EuroFlu - Weekly Electronic Bulletin Week 17 : 26/04/2010-02/05/2010 - 07 May 2010, Issue N? 357 (Extract, edited)
[Source: EuroFlu.org, <cite cite="http://www.euroflu.org/cgi-files/bulletin_v2.cgi">EuroFlu - Bulletin Review</cite>. Extract, edited.]
EuroFlu - Weekly Electronic Bulletin Week 17 : 26/04/2010-02/05/2010 - 07 May 2010, Issue N? 357
Influenza activity in Europe approaching out-of-season levels
Current situation: week 17/2010
Clinical consultation rates for influenza-like illness (ILI) and acute respiratory infection (ARI) remain at low levels throughout the Region. Most countries (N = 31) did not report a dominant virus, indicating limited influenza activity overall.
Virological update: week 17/2010
Sentinel physicians collected 263 respiratory specimens, of which 10 (3.8%) tested positive for influenza virus; 3 were unsubtyped influenza A and 7 were influenza B. Specimens from non-sentinel sources yielded 155 influenza detections: 21 type A (2 pandemic A(H1), 6 A(H3), 3 A(H1) and 10 A unsubtyped) and 134 influenza B.
From week 40/2009 to week 17/2010, 166 169 influenza virus detections have been reported: 164 317 were influenza A (98.9%) and 1852 (1.1%) were influenza B. Of the influenza A viruses, 150 267 (91.4%) were subtyped, with 148 521 being pandemic A(H1), 1086 A(H1), and 660 A(H3).
Based on the reported antigenic characterization of 3436 influenza viruses from week 40/2009 to week 17/2010, 3392 were A(H1) pandemic A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like; 2 were A(H1) A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like; 8 were A(H3) A/ Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like; 17 were A(H3) A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like; 5 were B/Florida/4/2006-like (B/Yamagata/16/88 lineage) and 12 were B/Brisbane/60/2008-like (B/Victoria/2/87 lineage).
Genetic characterizations have been reported for 1262 isolates: 1223 belonged to the A/California/7/2009 A(H1N1) pandemic group; 1 belonged to the A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2) group; 13 to the A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2) group; 5 to the A/Victoria/208/2009 (H3N2) group; 2 to the B/Bangladesh/3333/2007 (Yamagata) and 18 to the B/England/393/2008 (Victoria) lineages.
Comment
Influenza activity is at a low level throughout the European Region. The current influenza positivity rate for the Region is low (3.8%), and in week 17/2010 the number of sentinel and non-sentinel influenza B detections (141, 85.5%) exceeded that of influenza A (24, 14.5%). The viruses characterized to date are similar to those recommended as components of influenza vaccines for use in the 2010?2011 northern hemisphere influenza season.
Further information
The EuroFlu bulletin describes and comments on influenza activity in the 53 countries in the WHO European Region. Further information can be obtained from the WHO/Europe and WHO headquarters web sites.
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[Source: EuroFlu.org, <cite cite="http://www.euroflu.org/cgi-files/bulletin_v2.cgi">EuroFlu - Bulletin Review</cite>. Extract, edited.]
EuroFlu - Weekly Electronic Bulletin Week 17 : 26/04/2010-02/05/2010 - 07 May 2010, Issue N? 357
Influenza activity in Europe approaching out-of-season levels
- This report is based on data received from 39 of the 53 Member States in the WHO European Region.
- Most countries reported a low intensity of influenza activity.
- 3.8% of specimens collected from sentinel sources tested positive for influenza.
- A total of 4862 deaths associated with laboratory-confirmed pandemic A(H1N1) 2009 has been reported in the Region since April 2009.
Current situation: week 17/2010
Clinical consultation rates for influenza-like illness (ILI) and acute respiratory infection (ARI) remain at low levels throughout the Region. Most countries (N = 31) did not report a dominant virus, indicating limited influenza activity overall.
Virological update: week 17/2010
Sentinel physicians collected 263 respiratory specimens, of which 10 (3.8%) tested positive for influenza virus; 3 were unsubtyped influenza A and 7 were influenza B. Specimens from non-sentinel sources yielded 155 influenza detections: 21 type A (2 pandemic A(H1), 6 A(H3), 3 A(H1) and 10 A unsubtyped) and 134 influenza B.
From week 40/2009 to week 17/2010, 166 169 influenza virus detections have been reported: 164 317 were influenza A (98.9%) and 1852 (1.1%) were influenza B. Of the influenza A viruses, 150 267 (91.4%) were subtyped, with 148 521 being pandemic A(H1), 1086 A(H1), and 660 A(H3).
Based on the reported antigenic characterization of 3436 influenza viruses from week 40/2009 to week 17/2010, 3392 were A(H1) pandemic A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like; 2 were A(H1) A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like; 8 were A(H3) A/ Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like; 17 were A(H3) A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like; 5 were B/Florida/4/2006-like (B/Yamagata/16/88 lineage) and 12 were B/Brisbane/60/2008-like (B/Victoria/2/87 lineage).
Genetic characterizations have been reported for 1262 isolates: 1223 belonged to the A/California/7/2009 A(H1N1) pandemic group; 1 belonged to the A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2) group; 13 to the A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2) group; 5 to the A/Victoria/208/2009 (H3N2) group; 2 to the B/Bangladesh/3333/2007 (Yamagata) and 18 to the B/England/393/2008 (Victoria) lineages.
Comment
Influenza activity is at a low level throughout the European Region. The current influenza positivity rate for the Region is low (3.8%), and in week 17/2010 the number of sentinel and non-sentinel influenza B detections (141, 85.5%) exceeded that of influenza A (24, 14.5%). The viruses characterized to date are similar to those recommended as components of influenza vaccines for use in the 2010?2011 northern hemisphere influenza season.
Further information
The EuroFlu bulletin describes and comments on influenza activity in the 53 countries in the WHO European Region. Further information can be obtained from the WHO/Europe and WHO headquarters web sites.
(...)
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Comment