Journal article
Heterogeneity in influenza seasonality and vaccine effectiveness in Australia, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa: early estimates of the 2019 influenza season
Sheena G Sullivan, Carmen S Arriola, Judy Bocacao, Pamela Burgos, Patricia Bustos, Kylie S Carville, Allen C Cheng, Monique BM Chilver, Cheryl Cohen, Yi-Mo Deng, Nathalie El Omeiri, Rodrigo A Fasce, Orienka Hellferscee, Q Sue Huang, Cecilia Gonzalez, Lauren Jelley, Vivian KY Leung, Liza Lopez, Johanna M McAnerney, Andrea McNeill Show all
Eurosurveillance | EUR CENTRE DIS PREVENTION & CONTROL | Published : 2019
Abstract
We compared 2019 influenza seasonality and vaccine effectiveness (VE) in four southern hemisphere countries: Australia, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa. Influenza seasons differed in timing, duration, intensity and predominant circulating viruses. VE estimates were also heterogeneous, with all-ages point estimates ranging from 7-70% (I2: 33%) for A(H1N1)pdm09, 4-57% (I2: 49%) for A(H3N2) and 29-66% (I2: 0%) for B. Caution should be applied when attempting to use southern hemisphere data to predict the northern hemisphere influenza season.
Grants
Funding Acknowledgements
Australia: We thank Daniel Blakely and Nigel Stocks at University of Adelaide; Violeta Spirotoska at the University of Melbourne; and staff at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, SA Pathology and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza. The Australian Sentinel Practices Research Network, the Influenza Complications Alert NEtwork and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza are supported by the Australian Government Department of Health.The Victorian Sentinel Practices Research Network is supported by the Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services.