2023-09-30 11:28:00
Influenza in the world and in Europe, WHO data arrives today. “From February to August 2023, influenza activity was reported in all areas, and the number of detections was comparable to the same reporting period in 2022. But the predominant virus varied between transmission areas and countries. Globally, detections of the influenza A virus have exceeded those of the influenza B virus. However, in some regions, influenza B has predominated, including Europe, North Africa and tropical South America”, the picture painted by the World Health Organization which yesterday – after a 4-day consultation – it announced the recommendations for the new composition of the vaccine to be used in the next ‘flu round’ of 2024 in the Southern Hemisphere.
The viruses to be included in the 2024 vaccines
The meetings during which the virus ‘cocktail’ for subsequent vaccines is decided are held twice a year, and allow the indications to be kept updated, allowing the drug production and authorization machine to adapt in good time. Here are the viruses that, according to the UN health agency, will have to be included in the trivalent egg-based vaccines in the southern hemisphere in the 2024 flu season: a virus similar to the A/Victoria/4897/2022 (H1N1) pdm09 virus; a virus similar to the A/Thailand/8/2022 (H3N2) virus; and a virus similar to B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage). While vaccines based on cell cultures or recombinants must contain: a virus similar to the A/Wisconsin/67/2022 (H1N1) pdm09 virus; a virus similar to the A/Massachusetts/18/2022 (H3N2) virus; and a virus similar to B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage).
For quadrivalent vaccines based on egg or cell cultures or recombinants, WHO recommends the inclusion of the following component of the B/Yamagata lineage: a virus similar to B/Phuket/3073/2013 (B/Yamagata lineage). “The recommendations issued – explains the WHO – are used by national regulatory agencies and pharmaceutical companies to develop, produce and license influenza vaccines for the following season. Periodic updating of the viruses contained in influenza vaccines is necessary for the vaccines are effective due to the constantly evolving nature of influenza viruses, including circulating ones that infect humans.”
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