Longer virus shedding in influenza B than in influenza A among outpatients treated with oseltamivir.

Objective: To compare the persistence, susceptibility and resistance of influenza A and influenza B viruses in oseltamivir therapy in outpatients of various ages.

Methods: Virus isolation was done before and 4-6 days after the initiation of oseltamivir therapy for 148 patients with influenza A/H3N2 and for 66 with influenza B in the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 influenza seasons. Neuraminidase inhibition assay and neuraminidase or hemagglutinin sequence analysis were done using influenza viruses isolated from these patients.

A comparison of the effectiveness of oseltamivir for the treatment of influenza A and influenza B: a Japanese multicenter study of the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 influenza seasons.

Background: To compare the effectiveness of oseltamivir for treatment of influenza A and influenza B, we conducted a prospective, multicenter study of the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 influenza seasons. The study included 3351 patients in whom influenza had been diagnosed by use of an antigen detection test kit.

Methods: Oseltamivir was administered to 1818 patients with influenza A and 1485 patients with influenza B.

Factors influencing the effectiveness of oseltamivir and amantadine for the treatment of influenza: a multicenter study from Japan of the 2002-2003 influenza season.

Background: To evaluate the effectiveness of oseltamivir and amantadine for the treatment of influenza with respect to various clinical factors, a prospective multicenter study of the influenza season of 2002-2003 was done with 2163 patients whose condition was diagnosed by an antigen-detection test kit.

Methods: Oseltamivir was administered to 803 patients with influenza A (A+Os group) and 684 patients with influenza B (B+Os group). Amantadine was administered to 676 patients with influenza A (A+Am group).

[Clinical symptoms of influenza infection in the 2002-2003 season].

The highest body temperature and clinical symptoms during the influenza infection were analyzed on 2,145 patients with influenza, (type A: 1,408cases, type B: 737cases: confirmed by a rapid diagnosis kit, Capilia FluA, B), and for 670 patients with a negative response to the rapid diagnosis kit (controls). The study was a multi-center study of the 2002-2003 influenza season. The percentages of patients with fever over 38 degrees C, 38.

[An analysis of the 2002-2003 influenza epidemic focusing on patients infected with types A and B in the same season sequentially].

A total of 2,320 cases of influenza A (1,517 cases) and B (803 cases) in the 2002-2003 influenza season were analyzed. Influenza infection was confirmed by a rapid diagnosis kit, based on the immunochromatography method, at 24 clinics in 18 of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Influenza A/H3N2 was reported between November 22 and April 12 (the median at January 21), and influenza B was reported between December 24 and April 20 (the median at February 16).

A prospective, Internet-based study of the effectiveness and safety of influenza vaccination in the 2001-2002 influenza season.

The effectiveness of the influenza vaccine used in the 2001-2002 influenza season in Japan was investigated in a large-scale, geographically widely distributed, Internet-based study. Data were collected from 8841 of 9902 subjects registered by 38 clinics prior to the start of influenza season. Subjects were categorized into three groups by vaccination regimen: unvaccinated, vaccinated once, and vaccinated twice.

[Effectiveness of oseltamivir on influenza and influencing factors: age of patients, type of influenza virus and timing of initial administration].

A multi-center open study using the internet was performed during the influenza season of 2001-2002 to evaluate the effectiveness of the anti-influenza agent, oseltamivir, on influenza in relation to: (1) age of patients; (2) type of influenza virus; and (3) timing of initial administration after the onset of the first symptoms of influenza. The study comprised of 779 cases of influenza confirmed by rapid detection tests from 44 clinics in Japan. Patients consisted of 4 age groups, 0-6, 7-15, 16-64 and 65-85 years.