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.

• Influenza Survey: Only 49% Of U.S. Adults Plan On Getting Vaccine, 58% May Mask - Forbes
  Thu, 06 Oct 2022 14:45 GMT
• Early oseltamivir associated with improved influenza outcomes in hospitalized children - 2 Minute Medicine
  Fri, 07 Oct 2022 15:06 GMT
• Prevent the Spread of Influenza and COVID-19 Viruses within your Community - United States Army
  Tue, 04 Oct 2022 13:25 GMT
• More than 47 million birds lost to avian influenza - Successful Farming
  Fri, 07 Oct 2022 14:31 GMT
• Researchers identify flu-fighting pathways and genes essential for influenza A immune defense: Findings could inform novel treatments for the flu in humans - Science Daily
  Thu, 06 Oct 2022 19:28 GMT
• Canine Influenza can spread rapidly. What to know about "dog flu." - USA TODAY
  Thu, 06 Oct 2022 10:01 GMT
• Vir awarded $1 billion multi-year BARDA influenza contract - - pharmaphorum
  Wed, 05 Oct 2022 10:39 GMT
• New recommendations for the composition of influenza vaccines in 2023 for the southern hemisphere - who.int
  Fri, 23 Sep 2022 07:00 GMT
• MDARD - Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Lapeer County Backyard Flock - Michigan (.gov)
  Thu, 06 Oct 2022 15:02 GMT
• Novel and Variant Influenza Viruses | Georgia Department of Public Health - Georgia.gov
  Fri, 16 Sep 2022 07:00 GMT
• Influenza Summary and Reports - Health.mil
  Sat, 01 Oct 2022 13:07 GMT
• Influenza Vaccinations Available Soon at JCH&L - Fairburyjournalnews
  Fri, 07 Oct 2022 18:18 GMT
• 5 Lessons Officials Have Taken From Avian Influenza Outbreak - Lancaster Farming
  Thu, 06 Oct 2022 05:22 GMT
• Avian influenza: unprecedented number of summer cases in Europe - EFSA news
  Mon, 03 Oct 2022 12:00 GMT
• 2022-2023 Influenza Season Looks to Be Severe - Pharmacy Times
  Thu, 22 Sep 2022 07:00 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

• Influence of Digital Intervention Messaging on Influenza Vaccination Rates Among Adults With Cardiovascular Disease in the United States: Decentralized Randomized Controlled Trial Fri, 07 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400
  CONCLUSIONS: This personalized, evidence-based digital intervention was effective in increasing vaccination rates in this population of high-risk people with cardiovascular disease.
• New avian influenza prevention zone Fri, 07 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400
  No abstract
• Disease progression, pathologic, and virologic findings of an equine influenza outbreak in rescue donkeys Fri, 07 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400
  CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Clinical signs of equine influenza virus infection in donkeys are similar to those observed in horses. Prognosis for survival generally is good, but deaths have been observed especially in foals born to seronegative dams. This finding emphasizes the importance of prenatal vaccination protocols in all equids, including donkeys.
• Active vaccination campaign to increase seasonal influenza vaccination coverage: a monocenter experience in a cohort of Italian patients with systemic autoimmune diseases Fri, 07 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400
  Seasonal influenza is a frequent cause of hospitalization and mortality among patients with systemic autoimmune diseases. Despite this evidence, vaccination coverage is generally much lower than the minimum 75% target proposed by the WHO. Therefore, an active campaign was implemented in the years 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 within the Rheumatology Department of the Niguarda Hospital (Milan, Italy) to improve the vaccination coverage in patients with inflammatory arthritis. This study aims to...
• Evaluation of an Emergency Department Influenza Vaccination Program: Uptake Factors and Opportunities Fri, 07 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400
  CONCLUSION: Vaccination programs in the ED can boost community vaccination rates and play a role in both preventing and treating current and future vaccine-preventable public health crises, although efforts must be made to deliver services equitably.
• Genetic engineering of baculovirus-insect cell system to improve protein production Fri, 07 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400
  The Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS), a mature foreign protein expression platform, has been available for decades, and has been effectively used in vaccine production, gene therapy, and a host of other applications. To date, eleven BEVS-derived products have been approved for use, including four human vaccines [Cervarix against cervical cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), Flublok and Flublok Quadrivalent against seasonal influenza, Nuvaxovid/Covovax against COVID-19], two...
• Relative Risks of COVID-19-Associated Hospitalizations and Clinical Outcomes by Age and Race/Ethnicity-March 2020-March 2021 Fri, 07 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400
  CONCLUSIONS: During the first year of the US COVID-19 pandemic in this cohort, older non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic adults had the highest relative risks of COVID-19-associated hospitalization and adverse outcomes and, among those with select underlying conditions, the highest occurrences of acute exacerbations of underlying conditions.
• Impact of COVID-19 on viral respiratory infection epidemiology in young children: A single-center analysis Fri, 07 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400
  CONCLUSION: These findings reinforce the hypothesis of NPIs impacting the epidemiology of influenza viruses and RSV in young children. Compared to previous periods, no IAV and IBV cases were observed in the 2020-2021 study period, and the RSV peak occurred later. Since the pandemic is still ongoing, continuation of epidemiological surveillance, even on a larger scale, is indicated.
• Impact of educational interventions on the prevention of influenza: A systematic review Fri, 07 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400
  CONCLUSIONS: The included studies in the current systematic review reported the efficacy of health promotion educational interventions in improving knowledge about influenza, influenza prevention behaviors, vaccination rates, and decreased RTI incidence regardless of the type of intervention and the age of cases.
• IFN-γ transforms the transcriptomic landscape and triggers myeloid cell hyperresponsiveness to cause lethal lung injury Fri, 07 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400
  Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is an inflammatory disease that is associated with high mortality but no specific treatment. Our understanding of initial events that trigger ARDS pathogenesis is limited. We have developed a mouse model of inflammatory lung injury by influenza and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) coinfection plus daily antibiotic therapy. Using this pneumonic ARDS model, here we show that IFN-γ receptor signaling drives inflammatory cytokine storm and...