Antigenic changes in influenza A(H3N2) driven by genetic evolution: Insights from virological surveillance, EU/EEA, week 40/2023 to week 9/2024

Eeva K. Broberg; Maja Vukovikj; Olov Svartström; the ERLI-Net network; Iris Hasibra; Maximilian Riess

doi:10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.50.2400395

Antigenic changes in influenza A(H3N2) driven by genetic evolution: Insights from virological surveillance, EU/EEA, week 40/2023 to week 9/2024

Eeva K. Broberg^*
, Maja Vukovikj
, Olov Svartström
, the ERLI-Net network
, Iris Hasibra
, Maximilian Riess

^*Corresponding author for this work

Virology

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
World Health Organization
National Influenza Center in Belgium
National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases Bulgaria
Croatian National Institute of Public Health
Czech National Institute of Public Health
Statens Serum Institut
Health Board
National Institute for Health and Welfare
Institut Pasteur Paris
Hospices Civils de Lyon
Robert Koch-Institut
National Influenza Centre for Northern Greece
Institut Pasteur Helleniqe
Landspitali University Hospital
Istituto Superiore di Sanita
National Public Health Surveillance Laboratory (Vilnius)
Laboratoire National de Santé
Ministry for Health
Norwegian Institute of Public Health
National Medicines Institute, Warsaw
National Reference Laboratory for Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses
Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge
National Institute of Public Health - Romania
Slovak Academy of Sciences
Environment and Food

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

Background: During the 2023/24 influenza season in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/ EEA), influenza viruses A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) and B/ Victoria viruses were co-circulating. Aim: We aimed to describe the circulating influenza viruses by (sub)type, genetic clade, antigenic group and antiviral susceptibility in that season in the EU/EEA. Methods: We collected surveillance data from EU/EEA countries through weekly submissions to The European Surveillance System (TESSy). Data were submitted in strain-based format for weeks 40/2023 to 9/2024. Results: Twenty-nine EU/EEA countries reported 154,718 influenza virus detections (primary care sentinel and non-sentinel combined), of which 97% (150,692) were type A and 3% (4,026) were type B. Of the subtyped influenza A viruses, 30,463 (75%) were influenza A(H1)pdm09 and 10,174 (25%) were influenza A(H3). For 809 (20%) of the type B viruses, the lineage was determined; all were B/Victoria/2/87 lineage, and none were B/ Yamagata/16/88 lineage. Genetic diversification of seasonal influenza viruses continued, and clade 5a.2a of A(H1N1)pdm09, 2a.3a.1 of A(H3N2) and V1A.3a.2 of B/Victoria-lineage viruses dominated. Of the A(H3N2) 2a.3a.1 viruses, 23% were antigenically distinct from the 2023/24 vaccine virus. Conclusion: The 2023/24 influenza season was characterised by co-circulation of different influenza (sub)types, antigenically similar to the components recommended for the 2023/24 northern hemisphere vaccine, A/Victoria/4897/2022 (egg-based) and A/Wisconsin/67/2022 (cell culture- or recombinant-based). However, genetic diversification of the viruses continued. The World Health Organization’s vaccine recommendations for the northern hemisphere 2024/25 season were updated to include a new A(H3N2) component, while maintaining the current A(H1N1)pdm09 and B/Victoria components.

Original language	English
Article number	2400395
Journal	Eurosurveillance
Volume	29
Issue number	50
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.50.2400395
Publication status	Published - 12 Dec 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). All rights reserved.

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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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eurosurv-29-50-2Final published version, 547 KBLicence: CC BY

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@article{848392439e214a418a522f4cda502493,

title = "Antigenic changes in influenza A(H3N2) driven by genetic evolution: Insights from virological surveillance, EU/EEA, week 40/2023 to week 9/2024",

