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Influenza-like Illness (influenza-like + illness)
Selected AbstractsAn early report from newly established laboratory-based influenza surveillance in Lao PDRINFLUENZA AND OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES, Issue 2 2010Phengta Vongphrachanh Please cite this paper as: Vongphrachanh P, Simmerman JM, Phonekeo D, Pansayavong V, Sisouk T, Ongkhamme S, Bryce GT, Corwin A, Bryant JE. An early report from newly established laboratory-based influenza surveillance in Lao PDR. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 4(2), 47,52. Background, Prior to 2007, little information was available about the burden of influenza in Laos. We report data from the first laboratory-based influenza surveillance system established in the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Methods, Three hospitals in the capital city of Vientiane began surveillance for influenza-like illness (ILI) in outpatients in 2007 and expanded to include hospitalized pneumonia patients in 2008. Nasal/throat swab specimens were collected and tested for influenza and other respiratory viruses by multiplex ID-TagTM respiratory viral panel (RVP) assay on a Luminex® 100× MAP IS instrument (Qiagen, Singapore). Results, During January 2007 to December 2008, 287 of 526 (54·6%) outpatients with ILI were positive for at least one respiratory virus. Influenza was most commonly identified, with 63 (12·0%) influenza A and 92 (17·5%) influenza B positive patients identified. In 2008, six of 79 (7·6%) hospitalized pneumonia patients were positive for influenza A and four (5·1%) were positive for influenza B. Children <5 years represented 19% of viral infections in outpatients and 38% of pneumonia inpatients. Conclusion, Our results provide the first documentation of influenza burden among patients with febrile respiratory illness and pneumonia requiring hospitalization in Laos. Implementing laboratory-based influenza surveillance requires substantial investments in infrastructure and training. However, continuing outbreaks of avian influenza A/H5N1 in poultry and emergence of the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic strain further underscore the importance of establishing and maintaining influenza surveillance in developing countries. [source] Effect of rapid influenza testing on the clinical management of paediatric influenzaINFLUENZA AND OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES, Issue 3 2009Lance C. Jennings Background, Rapid tests are now widely available to assist the diagnosis of influenza; implementation may optimise the use of antiviral and antibiotic agents in the clinical management of influenza. Objective, To explore the clinical management of children with influenza-like illness (ILI) when rapid influenza tests were and were not performed. Methods, Between 15 January 2007 and 30 April 2007, a standardised questionnaire was used to record the clinical features of children aged 1,12 years who presented to office-based paediatricians in Germany with febrile ILI during periods of local influenza activity. For each paediatric contact, a clinical diagnosis of either ,influenza positive', ,influenza negative' or ,suspected ILI' was made. Where performed, the outcome of a Clearview Exact Influenza A + B rapid test was recorded. Prescriptions for antiviral agents and antibiotic medications were also recorded. Results, A total of 16 907 questionnaires were evaluated. After fever (an entry criteria for all children), cough (84·6%), fatigue/decreased activity (83·0%), rhinorrhoea (73·7%) and headache (67·1%) were the most common symptoms. Influenza was clinically diagnosed in 56·8% (9596/16 907) of cases. The antiviral oseltamivir was prescribed for 24·6% (178/725) of children who were influenza positive by symptom assessment alone and 60·1% (4618/7685) of children who were influenza positive by rapid test. Antibiotics were less commonly prescribed for children who were influenza positive by rapid test [3·5% (271/7685) versus 17·2% (125/725) for symptom assessment alone]. Conclusions, In children with ILI, a positive rapid test result for influenza promotes the rational use of antiviral agents and reduces the inappropriate use of antibiotic medications. [source] The use of oseltamivir during an influenza B outbreak in a chronic care hospitalINFLUENZA AND OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES, Issue 1 2009Holly Seale Background, Residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities are at a higher risk of outbreaks of influenza and of serious complications of influenza than those in the community. In late July 2005, a 90-bed chronic care psycho-geriatric hospital in Sydney, Australia, reported cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) occurring amongst its residents. Methods, An investigation to confirm the outbreak, and its cause, was undertaken. Influenza vaccination levels amongst residents, and the effects of antiviral drugs used for prevention and treatment, were assessed. Oseltamivir was only given to the residents, in the form of both treatment and prophylaxis. Results, A total of 22 out of 89 residents met the clinical case definition of ILI with onset on or after 27 July 2005. This represents an attack rate of 25%. Oseltamivir was commenced on day 9 of the outbreak. Influenza B was identified in six residents as the causative agent of the outbreak. No deaths or acute hospitalization were recorded for this outbreak and there were no further reported cases after the introduction of oseltamivir. Vaccine effectiveness was 75% and the strain of influenza B isolated was well matched to that year's vaccine. Conclusions, There are few data on the use of oseltamivir in influenza B outbreaks. Early antiviral intervention appeared to curtail this outbreak of influenza B in a chronic care facility. We found high vaccine effectiveness in this frail, institutionalized population, highlighting the importance of influenza vaccination for residents of chronic care