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Virological surveillance of influenza viruses in the WHO European Region in 2019/20 – impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
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View Affiliations Hide AffiliationsAngeliki Melidouangeliki.melidou ecdc.europa.eu
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WHO European Region Influenza Surveillance Network author list: Monika Redlberger-Fritz, Judith Aberle, Ramona Trebbien, Jakob Nybo Nissen, Niina Ikonen, Anu Haveri, Ralf Dürrwald, Georgia Gioula, Maria Exindari, Athanasios Kossyvakis, Andreas Mentis, Linda Dunford, Lisa Domegan, Maria Rita Castrucci, Simona Puzelli, Natalija Zamjatina, Gatis Pakarna, Algirdas Griskevičius, Asta Skrickiene, Guillaume Fournier, Joel Mossong, Adam Meijer, Ron Fouchier, Karoline Bragstad, Olav Hungnes, Raquel Guiomar, Pedro Pechirra, Mihaela Lazar, Cherciu Carmen Maria, Andrey Komissarov, Daria Danilenko, Elena Burtseva, Elena Tichá, Edita Staronova, Katarina Prosenc, Nataša Berginc, Francisco Pozo, Majadahonda Inmaculada Casas, Mia Brytting, Ana Rita Gonçalves, Iryna Demchyshyna, Angie Lackenby, Catherine Thompson, Rory N Gunson, Samantha J Shepherd, Catherine Moore, Simon Cottrell, Angeliki Melidou, Cornelia Adlhoch, Oksana Martinuka, Pasi Penttinen, Lucia Pastore Celentano, Dmitriy Pereyaslov, Miriam Sneiderman, James Fielding, Richard Pebody, John McCauley, Rodney DanielsView Citation Hide Citation
Citation style for this article: . Virological surveillance of influenza viruses in the WHO European Region in 2019/20 – impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Euro Surveill. 2020;25(46):pii=2001822. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.46.2001822 Received: 21 Oct 2020; Accepted: 19 Nov 2020
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the 2019/20 WHO European Region influenza surveillance. Compared with previous 4-year averages, antigenic and genetic characterisations decreased by 17% (3,140 vs 2,601) and 24% (4,474 vs 3,403). Of subtyped influenza A viruses, 56% (26,477/47,357) were A(H1)pdm09, 44% (20,880/47,357) A(H3). Of characterised B viruses, 98% (4,585/4,679) were B/Victoria. Considerable numbers of viruses antigenically differed from northern hemisphere vaccine components. In 2020/21, maintaining influenza virological surveillance, while supporting SARS-CoV-2 surveillance is crucial.
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