abstract = "Background: During the 2023/24 influenza season in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/ EEA), influenza viruses A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) and B/ Victoria viruses were co-circulating. Aim: We aimed to describe the circulating influenza viruses by (sub)type, genetic clade, antigenic group and antiviral susceptibility in that season in the EU/EEA. Methods: We collected surveillance data from EU/EEA countries through weekly submissions to The European Surveillance System (TESSy). Data were submitted in strain-based format for weeks 40/2023 to 9/2024. Results: Twenty-nine EU/EEA countries reported 154,718 influenza virus detections (primary care sentinel and non-sentinel combined), of which 97\% (150,692) were type A and 3\% (4,026) were type B. Of the subtyped influenza A viruses, 30,463 (75\%) were influenza A(H1)pdm09 and 10,174 (25\%) were influenza A(H3). For 809 (20\%) of the type B viruses, the lineage was determined; all were B/Victoria/2/87 lineage, and none were B/ Yamagata/16/88 lineage. Genetic diversification of seasonal influenza viruses continued, and clade 5a.2a of A(H1N1)pdm09, 2a.3a.1 of A(H3N2) and V1A.3a.2 of B/Victoria-lineage viruses dominated. Of the A(H3N2) 2a.3a.1 viruses, 23\% were antigenically distinct from the 2023/24 vaccine virus. Conclusion: The 2023/24 influenza season was characterised by co-circulation of different influenza (sub)types, antigenically similar to the components recommended for the 2023/24 northern hemisphere vaccine, A/Victoria/4897/2022 (egg-based) and A/Wisconsin/67/2022 (cell culture- or recombinant-based). However, genetic diversification of the viruses continued. The World Health Organization{\textquoteright}s vaccine recommendations for the northern hemisphere 2024/25 season were updated to include a new A(H3N2) component, while maintaining the current A(H1N1)pdm09 and B/Victoria components.",

author = "Broberg, \{Eeva K.\} and Maja Vukovikj and Olov Svartstr{\"o}m and \{the ERLI-Net network\} and Iris Hasibra and Maximilian Riess and Angeliki Melidou and Sarah Denayer and Dufrasne, \{Fran{\c c}ois E.\} and Neli Korsun and Ivelina Trifonova and Goranka Petrovi{\'c} and Irena Tabain and Helena Ji{\v r}incov{\'a} and Timotej {\v S}{\'u}ri and Botnen, \{Amanda Bolt\} and Ramona Trebbien and Tamm, \{Johanna Kristina\} and Regina Russanova and Niina Ikonen and Erika Lindh and Vincent Enouf and Laurence Josset and Marianne Wedde and Ralf D{\"u}rrwald and Georgia Gioula and Mary Emmanouil and Brynja {\'A}rmannsd{\'o}ttir and Baldvinsd{\'o}ttir, \{Gu{\dh}r{\'u}n Erna\} and Simona Puzelli and Marzia Facchini and Svajune Muralyte and Monika Maconkaite-Tekoriene and Anke Wienecke-Baldacchino and Trung Nguyen and Graziella Zahra and Jackie Melillo and Adam Meijer and Ron Fouchier and Andreas Rohringer and Karoline Bragstad and Brydak, \{Lidia B.\} and Ewelina Hallmann and Raquel Guiomar and Rodrigues, \{Ana Paula\} and Mihaela Lazar and Rodica Popescu and Edita Staro{\v n}ov{\'a} and Elena Tich{\'a} and Vesna {\v S}ubelj and Katarina Prosenc",

year = "2024",

month = dec,

day = "12",

doi = "10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.50.2400395",

language = "English",

volume = "29",

journal = "Eurosurveillance",

issn = "1025-496X",

publisher = "European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)",

number = "50",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Antigenic changes in influenza A(H3N2) driven by genetic evolution

T2 - Insights from virological surveillance, EU/EEA, week 40/2023 to week 9/2024

AU - Broberg, Eeva K.

AU - Vukovikj, Maja

AU - Svartström, Olov

AU - the ERLI-Net network

AU - Hasibra, Iris

AU - Riess, Maximilian

AU - Melidou, Angeliki

AU - Denayer, Sarah

AU - Dufrasne, François E.

AU - Korsun, Neli

AU - Trifonova, Ivelina

AU - Petrović, Goranka

AU - Tabain, Irena

AU - Jiřincová, Helena

AU - Šúri, Timotej

AU - Botnen, Amanda Bolt

AU - Trebbien, Ramona

AU - Tamm, Johanna Kristina

AU - Russanova, Regina

AU - Ikonen, Niina

AU - Lindh, Erika

AU - Enouf, Vincent

AU - Josset, Laurence

AU - Wedde, Marianne

AU - Dürrwald, Ralf

AU - Gioula, Georgia

AU - Emmanouil, Mary

AU - Ármannsdóttir, Brynja

AU - Baldvinsdóttir, Guðrún Erna

AU - Puzelli, Simona

AU - Facchini, Marzia

AU - Muralyte, Svajune

AU - Maconkaite-Tekoriene, Monika

AU - Wienecke-Baldacchino, Anke

AU - Nguyen, Trung

AU - Zahra, Graziella

AU - Melillo, Jackie

AU - Meijer, Adam

AU - Fouchier, Ron

AU - Rohringer, Andreas

AU - Bragstad, Karoline

AU - Brydak, Lidia B.

