Influenza and other respiratory viruses
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Influenza Other Respi Viruses · May 2012
Estimating age-specific influenza-related hospitalization rates during the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in Davidson Co, TN.
In April 2009, a pandemic caused by a novel influenza strain, the A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, started. Few age-specific estimates of hospitalizations associated with the first year of circulation of the pandemic virus are available. ⋯ Two independent methods provided consistent results on the burden of pandemic virus in Davidson County and suggested that the overall incidence of A(H1N1)pdm09-associated hospitalization was 1 per 1000 county residents.
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Influenza Other Respi Viruses · May 2012
No evidence of a link between influenza vaccines and Guillain-Barre syndrome-associated antiganglioside antibodies.
Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by acute, progressive peripheral neuropathy and is commonly associated with the presence of antiganglioside antibodies. Previously, influenza vaccination was linked with the increased incidence of GBS; however, whether antiganglioside antibodies are subsequently induced remains unresolved. ⋯ Although the correlation between antiganglioside antibody cross-reactivity and glycosylation of viruses suggests the role of shared carbohydrate epitopes, no correlation was observed between hemagglutinin-inhibition titers and the induction of antiganglioside antibodies after influenza vaccination.
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Influenza Other Respi Viruses · May 2012
The potential economic value of a 'universal' (multi-year) influenza vaccine.
Limitations of the current annual influenza vaccine have led to ongoing efforts to develop a 'universal' influenza vaccine, i.e., one that targets a ubiquitous portion of the influenza virus so that the coverage of a single vaccination can persist for multiple years. ⋯ Although development of a universal vaccine requires surmounting scientific hurdles, our results delineate the circumstances under which such a vaccine would be a cost-effective alternative to the annual influenza vaccine.