scholarly journals Influenza antiviral susceptibility monitoring activities in relation to national antiviral stockpiles in Europe during the winter 2006/2007 season

2007 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 3-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Meijer ◽  
A Lackenby ◽  
A Hay ◽  
M Zambon
Keyword(s):  
Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Influenza Season ◽  
Influenza Pandemic ◽  
Neuraminidase Inhibitor ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Influenza Surveillance ◽  
Surveillance Network ◽  
Virus Susceptibility ◽  
Pandemic Threat ◽  
The Impact

Due to the influenza pandemic threat, many countries are stockpiling antivirals in the hope of limiting the impact of a future pandemic virus. Since resistance to antiviral drugs would probably significantly alter the effectiveness of antivirals, surveillance programmes to monitor the emergence of resistance are of considerable importance. During the 2006/2007 influenza season, an inventory was conducted by the European Surveillance Network for Vigilance against Viral Resistance (VIRGIL) in collaboration with the European Influenza Surveillance Scheme (EISS) to evaluate antiviral susceptibility testing by the National Influenza Reference Laboratories (NIRL) in relation to the national antiviral stockpile in 30 European countries that are members of EISS. All countries except Ukraine had a stockpile of the neuraminidase inhibitor (NAI) oseltamivir. Additionally, four countries had a stockpile of the NAI zanamivir and three of the M2 ion channel inhibitor rimantadine. Of 29 countries with a NAI stockpile, six countries'; NIRLs could determine virus susceptibility by 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) and in 13 countries it could be done by sequencing. Only in one of the three countries with a rimantadine stockpile could the NIRL determine virus susceptibility, by sequencing only. However, including the 18 countries that had plans to introduce or extend antiviral susceptibility testing, the NIRLs of 21 of the 29 countries with a stockpile would be capable of susceptibility testing appropriate to the stockpiled drug by the end of the 2007/2008 influenza season. Although most European countries in this study have stockpiles of influenza antivirals, susceptibility surveillance capability by the NIRLs appropriate to the stockpiled antivirals is limited.

scholarly journals Whole Genome Sequencing of A(H3N2) Influenza Viruses Reveals Variants Associated with Severity during the 2016–2017 Season

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Simon ◽  
Maxime Pichon ◽  
Martine Valette ◽  
Gwendolyne Burfin ◽  
Mathilde Richard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Influenza Surveillance ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
University Hospitals ◽  
Surveillance Network ◽  
Genetic Traits ◽  
H3n2 Influenza ◽  
The Impact

Influenza viruses cause a remarkable disease burden and significant morbidity and mortality worldwide, and these impacts vary between seasons. To understand the mechanisms associated with these differences, a comprehensive approach is needed to characterize the impact of influenza genomic traits on the burden of disease. During 2016–2017, a year with severe A(H3N2), we sequenced 176 A(H3N2) influenza genomes using next generation sequencing (NGS) for routine surveillance of circulating influenza viruses collected via the French national influenza community-based surveillance network or from patients hospitalized in the intensive care units of the University Hospitals of Lyon, France. Taking into account confounding factors, sequencing and clinical data were used to identify genomic variants and quasispecies associated with influenza severity or vaccine failure. Several amino acid substitutions significantly associated with clinical traits were found, including NA V263I and NS1 K196E which were associated with severity and co-occurred only in viruses from the 3c.2a1 clade. Additionally, we observed that intra-host diversity as a whole and on a specific set of gene segments increased with severity. These results support the use of whole genome sequencing as a tool for the identification of genetic traits associated with severe influenza in the context of influenza surveillance.

scholarly journals Spotlight influenza: The 2019/20 influenza season and the impact of COVID-19 on influenza surveillance in the WHO European Region

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (40) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cornelia Adlhoch ◽  
Miriam Sneiderman ◽  
Oksana Martinuka ◽  
Angeliki Melidou ◽  
Nick Bundle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A ◽  
Influenza Season ◽  
Healthcare Access ◽  
World Health ◽  
European Region ◽  
Influenza Surveillance ◽  
Influenza B ◽  
Rapid Reduction ◽  
Influenza Activity ◽  
The Impact

