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Abstract

After the near absence of influenza and other respiratory viruses during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, an increased activity of mainly influenza A(H3N2) was detected at the beginning of August 2022 in Greece on three islands. Of 33 cases with respiratory symptoms testing negative for SARS-CoV-2 with rapid antigen tests, 24 were positive for influenza: 20 as A(H3N2) subtype and four as A(H1N1)pdm09 subtype. Phylogenetic analysis of selected samples from both subtypes was performed and they fell into clusters within subclades that included the 2022/23 vaccine strains. Our data suggest that influenza can be transmitted even in the presence of another highly infectious pathogen, such as SARS-CoV-2, with a similar transmission mode. We highlight the need for implementing changes in the current influenza surveillance and suggest a move from seasonal to continuous surveillance, especially in areas with a high number of tourists. Year-round surveillance would allow for a timelier start of vaccination campaigns and antiviral drugs procurement processes.

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/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.28.2200754
2023-07-13
2024-12-22
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.28.2200754
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Influenza transmission during COVID-19 measures downscaling in Greece, August 2022: evidence for the need of continuous integrated surveillance of respiratory viruses
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Kassiani+Mellou&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Mellou Kassiani</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Kyriaki+Tryfinopoulou&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Tryfinopoulou Kyriaki</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Mary+Emmanouil&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Emmanouil Mary</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Kassiani+Gkolfinopoulou&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Gkolfinopoulou Kassiani</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Spyros+Sapounas&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Sapounas Spyros</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Maria+Evangelidou&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Evangelidou Maria</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Panagiota+Moulopoulou&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Moulopoulou Panagiota</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Eleftherios+Miaoulis&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Miaoulis Eleftherios</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Emmanouil+Angelakis&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Angelakis Emmanouil</a>, <a href="/search?value1=George+Sourvinos&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Sourvinos George</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Theoklis+Zaoutis&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Zaoutis Theoklis</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Dimitrios+Paraskevis&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Paraskevis Dimitrios</a></span>. Influenza transmission during COVID-19 measures downscaling in Greece, August 2022: evidence for the need of continuous integrated surveillance of respiratory viruses. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2023;28(28):pii=2200754. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.28.2200754" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.28.2200754</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 21 Sept 2022;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 05 Apr 2023 </span> </p>
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.28.2200754
/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.28.2200754
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