance in Europe. February 14, 2008.
• Progress Toward the Development of a Universal Influenza Vaccine. February 1, 2008.
• Evidence for a Heritable Predisposition to Fatal Influenza. December 19, 2007.
• Oseltamivir Reduces Mortality in Patients Hospitalized with Influenza. November 15, 2007.
• Drug-Resistant H5N1 Influenza Viruses May Retain Fitness. November 1, 2007.
• Cytokines and H5N1: Cytokines and H5N1: Still No Clear Answers. July 30, 2007.
• Duration of Influenza A Virus Shedding Longer than Expected. July 17, 2007.
• Highly Lethal MRSA Pneumonia Associated with Influenza. June 21, 2007.
• Passive Immunization with Human Monoclonal Antibodies in H5N1. May 30, 2007.
• OSHA Releases Pandemic Guidance for Healthcare Personnel. May 24, 2007.
• Prevalence of Drug Resistant Influenza B Viruses: New Findings and Implications. April 13, 2007.
• Seasonal Flu Vaccination May Offer Partial Immunity to H5N1. February 21, 2007.
• Influenza Update: Diagnostic Test, Drug Resistance, and Possible Drug Interaction. November 16, 2006.
• New Research on Antiviral Treatment of Influenza. October 13, 2006.
• Contrary to Prevailing Beliefs, Aerosol may be Significant Mode of Flu Transmission. September 28, 2006.
• Updated 2006 Influenza Vaccination Recommendations Released. July 5, 2006.
• Relenza Now Approved for Prevention of Influenza A and B. April 3, 2006.
• Oseltamivir resistance, Vietnam. December 22, 2005.
• Influenza Associated Pediatric Deaths during 2003-2004 Flu Season. December 16, 2005.
• Pediatric Safety for Tamilflu. November 22, 2005.
• Flu vaccine restrictions lifted. November 14, 2005.
• Disease Control Measures for Flu. October 31, 2005.
• Isolation of H5N1 Influenza Virus Resistant to Oseltamivir. October 18, 2005.
• Peramivir: Single Dose Prophylaxis for Flu? October 12, 2005.
• Statins for Influenza. September 29, 2005.
• Avian Influenza; Polio. May 17, 2005.