Background Annual seasonal influenza activity in the northern hemisphere causes a high burden of disease during the winter months, peaking in the first weeks of the year. Aim We describe the 2019/20 influenza season and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sentinel surveillance in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region. Methods We analysed weekly epidemiological and virological influenza data from sentinel primary care and hospital sources reported by countries, territories and areas (hereafter countries) in the European Region. Results We observed co-circulation of influenza B/Victoria-lineage, A(H1)pdm09 and A(H3) viruses during the 2019/20 season, with different dominance patterns observed across the Region. A higher proportion of patients with influenza A virus infection than type B were observed. The influenza activity started in week 47/2019, and influenza positivity rate was ≥ 50% for 2 weeks (05–06/2020) rather than 5–8 weeks in the previous five seasons. In many countries a rapid reduction in sentinel reports and the highest influenza activity was observed in weeks 09–13/2020. Reporting was reduced from week 14/2020 across the Region coincident with the onset of widespread circulation of SARS-CoV-2. Conclusions Overall, influenza type A viruses dominated; however, there were varying patterns across the Region, with dominance of B/Victoria-lineage viruses in a few countries. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to an earlier end of the influenza season and reduced influenza virus circulation probably owing to restricted healthcare access and public health measures.

scholarly journals Infectivity and Transmissibility of Avian H9N2 Influenza Viruses in Pigs

2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (7) ◽  
pp. 3506-3514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia Wang ◽  
Maocai Wu ◽  
Wenshan Hong ◽  
Xiaohui Fan ◽  
Rirong Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southern China ◽  
Influenza Pandemic ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Productive Infection ◽  
Interspecies Transmission ◽  
Influenza Surveillance ◽  
Pandemic Preparedness ◽  
Pandemic Threat ◽  
Asymptomatic Infections ◽  
Experimental Pigs

ABSTRACTThe H9N2 influenza viruses that are enzootic in terrestrial poultry in China pose a persistent pandemic threat to humans. To investigate whether the continuous circulation and adaptation of these viruses in terrestrial poultry increased their infectivity to pigs, we conducted a serological survey in pig herds with H9N2 viruses selected from the aquatic avian gene pool (Y439 lineage) and the enzootic terrestrial poultry viruses (G1 and Y280 lineages). We also compared the infectivity and transmissibility of these viruses in pigs. It was found that more than 15% of the pigs sampled from 2010 to 2012 in southern China were seropositive to either G1 or Y280 lineage viruses, but none of the sera were positive to the H9 viruses from the Y439 lineage. Viruses of the G1 and Y280 lineages were able to infect experimental pigs, with detectable nasal shedding of the viruses and seroconversion, whereas viruses of the Y439 lineage did not cause a productive infection in pigs. Thus, adaptation and prevalence in terrestrial poultry could lead to interspecies transmission of H9N2 viruses from birds to pigs. Although H9N2 viruses do not appear to be continuously transmissible among pigs, repeated introductions of H9 viruses to pigs naturally increase the risk of generating mammalian-adapted or reassorted variants that are potentially infectious to humans. This study highlights the importance of monitoring the activity of H9N2 viruses in terrestrial poultry and pigs.IMPORTANCEH9N2 subtype of influenza viruses has repeatedly been introduced into mammalian hosts, including humans and pigs, so awareness of their activity and evolution is important for influenza pandemic preparedness. However, since H9N2 viruses usually cause mild or even asymptomatic infections in mammalian hosts, they may be overlooked in influenza surveillance. Here, we found that the H9N2 viruses established in terrestrial poultry had higher infectivity in pigs than those from aquatic birds, which suggests that adaptation of the H9N2 viruses in terrestrial poultry might have increased the infectivity of the virus to mammals. Therefore, monitoring the prevalence and evolution of H9 viruses prevalent in terrestrial birds and conducting risk assessment of their threat to mammals are critical for evaluating the pandemic potential of this virus.

scholarly journals Influenza pandemic planning in Europe

2001 ◽  
Vol 5 (49) ◽  
Author(s):  
W J Paget
Keyword(s):  
World Health Organization ◽  
European Commission ◽  
Influenza Pandemic ◽  
European Countries ◽  
World Health ◽  
Influenza Surveillance ◽  
Surveillance Networks ◽  
Pandemic Planning ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
National Governments

The European Commission held a seminar in Brussels entitled “Pandemic planning in the Community: Influenza and other health threats” on 27 November 2001. A total of 113 participants from 29 European countries attended, representing national governments, influenza surveillance networks, the European Commission, World Health Organization (WHO), and industry. The European Commission’s press release about the meeting can be viewed at http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/index_en.html.

scholarly journals Influenza vaccine effectiveness in preventing hospitalisation of individuals 60 years of age and over with laboratory-confirmed influenza, Valencia Region, Spain, influenza season 2016/17

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ainara Mira-Iglesias ◽  
F Xavier López-Labrador ◽  
Beatriz Guglieri-López ◽  
Miguel Tortajada-Girbés ◽  
Víctor Baselga-Moreno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Vaccine ◽  
Seasonal Influenza ◽  
Influenza Season ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
Vaccine Effectiveness ◽  
Surveillance Network ◽  
Current Season ◽  
Clinical Registries ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Multicentre Prospective Study

