Epidemiological and virological characteristics of influenza B: results of the Global Influenza B Study. (August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Caini, Saverio; Huang, Q. Sue; Ciblak, Meral A.; Kusznierz, Gabriela; Owen, Rhonda; Wangchuk, Sonam; Henriques, Cláudio M. P.; Njouom, Richard; Fasce, Rodrigo A.; Yu, Hongjie; Feng, Luzhao; Zambon, Maria; Clara, Alexey W.; Kosasih, Herman; Puzelli, Simona; Kadjo, Herve A.; Emukule, Gideon; Heraud, Jean‐Michel; Ang, Li Wei; Venter, Marietjie; Mironenko, Alla; Brammer, Lynnette; Mai, Le Thi Quynh; Schellevis, François; Plotkin, Stanley; Paget, John
• Other Names: Rudi Juan Manuel investigator.; Dorji Kunzang investigator.; Marins José Ricardo Pio investigator.; de Almeida Walquiria Aparecida Ferreira investigator.; Vernet Marie‐Astrid investigator.; Vernet Guy investigator.; Andrade Winston investigator.; Yang Juan investigator.; Li Ming investigator.; Lara Jenny investigator.; de Lozano Celina investigator.; Pebody Richard investigator.; Ellis Joanna investigator.; Green Helen investigator.; Castillo Leticia investigator.; Matute Maria Luisa investigator.; Nurhayati investigator.; Donatelli Isabella investigator.; Daouda Coulibaly investigator.; Mott Joshua A. investigator.; Razanajatovo Norosoa Harline investigator.; Randrianasolo Laurence investigator.; Lopez Liza investigator.; Balmaseda Angel investigator.; Moreno Brechla investigator.; Cutter Jeffrey investigator.; Lee Vernon J. investigator.; Cohen Cheryl investigator.; Badur Selim investigator.; Radchenko Larysa investigator.; Bresee Joseph investigator.;
• Is Part Of: Influenza and other respiratory viruses. Volume 9(2015)Supplement 1
• Page Start: 3
• Page End: 12
• Publication Date: 2015-08
• Subjects: Burden of disease -- epidemiology -- Global Influenza B Study (GIBS) -- influenza -- vaccination -- vaccine mismatch; Influenza -- Periodicals; Respiratory infections -- Periodicals; Virus diseases -- Periodicals; Influenza, Human -- Periodicals; Respiratory Tract Diseases -- Periodicals; Virus Diseases -- Periodicals; Grippe -- Périodiques; Appareil respiratoire -- Infections -- Périodiques; Maladies à virus -- Périodiques; 616.203
• DOI: 10.1111/irv.12319
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1750-2640

Abstract

Abstract : Introduction: Literature on influenza focuses on influenza A, despite influenza B having a large public health impact. The Global Influenza B Study aims to collect information on global epidemiology and burden of disease of influenza B since 2000. Methods: Twenty‐six countries in the Southern ( n = 5) and Northern ( n = 7) hemispheres and intertropical belt ( n = 14) provided virological and epidemiological data. We calculated the proportion of influenza cases due to type B and Victoria and Yamagata lineages in each country and season; tested the correlation between proportion of influenza B and maximum weekly influenza‐like illness (ILI) rate during the same season; determined the frequency of vaccine mismatches; and described the age distribution of cases by virus type. Results: The database included 935 673 influenza cases (2000–2013). Overall median proportion of influenza B was 22·6%, with no statistically significant differences across seasons. During seasons where influenza B was dominant or co‐circulated (>20% of total detections), Victoria and Yamagata lineages predominated during 64% and 36% of seasons, respectively, and a vaccine mismatch was observed in ≈25% of seasons. Proportion of influenza B was inversely correlated with maximum ILI rate in the same season in the Northern and (with borderline significance) Southern hemispheres. Patients infected with influenza B were usually younger (5–17 years) than patients infected with influenza A. Conclusion: Influenza B is a common disease with some epidemiological differences from influenza A. This should be considered when optimizing control/prevention strategies in different regions and reducing the global burden of disease due to influenza.