Giuseppe
Emeritus
[Source: EuroFlu, full page: (LINK). Edited.]
EuroFlu - Weekly Electronic Bulletin - Week 38 : 17/09/2012-23/09/2012 - 28 September 2012, Issue N? 456
Influenza activity in Europe at low levels
Until week 40/2012, the EuroFlu bulletin will be published fortnightly.
Outpatient surveillance for ILI and ARI
All 23 countries reporting data on intensity reported low intensity, but trends in clinical activity covered the range of increasing, decreasing and stable.
For the geographical spread of influenza, 21 countries reported no activity, while 3 reported sporadic activity.
During week 38/2012, sentinel outpatient clinics collected 95 respiratory specimens, 2 of which tested positive for influenza virus.
Hospital surveillance for severe acute respiratory infection (SARI)
5 countries reported data for hospital-based sentinel surveillance of SARI in week 38/2012: Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
36 respiratory specimens were collected from SARI patients, all of which tested negative for influenza virus.
Virological overview
Specimens from non-sentinel sources yielded 14 influenza type-B detections and 7 influenza type-A detections in week 38/2012: of the type-A viruses, 4 were not subtyped and 3 were A(H3N2).
Since week 21/2012, 576 influenza virus detections have been reported: 273 (47.4%) influenza A and 303 (52.6%) influenza B. Of the influenza A viruses, 150 (54.9%) were subtyped: 14 were A(H1N1)pdm09 and 136 A(H3N2).
Comment
Influenza activity is at low levels throughout the European Region. 2 of the 95 samples collected from sentinel sources were positive for influenza virus type A (unsubtyped). 21 samples from non-sentinel sources were positive for influenza virus, indicating low influenza activity in the Region.
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.
(?)
Country comments (where available)
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EuroFlu - Weekly Electronic Bulletin - Week 38 : 17/09/2012-23/09/2012 - 28 September 2012, Issue N? 456
Influenza activity in Europe at low levels
Until week 40/2012, the EuroFlu bulletin will be published fortnightly.
- This issue is based on data reported in week 38/2012 by 33 Member States in the WHO European Region.
- Consultation rates for influenza-like illness (ILI) and acute respiratory infection (ARI) are now at low levels in all countries in the Region.
- 2 of the 95 specimens collected from sentinel sources tested positive for influenza virus type A (unsubtyped).
Outpatient surveillance for ILI and ARI
All 23 countries reporting data on intensity reported low intensity, but trends in clinical activity covered the range of increasing, decreasing and stable.
For the geographical spread of influenza, 21 countries reported no activity, while 3 reported sporadic activity.
During week 38/2012, sentinel outpatient clinics collected 95 respiratory specimens, 2 of which tested positive for influenza virus.
Hospital surveillance for severe acute respiratory infection (SARI)
5 countries reported data for hospital-based sentinel surveillance of SARI in week 38/2012: Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
36 respiratory specimens were collected from SARI patients, all of which tested negative for influenza virus.
Virological overview
Specimens from non-sentinel sources yielded 14 influenza type-B detections and 7 influenza type-A detections in week 38/2012: of the type-A viruses, 4 were not subtyped and 3 were A(H3N2).
Since week 21/2012, 576 influenza virus detections have been reported: 273 (47.4%) influenza A and 303 (52.6%) influenza B. Of the influenza A viruses, 150 (54.9%) were subtyped: 14 were A(H1N1)pdm09 and 136 A(H3N2).
Comment
Influenza activity is at low levels throughout the European Region. 2 of the 95 samples collected from sentinel sources were positive for influenza virus type A (unsubtyped). 21 samples from non-sentinel sources were positive for influenza virus, indicating low influenza activity in the Region.
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.
(?)
Country comments (where available)
- Norway: Recent cases of influenza B infection have mostly been associated with travel abroad
- Spain:
- During weeks 21-39/2012 only virological influenza surveillance is active in Spain.
- Qualitative activity indicators (intensity level and geographic spread) are not provided by sentinel sites.
- Weekly virological influenza detections (mainly from non-sentinel sources) are being notified.
- During this period 40 influenza detections have been notified in Spain.
- Of them: 95% of influenza type B and 5% of type A.
- Since May 2012 there were no detections of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses in Catalonia where the Dutch people were on holidays.
- A severe influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 has been notified in the Autonomous Community of Madrid in week 34/2012. The patient presented a good outcome and a recent history of travel to Nepal.
- Other A(H1N1)pdm09 have not been reported in this area since week 20/2012.
- The National Influenza Centre of Madrid is conducting analysis to test antiviral resistance. Fortnightly Spanish Influenza Surveillance reports are available in: www.isciii.es/cne-gripe-infsemanal
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