Influenza News

Boston Children’s Hospital was named Tuesday as the best children’s hospital in the United States for the eighth consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report, which expanded its annual list this year to include state and regional rankings.

The results of a phase 3 trial demonstrated that a cell-derived quadrivalent influenza vaccine was well tolerated and elicited noninferior antibody responses compared with a licensed quadrivalent egg-based vaccine in young U.S. children.

Using a traditional definition of health care-associated influenza missed more than 80% of possible cases among patients admitted to acute-care hospitals during seven influenza seasons, researchers reported at the SHEA Spring Conference.

According to the CDC, influenza activity this season has been “unusually low,” with rates of hospitalization as of late January that were similar to 2011-2012 — the least severe season in the past decade.

The fast and successful development of COVID-19 vaccines has generated hope for new and effective vaccines for other infectious diseases, including influenza.

We are seeing an enormous rise in COVID-19 cases, but as we continue to focus on controlling the pandemic, it is vital that we prevent outbreaks of other vaccine-preventable infectious diseases.

The FDA has expanded the approval of baloxavir marboxil to include postexposure prophylaxis for influenza in patients aged 12 years or older who have had contact with an infected person.

The 33-year-old Infectious Diseases in Children Symposium will be held virtually for the first time on Nov. 21 and 22.

Influenza infection during pregnancy is associated with late-term pregnancy loss and reduced birth weight, according to study findings published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Data reported during IDWeek showed that the 2019-2020 influenza vaccine was 62% effective among children, including 55% effective against influenza B despite a poor match for circulating B viruses, researchers reported.