Current Flu Season Worst in 4 Years

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There were 66 flu-related deaths of children, 56 of whom weren't vaccinated, were improperly vaccinated or were too young to be vaccinated, Jernigan said.

During the 2003-04 season, deaths peaked at more than 10 percent and remained above the epidemic threshold for nine weeks, Jernigan said.

Each flu season, there are three different strains of influenza virus circulating. Different strains appear at different times, and different strains predominate, Jernigan explained. In addition, each of the three strains can respond differently to the flu vaccine.

It is this fluid flu picture that necessitates changing the vaccine from year to year, Jernigan said.

Since it requires almost a year to prepare the vaccine, decisions about the strains to include in the vaccine are often an educated guess.

But a study published in the April 17 issue of the journalSciencecould eliminate much of that guess work. Researchers reported that flu viruses originate in East Asia and Southeast Asia, and it takes about eight to nine months before these new viruses reach western Europe and North America.

Jernigan said the CDC is currently involved in promoting better surveillance of emerging flu viruses in East Asia and Southeast Asia. The hope is that these surveillance efforts will lead to more effective and better-matched vaccines.

According to the CDC, each year from 5 percent to 20 percent of the U.S. population gets the flu. More than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, and about 36,000 people die from the disease. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications.

More information

To learn more about the flu, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SOURCES: April 17, 2008, teleconference with Dan Jernigan, M.D., deputy director, Influenza Division, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta; April 18, 2008, CDC'sMorbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

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