Influenza and other respiratory viruses
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Influenza Other Respi Viruses · Sep 2013
Incidence of influenza-associated mortality and hospitalizations in Argentina during 2002-2009.
We estimated rates of influenza-associated deaths and hospitalizations in Argentina, a country that recommends annual influenza vaccination for persons at high risk of complications from influenza illness. ⋯ Our findings suggest that annual rates of influenza-associated hospitalizations and death in Argentina were substantial and similar to neighboring Brazil.
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Influenza Other Respi Viruses · Sep 2013
ReviewHand hygiene to reduce community transmission of influenza and acute respiratory tract infection: a systematic review.
Hand hygiene may be associated with modest protection against some acute respiratory tract infections, but its specific role in influenza transmission in different settings is unclear. We aimed to review evidence that improving hand hygiene reduces primary and secondary transmission of (i) influenza and (ii) acute respiratory tract infections in community settings. We searched Medline, Embase, Global Health and Cochrane databases up to 13 February 2012 for reports in any language of original research investigating the effect of hand hygiene on influenza or acute respiratory tract infection where aetiology was unspecified in community settings including institutions such as schools, and domestic residences. ⋯ There was high-quality evidence for a large reduction in respiratory infection with a hand hygiene intervention in squatter settlements in a low-income setting. There was moderate- to high-quality evidence of no effect on secondary transmission of influenza in households that had already experienced an index case. While hand hygiene interventions have potential to reduce transmission of influenza and acute respiratory tract infections, their effectiveness varies depending on setting, context and compliance.
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Influenza Other Respi Viruses · Sep 2013
ReviewClinical care for severe influenza and other severe illness in resource-limited settings: the need for evidence and guidelines.
The 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic highlighted the importance of quality hospital care of the severely ill, yet there is evidence that the impact of the 2009 pandemic was highest in low- and middle-income countries with fewer resources. Recent data indicate that death and suffering from seasonal influenza and severe illness in general are increased in resource-limited settings. However, there are limited clinical data and guidelines for the management of influenza and other severe illness in these settings. ⋯ These standardized clinical guidelines emphasize syndromic case management and do not require high-resource intensive care units. These efforts must be enhanced by quality clinical research to provide missing evidence and to refine recommendations, which must be carefully integrated into existing healthcare systems. Realizing a sustainable, global impact on death and suffering due to severe influenza and other severe illness necessitates an ongoing and concerted international effort to iteratively generate, implement, and evaluate best-practice management guidelines for use in resource-limited settings.
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Influenza Other Respi Viruses · Sep 2013
ReviewSupply of neuraminidase inhibitors related to reduced influenza A (H1N1) mortality during the 2009-2010 H1N1 pandemic: summary of an ecological study.
When the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic spread across the globe from April 2009 to August 2010, many WHO Member States used antiviral drugs, specifically neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) oseltamivir and zanamivir, to treat influenza patients in critical condition. Antivirals have been found to be effective in reducing severity and duration of influenza illness, and likely reduce morbidity; however, it is unclear whether NAIs used during the pandemic reduced H1N1 mortality. To assess the association between antivirals and influenza mortality, at an ecologic level, country-level data on supply of oseltamivir and zanamivir were compared to laboratory-confirmed H1N1 deaths (per 100 000 people) from July 2009 to August 2010 in 42 WHO Member States. ⋯ While limitations exist in the inference that can be drawn from an ecologic evaluation, this analysis offers evidence of a protective relationship between antiviral drug supply and influenza mortality and supports a role for influenza antiviral use in future pandemics. This article summarises the original study described previously, which can be accessed through the following citation: Miller PE, Rambachan A, Hubbard RJ, Li J, Meyer AE, et al. (2012) Supply of Neuraminidase Inhibitors Related to Reduced Influenza A (H1N1) Mortality during the 2009-2010 H1N1 Pandemic: An Ecological Study. PLoS ONE 7(9): e43491.