Sunday, October 23, 2011

About Influenza


About Influenza
Influenza is a serious respiratory illness that is easily spread and can lead to severe complications, even
death.3,4
Each year in the U.S., 5 to 20 percent of the population gets the flu and an average of 226,000 people are
hospitalized from flu-related complications.5
Depending on virus severity during the influenza season, deaths can range from 3,000 to a high of about
49,000 people.5
¾ Combined with pneumonia, influenza is the nation’s eighth leading cause of death.6
References
1. Fluzone Intradermal vaccine [Prescribing Information]. Swiftwater, PA: Sanofi Pasteur Inc.; 2011.
2. Nestle FO, Nickoloff BJ. Deepening our understanding of immune sentinels in the skin. The Journal of
Clinical Investigation.2007;117:2382-2385.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prevention and control of seasonal influenza with
vaccines: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2009. MMWR.
2009;58(RR-8):1-52.
4. CDC. Prevention and control of influenza: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2008. MMWR. 2008;57(RR-7):1-64.
5. CDC. Estimates of deaths associated with seasonal influenza – United States, 1976-2007. MMWR.
2010;59(33):1057-1062.
6. CDC. Deaths: Final data for 2006. National vital statistic reports. 2009.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr57/nvsr57_14.pdf. Accessed March 30, 2010.