The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today warned clinicians that flu activity has increased significantly in recent weeks, much of it from H3N2, which poses a heightened threat, especially to seniors and young children, and elevates the importance of prompt antiviral treatment.
At the global level, H3N2 is still the dominant strain, but different regions are seeing a lot of illness from influenza B and 2009 H1N1 viruses, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest update.
H3N2 activity prompts reminders about speedy antiviral prescribing
In a Health Alert Network (HAN) notice, the CDC said predominant H3N2 activity has major implications for clinical treatment, given that the vaccine is generally less effective against that subtype, and that neuraminidase inhibitors, such as (oseltamivir) Tamiflu, will be a useful treatment adjunct.
Past H3N2-heavy seasons have been marked by more hospitalizations and deaths in those over age 65 and in younger children, the CDC said. It added that seasonal flu vaccines have shown less protection against H3N2 than the 2009 H1N1 and influenza B strains, and if H3N2 continues to dominate, the efficacy against H3N2 could be near the 32% seen last season.
READ MORE AT: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2017/12/jump-h3n2-flu-prompts-cdc-warning-antiviral-reminder