Influenza

In this episode, Sam Ashoo, MD, and TR Eckler, MD, discuss the December 2022 Evidence-Based Urgent Care article on Influenza in Urgent Care. The full article is available for free online.

Epidemiology

  • Historical data
  • Since COVID, tracking “influenza-like illness” has been complicated
  • Influenza deaths and age
  • Annual mortality 

Outbreaks

Transmission

Classification

  • Influenza A, B, and C
  • Hemagglutinin and neuraminidase subgroups
  • Antigenic drift and shift

Pathophysiology

  • Transmission
  • Incubation 
  • Secondary infection
  • H3N2

Vaccines

  • Egg-based, cell-based, and recombinant influenza vaccines
  • CDC recommendations
  • Patients aged >65 years

Differential Diagnosis

Complications

Testing

  • When is it indicated? 
  • What types of tests are available? 
  • Testing in periods of low and high prevalence

Treatment

  • High-risk conditions that suggest treatment 
  • Antiviral medications 
  • Oseltamivir: NNT and NNH
  • Resistance patterns

Billing and Coding

Last Updated on January 25, 2023

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