Antigenic surveillance of influenza virus in the period 1995-1996
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Series / Report no.
Open Access
Type
Report
Language
en
Date
1997-03-31
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Title
Antigenic surveillance of influenza virus in the
period 1995-1996
Translated Title
Antigene surveillance van influenzavirus in de
periode 1995-1996
Published in
Abstract
Het influenzavirus ondergaat frequente antigene
veranderingen die jaarlijkse aanpassing van het influenzavaccin door de WHO
noodzakelijk maken. Voor dit doel genereert, verzamelt en analyseert het
Nationaal Influenza Centrum (NIC, een samenwerkingsverband van het RIVM met
de Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam) in Nederland bij huisarts- en
ziekenhuispatienten geisoleerde influenzavirusstammen. Het NIC vergelijkt
deze stammen met de gebruikte vaccinstammen en met andere buitenlandse
stammen. In zowel Nederland als elders in Europa was de influenzaepidemie
van 1995/96 vroeg en van een gemiddelde omvang. Het subtype A(H3N2)
overheerste maar ook A(H1N1)- en B-virussen werden gerapporteerd. De
hoofdvarianten uit de seizoenen 1995 (zuidelijk halfrond) en 1995/96
(noordelijk halfrond) bleken in antigeen opzicht bij alle drie (sub)typen
weinig of niet af te wijken van die uit 1994 en 1994/95, of van de gebruikte
vaccinstammen. Zowel de immuniteit verworven door vroegere infecties als
die opgewekt door vaccinatie zullen derhalve relatief goede bescherming
hebben geboden tegen infectie met influenzavirus in
1995/96.
As a consequence of frequent antigenic changes of the virus, the composition of the influenza vaccine is annually adapted by WHO. In this framework, the National Influenza Centre (NIC, a collaboration of RIVM with the Erasmus University Rotterdam) generates and collects influenza virus strains isolated in the Netherlands from patients presenting to general physicians and in hospitals. NIC compares these strains with the vaccine strains recommended by WHO and with other foreign strains. In Europe, including the Netherlands, the influenza epidemic of 1995/96 was early and of an average extension. Subtype A(H3N2) dominated but A(H1N1) and B-viruses were also reported. The antigenic reactivities of the three major influenza virus variants of the seasons 1995 (southern hemisphere) and 1995/96 (northern hemisphere) did not differ significantly from those of the seasons 1994 and 1995/96, or from the vaccine strains used in the 1995/96 season. Therefore, both the infection-acquired and the vaccine-induced immunity will have rendered a relative good protection against influenza virus infections in 1995/96.
As a consequence of frequent antigenic changes of the virus, the composition of the influenza vaccine is annually adapted by WHO. In this framework, the National Influenza Centre (NIC, a collaboration of RIVM with the Erasmus University Rotterdam) generates and collects influenza virus strains isolated in the Netherlands from patients presenting to general physicians and in hospitals. NIC compares these strains with the vaccine strains recommended by WHO and with other foreign strains. In Europe, including the Netherlands, the influenza epidemic of 1995/96 was early and of an average extension. Subtype A(H3N2) dominated but A(H1N1) and B-viruses were also reported. The antigenic reactivities of the three major influenza virus variants of the seasons 1995 (southern hemisphere) and 1995/96 (northern hemisphere) did not differ significantly from those of the seasons 1994 and 1995/96, or from the vaccine strains used in the 1995/96 season. Therefore, both the infection-acquired and the vaccine-induced immunity will have rendered a relative good protection against influenza virus infections in 1995/96.
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