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Analysis of the influenza sentinel surveillance data from the Louisiana Office of Public health showed that the influenza season for Louisiana starts between October and December and ends between December and March. There is no consistent trend as to when the peak of the season occurs. The start of Louisiana's seasons ranged from one week (2002-2003 season) to two months (2001-2002) before the national start date. The finding that Louisiana's flu season starts about the same time as the national flu season is not consistent with the conventional thought that the flu season starts later in the South compared to the rest of the nation.