Influenza News

In June, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, voted not to recommend the live-attenuated influenza vaccine, or LAIV, for use in the United States during the current influenza season. The decision was based on data showing the vaccine — offered as the nasal spray FluMist (MedImmune) — had been ineffective over the past three seasons.

The current seasonal influenza vaccine is not perfect, but experts agree that it remains the best available tool for fighting influenza — at least for now.

During a recent 4-year period, researchers observed a monthly decrease in protection of the influenza vaccine, including up to 11% per month for one strain.

The holiday season not only reduces influenza transmission in the United States, it delays the trajectory of seasonal influenza epidemics, researchers said.

New data published in a recent MMWR revealed that influenza A(H3N2) is the predominate strain circulating in the United States, and that most circulating viruses are similar to the reference viruses used in vaccines recommended for the 2016-2017 season.

Data published in JAMA Pediatrics suggested maternal influenza A(H1N1) vaccination is not associated with an increased risk for early childhood morbidity among Danish children.

Data recently published in Pediatrics revealed that a single dose of inhaled laninamivir octanoate significantly lowered the risk for infection with influenza among Japanese children aged younger than 10 years.

The CDC recently reported that only 40% of people in the United States are currently vaccinated against influenza.

Although seasonal influenza vaccination rates more than doubled among pregnant women between the 2005-2006 and 2013-2014 seasons, coverage still falls short of the 2016 Advisory Committee of Immunization Practices recommendation, according to a recent MMWR.

Dec. 4 through Dec. 10 is National Influenza Vaccination Week, an initiative to highlight the importance of the influenza vaccine and to encourage greater use of it during the months of December, January and beyond.