Influenza Virus Net is the web resource for anyone interested in influenza and flu pandemics. Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae (the influenza viruses), that affects humans, birds and other mammals. The virus spreads easily from person to person. Influenza circulates worldwide and can affect anybody in any age group. Influenza causes annual epidemics that peak during winter in temperate regions. Influenza is a serious public health problem that causes severe illnesses and deaths for higher risk populations. The most common symptoms of the disease are chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness/fatigue and general discomfort. Sore throat, fever and coughs are the most frequent symptoms. In more serious cases, influenza causes pneumonia, which can be fatal, particularly for the young and the elderly. An influenza epidemic can take an economic toll through lost workforce productivity, and strain health services. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent infection.

The objectives of Influenza Virus Net are to be the public and professional information resource for influenza and to serve as a network in the exchange of information and news related to influenza.

• Alabama among eleven states with high influenza activity - Alabama's News Leader
  Mon, 04 Dec 2023 22:59 GMT
• Symptoms of COVID and flu as cases rise in 2023 - Reviewed
  Tue, 05 Dec 2023 19:41 GMT
• The big three respiratory viruses are rising in California, but are causing fewer hospitalizations than last year - The Mercury News
  Sun, 03 Dec 2023 13:55 GMT
• France on 'high' alert for bird flu after new cases detected - Reuters
  Tue, 05 Dec 2023 15:09 GMT
• Laurel pond geese dead from infectious avian influenza - Billings Gazette
  Mon, 04 Dec 2023 17:30 GMT
• After major health scare, West Palm Beach woman advocates for flu shots - WPTV News Channel 5 West Palm
  Tue, 05 Dec 2023 15:00 GMT
• Flu and Pneumonia Map Shows US States With Highest Death Rates - Newsweek
  Tue, 05 Dec 2023 12:16 GMT
• Is the flu shot market a slam dunk for mRNA vaccines? Experts aren't so sure - STAT
  Tue, 05 Dec 2023 09:33 GMT
• Comparison of post-acute sequelae following hospitalization for COVID-19 and influenza - BMC Medicine - BMC Medicine
  Tue, 05 Dec 2023 00:38 GMT
• BLACKPINK'S Jisoo CONFIRMS zombie drama 'Influenza' amid contract renewal row with YG Entertainment - IndiaTimes
  Mon, 04 Dec 2023 08:03 GMT
• Biosecurity – the inner shell strategy against bird flu - Poultry World
  Tue, 05 Dec 2023 10:47 GMT
• $1.5 Million Grant Advances Broad-Spectrum Influenza Vaccine Candidate - Precision Vaccinations
  Tue, 05 Dec 2023 11:05 GMT
• EPI-WIN webinar: Seasonal influenza prevention and control: national and regional perspectives - World Health Organization
  Wed, 06 Dec 2023 02:00 GMT
• New Jersey Department of Health Marks National Influenza Vaccination Week With Reminder to Stay Up To Date ... - NJ.gov
  Mon, 04 Dec 2023 21:45 GMT
• Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccines Provide Higher Immunogenicity Against B Lineage vs Trivalent - AJMC.com Managed Markets Network
  Tue, 05 Dec 2023 22:07 GMT

• PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (116): Europe (Russia) zoo, wild bird, backyard, HPAI H5N1, OIE
  Mon, 20 Sep 2021 15:46:50 -0400
  Avian Influenza H5N1 -- Russia
  Summary
  Report type: immediate notification
  Started: 27 Aug 2021
  Confirmed: 2 Sep 2021
  Reported: 15 Sep 2021
  Reason for notification: recurrence
  Last occurrence: 13 Dec 2020
  Causal agent: highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
  Serotype: H5N1
  Nature of diagnosis: clinical, laboratory
  This event pertains to a defined zone within the country.
  New outbreaks (3)
  Summary of outbreaks
  Total outbreaks (3)
  Outbreak location 1: Zateryanny mir, Chelyabinsk gorsovet,


• PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza, human (20): Cambodia (SI) H9N2
  Sun, 19 Sep 2021 19:23:42 -0400
  Avian Influenza -- Cambodia
  Abstract
  ---------
  In February 2021, routine sentinel surveillance for influenza-like illness in Cambodia detected a human avian influenza A(H9N2) virus infection. Investigations identified no recent H9N2 virus infections in 43 close contacts. One chicken sample from the infected child's house was positive for H9N2 virus and genetically similar to the human virus.
  --
  Communicated by:
  Jurre Siegers
  Institute Pasteur du Cambodge
  
  [ProMED thanks Jurre Siegers for sharing the early

• Four Methods for Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza A Virus Activity in Schools Tue, 05 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500
  No abstract
• Vaccination in old age: an overview Tue, 05 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500
  Vaccinations against infectious diseases are a highly effective preventive measure, especially in old age due to the higher susceptibility to infections. As the effectiveness of vaccinations decreases in old age due to immune senescence but also due to comorbidities, specific, more immunogenic vaccines have been developed for this target group. In Germany, the Standing Commission on Vaccination (STIKO) publishes annually updated vaccination recommendations also specifically for the 60+ years age...
• Factors associated with the evolution of COVID-19 in pregnant women: a Brazilian population-based study Tue, 05 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500
  CONCLUSION: Sociodemographic and clinical predictors showed an association with hospitalization in intensive care and death of pregnant women with COVID-19.
• Influenza A virus infection alters the resistance profile of gut microbiota to clinically relevant antibiotics Tue, 05 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500
  Influenza virus infection affects both lung and intestinal bacterial community composition. Most of the published analyses focus on the characterization of the microbiota composition changes. Here we assess functional alterations of gut microbiota such as nutrient and antibiotic resistance changes during an acute respiratory tract infection. Upon influenza A virus (IAV) infection, cecal microbiota drops accompanied by a decrease in the ability to metabolize some common nutrients under aerobic...
• Efficacy and safety of pediatric flu vaccination: a systematic review Tue, 05 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500
  CONCLUSIONS: We positively highlight the safety of pediatric flu vaccination in analyzed studies, on the contrary, with respect to the efficacy of flu vaccination, we observe a wide variability of results. There is a clear need to continue conducting efficacy and safety studies in the child.
• Recurrent infection triggered encephalopathy syndrome in a pediatric patient with RANBP2 mutation and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection Tue, 05 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500
  CONCLUSION: Patients with RANBP2 mutations are at risk for recurrent ITES, may develop ANE, and have a poor prognosis after relapse.
• Machine-learning-algorithms-based diagnostic model for influenza A in children Tue, 05 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500
  CONCLUSIONS: A computer algorithm diagnosis model of influenza A in children based on blood routine test data was established, which could identify children with influenza A more accurately in the early stage, and was easy to popularize.
• Comparison of post-acute sequelae following hospitalization for COVID-19 and influenza Mon, 04 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500
  CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that hospitalized COVID-19 patients are at a higher risk of long-term complications when compared with influenza survivors.
• Influenza A infections: predictors of disease severity Mon, 04 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500
  Influenza affects approximately 10% of the world's population annually. It is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates due to its propensity to progress to severe acute respiratory infection, leading to 10-40% of hospitalized patients needing intensive care. Characterizing the multifactorial predictors of poor prognosis is essential for developing strategies against this disease. This study aimed to identify predictors of disease severity in influenza A-infected (IFA-infected) patients...
• Metagenomic sequencing detects human respiratory and enteric viruses in air samples collected from congregate settings Mon, 04 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500
  Innovative methods for evaluating virus risk and spread, independent of test-seeking behavior, are needed to improve routine public health surveillance, outbreak response, and pandemic preparedness. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, environmental surveillance strategies, including wastewater andair sampling, have been used alongside widespread individual-based SARS-CoV-2 testing programs to provide population-level data. These environmental surveillance strategies have predominantly relied on...