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Background Widespread respiratory infections with high morbidity rates caused by respiratory viruses represent a significant global public health problem. Our objective was to describe cases and deaths from severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) in Brazil over the past 8 y as well as changes in the distribution and risk of illness and death from SARI before and in the first year of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic (FYP). Methods We performed a descriptive epidemiological study of hospitalized SARI cases and deaths between 2013 and 2020 in Brazil, separated into pre-pandemic (2013 to 2019) and FYP (2020). We estimate the increase in SARI cases and deaths in the FYP as well as the mortality and infection risks attributable to the FYP (MRAP and IRAP, respectively). Results In 2020, an excess of 425 054 cases and 109 682 deaths was observed, with a significant increase in the risk of falling ill and dying from SARI, with an IRAP of 200.06 and an MRAP of 51.68 cases per 100 000 inhabitants. The increase in SARI cases and deaths was particularly prominent among patients with COVID-19, the elderly, males, those self-identifying as mixed race and patients with heart disease and diabetes. We conclude that an important increase in morbidity and mortality due to SARI was observed in the FYP. More vulnerable groups and those living in the Southeast, North and Center-West regions of the country suffered the most.

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of an antibody point-of-care lateral flow immunoassay (LFI - Wondfo Biotech Co., Guangzhou, China) in a pediatric population. Methods Children and adolescents (2 months to 18 years) with signs and symptoms suggestive of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection were prospectively investigated with nasopharyngeal RT-PCR and LFI at the emergency room. RT-PCR was performed at baseline, and LFI at the same time or scheduled for those with less than 7 days of the clinical picture. Overall accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were assessed, as well as according to the onset of symptoms (7-13 or ≥14 days) at the time of LFI test. Results In 175 children included, RT-PCR and LFI were positive in 51 (29.14%) and 36 (20.57%), respectively. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value was of 70.6% (95%CI 56.2-82.5), 96.8% (95%CI 91.9-99.1), 90.0% (95%CI 77.2-96.0), and 88.9% (95%CI 83.9-92.5), respectively. At 7-13 and ≥14 days after the onset of symptoms, sensitivity was 60.0% (95%CI 26.2-87.8) and 73.2% (95%CI 57.1-85.8) and specificity was 97.9% (95%CI 88.7-99.9) and 96.1% (95%CI 89.0-99.2), respectively. Conclusion Despite its high specificity, in the present study, the sensitivity of LFI in children was lower (around 70%) than most reports in adults. In acute care settings, although a positive result is informative, a negative LFI test cannot rule out COVID-19 in children.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Background: The viral dynamics and the role of children in the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are not completely understood. Our aim was to evaluate reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) cycle threshold (Ct) values among children with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 compared with that of adult subjects. Methods: Patients (from 2 months to ≤18 years of age and adults) with signs and symptoms of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection for less than 7 days were prospectively enrolled in the study from May to November 2020. All participants performed RT-PCR assay for SARS-CoV-2 detection; Ct values of ORF1ab, N and S gene targets and the average of all the 3 probes were used as surrogates of viral load. Results: There were 21 infants (2 months to

Although several studies have reported attenuated influenza illness following influenza vaccination, results have been inconsistent and have focused predominantly on adults in the USA. This study aimed to evaluate the severity of influenza illness by vaccination status in a broad range of influenza vaccine target groups across multiple South American countries.We analysed data from four South American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay) participating in REVELAC-i, a multicentre, test-negative design, vaccine effectiveness network including 41 sentinel hospitals. Individuals hospitalised at one of these centres with severe acute respiratory infection were tested for influenza by real-time RT-PCR, and were included in the analysis if they had complete information about their vaccination status and outcomes of their hospital stay. We used multivariable logistic regression weighted by inverse probability of vaccination and adjusted for antiviral use, duration of illness before admission, and calendar week, to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and in-hospital death (and combinations of these outcomes) among influenza-positive patients by vaccination status for three target groups: young children (aged 6-24 months), adults (aged 18-64 years) with pre-existing health conditions, and older adults (aged ≥65 years). Survival curves were used to compare length of hospital stay by vaccination status in each target group.2747 patients hospitalised with PCR-confirmed influenza virus infection between Jan 1, 2013, and Dec 8, 2019, were included in the study: 649 children (70 [10·8%] fully vaccinated, 193 [29·7%] partially vaccinated) of whom 87 (13·4%) were admitted to ICU and 12 (1·8%) died in hospital; 520 adults with pre-existing medical conditions (118 [22·7%] vaccinated), of whom 139 (26·7%) were admitted to ICU and 55 (10·6%) died in hospital; and 1578 older adults (609 [38·6%] vaccinated), of whom 271 (17·2%) were admitted to ICU and 220 (13·9%) died in hospital. We observed earlier discharge among partially vaccinated children (adjusted hazard ratio 1·14 [95% CI 1·01-1·29]), fully vaccinated children (1·24 [1·04-1·47]), and vaccinated adults with pre-existing medical conditions (1·78 [1·18-2·69]) compared with their unvaccinated counterparts, but not among vaccinated older adults (0·82 [0·65-1·04]). Compared with unvaccinated individuals, lower odds of ICU admission were found for partially vaccinated children (aOR 0·64 [95% CI 0·44-0·92]) and fully vaccinated children (0·52 [0·28-0·98]), but not for adults with pre-existing conditions (1·25 [0·93-1·67]) or older adults (0·88 [0·72-1·08]). Lower odds of in-hospital death (0·62 [0·50-0·78]) were found in vaccinated versus unvaccinated older adults, with or without ICU admission, but did not differ significantly in partially vaccinated (1·35 [0·57-3·20]) or fully vaccinated young children (0·88 [0·16-4·82]) or adults with pre-existing medical conditions (1·09 [0·73-1·63]) compared with the respective unvaccinated patient groups.Influenza vaccination was associated with illness attenuation among those hospitalised with influenza, although results differed by vaccine target group. These findings might suggest that attenuation of disease severity might be specific to certain target groups, seasons, or settings.US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.For the Spanish and Portuguese translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

