Virology & Mycology
Open Access
ISSN: 2161-0517
ISSN: 2161-0517
Giulio Tarro
Posters-Accepted Abstracts: Virol-mycol
A particularly bad flu is sweeping Italy killing many children so far this season and nearly doubling the hospitalization rate among people over 65 in the past month of February 2015. The main reason is that the predominant strain of the flu this year is H3N2, a variety that has shown itself in prior years to be more virulent than other kinds. In addition, the vaccine that is supposed to protect against the flu is missing its mark because two-thirds of the H3N2 strains that experts are seeing were not included in this yearâ??s flu shot. The vaccine used contains the strain A/Texas/50/2012 that is not the virus now widespreading in almost the entire country. Flu typically infects 5 to 15 percent of the population. It can be dangerous for those with weak immune systems including the elderly and children. In Italy hit by the more virulent flu strain, the hospitalization rates among people over 65 are rising sharply going to over 100 for every 100.000 people. The last H3N2 season was in 2012-2013 and the cumulative hospitalization rate among the elderly that season was almost 200 for every 100.000 people. It is a good advice for doctors to give antiviral drugs to patients if they get sick. Of course next flu vaccine will be completed with the H3N2 strain now circulating among people.