Introduction Seasonal influenza vaccination is widely recommended for people with risk factors, especially for people who are elderly. However, influenza vaccine effectiveness (IVE) varies year after year because of the variable antigenic composition of the circulating viruses and the vaccine composition. Methods: We summarise the results of IVE and the impact of previous vaccination among subjects 60 years of age and over in a multicentre prospective study in the Valencia Hospital Surveillance Network for the Study of Influenza and Respiratory Viruses Disease (VAHNSI) in Spain. We applied the test-negative design taking laboratory-confirmed influenza as outcome and vaccination status as exposure. Information about potential confounders was obtained from clinical registries or directly from patients. Results: Adjusted IVE was 19% (95% confidence interval (CI): −15 to 43). For patients vaccinated in the current season but not in the two previous seasons, effectiveness was 49% (95% CI: −20 to 78) and for patients vaccinated in the current and any of two previous seasons, effectiveness was 29% (95% CI: −3 to 52). For those patients not vaccinated in the current season but vaccinated in any of the two previous seasons, effectiveness was 53% (95% CI: 8 to 76). Conclusions: Our data show a low vaccine effectiveness for the 2016/17 influenza season.

scholarly journals Estimating the undetected burden of influenza hospitalizations in children

2006 ◽  
Vol 135 (6) ◽  
pp. 951-958 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. G. GRIJALVA ◽  
G. A. WEINBERG ◽  
N. M. BENNETT ◽  
M. A. STAAT ◽  
A. S. CRAIG ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surveillance System ◽  
Clinical Laboratory ◽  
Influenza Season ◽  
Influenza Surveillance ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Emerging Infections ◽  
Surveillance Network ◽  
Laboratory Surveillance ◽  
Capture Recapture ◽  
Using Data

SUMMARYDuring the 2004–2005 influenza season two independent influenza surveillance systems operated simultaneously in three United States counties. The New Vaccine Surveillance Network (NVSN) prospectively enrolled children hospitalized for respiratory symptoms/fever and tested them using culture and RT–PCR. The Emerging Infections Program (EIP) and a similar clinical-laboratory surveillance system identified hospitalized children who had positive influenza tests obtained as part of their usual medical care. Using data from these systems, we applied capture–recapture analyses to estimate the burden of influenza related-hospitalizations in children aged <5 years. During the 2004–2005 influenza season the influenza-related hospitalization rate estimated by capture–recapture analysis was 8·6/10 000 children aged <5 years. When compared to this estimate, the sensitivity of the prospective surveillance system was 69% and the sensitivity of the clinical-laboratory based system was 39%. In the face of limited resources and an increasing need for influenza surveillance, capture–recapture analysis provides better estimates than either system alone.

scholarly journals Developing a system to estimate the severity of influenza infection in England: findings from a hospital-based surveillance system between 2010/2011 and 2014/2015

2017 ◽  
Vol 145 (7) ◽  
pp. 1461-1470 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. L. BODDINGTON ◽  
N. Q. VERLANDER ◽  
R. G. PEBODY
Keyword(s):  
Surveillance System ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Influenza Pandemic ◽  
Influenza Infection ◽  
Rapid Assessment ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
Influenza Surveillance ◽  
High Dependency ◽  
The Impact

SUMMARYThe UK Severe Influenza Surveillance System (USISS) was established following the 2009 influenza pandemic to monitor severe seasonal influenza. This article describes the severity of influenza observed in five post-2009 pandemic seasons in England. Two key measures were used to assess severity: impact measured through the cumulative incidence of laboratory-confirmed hospitalised influenza and case severity through the proportion of confirmed hospitalised cases admitted into intensive care units (ICU)/high dependency units (HDU). The impact of influenza varied by subtype and age group across the five seasons with the highest crude cumulative hospitalisation incidence for influenza A/H1N1pdm09 cases in 2010/2011 and in 0–4 year olds each season for all-subtypes. Case severity also varied by subtype and season with a higher hospitalisation: ICU ratio for A/H1N1pdm09 and older age groups (older than 45 years). The USISS system provides a tool for measuring severity of influenza each year. Such seasonal surveillance can provide robust baseline estimates to allow for rapid assessment of the severity of seasonal and emerging influenza viruses.

