Economic Implications of Influenza and Influenza Vaccine

Walsh, Julia; Maher, M. Cyrus

doi:10.1007/978-3-0346-0279-2_19

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…These viruses cause between a quarter to half a million deaths worldwide [1] and tens of thousands of deaths in the US during annual epidemics [2]. The economic burden of seasonal influenza in the US is estimated at more than ten billion dollars in healthcare costs alone [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Roles of Competition and Mutation in Shaping Antigenic and Genetic Diversity in Influenza

et al. 2013

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Influenza A (H3N2) offers a well-studied, yet not fully understood, disease in terms of the interactions between pathogen population dynamics, epidemiology and genetics. A major open question is why the virus population is globally dominated by a single and very recently diverged (2–8 years) lineage. Classically, this has been modeled by limiting the generation of new successful antigenic variants, such that only a small subset of progeny acquire the necessary mutations to evade host immunity. An alternative approach was recently suggested by Recker et al. in which a limited number of antigenic variants are continuously generated, but most of these are suppressed by pre-existing host population immunity. Here we develop a framework spanning the regimes described above to explore the impact of rates of mutation and levels of competition on phylodynamic patterns. We find that the evolutionary dynamics of the subtype H3N2 influenza is most easily generated within this framework when it is mutation limited as well as being under strong immune selection at a number of epitope regions of limited diversity.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Roles of Competition and Mutation in Shaping Antigenic and Genetic Diversity in Influenza

et al. 2013

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“…The WHO estimates influenza A causes between a quarter to half a million deaths worldwide annually [1] with yearly epidemics in the US resulting in tens of thousands of deaths [2]. The economic burden of seasonal influenza in the US is estimated in billions of dollars in health care costs [3,4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonality in the migration and establishment of H3N2 Influenza lineages with epidemic growth and decline

et al. 2014

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BackgroundInfluenza A/H3N2 has been circulating in humans since 1968, causing considerable morbidity and mortality. Although H3N2 incidence is highly seasonal, how such seasonality contributes to global phylogeographic migration dynamics has not yet been established. In this study, we incorporate time-varying migration rates in a Bayesian MCMC framework. We focus on migration within China, and to and from North-America as case studies, then expand the analysis to global communities.ResultsIncorporating seasonally varying migration rates improves the modeling of migration in our regional case studies, and also in a global context. In our global model, windows of increased immigration map to the seasonal timing of epidemic spread, while windows of increased emigration map to epidemic decline. Seasonal patterns also correlate with the probability that local lineages go extinct and fail to contribute to long term viral evolution, as measured through the trunk of the phylogeny. However, the fraction of the trunk in each community was found to be better determined by its overall human population size.ConclusionsSeasonal migration and rapid turnover within regions is sustained by the invasion of 'fertile epidemic grounds' at the end of older epidemics. Thus, the current emphasis on connectivity, including air-travel, should be complemented with a better understanding of the conditions and timing required for successful establishment. Models which account for migration seasonality will improve our understanding of the seasonal drivers of influenza, enhance epidemiological predictions, and ameliorate vaccine updating by identifying strains that not only escape immunity but also have the seasonal opportunity to establish and spread. Further work is also needed on additional conditions that contribute to the persistence and long term evolution of influenza within the human population, such as spatial heterogeneity with respect to climate and seasonality.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-014-0272-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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“…Even though influenza may seem like a benign inconvenience to some, the reality is that it poses a real threat to public health. The vaccine not only safeguards against the physical toll of the illness but also lessens the social and economic impacts of influenza outbreaks 13 .…”

Section: -Why Flu Shots Are Importantmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal Flu Shots: Your Best Defense Against Annual Influenza Variants

Layla Moged,

Aljazi Awadh,

Hammad Aleyt

et al. 2022

EIJAS

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Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a seasonal viral infection that impacts millions each year and can lead to severe illness or even death. This article aims to illuminate the crucial role of seasonal flu shots in preventing infection from annual influenza variants. Vaccination offers multifaceted benefits including personal protection, reduced transmission rates, and a lesser burden on healthcare systems. Contrary to popular belief, the vaccine has a well-established safety profile and can significantly reduce the severity of illness even if one contracts the flu post-vaccination. Moreover, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend annual vaccination due to the virus's frequent mutations. The article also clarifies common misconceptions about the vaccine's safety and effectiveness, advocating that a flu shot is the best defense against influenza for the majority of the population.

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Economic Implications of Influenza and Influenza Vaccine

Cited by 4 publications

References 38 publications

The Roles of Competition and Mutation in Shaping Antigenic and Genetic Diversity in Influenza

The Roles of Competition and Mutation in Shaping Antigenic and Genetic Diversity in Influenza

Seasonality in the migration and establishment of H3N2 Influenza lineages with epidemic growth and decline

Seasonal Flu Shots: Your Best Defense Against Annual Influenza Variants

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