HPA National Influenza Summary 2008/2009
The HPA National Influenza Reports for 2008/09 season will be published fortnightly until activity begins to increase, when they will be published weekly. A short summary of activity will be made available in the weeks between the fortnightly reports. The next complete influenza report will be published on Wednesday 10 December 2008.
Reporting period: Week 48 (24/11/08-30/11/08)
Influenza activity remained stable at low levels across all the countries of the United Kingdom during week 48/08. Some clinical indicators of influenza have increased in England, Scotland and Wales but have slightly decreased in Northern Ireland in week 48/08, compared with week 47/08. Flu activity in countries with baseline activity thresholds are well below this level. Reports of influenza A from NHS and HPA laboratories have increased from 11 in week 47/08 to 37 in week 48/08, there have been no further influenza B reports and laboratory reports of RSV have also increased. Fifty-one samples referred to the Centre for Infections' Respiratory Virus Unit (RVU) tested positive for influenza A (48 (94.1%) A (H3) and 3 A (H1)), which is an increase from 21 in week 47/08.
(more)One sample was positive for influenza B and seven were positive for RSV. In week 48/08 three sentinel samples (7.7%) and seven routine samples (13.7%) from Scotland and four non-sentinel samples from Northern Ireland tested positive for influenza A. To date one sentinel and nine non-sentinel samples have been positive for influenza A in Wales.
Levels of influenza activity in Europe were low in week 47/08.
Neuraminidase inhibitor susceptibility testing on 30 influenza A (H3) isolates since week 36/08 showed that all are sensitive to oseltamivir and zanamivir, but resistant to amantadine. One influenza B isolate received in week 47/08 has been tested and is sensitive to oseltamivir and zanamivir. In the same time period, 18 influenza A (H1) isolates have been tested, of which 17 are resistant to oseltamivir but sensitive to zanamivir and amantadine. Of these 17, 14 are from South West England, one is from Wales, one from Central England and one from North England. Two oseltamivir-resistant influenza A (H1) specimens have been reported from Scotland.
Three outbreaks from nursing homes have been reported recently, one in south England in week 48/08 which has been confirmed as influenza A, and two, one in south west England and one in south east England, in week 49/08. The south west outbreak has been confirmed as influenza A. There has also been an influenza A positive outbreak in a renal unit in northern England.
Influenza vaccination uptake in England has continued to increase. The proportion vaccinated in the over 65 years old group increased from 68.3% in week 47/08 to 69.7% in week 48/08 and in the under 65 years at risk group it increased from 40% in week 47/08 to 42.2% in week 48/08.
Last reviewed: 3 December 2008
hat-tip Niman
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