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Mild to moderate influenza activity in Europe and the detection of novel A (H1N2) and B viruses during the winter of 2001-02.

Paget, W.J., Meerhoff, T.J., Goddard, N.L. Mild to moderate influenza activity in Europe and the detection of novel A (H1N2) and B viruses during the winter of 2001-02. Eurosurveillance Monthly: 2002, 7(11), 147-157
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International comparative study

Findings
- Influenza activity in Europe during the 2001-02 influenza season was mild to moderate.
- Compared to historical data, the intensity was low in six countries, medium in eleven and high in one country (Spain). - The dominant virus circulating in Europe was influenza A(H3N2).
- Two novel influenza virus strains were isolated during the 2001-02 season: influenza A9H1N2-viruses (mainly isolated in the United Kingdom and Ireland, but also in Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Romania), and influenza B viruses belonging to the B/Victoria/2/87 lineage (mainly isolated in Germany, but also sporadically in France, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway).
- With the exception of H1N2 virus detections in England, and Ireland and the influenza B viruses belonging to the B/Victora/2/87 lineage in Germany, these two viruses did not circulate widely in Europe and did not play an important role in influenza activity during the 2001-02 season.

An influenza B virus belonging to the B/Victora/2/87 lineage will be included in the 2002-03 influenza vaccine.
The new subtype influenza A(H1N2) is covered by the 2002-03 vaccine, as the haemagglutinin and neuraminidase components of the H1N2 viruses are antigenically similar to the vaccine components (H1N1 and H3N2).