Flu Season Begins: Severe Influenza Illness Reported: CDC Urges Rapid Antiviral Treatment of Very Ill and High Risk Suspect Influenza Patients Without Waiting for Testing [February 1, 2016, 0850 EST (8:50 AM EST)]

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.). Health Alert Network (HAN)
• Description:
  February 1, 2016, 0850 EST (8:50 AM EST)
  
  CDCHAN-00387
  
  Influenza activity is increasing across the country and CDC has received reports of severe influenza illness. Clinicians are reminded to treat suspected influenza in high-risk outpatients, those with progressive disease, and all hospitalized patients with antiviral medications as soon as possible, regardless of negative rapid influenza diagnostic test (RIDT) results and without waiting for RT-PCR testing results. Early antiviral treatment works best, but treatment may offer benefit when started up to 4-5 days after symptom onset in hospitalized patients. Early antiviral treatment can reduce influenza morbidity and mortality.
  
  Since October 2015, CDC has detected co-circulation of influenza A(H3N2), A(H1N1)pdm09, and influenza B viruses. However, H1N1pdm09 viruses have predominated in recent weeks. CDC has received recent reports of severe respiratory illness among young- to middle-aged adults with H1N1pdm09 virus infection, some of whom required intensive care unit (ICU) admission; fatalities have been reported. Some of these patients reportedly tested negative for influenza by RIDT; their influenza diagnosis was made later with molecular assays. Most of these patients were reportedly unvaccinated. H1N1pdm09 virus infection in the past has caused severe illness in some children and young- and middle-aged adults. Clinicians should continue efforts to vaccinate patients this season for as long as influenza viruses are circulating, and promptly start antiviral treatment of severely ill and high-risk patients if influenza is suspected or confirmed.
  
  
• Content Notes:
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  Health Alert: Requires immediate action or attention, highest level of importance.
  
  Health Advisory: May not require immediate action; provides important information for a specific incident or situation.
  
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• Subjects:
  Influenza, Human/drug Therapy Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype Influenza Vaccines
• Keywords:
  HAN Health Alert Network
• Source:
  HAN ; 387
• Series:
  Health Alert Network
• Subseries:
  CDC Health Advisory
• Publisher:
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (U.S.)
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Alert
• Place as Subject:
  United States
• Rights:
  Public Domain
• Pages in Document:
  3 unnumbered pages
• Issue:
  00387
• Collection(s):
  Health Alert Network (HAN)
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:a622e5f7c368e2fe8ebdd44e40116531ec3b64efa1c351ec3c2e2ed36501dc799b9557473c6247b0b54df1a4654df3aad948b8a55c3dfb8299caa741775fdefd
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/37700/cdc_37700_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 157.52 KB ]