AU - Hallmann, Ewelina

AU - Guiomar, Raquel

AU - Rodrigues, Ana Paula

AU - Lazar, Mihaela

AU - Popescu, Rodica

AU - Staroňová, Edita

AU - Tichá, Elena

AU - Šubelj, Vesna

AU - Prosenc, Katarina

PY - 2024/12/12

Y1 - 2024/12/12

N2 - Background: During the 2023/24 influenza season in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/ EEA), influenza viruses A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) and B/ Victoria viruses were co-circulating. Aim: We aimed to describe the circulating influenza viruses by (sub)type, genetic clade, antigenic group and antiviral susceptibility in that season in the EU/EEA. Methods: We collected surveillance data from EU/EEA countries through weekly submissions to The European Surveillance System (TESSy). Data were submitted in strain-based format for weeks 40/2023 to 9/2024. Results: Twenty-nine EU/EEA countries reported 154,718 influenza virus detections (primary care sentinel and non-sentinel combined), of which 97% (150,692) were type A and 3% (4,026) were type B. Of the subtyped influenza A viruses, 30,463 (75%) were influenza A(H1)pdm09 and 10,174 (25%) were influenza A(H3). For 809 (20%) of the type B viruses, the lineage was determined; all were B/Victoria/2/87 lineage, and none were B/ Yamagata/16/88 lineage. Genetic diversification of seasonal influenza viruses continued, and clade 5a.2a of A(H1N1)pdm09, 2a.3a.1 of A(H3N2) and V1A.3a.2 of B/Victoria-lineage viruses dominated. Of the A(H3N2) 2a.3a.1 viruses, 23% were antigenically distinct from the 2023/24 vaccine virus. Conclusion: The 2023/24 influenza season was characterised by co-circulation of different influenza (sub)types, antigenically similar to the components recommended for the 2023/24 northern hemisphere vaccine, A/Victoria/4897/2022 (egg-based) and A/Wisconsin/67/2022 (cell culture- or recombinant-based). However, genetic diversification of the viruses continued. The World Health Organization’s vaccine recommendations for the northern hemisphere 2024/25 season were updated to include a new A(H3N2) component, while maintaining the current A(H1N1)pdm09 and B/Victoria components.

AB - Background: During the 2023/24 influenza season in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/ EEA), influenza viruses A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) and B/ Victoria viruses were co-circulating. Aim: We aimed to describe the circulating influenza viruses by (sub)type, genetic clade, antigenic group and antiviral susceptibility in that season in the EU/EEA. Methods: We collected surveillance data from EU/EEA countries through weekly submissions to The European Surveillance System (TESSy). Data were submitted in strain-based format for weeks 40/2023 to 9/2024. Results: Twenty-nine EU/EEA countries reported 154,718 influenza virus detections (primary care sentinel and non-sentinel combined), of which 97% (150,692) were type A and 3% (4,026) were type B. Of the subtyped influenza A viruses, 30,463 (75%) were influenza A(H1)pdm09 and 10,174 (25%) were influenza A(H3). For 809 (20%) of the type B viruses, the lineage was determined; all were B/Victoria/2/87 lineage, and none were B/ Yamagata/16/88 lineage. Genetic diversification of seasonal influenza viruses continued, and clade 5a.2a of A(H1N1)pdm09, 2a.3a.1 of A(H3N2) and V1A.3a.2 of B/Victoria-lineage viruses dominated. Of the A(H3N2) 2a.3a.1 viruses, 23% were antigenically distinct from the 2023/24 vaccine virus. Conclusion: The 2023/24 influenza season was characterised by co-circulation of different influenza (sub)types, antigenically similar to the components recommended for the 2023/24 northern hemisphere vaccine, A/Victoria/4897/2022 (egg-based) and A/Wisconsin/67/2022 (cell culture- or recombinant-based). However, genetic diversification of the viruses continued. The World Health Organization’s vaccine recommendations for the northern hemisphere 2024/25 season were updated to include a new A(H3N2) component, while maintaining the current A(H1N1)pdm09 and B/Victoria components.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85212626560

U2 - 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.50.2400395

DO - 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.50.2400395

M3 - Article

C2 - 39668766

AN - SCOPUS:85212626560

SN - 1025-496X

VL - 29

JO - Eurosurveillance

JF - Eurosurveillance

IS - 50

M1 - 2400395

ER -

Antigenic changes in influenza A(H3N2) driven by genetic evolution: Insights from virological surveillance, EU/EEA, week 40/2023 to week 9/2024

Abstract

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