Influenza

As COVID-19 spreads across the country, the greater Seattle area has been one of the hardest hit. As of March 20, there were 1,376 confirmed cases and 74 deaths in Washington, according to the state department of health.

Influenza vaccination over the course of two influenza seasons in the United States demonstrated low to moderate efficacy for the prevention of influenza-related hospitalizations among adults aged 65 years and older, according to findings published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Influenza vaccination strategies targeting older adults may not be as effective as previously thought, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine that found increased vaccination rates did not reduce hospitalizations or mortalities among adults aged 65 years and older.

The FDA has approved Fluad Quadrivalent (Seqirus) adjuvanted influenza vaccine for adults aged 65 years and older in the United States, according to a news release.

The 2019-2020 influenza vaccine has been 45% effective overall in the United States this season and 55% effective in children, according to preliminary estimates published today in MMWR.

Trivalent and quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccines offered similar protection against influenza B illness during four recent influenza seasons, study findings showed.

The novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China, is having a global impact, raising concerns about a pandemic.

Citing a lack of time and forgetfulness, 55% of millennials did not get the influenza vaccine this year, according to a recent survey of 1,000 adults that was commissioned by the American Academy of Family Physicians.

The top story in infectious disease last week was about a study that showed that interacting with pets decreases the likelihood of developing recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection.

Patients prescribed antivirals and antibiotics during treatment for influenza have a lower risk for 30-day hospitalization compared with patients given antivirals alone, according to findings published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.