Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2014/06/flu-scan-jun-05-2014
Flu Scan for Jun 05, 2014
Northern Hemisphere flu decline; LAIV in primary school kids
Filed Under:
Influenza, General; Influenza Vaccines
Flu exit nearly final in Northern Hemisphere
Most Northern Hemisphere countries are at or approaching interseasonal flu levels, with North America and eastern Asia still reporting some influenza B circulation, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest global flu update.
The countries at interseasonal levels included China, with the percentage of positive flu tests low in both the northern and southern parts of the country.
In southern and southeastern Asia, levels dropped, except in Iran, which reported a slight increase, much of it from the 2009 H1N1 virus, the WHO said. Tropical countries saw little flu activity, except for slight increases in Peru and Bolivia, mostly from H3N2.
In the Southern Hemisphere, flu detections increased in Australia and New Zealand, but levels were still low. Paraguay reported higher-than-expected flu activity for this time of year, mainly driven by H3N2 and influenza B.
During the first half of May, testing of flu virus samples by global flu labs found slightly more influenza B than influenza A, at 51.5% influenza B. Of the subtyped influenza A strains, H3N2 was dominant, at 70.2%.
Jun 2 WHO global flu update
UK study: No clear benefit to universal LAIV program in young kids
A pilot program of universal live-attenuated influenza vaccination (LAIV) among British 4- to 11-year-olds during this past flu season was associated with decreased flu levels, but the drop was not statistically significant, according to a study today in Eurosurveillance.
UK researchers selected seven areas in England for the pilot 2013-14 program, representing about 5% of children of primary school age. In the areas, 104,792 children received LAIV out of an estimated 199,475 possible, for an overall vaccine uptake of 52.5%. Uptake ranged in the seven areas from 35.8% to 71.5% and declined with increasing age.
Although markers for influenza were generally lower in pilot areas than in non-pilot areas during a season of low influenza activity?such as 2.6 lab-confirmed hospitalizations per 100,000 population, compared with 5.0?the difference was not statistically significant, the researchers reported.
Jun 5 Eurosurveillance study
Flu Scan for Jun 05, 2014
Northern Hemisphere flu decline; LAIV in primary school kids
Filed Under:
Influenza, General; Influenza Vaccines
Flu exit nearly final in Northern Hemisphere
Most Northern Hemisphere countries are at or approaching interseasonal flu levels, with North America and eastern Asia still reporting some influenza B circulation, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest global flu update.
The countries at interseasonal levels included China, with the percentage of positive flu tests low in both the northern and southern parts of the country.
In southern and southeastern Asia, levels dropped, except in Iran, which reported a slight increase, much of it from the 2009 H1N1 virus, the WHO said. Tropical countries saw little flu activity, except for slight increases in Peru and Bolivia, mostly from H3N2.
In the Southern Hemisphere, flu detections increased in Australia and New Zealand, but levels were still low. Paraguay reported higher-than-expected flu activity for this time of year, mainly driven by H3N2 and influenza B.
During the first half of May, testing of flu virus samples by global flu labs found slightly more influenza B than influenza A, at 51.5% influenza B. Of the subtyped influenza A strains, H3N2 was dominant, at 70.2%.
Jun 2 WHO global flu update
UK study: No clear benefit to universal LAIV program in young kids
A pilot program of universal live-attenuated influenza vaccination (LAIV) among British 4- to 11-year-olds during this past flu season was associated with decreased flu levels, but the drop was not statistically significant, according to a study today in Eurosurveillance.
UK researchers selected seven areas in England for the pilot 2013-14 program, representing about 5% of children of primary school age. In the areas, 104,792 children received LAIV out of an estimated 199,475 possible, for an overall vaccine uptake of 52.5%. Uptake ranged in the seven areas from 35.8% to 71.5% and declined with increasing age.
Although markers for influenza were generally lower in pilot areas than in non-pilot areas during a season of low influenza activity?such as 2.6 lab-confirmed hospitalizations per 100,000 population, compared with 5.0?the difference was not statistically significant, the researchers reported.
Jun 5 Eurosurveillance study