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JAMA. 2008;299(10):1127-1129.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

MMWR. 2008;57:61-65

2 tables omitted

Influenza is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, with an average of 36,000 deaths attributed to the disease annually.¹ Patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) often are evaluated by their primary-care physicians (PCPs). Antiviral therapy initiated within 48 hours of ILI symptom onset can shorten the course of influenza illness; antiviral therapy also is used as chemoprophylaxis for influenza, particularly in institutions and communities.² Early laboratory diagnosis and knowing when influenza is circulating in the community can guide effective clinical management. To assess influenza-testing and antiviral-agent prescribing practices during the 2006-07 influenza season, personnel at four of 10 Emerging Infections Program (EIP) sites with influenza hospitalization surveillance surveyed PCPs. This report describes the results of that survey, which indicated that 69.0% of the PCPs administered influenza tests to patients who had ILI during the influenza season and 53.8% prescribed antiviral agents, . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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