During October 3, 2004, to February 19, 2005, World Health Organization and National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System collaborating laboratories in the United States tested 83,753 respiratory specimens for influenza viruses; 11,547 (13.8%) were positive. Of the viruses identified, 84.6% were influenza A and 15.4% were influenza B. For the week ending February 19, a total of 33 states reported widespread influenza activity, and during that week a total of 8.5% of deaths reported through the 122 Cities Mortality Reporting System were attributed to pneumonia and influenza, which is above the epidemic threshold of 8.2% for that week.
Vaccination of healthcare workers has been shown to reduce influenza infection and absenteeism, prevent mortality in their patients, and result in financial savings to sponsoring health institutions. However, influenza vaccination coverage among healthcare workers in the US remains low (in 2003, coverage among this group was 40.1%). The influenza vaccine shortage during the 2004 to 2005 season might have prevented healthcare institutions from implementing aggressive campaigns for vaccination of healthcare workers. The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases has produced a call to action to improve rates of influenza vaccination in healthcare workers.
(Source: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, March 4, 2005)
