Epidemiological and Virological Characterization of Influenza B Virus Infections

PLoS One. 2016 Aug 17;11(8):e0161195. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161195. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

While influenza A viruses comprise a heterogeneous group of clinically relevant influenza viruses, influenza B viruses form a more homogeneous cluster, divided mainly into two lineages: Victoria and Yamagata. This divergence has complicated seasonal influenza vaccine design, which traditionally contained two seasonal influenza A virus strains and one influenza B virus strain. We examined the distribution of the two influenza B virus lineages in Israel, between 2011-2014, in hospitalized and in non-hospitalized (community) influenza B virus-infected patients. We showed that influenza B virus infections can lead to hospitalization and demonstrated that during some winter seasons, both influenza B virus lineages circulated simultaneously in Israel. We further show that the influenza B virus Yamagata lineage was dominant, circulating in the county in the last few years of the study period, consistent with the anti-Yamagata influenza B virus antibodies detected in the serum samples of affected individuals residing in Israel in the year 2014. Interestingly, we found that elderly people were particularly vulnerable to Yamagata lineage influenza B virus infections.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross Protection / immunology
  • Female
  • Genome, Viral / genetics
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Influenza B virus / classification*
  • Influenza B virus / genetics
  • Influenza B virus / immunology*
  • Influenza, Human / epidemiology*
  • Influenza, Human / virology
  • Israel / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Phylogeny
  • Seasons
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral

Grants and funding

The authors have no support or funding to report.