US Influenza Map

Slow Influenza Season

As you can see from the latest updated graph we are having almost exclusively an "RSV respiratory viral season". Our RSV numbers continue to be high and our sites are reporting up to 45 % positivity.
Elsewhere in the country influenza is in full swing (see US map), comparable to previous years. Of the H1 strains isolated and typed 90% were similar to A/New Caledonia/20/99-like, which is the influenza A (H1) component of the 2006-07 influenza vaccine. Similarly, the H3 isolated viruses were characterized as A/Wisconsin/67/2005-like, which is the influenza A (H3) component of the 2006-07 influenza vaccine. As far as Influenza B viruses, 52% were similar to B/Ohio/01/2005, the B component of the 2006-07 influenza vaccine.
Bottom line, there is still time to get that flu shot, because it is most likely coming.

It's all RSV, no flu (yet?)

Happy New Year. Our reporting sites are getting back up to speed after the holidays, so we will be posting the latest numbers in the upcoming days. The story is different from last year. As you can see from the graph, it's all RSV. We have had a few scattered flu cases (and about half of them are influenza B!). Does this mean we are in for a light influenza year or just a late one? Stay tuned for the details. What this really means is it's not too late to get your patients (and yourself) vaccinated for influenza!

Respiratory Viral Isolates to Date