Implications of the incidence of influenza-like illness in nursing homes for influenza chemoprophylaxis: descriptive study

doi:10.1136/bmj.38204.674595.AE

BMJ 2004;329:663-664 (18 September), doi:10.1136/bmj.38204.674595.AE (published 27 August 2004)

Primary care

Implications of the incidence of influenza-like illness in nursing homes for influenza chemoprophylaxis: descriptive study

Richard Harling, specialist registrar in public health¹, Andrew Hayward, senior lecturer¹, John M Watson, consultant epidemiologist²

¹ University College London Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Department of Primary Care and Population Sciences, Royal Free Hospital, London NW3 2PF, ² Respiratory Diseases Department, Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, Health Protection Agency, London NW9 5EQ

Correspondence to: R Harling r.harling@pcps.ucl.ac.uk

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Introduction

Influenza causes substantial morbidity and mortality among nursinghome residents. In September 2003, the National Institute forClinical Excellence (NICE) issued guidelines for the use ofneuraminidase inhibitors for flu prophylaxis.¹ These state thatoseltamivir should be given to all residents in nursing andresidential homes each time a single case of influenza-likeillness (ILI) is recognised in a resident or staff member andwhen flu is known to be circulating in the community. Oseltamiviris effective for flu prophylaxis in young healthy people, butthere is little evidence of its effectiveness in elderly nursinghome residents.² Estimates of its cost effectiveness vary widely.Last winter, from 3 November 2003 to 25 January 2004, we conductedsurveillance for ILI in a chain of nursing homes across England.The data allow an analysis of the implications of implementingthe NICE guidelines.

Participants, methods, and results

Nurses in 48 nursing homes recorded data daily about ILI . . . [Full text of this article]

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