The influenza epidemic in Russia during the 2014–2015 season

The goal of this study was to compare the data on the intensity of the influenza A(H3N2) and B epidemic (especially the death toll) in the 2014–2015 season with the previous epidemic of the 2013-2014 season. The data on weekly morbidity, hospitalization, deaths from influenza, and acute respiratory diseases in different age groups of inhabitants of 59 cities located in 7 Federal districts of the Russian Federation were collected using the database of the Research Institute of Influenza.Analysis of this data showed that the influenza epidemic in 2014-2015 began earlier (in December) compared to the epidemic of 2013-2014, and spread mainly from Europe through Russia to the East. The intensity of the epidemic of 2014-2015 was higher compared to the previous one. The epidemic was more prevalent by regions and cities and a wider engagement of different age groups (except children up to 2 years of age) was observed. At the peak of the epidemic, the morbidity level was higher, the average duration of the epidemic was longer, and the number of patients among cities’ inhabitants (especially among children 7-14 years of age and adults) was higher than in the previous season. The rates of hospitalization with influenza and acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) among patients older than 65 years were also higher (1.4 times) as well as the frequency of hospitalization with a diagnosis of “influenza” (2.7 times) and the number of deaths from laboratory confirmed influenza (1.8 times).Although the influenza pandemic virus strain A(H1N1)pdm09 was not the main causative agent of the 2015 epidemic and was distributed sporadically it still remained the leading cause of deaths from influenza in the course of this epidemic (45.5% of all cases). The deaths associated with this strain were recorded only in the European part of Russian Federation.The goal of this study was to compare the data on the intensity of the influenza A(H3N2) and B epidemic (especially the death toll) in the 2014–2015 season with the previous epidemic of the 2013-2014 season. The data on weekly morbidity, hospitalization, deaths from influenza, and acute respiratory diseases in different age groups of inhabitants of 59 cities located in 7 Federal districts of the Russian Federation were collected using the database of the Research Institute of Influenza. Analysis of this data showed that the influenza epidemic in 2014-2015 began earlier (in December) compared to the epidemic of 2013-2014, and spread mainly from Europe through Russia to the East. The intensity of the epidemic of 2014-2015 was higher compared to the previous one. The epidemic was more prevalent by regions and cities and a wider engagement of different age groups (except children up to 2 years of age) was observed. At the peak of the epidemic, the morbidity level was higher, the average duration of the epidemic was longer, and the number of patients among cities’ inhabitants (especially among children 7-14 years of age and adults) was higher than in the previous season. The rates of hospitalization with influenza and acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) among patients older than 65 years were also higher (1.4 times) as well as the frequency of hospitalization with a diagnosis of “influenza” (2.7 times) and the number of deaths from laboratory confirmed influenza (1.8 times). Although the influenza pandemic virus strain A(H1N1)pdm09 was not the main causative agent of the 2015 epidemic and was distributed sporadically it still remained the leading cause of deaths from influenza in the course of this epidemic (45.5% of all cases). The deaths associated with this strain were recorded only in the European part of Russian Federation

РОЛЬ БИОБАНКОВ В ИЗУЧЕНИИ ПОПУЛЯЦИОННОГО ИММУНИТЕТА

Review focuses on estimation of population immunity and  effectiveness of vaccination against socially significant influenza  infection. Long-term observations of the population immunity,  including post-vaccine seroprevalence to influenza are an important  component of surveillance. The possibility of use of systems of  biological banks (biobanks) in these investigations is of great  interest. The data on the principles of biobanks design in the world,  the scope of their application, the present state of the industry are  described. The information about collections of infectious diseases  agents is presented. Suggestions to build a network of biobanks in the Russian Federation and its implementation in the system of  epidemiological influenza surveillance are formed. The biobanks  filling by samples, principles of selection of donors biological  specimens, methods of laboratory research are discussed.Обзор посвящен оценке популяционного иммунитета и эффективности вакцинации против  грипп. Многолетние наблюдения за коллективным (популяционным) иммунитетом, включая  поствакцинальный, при гриппе остаются важной составляющей эпидемиологического надзора. Новые возможности в исследовании популяционного  иммунитета открываются с созданием системы биологических банков (биобанков).  Приводятся данные по принципам построения биобанков в мире, сферы их применения,  современное состояние данной отрасли. Представлены сведения о коллекциях возбудителей инфекционных заболеваний. Даны предложения по построению сети  биобанков в Российской Федерации с внедрением в систему эпидемиологического надзора  за вирусными заболеваниями. Обсуждается структура наполняемости биобанков образцами, принципы подбора доноров биологических образцов,  методы их лабораторного изучения

