Influenza Virus Characterisation, Summary Europe, May 2015

The 19 A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses characterised antigenically were similar to the vaccine virus A/California/07/2009; all 16 characterised genetically had HA genes belonging to genetic subgroup 6B, as observed worldwide.

All 21 A(H3N2) viruses characterised by haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay were poorly recognised by antisera raised against the A/Texas/50/2012 vaccine virus but relatively well recognised by antisera raised against cell-propagated genetic subgroup 3C.3a viruses. The 298 (31 since the April 2015 report) viruses, with collection dates after 31 August 2014, characterised genetically this season fell in genetic group/subgroups 3C.3 (33), 3C.3b (61), 3C.3a (34) and 3C.2a (170). Viruses in genetic group 3C.3 and subgroup 3C.3b were antigenically similar to A/Texas/50/2012, while those in subgroups 3C.2a and 3C.3a were antigenically distinct, and the two subgroups were antigenically distinguishable.

No B/Victoria-lineage viruses were received since the April 2015 report.

The 22 characterised B/Yamagata-lineage test viruses fell in genetic clade 3 and showed good reactivity with antisera raised against B/Phuket/3073/2013 (the clade 3 virus recommended for the southern hemisphere 2015 and northern hemisphere 2015–16 vaccines). Antisera raised against B/Massachusetts/02/2012 (the clade 2 virus recommended for the 2014–15 northern hemisphere season vaccine) did not recognise test viruses as well as antisera raised against B/Phuket/3073/2013.