January 2010
Influenza activity across the United States decreased sharply in November and December, according to surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). During the week of Dec. 6, 7 percent of specimens tested by U.S. World Health Organization and National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System collaborating laboratories and reported to CDC were positive for influenza. However, the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus remains dominant. More than 99 percent of all subtyped influenza A viruses reported to the CDC in that period were 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses.
At Quest Diagnostics (Madison, N.J.), H1N1 testing volume declined by 75 percent between the peak week of Oct. 22-28 and the week of Dec. 3-9, when it returned to August levels. Quest also reported decreased positivity rates. About half of the 170,000 patient samples processed by the laboratory company between May 11 and Dec. 9 tested positive for H1N1. In November, that proportion dropped to 44 percent and for the two weeks ending Dec. 9, only 21 percent of specimens tested positive. For more on H1N1 flu trends, see Inside the Diagnostics Industry.
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January 2010 - Table of Contents