Influenza

COVID-19 remained deadlier than influenza this past season, although the difference in mortality shrunk compared with past years, according to a study comparing outcomes of patients hospitalized with the illnesses.

People with HIV were nearly 50% more likely to receive influenza vaccination than people without, although patients with more complex health care needs had reduced uptake, according to a study from Kaiser Permanente Northern California.

NEW ORLEANS — Electronic nudges and reminders highlighting the potential CV benefits of influenza vaccination led to a modest uptake in vaccination rates among older adults in Denmark, according to results of the NUDGE-FLU trial.

Influenza-like illness was associated with increased risk for arterial dissections in the aorta, the cervical and coronary arteries, according to a study published in Stroke.

The FDA has issued emergency use authorization for the Lucira COVID-19 & Flu Test, the first over the counter at-home diagnostic test that can differentiate and detect influenza A and B, and SARS-CoV-2, the FDA announced in a press release.

An updated analysis published in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews has fueled debate about the effectiveness of masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Using rapid influenza diagnostic tests for patients presenting with acute respiratory infections may lead clinicians to prescribe fewer unnecessary antibiotics, which could improve patient outcomes and decrease the threat of resistance, researchers found.

DENVER — Socioeconomic status, household composition and housing or transportation were among predictors of low vaccination rates in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, according to a presenter at the Crohn’s and Colitis Congress.

Researchers investigating the value of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 testing in a hospital setting reported that it provided clinically relevant data, and it may be more “clinically meaningful” to conduct among those who are not fully vaccinated.