Influenza season continues with an increase in influenza A(H3N2) activity

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
• Description:
  Distributed via the CDC Health Alert Network
  
  March 28, 2019, 1415 ET (2:15 PM ET)
  
  CDCHAN-00419
  
  CDC reminds clinicians to have a high suspicion for influenza and recommends rapid antiviral treatment of high-risk patients with suspected influenza.
  
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this health advisory to notify clinicians that influenza activity remains high in the United States, with an increasing proportion of activity due to influenza A(H3N2) viruses, continued circulation of influenza A(H1N1) viruses, and low levels of influenza B viruses. Influenza should be considered as a possible diagnosis for patients with respiratory illness while local influenza activity remains elevated. Because influenza A(H3N2) viruses may be associated with severe disease in older adults, this health advisory serves as a reminder that early empiric treatment with influenza antiviral medications is recommended for hospitalized and high-risk patients, especially those 65 years and older. Antiviral treatment should be started as soon as possible after illness onset and should not wait for laboratory confirmation.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Antiviral Agents/therapeutic Use Influenza, Human Influenza, Human/drug Therapy Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype
• Source:
  HAN ; 419
• Series:
  Health Alert Network
• Document Type:
  HAN Health Advisory
• Place as Subject:
  United States
• Pages in Document:
  5 unnumbered pages
• Issue:
  419
• Collection(s):
  Health Alert Network (HAN)
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:16e6eebfed0388aa0b133e3aaa4ac84da3c2d12089fcd2f17daf75d7764bbd2f809d23295395aeacfd9240f23e2f379e236194be383ea01b02a5056b93de24b9
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/76870/cdc_76870_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 607.36 KB ]