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Influenza update

11 May 2012 - Update number 159

Table of content

- Summary

• -Full version Epidemiological influenza surveillance update
  pdf, 308kb

• - Virological influenza surveillance update

• -Peer-reviewed literature
  Influenza-associated burden of disease in low and middle income countries – Examples from Kenya, Bangladesh and China

• Open map in new window
  jpg, 701kb

Summary

•The seasonal peak for influenza has passed in most countries in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere.
•Different viruses have predominated in different parts of the world in the northern hemisphere 2011-12 influenza season. In North America, Canada had a slight predominance of influenza B over influenza A(H3N2) (67% vs. 33% respectively) particularly later in the season, while in the United States of America (USA), the proportions were reversed and A(H3N2) was more common. Mexico’s season was almost all related to influenza A(H1N1)pdm09. In Europe, the large majority of influenza viruses have been influenza A(H3N2) with only very small numbers of A(H1N1)pdm09 and B. In Asia, northern China and Mongolia reported mostly influenza B early in the season with influenza A(H3N2) appearing later, though this sequence was reversed in the Republic of Korea and Japan where A(H3N2) was predominant initially and influenza B appeared later.
•At the beginning of the influenza season, most viruses tested were antigenically closely related to those found in the current trivalent seasonal vaccine. However, by mid-season, divergence was noted in both the USA and Europe in the A(H3N2) viruses tested and significant numbers of A(H3N2) viruses tested in recent months have shown reduced cross reactivity with the vaccine viruses. Influenza B virus detections have been both from the Victoria and Yamagata lineages with the former slightly more common in China and parts of Europe.
•Resistance to neuraminidase inhibitors has been low or undetectable throughout most of the season; however, a slight increase in levels of resistance to oseltamivir has been reported in influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 isolates in the USA. Most (11/16) of these oseltamivir resistant cases have been from the state of Texas, where influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 has been the most common virus circulating.

Source of data

The Global Influenza Programme monitors influenza activity worldwide and publishes an update every two weeks.
The updates are based on available epidemiological and virological data sources, including FluNet (reported by the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System) and influenza reports from WHO Regional Offices and Member States. Completeness can vary among updates due to availability and quality of data available at the time when the update is developed.

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