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Recent seasonal influenza outbreaks and the 2009 pandemic were asymptomatic in about three-quarters of those infected, a new study reports.

The analysis, which covered seasonal and pandemic influenza in England between 2006 and 2011, accrued 5,448 person-seasons’ of follow-up. On average, influenza infected 18 per cent of unvaccinated people each winter. There were 69 respiratory illnesses per 100 person-seasons among those infected with influenza compared with 44 per 100 in those not infected with influenza, the authors say. The age-adjusted attributable rate among infected people was 23 illnesses per 100 person-seasons, so up to three-quarters of influenza infections were asymptomatic.

The authors hope the findings will inform seasonal disease control and pandemic planning by, for example, increasing the validity of models examining the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of countermeasures, including antivirals, vaccines and behavioural interventions. (Lancet Respir Med)

...but flu jabs save lives

Influenza vaccination significantly reduces hospitalisations for major cardiovascular and respiratory conditions as well as lowering all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetes, according to research from Imperial College, London, presented at the Diabetes UK Professional Conference.

The retrospective study collected data from the Clinical Practice Research Database for 124,503 patients with type 2 diabetes between 2003/4 and 2009/10. After adjustment, vaccination reduced hospitalisations for:

• Stroke by 30 per cent
• Acute myocardial infarction by 21 per cent
• Heart failure by 20 per cent
• Pneumonia or influenza by 15 per cent.

All-cause mortality was 28 per cent lower in vaccinated compared with non-immunised people. The authors conclude that “efforts should be focused on improvements in vaccine uptake in this important target group”.