Two years of experience in hospital surveillance for the severe influenza like illnesses in St. Petersburg: etiology, clinical characterization of diseases, antigenic and genetic properties of isolated influenza viruses

In this paper, we analyze the etiology of the diseases occurring during two consecutive influenza epidemic seasons in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation. The analysis is based on the results of the PCR diagnostics of the clinical samples collected from patients hospitalized in three St. Petersburg hospitals with influenza like illnesses (ILI). It was shown that the influenza virus A(H1N1)pdm09 was the dominant causative agent during the 2012-2013 epidemic season while, in the 2013-2014 season, A(H3N2) virus was predominant among adults and children. The influenza B virus activity was high in the 2012-2013 season and low in the 2013-2014 season. During both seasons, the main causative agent for the hospitalization of young children was respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), followed by rhinovirus and influenza virus. The rate of involvement of parainfluenza, adenovirus, metapneumovirus and coronavirus was low and was negligible for bocavirus. Children 0-2 and 3-6 years old formed the group of patients that was affected by acute respiratory infection agents the most. Children younger than 3 months old were the major group of the intensive care unit (ICUs) patients and only 27.5% of them were adults. RSV and rhinovirus were the leading cause of ILI among the children admitted to ICU. Among the adult patients admitted to the ICU, only influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) and B viruses were detected during both influenza seasons.According to the results of the antigenic and genetic analysis, most influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) viruses circulating in St. Petersburg matched the vaccine strains recommended by the WHO for vaccine composition in the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 seasons.In this paper, we analyze the etiology of the diseases occurring during two consecutive influenza epidemic seasons in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation. The analysis is based on the results of the PCR diagnostics of the clinical samples collected from patients hospitalized in three St. Petersburg hospitals with influenza like illnesses (ILI). It was shown that the influenza virus A(H1N1)pdm09 was the dominant causative agent during the 2012-2013 epidemic season while, in the 2013-2014 season, A(H3N2) virus was predominant among adults and children. The influenza B virus activity was high in the 2012-2013 season and low in the 2013-2014 season. During both seasons, the main causative agent for the hospitalization of young children was respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), followed by rhinovirus and influenza virus. The rate of involvement of parainfluenza, adenovirus, metapneumovirus and coronavirus was low and was negligible for bocavirus. Children 0-2 and 3-6 years old formed the group of patients that was affected by acute respiratory infection agents the most. Children younger than 3 months old were the major group of the intensive care unit (ICUs) patients and only 27.5% of them were adults. RSV and rhinovirus were the leading cause of ILI among the children admitted to ICU. Among the adult patients admitted to the ICU, only influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) and B viruses were detected during both influenza seasons. According to the results of the antigenic and genetic analysis, most influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) viruses circulating in St. Petersburg matched the vaccine strains recommended by the WHO for vaccine composition in the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 seasons

Эпидемия гриппа в России в сезон 2014–2015 гг.

