Influenza Activity - United States, 2015-16 Season and Composition of the 2016-17 Influenza Vaccine

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016 Jun 10;65(22):567-75. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6522a3.

Abstract

During the 2015-16 influenza season (October 4, 2015-May 21, 2016) in the United States, influenza activity* was lower and peaked later compared with the previous three seasons (2012-13, 2013-14, and 2014-15). Activity remained low from October 2015 until late December 2015 and peaked in mid-March 2016. During the most recent 18 influenza seasons (including this season), only two other seasons have peaked in March (2011-12 and 2005-06). Overall influenza activity was moderate this season, with a lower percentage of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI),(†) lower hospitalization rates, and a lower percentage of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) compared with the preceding three seasons. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses predominated overall, but influenza A(H3N2) viruses were more commonly identified from October to early December, and influenza B viruses were more commonly identified from mid-April through mid-May. The majority of viruses characterized this season were antigenically similar to the reference viruses representing the recommended components of the 2015-16 Northern Hemisphere influenza vaccine (1). This report summarizes influenza activity in the United States during the 2015-16 influenza season (October 4, 2015-May 21, 2016)(§) and reports the vaccine virus components recommended for the 2016-17 Northern Hemisphere influenza vaccines.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Child
  • Child Mortality
  • Child, Preschool
  • Drug Resistance, Viral
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant Mortality
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / drug effects
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / genetics
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / isolation & purification*
  • Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / drug effects
  • Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / genetics
  • Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / isolation & purification*
  • Influenza B virus / drug effects
  • Influenza B virus / genetics
  • Influenza B virus / isolation & purification*
  • Influenza Vaccines / chemistry
  • Influenza, Human / epidemiology*
  • Influenza, Human / mortality
  • Influenza, Human / prevention & control
  • Influenza, Human / virology
  • Middle Aged
  • Outpatients / statistics & numerical data
  • Pneumonia / mortality
  • Population Surveillance*
  • Seasons
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Influenza Vaccines