Influenza

The FDA announced the approval of a vaccine to protect against pandemic influenza A(H5N1).

For the first time in 27 years, influenza B viruses have predominated in the United States, accounting for more than 56% of samples tested in public health laboratories as of Jan. 18, according to CDC data.

The 2019-2020 influenza season in Louisiana arrived earlier than usual, with the majority of infections caused by influenza B — a strain that has not predominated in the United States in 27 years.

WHO released a list of 10 global health challenges for the new decade that it says leaders are failing to invest in appropriately. It was the week’s top story in infectious disease.

Resting heart rates are likely spike during infectious diseases episodes, such as influenza, which is captured by wearable devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers. According to new data published by The Lancet Digital Health, these data, captured by Fitbit users, contributed to improved state-level influenza predictions by the CDC.

The FDA granted fast track designation to NanoFlu for adults 65 years and older.

A double-dose influenza vaccine regimen resulted in slightly greater immunogenicity among pregnant women with HIV than a single-dose regimen, although immunogenicity among women who received the double dose was still lower than historical data from women without HIV in the same setting, according to findings published in The Lancet.

To mark the transition to a new year, we have compiled a list of the top 10 most-read Infectious Disease News stories of 2019 on Healio.com. Please click the links to read the full stories.

The release of the latest iteration of the Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines on the management of influenza are a welcome addition that clinicians can employ to optimally diagnose and treat patients with influenza, an infectious disease that kills thousands of Americans annually. Of the myriad topics covered in the guidelines, one of the most important is antiviral treatments.

Hospitals in the United States implemented new policies based on the severe 2017-2018 influenza season, but experts agree that America’s health care systems would still be seriously challenged by another bad season.