Influenza is generally a self-limited illness, but pneumonia, respiratory failure, and death can occur, especially in persons at increased risk for influenza complications (see Table 1). Updated information on influenza activity and antiviral resistance is available from the CDC at cdc.gov/flu.

View the Comparison Chart: Antiviral Drugs for Seasonal Influenza for 2024-2025

Annual vaccination in the US against influenza A and B viruses is recommended for everyone ≥6 months old without a contraindication. Influenza vaccines available in the US for the 2024-2025 season are listed in Table 2.

Influenza is generally a self-limited illness, but pneumonia, respiratory failure, and death can occur, especially in patients at increased risk for influenza complications (see Table 1). Antiviral drugs recommended for treatment and chemoprophylaxis of influenza for the 2023-2024 season are listed in Table 2. Updated information on influenza activity and antiviral resistance is available from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/flu.

View the Comparison Chart: Antiviral Drugs for Influenza for 2023-2024

Annual vaccination in the US against influenza A and B viruses is recommended for everyone ≥6 months old without a contraindication. Influenza vaccines that are available in the US for the 2023-2024 season are listed in Table 2.

Annual vaccination in the US against influenza A and B viruses is recommended for everyone ≥6 months old without a contraindication. Influenza vaccines that are available in the US for the 2023-2024 season are listed in Table 2.

Influenza is generally a self-limited illness, but complications such as pneumonia, respiratory failure, and death can occur, especially in patients at increased risk for influenza complications (see Table 1). Antiviral drugs recommended for treatment and chemoprophylaxis of influenza this season are listed in Table 2. Updated information on influenza activity and antiviral resistance is available from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/flu. None of the drugs that are FDA-approved for treatment of influenza have clinically relevant antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2.

View the Comparison Chart: Antiviral Drugs for Influenza for 2022-2023

Annual vaccination in the US against influenza A and B viruses is recommended for everyone ≥6 months old without a contraindication. Influenza vaccines that are available in the US for the 2022-2023 season are listed in Table 2.

Influenza is generally a self-limited illness, but complications such as pneumonia, respiratory failure, and death can occur, especially in patients at higher risk for complications (see Table 1). Antiviral drugs recommended for treatment and chemoprophylaxis of influenza this season are listed in Table 2. Updated information on influenza activity and antiviral resistance is available from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/flu.

View the Comparison Chart: Antiviral Drugs for Influenza for 2021-2022

Annual vaccination against influenza A and B viruses is recommended for everyone ≥6 months old without a contraindication.1 Available influenza vaccines for the 2021-2022 season are listed in Table 2.

Influenza is generally a self-limited illness, but complications such as pneumonia, respiratory failure, and death can occur, especially in patients at increased risk for influenza complications (see Table 1). Antiviral drugs recommended for treatment and chemoprophylaxis of influenza this season are listed in Table 2. Updated information on influenza activity and antiviral resistance is available from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/flu.

View the Comparison Chart: Antiviral Drugs for Influenza

Influenza is generally a self-limited illness, but pneumonia, respiratory failure, and death can occur. FDA-approved antiviral drugs for influenza are listed in Table 2. The neuraminidase inhibitors oseltamivir (Tamiflu, and generics), which is taken orally, and zanamivir (Relenza), which is inhaled, are approved for prophylaxis and treatment of acute uncomplicated influenza. The IV neuraminidase inhibitor peramivir (Rapivab) and the oral polymerase acidic (PA) endonuclease inhibitor baloxavir marboxil (Xofluza) are approved only for treatment. All of these drugs are active against both influenza A and influenza B viruses. Updated information on influenza activity and antiviral resistance is available from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/flu.

View the Expanded Table: Antiviral Drugs for Influenza

Antiviral drugs can be used for treatment and prophylaxis of seasonal influenza (see Table 1). Frequently updated information on influenza activity, influenza testing, and antiviral resistance is available from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/flu.

View the Expanded Table: Antiviral Drugs for Seasonal Influenza

The FDA has approved baloxavir marboxil (Xofluza – Shionogi/Genentech), the first polymerase acidic (PA) endonuclease inhibitor, for single-dose, oral treatment of acute uncomplicated influenza in patients ≥12 years old. Baloxavir is the first drug with a new mechanism of action to be approved for treatment of influenza in almost 20 years.

Antiviral drugs can be used for treatment and prophylaxis of influenza. Frequently updated information on influenza activity, testing for influenza, and antiviral resistance is available from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/flu.

Antiviral drugs can be used for prophylaxis and treatment of influenza. Frequently updated information on influenza activity, testing for influenza, and antiviral resistance is available from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/flu.

Antiviral drugs can be used for treatment of influenza and as an adjunct to influenza vaccination1 for prophylaxis. Frequently updated information on influenza activity and antiviral resistance is available from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/flu.

The FDA has approved peramivir (Rapivab – BioCryst), an IV neuraminidase inhibitor administered as a single dose, for treatment of acute uncomplicated influenza in patients ≥18 years old who have had symptoms for no more than 2 days. Peramivir was available temporarily in the US during the 2009-2010 influenza season under an emergency use authorization for treatment of hospitalized patients. It has been available in some Asian countries since 2010. Peramivir is the third neuraminidase inhibitor to be approved in the US. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu), which is taken orally, and zanamivir (Relenza), which is inhaled, are approved for prophylaxis and treatment of influenza in children and adults.

Some readers of our article on Antiviral Drugs for Seasonal Influenza have expressed concerns regarding our recommendation for use of the oral neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir (Tamiflu) to treat high-risk patients with confirmed or suspected influenza illness, citing the British Medical Journal and The Cochrane Collaboration, which have contended that there is no acceptable evidence that the drug prevents complications or hospitalizations and have questioned the completeness of the results of controlled trials conducted by the manufacturer (Roche).

Antiviral drugs can be used for treatment of influenza and as an adjunct to influenza vaccination for prophylaxis. Frequently updated information on influenza activity and antiviral resistance is available from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/flu.

Antiviral drugs can be used for treatment of patients with influenza and for prophylaxis when exposure to the disease occurs before or less than 2 weeks after vaccination. They can also be used to control institutional outbreaks of influenza. In recent years, the susceptibility of circulating influenza strains has evolved rapidly and treatment recommendations have changed during the influenza season. The CDC influenza web site provides frequently updated information on antiviral resistance (www.cdc.gov/flu)

Currently circulating influenza virus is almost universally pandemic 2009 influenza A H1N1, but seasonal influenza strains could also appear soon. Antiviral drugs are an important adjunct to influenza vaccination for treatment and chemoprophylaxis of both pandemic and seasonal influenza. They may, however, interfere with the efficacy of FluMist, the live-attenuated intranasal vaccine, if they are administered within 48 hours before or <2 weeks after FluMist administration. Inactivated vaccines are not affected by antiviral drug therapy.