For the coming Northern Hemisphere winter - Brisbane strains

are prominent but this isn't a bad reflection on the city!

February 2008 

At its vaccine formulation consultation last week (11-13 February 2008) the WHO recommended that vaccines for use in the 2008-9 influenza season (northern hemisphere winter) should contain the following:

• an A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like virus;
• an A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like virus;*
• a B/Florida/4/2006-like virus.**

* A/Brisbane/10/2007 is a current southern hemisphere vaccine virus.

** B/Florida/4/2006 and B/Brisbane/3/2007 (a B/Florida/4/2006-like virus) are current southern hemisphere vaccine viruses.

For further details see: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/influenza/recommendations2008_9north/en/index.html

Dr Anne Kelso, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza in Melbourne assures the ISG that the reason for prominence of viruses from Brisbane in the WHO recommendations is not because Brisbane is a hotbed of influenza but rather reflects the excellent participation by Brisbane-based colleagues in providing high quality clinical specimens for the Centre.  These samples allow isolation and growth of viruses under conditions that are acceptable for their further development as potential vaccine strains, an essential part of the regular vaccine updating process.

Content Updated ( Friday, 22 February 2008 )