11 Nov 2008

Sporadic Flu Activity Reported in DC and 15 states:

No Shortage of New Trivalent Flu Vaccine

The most recent CDC update on influenza (flu) activity in the USA for week 44, ending November 1 reports sporadic activity in Washing= ton, DC, Puerto Rico and 15 states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah. So far, the proportion of outpatient visits = due to Influenza-Like-Illness (ILI) remains below national and region-specific baseline levels.

The three components of this year’s annual flu vac= cine are all different than last year’s flu vaccine, based on the best assessment of what strains of Influenza A (H1N1 and H3N2) and Influenza B a= re most likely to be circulating this year. The current 2008-2009 trivalent vaccine virus strains are:

---Influenza A/ Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like<= /span>

---Influenza A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like

---Influenza B/Florida/4/2006-like antigens.<= /span>

No shortage of influenza vaccine in this country is expe= cted this year. This is true even though starting this 2008-2009 season all young persons ages 5-18 years have been added to the list of those recommended to receive the annual flu vaccine.

Now is a good time to receive the flu vaccine in order to develop protective immunity before influenza viruses become more widespread= in the US and elsewhere in the northern hemisphere. The emergence of oseltamivir (Tamiflu)-resistant influenza A (H1N1) viruses will continue to be monitored closely in the USA after their appearance last January in Europe and during the flu season several months = ago in the southern hemisphere e.g., in South Africa.

Daniel R. Lucey, MD, MPH

EROne Institutes, Department of Emergency Medicine<= /o:p>

Was= hington Hospital Center=

Website for this posting: www.BePast.org

e-mail:Daniel.R.Lucey@Medstar.net