What is it about?
We used national sentinel surveillance data in China for 2005–2016 to examine the lineage-specific epidemiology of influenza B. Influenza B viruses circulated every year with relatively lower activity than influenza A. B/Yamagata was more frequently detected in adults than in children.
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Why is it important?
The declining frequency of B/ Victoria detections with age, however, implied a gradually strengthened immunity in older persons, which could be attributed to accumulated immunity from exposure to virus strains with fewer genetic changes or possibly to the boosted heterologous immunity against B/Victoria viruses induced by exposure to B/Yamagata viruses.
Perspectives
Happy to be a co-author of this project with our current collaborators. This work leads to examine the degree of cross-protection conferred by infections of the opposite lineage, if any. Results from such studies would further elucidate the epidemiology of influenza B virus and optimize vaccination strategies .
Dr. Sheikh Taslim Ali
University of Hong Kong
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Variation in Influenza B Virus Epidemiology by Lineage, China, Emerging Infectious Diseases, August 2018, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
DOI: 10.3201/eid2408.180063.
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Contributors
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