Elsevier

Antiviral Research

Volume 185, January 2021, 104970
Antiviral Research

Invited Review
Burden of influenza B virus infection and considerations for clinical management

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104970Get rights and content
Under a Creative Commons license
open access

Highlights

  • Influenza B viruses are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, especially in children.

  • Available evidence suggests neuraminidase inhibitors are less effective at treating influenza B versus A infections.

  • Phase 3 trial data show the polymerase inhibitor baloxavir is effective in influenza B patients and resistance is rare.

  • Single oral dose baloxavir offers a more effective and convenient treatment of influenza B than neuraminidase inhibitors.

Abstract

Influenza B viruses cause significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in children, but the awareness of their impact is often less than influenza A viruses partly due to their lack of pandemic potential. Here, we summarise the biology, epidemiology and disease burden of influenza B, and review existing data on available antivirals for its management. There has long been uncertainty surrounding the clinical efficacy of neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) for influenza B treatment. In this article, we bring together the existing data on NAIs and discuss these alongside recent large randomised controlled trial data for the new polymerase inhibitor baloxavir in high-risk influenza B patients. Finally, we offer considerations for the clinical management of influenza B, with a focus on children and high-risk patients where disease burden is highest.

Keywords

Influenza B
Clinical management
Antiviral
NAI
Baloxavir
Oseltamivir

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