Global influenza surveillance

National Influenza Centres

WHO Collaborating Centres

H5 related

Other

The WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network was established in 1952. The network comprises 5 WHO Collaborating Centres (WHO CCs), 4 Essential Regulatory Laboratories and 128 institutions in 99 countries, which are recognized by WHO as National Influenza Centres (NICs). These NICs collect specimens in their country, perform primary virus isolation and preliminary analysis. They ship representative newly isolated viruses to WHO CCs for advanced antigenic and genetic analysis, the result of which forms the basis for WHO recommendations on the composition of influenza vaccine for the northern and southern hemisphere each year, as well as relevant risk assessment activities of WHO.

The WHO Influenza Surveillance Network serves also as a global alert mechanism for the emergence of influenza viruses with pandemic potential.

FAQ influenza specimen sampling and shipping
2 March 2009
Full text [pdf 56kb]

Influenza activity in the world
13 November 2009
Full text

WHO Consultation on the Composition of Influenza Vaccine for the Southern Hemisphere 2010
19-22 September 2009
Full text

Recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 2010 southern hemisphere influenza season
Full text

Tracking A(H5N1) avian influenza viruses
Influenza tracking system launched
Influenza Virus Tracking System
Viruses shared with WHO from 2003 to 2007 [pdf 22kb]

WHO External Quality Assessment Project for the Detection of Subtype Influenza A Viruses by PCR
Full text

WHO survey of NICS 2007

WHO Working Group on Influenza Research at the Human/Animal Interface

20 November 2009
Avian influenza - situation in Egypt - update 24

20 November 2009
Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 75

18 November 2009
Dengue fever in Cape Verde - update 1

Disease Outbreak News