Influenza antiviral drugs: present and future

Η γρίπη προκαλεί ετήσιες επιδημίες και πανδημίες με αυξημένη νοσηρότητα και θνησιμότητα. Αντιικοί παράγοντες με διαφορετική χημική σύσταση και θεραπευτική προσέγγιση μειώνουν τη διάρκεια των συμπτωμάτων, τις επιπλοκές και το θάνατο. Η ανάδυση ιών με ανθεκτικότητα στις αδαμαντάνες και στους αναστολείς της νευραμινιδάσης οδηγεί σε ανάγκη για ανακάλυψη νέων αντιικών φαρμάκων.Influenza causes annual epidemics and pandemics with increased morbidity and mortality. Antiviral agents with different chemical structure and mode of administration reduce the duration of symptoms, the risk of complications and death. The emergence of viruses with resistance against adamantanes and neuraminidase inhibitors drives research on additional influenza antivirals

Predominance of influenza A(H3N2) virus genetic subclade 3C.2a1 during an early 2016/17 influenza season in Europe - Contribution of surveillance data from World Health Organization (WHO) European Region to the WHO vaccine composition consultation for northern hemisphere 2017/18

European region influenza surveillance Network author lisT - Portugal: Raquel Guiomar, Pedro Pechirra, Paula Cristóvão, Inês Costa, Patricia Conde (National Influenza and Other Respiratory Virus Reference Laboratory, Infectious Diseases Department, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon) and Ana Paula Rodrigues (Department of Epidemiology, National Instituteof Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon)Erratum in: Erratum to "Predominance of influenza A(H3N2) virus genetic subclade 3C.2a1 during an early 2016/17 influenza season in Europe - Contribution of surveillance data from World Health Organization (WHO) European region to the WHO vaccine composition consultation for northern hemisphere 2017/18" [Vaccine 35 (2017) 4828-4835]. [Vaccine. 2018 May 3;36(19):2740-2741. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.12.039. Epub 2017 Dec 20]. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.12.039During the European 2016/17 influenza season, A(H3N2) viruses have predominated and the majority clustered in genetic subclade 3C.2a1. Genetic analyses showed that circulating viruses have undergone considerable genetic diversification of the haemagglutinin gene from the current vaccine virus A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 (clade 3C.2a), but the antigenic data that is limited by the challenges with the antigenic characterisation of currently circulating A(H3N2) viruses, showed no clear evidence of antigenic change. The recommended A(H3N2) vaccine component for the northern hemisphere 2017/18 influenza season remained unchanged. However, early and mid-season vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimates were suggestive of reduced VE against A(H3N2) viruses.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Future doctors: Do they know more about influenza after the pandemic?

IInfluenza is a universal but greatly preventable disease with vast consequences due to its yearly epidemics and sporadic pandemics. Therefore it is important to estimate the theoretical and practical skills of future doctors concerning influenza. The study aims the evaluation of the knowledge level of graduating students of Medicine about influenza before and during the recent A(H1N1) pandemic and intends to indicate any change observed. A total of 224 students attending the last year of Medical School in the beginnings of 2009 and 2010, answered anonymous questionnaires concerning viral and clinical aspects of influenza, sources of information and self-awareness. The two periods’ data were analyzed and compared in order to estimate the role of the pandemic in students’ knowledge level. The students generally seem to have sufficient theoretical and practical knowledge about influenza. Their knowledge level appears somehow affected in 2010, presenting either amelioration or confusion due to the particularities of the pandemic. The media have had an important contribution to the students’ information about influenza during the pandemic. It might be useful the basic medical education to be revised during the whole duration of medical studies, so that future doc­tors continuously renovate and complete their knowledge by proper sources

Dominant influenza A(H3N2) and B/Yamagata virus circulation in EU/EEA, 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons, respectively

Members of the European Influenza Surveillance Network: Portugal (Figueiredo Augusto Gonçalo, Machado Jorge, Moreira Guiomar Raquel, Nogueira Paulo, Rebelo de Andrade Helena, Rodrigues Ana Paula)The yearly influenza epidemics during each winter season vary in burden and severity. During the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons, all-cause excess mortality was observed during periods of high influenza virus circulation. Our aim is to describe and compare the pattern of influenza virus circulation and related disease severity by number of patients and fatal cases in intensive care units (ICUs) across European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries for the seasons 2016/17 and 2017/18. As influenza circulation progressed from a west to east direction across Europe in 2017/18, a better understanding of the current epidemiological situation might help to prepare countries in the eastern part of the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region for high influenza activity and severity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae (Chlamydophila pneumoniae) DNA in atherosclerotic plaques and its molecular analysis in northern Greece

