Collaborative Multicenter Trial of Rimantadine

摘要

Influenza activity was assayed in Rochester through a variety of surveillance mechanisms. The authors also cultured hospitalized patients with symptoms consistent with influenza in December, January, February, and March. Although the authors did identify additional cases, only a minority of patients evaluated had diagnostic criteria for influenza. To determine whether there may have been an impact of influenza in the community not measured by culture or seroconversion, the authors evaluated acute phase antibody titers in patients admitted to hospital prior to and during the influenza outbreak in the city. Noteworthy is the fact that amongst those who had not received vaccine, the antibody distribution was of lower magnitude than amongst those previously vaccinated. However, the majority of subjects (77% of nonvaccinees, 85% of vaccinees) had antibody titers at a level assumed to be protective against influenza infection (> or = 32). The one area where evidence of influenza was detected at a significant magnitude was in the nursing home populations. Nursing homes not withstanding, there was little evidence of a substantial epidemic of influenza in Rochester this year. In addition to studying patients hospitalized for influenza, a primary goal of the study was to conduct studies in long-term health care facilities to determine whether rimantadine reduces morbidity and/or mortality in that setting.