Quantification of Viral Load in the Upper Respiratory Tract in Patients Treated With Olsetamivir for Influenza

Seasonal influenza is a frequent disorder with high impact on morbidity and mortality and significant burden on healthcare-related cost. In France, the 2018-2019 flu epidemic has led to 13,100 all-cause death including 9,900 death directly related to the viral infection.

As cross-transmission of influenza is responsible for nosocomial outbreaks, preventing transmission of infectious agents in healthcare settings is a major issue. If vaccination of patients and healthcare givers remains cornerstone, control procedures are mandatory. Therefore patients admitted with influenza require isolation precautions including admission in a single room and protective measures. Based on experts advise, isolation is currently recommended for 5 to 8 days. Duration of isolation depends on immune status and antiviral therapy. However, during periods of epidemic, every hospital room is valuable and each ressource has to be tightly used. Risk of contamination is related to the presence of influenza in the upper airways. To the Promoteur 's knowledge, presence of influenza in the upper airways has not been studied in patients receiving oseltamivir. The question is : Do duration of isolation in patients admitted with flu decreas when they are treated with antiviral therapy. To answer this question The Promoteur would aim to determine influenza carriage in the upper airways in in-patients treated by olsetamivir.