Molecular characterization of influenza viruses circulating in Northern Italy during two seasons (2005/2006 and 2006/2007) of low influenza activity
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2008
Citazione:
Molecular characterization of influenza viruses circulating in Northern Italy during two seasons (2005/2006 and 2006/2007) of low influenza activity / E. Pariani, A. Amendola, A. Zappa, S. Bianchi, D. Colzani, G. Anselmi, A. Zanetti, E. Tanzi. - In: JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY. - ISSN 0146-6615. - 80:11(2008 Nov), pp. 1984-1991.
Abstract:
The influenza activity and circulation of influenza viruses in Lombardy (the most populous Italian region) were observed during two consecutive seasons (2005/2006 and 2006/2007) characterized by low influenza activity by the Italian Influenza Surveillance Network. The molecular characteristics of circulating viruses were analyzed to evaluate the introduction of new variants and emergence of vaccine-escape viruses. In both seasons, the epidemic in Lombardy was sustained almost exclusively by influenza A viruses,accounting for 80.5% and 93.6% of total detections,respectively, and the co-circulation of A/H3 viruses belonging to distinct phylogenetic groups was observed. The A/H1N1 viruses isolated during the 2005/2006 season were closely related to A/New Caledonia/20/99, while the emagglutinin (HA) sequences of the A/H1N1 viruses from the 2006/2007 season exhibited a greater diversity. These viruses were A/Solomon Islands/3/2006-like and showed several variants. All B isolates were similar to B/Malaysia/2506/2004 belonging to the B/Victoria/2/87-lineage. Influenza B virus was the dominant virus in Europe in the 2005/2006 season and accounted for the 20% of total detections in Lombardy. Overall, the viruses studied presented heterogeneity in their HA sequences suggesting the circulation of a miscellaneous set of variants during the two seasons notwithstanding the medium-low activity of influenza. The importance of virological surveillance of influenza viruses is recognized widely and the molecular characterization of the viruses, especially in vaccinated subjects, is of particular importance to evaluate the introduction and circulation of new variants.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Keywords:
influenza virus; molecular characterization; virological surveillance; phylogenetic analysis
Elenco autori:
E. Pariani, A. Amendola, A. Zappa, S. Bianchi, D. Colzani, G. Anselmi, A. Zanetti, E. Tanzi
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