Influenza in People With Normal and Weakened Immune Systems

Influenza viruses cause significant morbidity each year, and past epidemics and pandemics have caused significant mortality. The impact influenza has or could have on the increasing number of patients who are immunocompromised due to acute and chronic diseases as well as immunosuppressive therapies is largely unknown. Limited information is available about the innate immune response to influenza and how chronic illness and immunosuppression may affect the immune response to the virus in comparison to that seen in normal hosts.

We will evaluate both immunocompromised and non-immunocompromised (control group) patients from the local community, and the NIH Clinical Center. Patients with known or suspected influenza will be evaluated by recording their symptoms, collecting their blood and nasal specimens, and isolating their viruses. Each patient s infection will be mapped by performing genomic analysis of the viral isolates collected during the patient s infection (which will include analysis of sequences known to confer resistance to antiviral medication), measuring cytokine levels in blood and nasal mucosal samples, and measuring influenza-specific antibody responses. Correlation of these results with clinical symptoms and clinical outcomes will be evaluated. Elucidation of these responses and the genomic changes the virus may undergo during infection and treatment for influenza in both normal and immunocompromised patients may help to better understand the impact influenza has on the overall health of patients, as well as what strategies may be performed to better protect or treat patients during the emergence of a new pandemic.

• INCLUSION CRITERIA:

• Greater than or equal to 2 years old
• Participant or (LAR) able and willing to complete the consent/assent process and be willing to comply with study procedures
• Suspected of having influenza by clinical diagnosis or have a positive clinical diagnostic test for influenza (rapid test molecular test, or culture) within the past 2 months.
• Agrees to undergo multiple nasal mucosal sample collections by nasal wash, swab, and/or synthetic absorptive matrix (SAM)
• Willing to have blood and nasal samples stored for future use

Exclusion criteria

Participants will not be enrolled in this study if the following criterion applies or is satisfied:

• Any condition that, in the judgment of the investigator is a contraindication to protocol participation.