Report Suggests 2009 Showed A Mild Flu Season
Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the current flu season is winding down and turning out to be one of the mildest in years, The Associated Press reported.
CDC officials said one possible explanation could be that the flu vaccine was generally well matched to the circulating flu viruses this year.
Adult deaths from the flu or pneumonia in 122 cities as well as reports of flu-related deaths in children both went down significantly this year compared with the severe 2007-2008 season, the CDC said.
Official estimates show that the flu causes 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths annually. Those with weaker immune systems such as the elderly, young children and people with chronic illnesses are most at risk during flu season.
Health officials agree that vaccination is the best protection, as a record 146 million doses of flu vaccine were distributed for the 2008-2009 season. Flu vaccines are often between 70 percent and 90 percent effective.
However, the vaccine was only 44 percent effective during the 2007-2008 season, but no such figure has been released for this year.
Experts said the tests indicate the vaccine matches up well to at least two of the flu viruses currently circulating.
Type A H1N1 was listed as the main flu virus circulating this year.
Dr. Alicia Fry, a CDC epidemiologist, said flu seasons in which an H1N1 predominates are generally milder than seasons when a Type A H3N2 is going around.
Doctors often receive an influx of patients during flu outbreaks.
Many have routinely prescribed a drug called Tamiflu to flu patients, yet this season’s H1N1 strain has been resistant to that drug.
CDC officials announced in recent years that H3N2 flu had become resistant to two other antiviral medications, rimantadine and amantadine.
Doctors have been prescribing several different medications during the current season to offer patients relief.
Dr. Bruce Ribner, an Atlanta infectious disease physician, said this year’s season was much more challenging than previous years.
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