Model predictions and evaluation of possible control strategies for the 2009 A/H1N1v influenza pandemic in Italy

2010 ◽  
Vol 139 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. AJELLI ◽  
S. MERLER ◽  
A. PUGLIESE ◽  
C. RIZZO
Keyword(s):  
Control Strategies ◽  
Influenza Pandemic ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Epidemiological Surveillance ◽  
Influenza Surveillance ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Modelling Analysis ◽  
Model Predictions ◽  
The Impact

SUMMARYWe describe the real-time modelling analysis conducted in Italy during the early phases of the 2009 A/H1N1v influenza pandemic in order to estimate the impact of the pandemic and of the related mitigation measures implemented. Results are presented along with a comparison with epidemiological surveillance data which subsequently became available. Simulated epidemics were fitted to the estimated number of influenza-like syndromes collected within the Italian sentinel surveillance systems and showed good agreement with the timing of the observed epidemic. On the basis of the model predictions, we estimated the underreporting factor of the influenza surveillance system to be in the range 3·3–3·7 depending on the scenario considered. Model prediction suggested that the epidemic would peak in early November. These predictions have proved to be a valuable support for public health policy-makers in planning interventions for mitigating the spread of the pandemic.

scholarly journals Impact of nonpharmaceutical interventions on laboratory detections of influenza A and B in Canada

2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 142-148
Author(s):  
Philippe Lagacé-Wiens ◽  
Claire Sevenhuysen ◽  
Liza Lee ◽  
Andrea Nwosu ◽  
Tiffany Smith
Keyword(s):  
Influenza A ◽  
Influenza Season ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Influenza Surveillance ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Laboratory Surveillance ◽  
Rate Of Decline ◽  
Nonpharmaceutical Interventions ◽  
The Impact

Background: The first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case was reported in Canada on January 25, 2020. In response to the imminent outbreak, many provincial and territorial health authorities implemented nonpharmaceutical public health measures to curb the spread of disease. “Social distancing” measures included restrictions on group gatherings; cancellation of sports, cultural and religious events and gatherings; recommended physical distancing between people; school and daycare closures; reductions in non-essential services; and closures of businesses. Objectives: To evaluate the impact of the combined nonpharmaceutical interventions imposed in March 2020 on influenza A and B epidemiology by comparing national laboratory surveillance data from the intervention period with 9-year historical influenza season control data. Methods: We obtained epidemiologic data on laboratory influenza A and B detections and test volumes from the Canadian national influenza surveillance system for the epidemiologic period December 29, 2019 (epidemiologic week 1) through May 2, 2020 (epidemiologic week 18). COVID-19-related social distancing measures were implemented in Canada from epidemiologic week 10 of this period. We compared influenza A and B laboratory detections and test volumes and trends in detection during the 2019–20 influenza season with those of the previous nine influenza seasons for evidence of changes in epidemiologic trends. Results: While influenza detections the week prior to the implementation of social distancing measures did not differ statistically from the previous nine seasons, a steep decline in positivity occurred between epidemiologic weeks 10 and 14 (March 8–April 4, 2020). Both the percent positive on week 14 (p≤0.001) and rate of decline between weeks 10 and 14 (p=0.003) were significantly different from mean historical data. Conclusion: The data show a dramatic decrease in influenza A and B laboratory detections concurrent with social distancing measures and nonpharmaceutical interventions in Canada. The impact of these measures on influenza transmission may be generalizable to other respiratory viral illnesses during the study period, including COVID-19.

Food Safety Security: A new Concept for Enhancing Food Safety Measures

2012 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 216-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Venkatesh Iyengar ◽  
Ibrahim Elmadfa
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Hazard Analysis ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Shared Responsibility ◽  
Fine Tuning ◽  
Strategic Action ◽  
Surveillance Network ◽  
Measurement Systems ◽  
Critical Control Points ◽  
The Impact

The food safety security (FSS) concept is perceived as an early warning system for minimizing food safety (FS) breaches, and it functions in conjunction with existing FS measures. Essentially, the function of FS and FSS measures can be visualized in two parts: (i) the FS preventive measures as actions taken at the stem level, and (ii) the FSS interventions as actions taken at the root level, to enhance the impact of the implemented safety steps. In practice, along with FS, FSS also draws its support from (i) legislative directives and regulatory measures for enforcing verifiable, timely, and effective compliance; (ii) measurement systems in place for sustained quality assurance; and (iii) shared responsibility to ensure cohesion among all the stakeholders namely, policy makers, regulators, food producers, processors and distributors, and consumers. However, the functional framework of FSS differs from that of FS by way of: (i) retooling the vulnerable segments of the preventive features of existing FS measures; (ii) fine-tuning response systems to efficiently preempt the FS breaches; (iii) building a long-term nutrient and toxicant surveillance network based on validated measurement systems functioning in real time; (iv) focusing on crisp, clear, and correct communication that resonates among all the stakeholders; and (v) developing inter-disciplinary human resources to meet ever-increasing FS challenges. Important determinants of FSS include: (i) strengthening international dialogue for refining regulatory reforms and addressing emerging risks; (ii) developing innovative and strategic action points for intervention {in addition to Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) procedures]; and (iii) introducing additional science-based tools such as metrology-based measurement systems.

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