2014-2015 Texas Influenza Surveillance Activity

Texas Influenza Summary Report 

2014-2015 Influenza Season (September 28, 2014–October 03, 2015)

Overview

The 2014-2015 influenza season began on September 28, 2014 and went through October 03, 2015. During the season, influenza activity increased through early December and peaked in mid-December according to ILINet and NREVSS data. It steadily declined throughout the rest of the season. This somewhat mirrored what was seen at the national level. In the United States, influenza activity increased through late November and December and peaked in late December. Influenza activity during the summer months was low which is considered usual for this time of year¹.

The predominant strain, at least for the first part of the influenza season, was influenza A (H3N2). Once influenza A (H3N2) viruses started to decline in circulation, influenza B viruses became the predominant strain in circulation late in the influenza season. Very few influenza A 2009 (H1N1) viruses were reported in Texas throughout the influenza season.

Nationally, "this influenza season, similar to previous influenza A (H3N2)–predominant seasons, was moderately severe with overall high levels of outpatient illness and influenza-associated hospitalization, especially for adults aged ≥65 years. The majority of circulating influenza A (H3N2) viruses were different from the influenza A (H3N2) component of the 2014–15 Northern Hemisphere seasonal vaccines, and the predominance of these drifted viruses resulted in reduced vaccine effectiveness"¹. Influenza-like illness reported by Texas ILINet providers, for the most part, was higher than compared to the previous influenza season. As far as mortality for the 2014-2015 influenza season, a total of 148 influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported in the US of which 19 were reported from Texas².

¹Appiah GD, Blanton L, D’Mello T, et al. Influenza Activity — United States, 2014–15 Season and Composition of the 2015–16 Influenza Vaccine. MMWR 2015; 64 (21): 583-590.
²Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fluview: 2015-2016 Influenza Season Week 48 ending December 05, 2015. Retrieved December 11 from www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly.

Texas Influenza Summary Report, 2014-2015 in PDF Format

2014 - 2015 Texas Influenza Surveillance Activity Reports - Flu Reports in PDF format

For the week ending:
10/03/15, 09/26/15, 09/19/15, 09/12/15, 09/05/15, 08/29/15, 08/22/15, 08/15/15, 08/08/15, 08/01/15, 07/25/15, 07/18/15, 07/11/15, 07/04/15, 06/27/15, 06/20/15, 06/13/15, 06/06/15, 05/30/15, 05/23/15, 05/16/15, 05/09/15, 05/02/15, 04/25/15, 04/18/15, 04/11/15, 04/04/15, 03/28/15, 03/21/15, 03/14/15, 03/07/15, 02/28/15, 02/21/15, 02/14/15, 02/07/15, 01/31/15, 01/24/15, 01/17/15, 01/10/15, 01/03/15, 12/27/14, 12/20/14, 12/13/14, 12/06/14, 11/29/14, 11/22/14, 11/15/14, 11/08/14, 11/01/14, 10/25/14, 10/18/14, 10/11/14, 10/04/14