The goal of this study was to compare the data on the intensity of the influenza A(H3N2) and B epidemic (especially the death toll) in 2014–2015 season with the previous epidemic of 2013-2014. The data on weekly morbidity, hospitalization, deaths from influenza and acute respiratory diseases in different age groups of inhabitants of 59 cities located in 7 Federal districts of the Russian Federation were collected using the database of the Research Institute of Influenza. Analysis of this data showed, that the influenza epidemic in 2014-2015 began earlier (in December), compared with the epidemic of 2013-2014, and spread mainly from Europe through Russia to the East. The intensity of the epidemic 2014-2015 was higher, compared to the previous one. The epidemic was more prevalent by regions and cities and wider engagement of different age groups (except children up to 2 years) was observed. At the peak of the epidemic the morbidity level was higher, the average duration of the epidemic was longer and the number of patients among cities inhabitants (especially among children 7-14 years of age and adults) was higher than in the previous season. The rates of hospitalization with influenza and ARI among patients older than 65 years were also higher (1.4 times) as well as frequency of hospitalization with a diagnosis of “influenza” (2.7 times) and the number of deaths from laboratory confirmed influenza (1.8 times). Although the pandemic influenza virus A(H1N1)pdm09, was not the main causative agent of the epidemic 2015, it still was the main cause of deaths from influenza (45.5% of all cases). In spite of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus sporadic prevalence, deaths from it were reported only on the European part of territory of Russia.Целью работы было сравнение показателей интенсивности эпидемии гриппа, вызванной штаммами вирусов гриппа А(H3N2) и В, в сезон 2014–2015 гг. с предшествующей эпидемией 2013–2014 гг. Особое внимание уделено летальным исходам от гриппа. Использована база данных НИИ гриппа по еженедельной заболеваемости, госпитализации, летальным исходам от гриппа и ОРЗ в различных возрастных группах населения 59-ти наблюдаемых городов, расположенных в семи Федеральных округах Российской Федерации. По сравнению с эпидемией 2014 г. эпидемия гриппа в 2014–2015 гг. началась раньше (в декабре) и распространялась, в основном, с запада на восток – из Европы по территории России в восточном направлении. Показатели интенсивности эпидемии 2015 г., в сравнении с предыдущей, были выше в отношении распространенности по округам, городам и вовлеченности возрастных групп населения (кроме детей до 2-х лет). Показатели заболеваемости на пике эпидемии, средней продолжительности эпидемии, уровней заболеваемости населения в городах (особенно среди детей 7–14 лет и взрослого населения) были выше, чем в предыдущем сезоне. Участились и случаи госпитализации с гриппом и OPВИ среди лиц старше 65 лет (в 1.4 раза), среди госпитализированных повысилась доля больных с диагнозом «грипп» (в 2.7 раза) и число летальных исходов от лабораторно подтвержденного гриппа (в 1.8 раза). Штамм пандемического вируса гриппа, A(H1N1)pdm09, хотя и не был основным возбудителем эпидемии 2015 г., попрежнему стал основной причиной летальных исходов от гриппа (в 45.5% всех случаев); причем случаи смерти, ассоциированные с этим штаммом, регистрировали только на европейской территории России при спорадическом уровне его распространения

Антигенное разнообразие вирусов гриппа А и В, выделенных от детей в г. Санкт-Петербурге в период с 2013 по 2015 г.

