Today's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report contained updates on the flu season just past. First of all, the report confirms what we already knew, that it was a fairly busy season. Pediatric deaths were high, total of 171 influenza-related deaths have been confirmed. When I looked back, this number is similar to the 2014-15 flu season. Sadly, of those fatal cases who would have been eligible to receive flu vaccine, only 22% had received at least 1 dose of vaccine. That's a real missed opportunity, since flu vaccine is significantly effective in preventing more severe illness.
Unusual for the season just ended was the fact that the severity of illness was high for all age groups, the first time that particular scenario has been noted since the CDC has applied new definitions for flu severity now dating back to 2003-4:
On another note, those of you who attended the most recent Montgomery County Pediatric Society meeting may recall my answer to an audience question about whether to use the new live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV4, aka FluMist) recently approved by FDA. You recall the previous iteration of this vaccine was removed from the market due to poor efficacy, particularly against the H1N1 2009 pandemic strain.
The newer product appears to produce higher antibody levels, but that's not the same as whether it has better efficacy; we will only know that when we see how it performs in the real world, in a year when we have more H1N1 activity than we had this past year.
The Advisory Council for Immunization Practice officially does not designate a preference for any of the types of flu vaccine over another. My response at the May meeting was that I wouldn't use it for my family members, and perhaps only to consider ordering it if you felt that you had families in your practice that would refuse the inactivated (injectable) vaccine; LAIV4 is better than no flu vaccine at all. It turns out my advice is more in keeping with AAP recommendations, now advising using LAIV4 as a "last resort."