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• RSV burden among adults vary widely due to differences in methodology, reliance on influenza surveillance, and lack of diagnostic methods to identify RSV when viral loads are low. • Using a simple method, statewide and local hospitalization, medical record and U.S. Census data, population-based RSV hospitalization burden among adults was estimated. • The largest burden was borne by adults ≥ 65 years of age; immunosuppressed patients bore the greatest relative burden of RSV hospitalizations. • Hospitalization due to RSV among pregnant women was low. Numerous studies in the U.S. have made estimates of the RSV burden among adults that vary widely due to differences in methodology, reliance on influenza surveillance, which does not adequately capture all RSV clinical symptoms, and lack of diagnostic methods to identify RSV when viral loads are low. Nevertheless, accurate burden estimates can inform healthcare planning, resource allocation and potentially, RSV vaccine policy. A simple method combined with statewide and local hospitalization, medical record and U.S. Census data were used to estimate population-based RSV hospitalization burden among adults ages 18–64 years, ≥65 years, and including immunocompetent, immunocompromised and pregnant individuals during 2015–2018 for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Economic burden of hospitalization was estimated using state-provided average hospitalization charges for comparisons across patient groups. The largest burden was borne by adults ≥ 65 years of age whose rates per 100,000 population of that age group (939/100,000) were 7.0–9.0 times those of adults 18–64 years of age (118/100,000). Immunosuppressed patients bore the greatest relative burden of RSV hospitalizations (1,288–1,562/100,000 immunosuppressed individuals). RSV burden ranged from 0 to 808/100,000 pregnant women. Average total charges for RSV hospitalization in Allegheny County across all adults increased from $39 million in 2015–2016 to $57 million in 2016–2017 to $89 million in 2017–2018, due to both increased average charges for an acute respiratory hospitalization and increased numbers of RSV cases. These RSV burden estimates add to the body of knowledge to guide public health policy makers and offer a method for simply and easily producing population-based burden estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To test the internal validity of the test-negative design (TND) by investigating associations between maternal influenza vaccination, and new virus detection episodes (VDEs), acute respiratory illness, and healthcare visits in their children. Eighty-five children from a birth cohort provided daily symptoms, weekly nasal swabs, and healthcare use data until age 2-years. Effect estimates are summarised as incidence rate ratios (IRR). There was no association between maternal vaccination and VDEs in children (IRR = 1.1; 95 %CI = 0.9–1.2). Influenza-vaccinated mothers were more likely than unvaccinated mothers to both report, and seek healthcare for, acute lower respiratory illness in their children, IRR = 2.4; 95 %CI = 1.2–4.8 and IRR = 2.2; 95 %CI = 1.1–4.3, respectively. A key assumption of the TND, that healthcare seeking behaviour for conditions of the same severity is not associated with vaccine receipt, did not hold. Further studies of the performance of the TND in different populations are required to confirm its validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To describe the clinical presentation and laboratory diagnosis of pregnant women with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. Pregnant women in their second and third trimester were enrolled during the course of routine prenatal care visits when they were asymptomatic within the preceding two weeks (healthy controls) or when they reported symptoms of acute respiratory illness (ARI) of ≤7 days of duration (cases). Clinical outcomes were assessed at enrollment and two weeks after. Re-enrollment was allowed. Nasal-pharyngeal secretions were evaluated for respiratory pathogens by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sera were tested for RSV-specific antibody responses by Western Blot, microneutralization assay, and palivizumab competitive antibody assay. During the 2015–2016 respiratory virus season, 7 of 65 (11%) pregnant women with ARI at their initial enrollment and 8 of 77 (10%) pregnant women with ARI during the study period (initial or re-enrollment) had PCR-confirmed RSV infection. Four (50%) PCR-confirmed RSV ARI cases reported symptoms of a lower respiratory tract illness (LRTI), one was hospitalized. Combining PCR and serology data, the RSV attack rate at initial enrollment was 12% (8 of 65), and 13% (10 of 77) based on ARI episodes. Among healthy controls, 28 of 88 (32%) had a Western Blot profile suggestive of a recent RSV infection either in the prior and/or current season. RSV had an attack rate of 10–13% among ambulatory pregnant women receiving routine prenatal care during the respiratory virus season. The serology results of healthy controls suggest a potentially higher attack rate. Future studies should be aware of the combined diagnostic strength of PCR and serology to identify RSV infection. As maternal RSV vaccine candidates are evaluated to protect young infants, additional priority should be placed on outcomes of pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We analyzed influenza VE among outpatients by high risk condition, age, and flu type during in U.S. • VE among patients with high risk conditions are approaching the levels as it among patients without. • VE among children and adults with high risk wasn't different from it among those without. • VEs against flu A(H3N2), (H1N1)pdm09, and B were similar in patients with and without high-risk. Abstract Background Annual influenza vaccination has been recommended for persons with high-risk conditions since the 1960s. However, few estimates of influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) for persons with high-risk conditions are available. Methods Data from the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network from 2012 to 2016 were analyzed to compare VE of standard-dose inactivated vaccines against medically-attended influenza among patients aged ≥6 months with and without high-risk medical conditions. Patients with acute respiratory illness were tested for influenza by RT-PCR. Presence of high-risk conditions and vaccination status were obtained from medical records. VE by influenza virus type/subtype and age group was calculated for patients with and without high-risk conditions using the