Objectives: C. pneumoniae responsible for respiratory tract infections has also been assocciated with chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis.The aim of the present study is the detection of C. pneumoniae DNA in various atherosclerotic arteries by a sensitive and specific PCR. In order to investigate whether there is a relation between a specific type and atherosclerosis, genotyping was performed. Methods: The study group consisted of 122 atherosclerotic plaques from patients (mean age 68.4, range 50-89 years old, 95 males and 25 females) with severe atherosclerosis. C. pneumoniae DNA was detected in atherosclerotic plaques by nested «Touchdown» PCR. A second PCR targeting the ygeD-urk intergenic region was performed and PCR products were sequenced.Results: 12.3% of the specimens were positive for C. pneumoniae. Detection rates in specimens of carotid, abdominal, and femoral arteries were 12%, 15.6%, and 10%, respectively. (p = NS). 14 strains were found to have 100% homology with J138, AR39 and TW-183, while one strain had a 23 bp invertible region and revealed 100% homology with the CWL029.Conclusion: Overall, 15/122 (12.3%) atherosclerotic specimens from patients were positive for C. pneumoniae. The strains detected belong to two different types designated as genotype I and II. Genotype I was the prevalent and only one strain had the reverse orientation of the 23bp region in northern Greece

Impact of the influenza A(H1N1) 2009 pandemic to the 17-25 year age group and to the students of the Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Introduction: In 2009 a novel A(H1N1) influenza virus emerged and caused a pandemic. The scope of this study was to identify the impact of the pandemic to the 17-25 year age group and to normal University function.Methods: a) Epidemiological data was obtained from the National Influenza Center for northern Greece, regarding the 17-25 age group. b) Absence records from the first semester of 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 were obtained from the School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a questionnaire was given to 100 medical students.Results and discussion: a) Two pandemic waves were identified; the first was during weeks 27-35 and the second during weeks 43-52.Of the 4949 examined samples, 1632 were confirmed pandemic H1N1 2009 infections (33%), and 362 (22%) belonged to the 17-25 age group. Of the latest, 53% were male and 47% were female. Most infections belonging to this group were mild, and developed influenza like illness (ILI) symptoms. Only 19% developed pneumonia or other complications and 2 were fatal. 4% was vaccinated against influenza and 2% against S. pneumoniae. Only 7% received Tamiflu treatment. 9% noted a travel history related to their infection. b) The second wave was synchronous with the 1st University Semester. However, no statistical difference between absence levels during 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 was identified and no students had reported ILI symptoms.Conclusively, whereas the 17-25 age group was indeed of the mostly affected from the pandemic, it seems that unexpectedly there was no impact to normal University function

Predominance of influenza A(H3N2) virus genetic subclade 3C.2a1 during an early 2016/17 influenza season in Europe - Contribution of surveillance data from World Health Organization (WHO) European Region to the WHO vaccine composition consultation for northern hemisphere 2017/18

Erratum to "Predominance of influenza A(H3N2) virus genetic subclade 3C.2a1 during an early 2016/17 influenza season in Europe - Contribution of surveillance data from World Health Organization (WHO) European region to the WHO vaccine composition consultation for northern hemisphere 2017/18". Vaccine. 2018 May 3;36(19):2740-2741. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.12.039. PMID: 29274700.During the European 2016/17 influenza season, A(H3N2) viruses have predominated and the majority clustered in genetic subclade 3C.2a1. Genetic analyses showed that circulating viruses have undergone considerable genetic diversification of the haemagglutinin gene from the current vaccine virus A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 (clade 3C.2a), but the antigenic data that is limited by the challenges with the antigenic characterisation of currently circulating A(H3N2) viruses, showed no clear evidence of antigenic change. The recommended A(H3N2) vaccine component for the northern hemisphere 2017/18 influenza season remained unchanged. However, early and mid-season vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimates were suggestive of reduced VE against A(H3N2) viruses.S

Predominance of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus genetic subclade 6B.1 and influenza B/Victoria lineage viruses at the start of the 2015/16 influenza season in Europe

Members of the World Health Organization European Region and European Influenza Surveillance Network of the reporting countries - Portugal: Raquel Guiomar, Pedro Pechirra, Paula Cristovão, Inês Costa, Patrícia Conde, Baltazar Nunes, Ana RodriguesInfluenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses predominated in the European influenza 2015/16 season. Most analysed viruses clustered in a new genetic subclade 6B.1, antigenically similar to the northern hemisphere vaccine component A/California/7/2009. The predominant influenza B lineage was Victoria compared with Yamagata in the previous season. It remains to be evaluated at the end of the season if these changes affected the effectiveness of the vaccine for the 2015/16 season.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Very little influenza in the WHO European Region during the 2020/21 season, weeks 40 2020 to 8 2021

Between weeks 40 2020 and 8 2021, the World Health Organization European Region experienced a 99.8% reduction in sentinel influenza virus positive detections (33/25,606 tested; 0.1%) relative to an average of 14,966/39,407 (38.0%; p < 0.001) over the same time in the previous six seasons. COVID-19 pandemic public health and physical distancing measures may have extinguished the 2020/21 European seasonal influenza epidemic with just a few sporadic detections of all viral subtypes. This might possibly continue during the remainder of the influenza season.ECDC and WHO internal fundsS

Dominant influenza A(H3N2) and B/Yamagata virus circulation in EU/EEA, 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons, respectively

We use surveillance data to describe influenza A and B virus circulation over two consecutive seasons with excess all-cause mortality in Europe, especially in people aged 60 years and older. Influenza A(H3N2) virus dominated in 2016/17 and B/Yamagata in 2017/18. The latter season was prolonged with positivity rates above 50% among sentinel detections for at least 12 weeks. With a current west-east geographical spread, high influenza activity might still be expected in eastern Europe.S