Author Topic: Flu mortality crosses epidemic threshold in US  (Read 90 times)

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Offline agate

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Flu mortality crosses epidemic threshold in US
« on: January 17, 2015, 04:41:20 pm »
From NEJM Journal Watch, January 20, 2015:

Quote
Flu Mortality Crosses Epidemic Threshold in U.S

By Kelly Young

Edited by Susan Sadoughi, MD, and André Sofair, MD, MPH

Mortality from pneumonia and influenza in the U.S. has reached an epidemic level, according to CDC data released late in 2014. Pneumonia and influenza accounted for 6.8% of all deaths in the week ending December 20. Fifteen pediatric deaths have been reported.

The CDC previously warned that this flu season is likely to be severe because the predominant virus in circulation, H3N2, is known for being particularly virulent; in addition, the circulating H3N2 strains are not well matched to the H3N2 strain included in this season's flu vaccine. However, all flu samples tested thus far have been susceptible to neuraminidase inhibitors.

Thirty-six states have reported geographically widespread flu activity, and 22 have reported having a high percentage of office visits for influenza-related illness. Accordingly, this flu season appears to have ramped up slightly earlier than the past three seasons, but has not reached the levels of the 2009-10 flu pandemic.

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