test-negative design. Interaction terms were used to test for differences in VE by high-risk conditions. Results Overall, 9643 (38%) of 25,369 patients enrolled during four influenza seasons had high-risk conditions; 2213 (23%) tested positive for influenza infection. For all ages, VE against any influenza was lower among patients with high-risk conditions (41%, 95% CI: 35–47%) than those without (48%, 95% CI: 43–52%; P-for-interaction = 0.02). For children aged <18 years, VE against any influenza was 51% (95% CI: 39–61%) and 52% (95% CI: 39–61%) among those with and without high-risk conditions, respectively (P-for-interaction = 0.54). For adults aged ≥18 years, VE against any influenza was 38% (95% CI: 30–45%) and 44% (95% CI: 38–50%) among those with and without high-risk conditions, respectively (P-for-interaction = 0.21). For both children aged <18 and adults aged ≥18 years, VEs against illness related to influenza A(H3N2), A(H1N1)pdm09, and influenza B virus infection were similar among those with and without high-risk conditions. Conclusions Influenza vaccination provided protection against medically-attended influenza among patients with high-risk conditions, at levels approaching those observed among patients without high-risk conditions. Results from our analysis support recommendations of annual vaccination for patients with high-risk conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A barrier to influenza vaccination is the misperception that the inactivated vaccine can cause influenza. Previous studies have investigated the risk of acute respiratory illness (ARI) after influenza vaccination with conflicting results. We assessed whether there is an increased rate of laboratory-confirmed ARI in post-influenza vaccination periods. Methods We conducted a cohort sub-analysis of children and adults in the MoSAIC community surveillance study from 2013 to 2016. Influenza vaccination was confirmed through city or hospital registries. Cases of ARI were ascertained by twice-weekly text messages to household to identify members with ARI symptoms. Nasal swabs were obtained from ill participants and analyzed for respiratory pathogens using multiplex PCR. The primary outcome measure was the hazard ratio of laboratory-confirmed ARI in individuals post-vaccination compared to other time periods during three influenza seasons. Results Of the 999 participants, 68.8% were children, 30.2% were adults. Each study season, approximately half received influenza vaccine and one third experienced ≥1 ARI. The hazard of influenza in individuals during the 14-day post-vaccination period was similar to unvaccinated individuals during the same period (HR 0.96, 95% CI [0.60, 1.52]). The hazard of non-influenza respiratory pathogens was higher during the same period (HR 1.65, 95% CI [1.14, 2.38]); when stratified by age the hazard remained higher for children (HR 1·71, 95% CI [1.16, 2.53]) but not for adults (HR 0.88, 95% CI [0.21, 3.69]). Conclusion Among children there was an increase in the hazard of ARI caused by non-influenza respiratory pathogens post-influenza vaccination compared to unvaccinated children during the same period. Potential mechanisms for this association warrant further investigation. Future research could investigate whether medical decision-making surrounding influenza vaccination may be improved by acknowledging patient experiences, counseling regarding different types of ARI, and correcting the misperception that all ARI occurring after vaccination are caused by influenza. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Acute respiratory illnesses (ARI), comprising influenza-like illness (ILI) and other wintertime respiratory illnesses (ORI), impose substantial health and economic burdens on the United States. Little is known about the impact of ILI among household members (HHM), particularly children, on employees’ productivity. To quantify the impact of employee and HHM-ILI and ARI on employee productivity, a prospective, observational cohort study was conducted among employees from three large US companies. Employees who had at least one child living at home (N =2013) completed a monthly survey during the 2007–2008 influenza season, reporting the number of days missed from work and hours of presenteeism due to: (1) personal ILI, (2) HHM-ILI, and (3) personal and HHM-ARI. Employee ILI ranged from 4.8% (April) to 13.5% (February). Employees reporting ILI reported more absences than employees not reporting ILI (72% vs 30%, respectively; P <0.001). Overall, 61.2% of employees surveyed had at least one child with an ILI; these employees missed more days of work due to HHM illness than employees without an ARI-ill child (0.9 days vs 0.3 days, respectively; P <0.001). Employees with ILI were less productive, on average, for 4.8h each day that they worked while sick, 2.5h of which was attributable to ILI. HHM illnesses accounted for 17.7% (1389/7868 days) of employee absenteeism, over half of which was due to HHM-ARI. ILI causes a significant amount of employee absence. Household members, particularly children, comprise a sizable proportion of general illness and injury-related employee absences. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Influenza disease impacts every year up to 10% of the world’s population, i.e. up to 500 millions of people. The international surveillance network organised by WHO allows the detection of important antigenic variation of the virus in humans but also animals (especially birds and pigs). Epidemiological data are summarised twice a year in two meetings (one in February, the other in September) allowing WHO to propose new recommendations for vaccines formulations for each northern and southern hemisphere influenza season annual vaccination. According to such recommendation, vaccine manufacturers proceed each year with two different vaccine production campaigns in order to match the vaccine composition with global epidemiological surveillance data and so, develop each time an updated vaccine formulation. To date within 6 months production periods, almost 250 million of doses are brought annually on market in more than 100 countries. In such a tight schedule, the annual production requires careful coordination of a highly complex process involving both public health laboratories and vaccine companies, in order to provide on time safe and effective vaccines. Major steps of this vaccine production process including the milestones and the bottlenecks need to be detailed in order to well understand difficulties and hurdles towards increase of global capacity and introduction of new vaccines. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]