The Pertinent ED Information Concerning the Vaccination Efficacy, Sensitivity of Diagnostic Testing, and Role for Antiviral Medications for Seasonal Influenza

Introduction
Influenza is an acute respiratory virus that is responsible for both epidemic and pandemic outbreaks of disease. There are three types of Influenza (A, B, and C) that are further subtyped based on surface proteins. Currently, A (H1/N1) and A (H3/N2) are the subtypes circulating in humans (1). The annual global prevalence of seasonal influenza is estimated at 5%–10% in adults and 20%–30% in children (2). Worldwide, influenza infection is estimated to result in about 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness, and an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 deaths (2). This clinical practice guideline will address three main topics of influenza including vaccination, diagnosis, and treatment.

Read More

References and Literature Grading (PDF)