Purpose of the study: study of the circulation, isolation and antigenic analysis of influenza viruses A and B in St.-Petersburg in the children aged 0–18 in the seasons 2013–2015.Materials: nasal swabs from children-inpatients from Saint-Petersburg.Methods: virus isolation in MDCK cell culture and chicken embryos, antigenic analysis with the hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) test with the set of hyper-immune rat antisera to the epidemic and reference strains, antigenic cartography.Results: The epidemic seasons 2013–2015 were characterized by the co-circulation in children in St.-Petersburg of influenza sub-types А(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2), and B of Yamagata lineage (B yam). In the season 2014–2015 the low activity of epidemic process was observed with the predominant sub-type A(H3N2) and in the next season – 2014–2015 with the more pronounced epidemic activity – the pre-dominance of B yam viruses. Antigenic analysis of influenza viruses А(H1N1)pdm09 which circulated in children revealed their antigenic homogeneity and full correspondence with vaccine strain A/California/07/09. As for А(H3N2) viruses, two antigenic groups were established: strains similar to A/St.-Petersburg/80/14 (sub-clade 3C.2a) and strains similar to A/Switzerland/9715293/13 (sub-clade 3C.3a). А(Н3N2) strains of the season 2013-2014 were similar to the vaccine strain. However isolates of the season 2014-2015 did not fit to the vaccine strain because in the children were predominant strains similar to the evolution branch A/St.-Petersburg/80/14 while according the WHO recommendations the influenza vaccine contained the strain A/Texas/50/12. Antigenic analysis of influenza viruses B showed their homogeneity and all they were B/Phuket/3073/13-like. Influenza strains B also incompletely corresponded to the vaccine strain – B/Massachusetts/2/12 belonging to the different genetic sub-clade. That might be the reason of enhanced morbidity of children with influenza B in the last season.Conclusion: The obtained results stress the urgency for the wide coverage of human population with the epidemic studies, virus isolation in different time periods and geographic regions and their etiological studies with the modern techniques. Only in these conditions we can assure high efficiency of flu seasonal vaccines.Цель исследования: особенности циркуляции, выделение и антигенный анализ вирусов гриппа А и В в Санкт-Петербурге в 2013–2015 гг. от детей от 0 до 18 лет.Материалы исследования: назальные мазки от детей из стационаров и закрытых детских учреждений Санкт-Петербурга.Методы: выделение вирусов на культуре клеток MDCK и куриных эмбрионах, антигенный анализ методом реакции торможения гемагглютинации (РТГА) с набором гипериммунных крысиных антисывороток к эталонным и эпидемическим штаммам гриппа, антигенная картография.Результаты: в эпидемические сезоны 2013–2015 гг. в г. Санкт-Петербурге среди детей была выявлена совместная циркуляция вирусов гриппа А(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2), B Ямагатской линии (B yam), причем в сезоне 2013–2014 гг. при общей невысокой активности эпидемического процесса преобладали вирусы A(H3N2), а в следующем эпидемическом сезоне – 2014–2015 гг. – при более высокой интенсивности эпидемии – вирусы В yam. Антигенный анализ вирусов А(H1N1)pdm09, циркулировавших среди детей, выявил их антигенную однородность и полное соответствие вакцинному штамму А/Калифорния/07/09. Зафиксирован антигенный дрейф вирусов А(H3N2), выявлены 2 антигенные группы: вирусы, подобные А/Санкт-Петербург/80/14 (генетическая подгруппа 3С.2а) и вирусы, подобные А/Швейцария/9715293/13 (подгруппа 3С.3а). Вирусы А(Н3N2) сезона 2013–2014 гг. были подобны вакцинному штамму. В то же время изоляты сезона 2014–2015 гг. не соответствовали вакцинному штамму, поскольку среди детей в основном выявлены штаммы, подобные эволюционной ветви А/Санкт-Петербург/80/14, а в вакцину по рекомендации ВОЗ был включен штамм А/Техас/50/12. Антигенный анализ вирусов гриппа В yam показал их однородность, они были подобны эталонному вирусу В/Пхукет/3073/13. Вирусы В также антигенно не полностью соответствовали вакцинному компоненту, поскольку данные вирусы были подобны штамму В/Пхукет/3073/13, а в состав вакцины входил штамм В/Массачусетс/2/12, принадлежащий к другой генетической подгруппе, что могло привести к повышению заболеваемости детей гриппом типа В в данном сезоне. Заключение: для своевременного правильного выбора штаммов, входящих в состав сезонных противогриппозных вакцин, по-прежнему актуальной остается задача как можно более широкого охвата населения эпидемиологическими исследованиями, выделения вирусов в разные периоды эпидемического сезона и в разных географических регионах, их антигенный и генетический анализ современными методами

The European Virus Archive goes global: A growing resource for research

The European Virus Archive (EVA) was created in 2008 with funding from the FP7-EU Infrastructure Programme, in response to the need for a coordinated and readily accessible collection of viruses that could be made available to academia, public health organisations and industry. Within three years, it developed from a consortium of nine European laboratories to encompass associated partners in Africa, Russia, China, Turkey, Germany and Italy. In 2014, the H2020 Research and Innovation Framework Programme (INFRAS projects) provided support for the transformation of the EVA from a European to a global organization (EVAg). The EVAg now operates as a non-profit consortium, with 26 partners and 20 associated partners from 21 EU and non-EU countries. In this paper, we outline the structure, management and goals of the EVAg, to bring to the attention of researchers the wealth of products it can provide and to illustrate how end-users can gain access to these resources. Organisations or individuals who would like to be considered as contributors are invited to contact the EVAg coordinator, Jean-Louis Romette, at [email protected]

Възможности за по-ефективна антивирусна терапия и профилактика на ОРВИ. Нови експериментални данни с клетъчни култури

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Role of biobanks in the study of population immunity

Review focuses on estimation of population immunity and  effectiveness of vaccination against socially significant influenza  infection. Long-term observations of the population immunity,  including post-vaccine seroprevalence to influenza are an important  component of surveillance. The possibility of use of systems of  biological banks (biobanks) in these investigations is of great  interest. The data on the principles of biobanks design in the world,  the scope of their application, the present state of the industry are  described. The information about collections of infectious diseases  agents is presented. Suggestions to build a network of biobanks in the Russian Federation and its implementation in the system of  epidemiological influenza surveillance are formed. The biobanks  filling by samples, principles of selection of donors biological  specimens, methods of laboratory research are discussed