Weekly Report: Influenza Summary Update
2007-2008 Influenza Season Week 47, ending November 24, 2007
(All data are preliminary and may change as more reports are received.)Synopsis
During week 47 (November 18-24, 2007), a low level of influenza activity was reported in the United States.
- Thirty-six (2.0%) specimens tested by U.S. World Health Organization (WHO) and National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS) collaborating laboratories were positive for influenza.
- The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza was below the epidemic threshold.
- The proportion of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) and acute respiratory illness (ARI) was below national and region-specific baseline levels.
- Four states reported local influenza activity; 24 states and the District of Columbia reported sporadic influenza activity; and 22 states reported no influenza activity.
Region |
Data for current week | Data cumulative for the season | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sentinel Provider ILI* | DoD and VA ARI* | % pos. for flu† | # jurisdictions reporting regional or widespread activity‡ | A (H1) | A (H3) | A Unsub-typed | B | Pediatric Deaths | |
| Nation | Normal | Normal | 2.0 % | 0 of 51 | 55 | 18 | 271 | 31 | 0 |
| New England | Normal | Normal | 0.5 % | 0 of 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Mid-Atlantic | Normal | Normal | 0.2 % | 0 of 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| East North Central | Normal | Normal | 2.0 % | 0 of 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| West North Central | Normal | Normal | 0.1 % | 0 of 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| South Atlantic | Normal | Normal | 3.8 % | 0 of 9 | 2 | 5 | 114 | 15 | 0 |
| East South Central | Normal | Normal | 0.4 % | 0 of 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| West South Central | Normal | Normal | 3.5 % | 0 of 4 | 1 | 10 | 106 | 4 | 0 |
| Mountain | Normal | Normal | 3.1 % | 0 of 8 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| Pacific | Normal | Normal | 2.4 % | 0 of 5 | 26 | 1 | 30 | 4 | 0 |
* Elevated means the % of visits for ILI or ARI is at or above the national or
region-specific baseline
† National data is for current week; regional data is for the most recent 3 weeks.
‡ Includes all 50 states and the District of Columbia
Laboratory Surveillance
During week 47, WHO and NREVSS laboratories reported 1,767 specimens tested for influenza viruses, 36 (2.0%) of which were positive, including three influenza A (H1) viruses (Mountain region), 28 influenza A viruses that were not subtyped (East North Central, Mid-Atlantic, Mountain, Pacific, South Atlantic, and West South Central regions), and five influenza B viruses (South Atlantic region). The District of Columbia and 29 states from all nine surveillance regions have reported laboratory-confirmed influenza this season with Florida, Hawaii, and Texas accounting for 287 (76.5%) of the 375 reported influenza viruses.
View WHO-NREVSS Regional Bar Charts | View Chart Data | View Full Screen
Antigenic Characterization:
CDC has antigenically characterized six influenza viruses [three influenza A (H3), and three influenza B viruses] collected by U.S. laboratories since September 30, 2007.
Influenza A (H3) [3]Influenza B (B/Victoria/02/87 and B/Yamagata/16/88 lineages) [3]
- All three viruses were characterized as A/Brisbane/10/2007-like. A/Brisbane/10/2007 is a recent antigenic variant which evolved from A/Wisconsin/67/2005-like, the influenza A (H3) component of the 2007-08 influenza vaccine. A/Brisbane/10/2007-like virus is the recommended influenza A (H3) component for the 2008 Southern Hemisphere vaccine.
Victoria lineage [0]
- The recommended influenza B component for the 2007-08 influenza vaccine is a B/Malaysia/2506/2004-like virus, belonging to the B/Victoria lineage.
Yamagata lineage [3]
It is too early in the influenza season to determine which influenza viruses will predominate or how well the vaccine and circulating strains will match.- All three viruses were identified as belonging to the B/Yamagata lineage.
Pneumonia and Influenza (P&I) Mortality Surveillance
During week 47, 6.0% of all deaths reported through the 122-Cities Mortality Reporting System were reported as due to P&I. This percentage is below the epidemic threshold of 6.3% for week 47.
View Full ScreenInfluenza-Associated Pediatric Mortality
No influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported during week 47. No deaths have been reported for the 2007-08 season.
View Full ScreenInfluenza-Associated Pediatric Hospitalizations
Laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated pediatric hospitalizations are monitored in two population-based surveillance networks: the Emerging Infections Program (EIP) and the New Vaccine Surveillance Network (NVSN). No influenza-associated pediatric hospitalizations have been reported from the EIP and NVSN.
Outpatient Illness Surveillance
Nationwide during week 47, 1.6% of patient visits reported through the U.S. Influenza Sentinel Provider Surveillance Network were due to influenza-like illness (ILI) and 2.3% of patient visits to Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) outpatient treatment facilities were for acute respiratory illness (ARI). These percentages are less than the national baselines of 2.2% and 3.2%, respectively. On a regional level, the percentage of visits for ILI ranged from 0.5% to 4.2% and the percentage of visits for ARI ranged from 1.2% to 3.0%. All nine regions reported percentages of visits for ILI and ARI below their respective region-specific baselines. All five age groups reported percentages of visits for ARI below their respective age-specific baselines.
View Sentinel Providers Regional Charts | View Chart Data |View Full Screen
View Full ScreenGeographic Spread of Influenza as Assessed by State and Territorial Epidemiologists
Influenza activity was reported as local in four states (Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, and Virginia) and as sporadic in 24 states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah) and the District of Columbia. Twenty-two states reported no influenza activity.
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A description of surveillance methods is available at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/fluactivity.htm
- Page last updated November 30, 2007
- Content Source: Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases (CCID)
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD)
