<2>Summary of WHO Clinical Practice Guidelines for Influenza
<3>Abstract
This BMJ Rapid Recommendation is a summary of a World Health Organization guideline published 12 September 2024. The full guideline is available in MAGICapp and in PDF on the WHO website. The WHO guideline is primarily for healthcare providers and takes a patient-centred perspective on benefits and harms. Other considerations include resource implications, acceptability, feasibility, equity, and human rights of relevance to healthcare systems.
<4>Recommendations
The WHO guideline includes 29 recommendations, 21 related to antiviral medications and six to adjunctive therapies to prevent and treat influenza. Recommendations are stratified by severity of disease and risk of disease progression.
<5>Medications for Treating Non-Severe and Severe Influenza
The WHO conditionally recommends treatment within 48 hours of symptom onset with oseltamivir for severe illness, and baloxavir for patients at high risk of progression from non-severe to severe illness.
<6>Prophylaxis for Zoonotic Influenza
The WHO conditionally recommends prophylaxis (using baloxavir, laninimavir, oseltamivir, or zanamivir)