facilities. [source] Influenza-associated hospitalization in urban Thai childrenINFLUENZA AND OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES, Issue 5-6 2007Piyarat Suntarattiwong Background, Studies in North America and Europe have shown that young children are at increased risk of serious complications and hospitalization from influenza infection. In Thailand, however, influenza is commonly considered a mild infection that rarely requires hospitalization. An improved understanding of the burden of serious complications from influenza infection in young children is needed to inform clinical treatment and vaccination guidelines. Methods, We conducted a prospective study of children 0,5 years of age with lower respiratory tract infection or influenza-like illness admitted to a pediatric tertiary-care hospital in Bangkok, Thailand during July 2004 to July 2005. All respiratory specimens were tested for influenza using a rapid antigen test and tissue cell culture. Results, Thirty-nine of 456 (8.6%) hospitalized children had culture-positive influenza. Eighty percent of hospitalized influenza patients had no underlying chronic illnesses. Nineteen (49%) influenza patients required hospital stays of 5 days or more and two patients required mechanical ventilation. Influenza activity demonstrated bimodal seasonal variation with peak activity from August to October and January to April. Cough was present in 38 (97%) cases and fever >38.5°C was significantly associated with influenza. Conclusion, Influenza is an important cause of hospitalization in children <5 years of age in Thailand. Children <5 years should be considered as a target group when establishing clinical guidelines for antiviral treatment and influenza vaccination. [source] Cluster of presumed organic dust toxic syndrome cases among urban landscape workers,Colorado, 2007,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 7 2009Tegan K. Boehmer PhD Abstract Background Organic dust toxic syndrome (ODTS) is an influenza-like illness typically affecting agricultural workers exposed to organic dusts. In July 2007, Tri-County Health Department investigated a cluster of acute respiratory illnesses among urban landscape workers with known mulch exposure. Methods An epidemiologic study of landscape workers was conducted. Employees were interviewed regarding illness and occupational exposures. Medical records were reviewed. Mulch samples were tested for fungi and endotoxins. Results Five (12%) of 43 employees experienced respiratory illness compatible with ODTS. Illness was associated with prolonged mulch exposure (,6 vs. <6 hr/day; relative risk,=,24.7; 95% confidence interval,=,3.3,184.9). Mulch samples contained high levels of Aspergillus spores and endotoxin. Conclusions Contaminated mulch was implicated as the source of presumed ODTS among landscape workers, highlighting that ODTS is not limited to rural agricultural settings. Education of employers, safety officers, and clinicians is necessary to improve recognition and prevention of ODTS within urban occupational groups. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:534,538, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The effect of rapid diagnostic testing for influenza on the reduction of antibiotic use in paediatric emergency departmentACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 10 2009E Özkaya Abstract Aim:, To determine the influence of rapid diagnosis of influenza on antibiotic prescribing to children presenting with influenza-like illness in the emergency department in a inner city hospital in ,stanbul, Turkey. Methods:, Patients aged 3 to 14 years presenting to an urban children's teaching hospital emergency department were screened for fever and cough, coryza, myalgias and/or malaise. After obtaining informed consent, patients were allocated into two groups. Group 1: patients were prescribed antibiotics after only physical examination; or Group 2: patients were prescribed antibiotics after rapid influenza testing. Nasopharyngeal swabs obtained from all patients were immediately tested in a single-blind manner with Influenza A/B Rapid Test® for influenza A and B. Results:, A total of 97 patients were enrolled, and 33 (34%) of these tested positive for influenza. Although frequency of positive results for influenza between the groups was similar (36% vs 32%, respectively), patients in Group 2 were less likely to be prescribed antibiotics when compared to those in Group 1 (32% vs 100%, respectively, p < 0.0001). Conclusion:, Rapid diagnosis of influenza in the paediatric emergency department may allow a significant reduction in the over-prescription of antibiotics. [source] Influenza A(H1N1)2009 in the French Pacific territories: assessment of the epidemic wave during the austral winterCLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION, Issue 4 2010Epidemiological Task Group for Overseas French Territories of the Pacific Clin Microbiol Infect 2010; 16: 304,308 Abstract The three French territories in the Pacific (New Caledonia [NC], French Polynesia [FP] and Wallis and Futuna [WF]) have been affected by an outbreak of influenza A(H1N1)2009 during the austral winter of 2009. This wave of influenza-like illness was characterized by a short duration (approximately 8 weeks) and high attack rates: 16,18% in NC and FP, 28% in Wallis and 38% in Futuna. The number of infected patients requiring hospitalization in critical care services and the number of deaths were, respectively, 21 and 10 in NC and 13 and 7 in FP (none in WF). Diabetes, cardiac and pulmonary diseases, obesity in adults, neuromuscular diseases in children, and Oceanic origin were frequently observed among severe cases and deaths. A significant proportion of the population remains susceptible to A(H1N1)2009, making the occurrence of a second wave likely. A state of preparedness and control efforts must be implemented, based on preventive measures (immunization), as well as combined clinical and virological surveillance and health organization. [source] | ||||||||||