We aimed to describe the SARS-CoV-2 lineages circulating early pandemic among samples with S gene dropout and characterize the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of viral spike protein. Adults and children older than 2 months with signs and symptoms of COVID-19 were prospectively enrolled from May to October in Porto Alegre, Brazil. All participants performed RT-PCR assay, and samples with S gene dropout and cycle threshold < 30 were submitted to high-throughput sequencing (HTS). 484 out of 1,557 participants tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The S gene dropout was detected in 7.4% (36/484) and a peak was observed in August. The B.1.1.28, B.1.91 and B.1.1.33 lineages were circulating in early pandemic. The RBD novel mutation (Y380Q) was found in one sample occurring simultaneously with C379W and V395A, and the B.1.91 lineage in the spike protein. The Y380Q and C379W may interfere with the binding of neutralizing antibodies (CR3022, EY6A, H014, S304).

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections are one of the leading causes of lower respiratory tract infections and have a major burden on society. For prevention and control to be deployed effectively, an improved understanding of the seasonality of RSV is necessary. Objectives: The main objective of this study was to contribute to a better understanding of RSV seasonality by examining the GERi multi-country surveillance dataset. Methods: RSV seasons were included in the analysis if they contained ≥100 cases. Seasonality was determined using the "average annual percentage" method. Analyses were performed at a subnational level for the United States and Brazil. Results: We included 601 425 RSV cases from 12 countries. Most temperate countries experienced RSV epidemics in the winter, with a median duration of 10-21 weeks. Not all epidemics fit this pattern in a consistent manner, with some occurring later or in an irregular manner. More variation in timing was observed in (sub)tropical countries, and we found substantial differences in seasonality at a subnational level. No association was found between the timing of the epidemic and the dominant RSV subtype. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that geographical location or climatic characteristics cannot be used as a definitive predictor for the timing of RSV epidemics and highlight the need for (sub)national data collection and analysis. This study was funded by Sanofi/AstraZeneca. Sí

BackgroundThe emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants is a current public health concern possibly impacting COVID-19 disease diagnosis, transmission patterns and vaccine effectiveness.ObjectivesTo describe the SARS-CoV-2 lineages circulating early pandemic among samples with S gene dropout and characterize a novel mutation in receptor-binding domain (RBD) of viral spike protein.Study designAdults and children older than 2 months with signs and symptoms of COVID-19 were prospectively enrolled from May to October 2020 in Porto Alegre, Brazil. All participants performed RT-PCR assays for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2, samples with S gene dropout and Ct < 30 (cycle threshold) were submitted to whole genome sequencing (WGS), and homology modeling and physicochemical properties analysis were performed.Results484/1,557 participants tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The S gene dropout was detected in 7.4% (36/484) as early as May, and a peak was observed in early August. WGS was performed in 8 samples. The B.1.1.28, B.1.91 and B.1.1.33 lineages were circulating in early pandemic. The RBD novel mutation (Y380Q) was found in one sample occurring simultaneously with C379W and V395A, and the B.1.91 lineage in the spike protein.ConclusionMutations in the SARS-CoV-2 spike region were detected early in the COVID-19 pandemic in Southern Brazil, regarding the B.1.1.28, B.1.91 and B.1.1.33 lineages identified. The novel mutation (Y380Q) with C379W, modifies important RBD properties, which may interfere with the binding of neutralizing antibodies (CR3022, EY6A, H014, S304).HighlightsCharacterization of novel mutation (Y380Q) in RBD of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteinThe Y380Q and C379W modify important properties in the SARS-CoV-2 RBD regionThe RBD mutations may interfere with the binding of neutralizing antibodiesThe B.1.1.28, B.1.91 and B.1.1.33 lineages were circulating in early pandemic

Background/ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate the association between obesity and hospitalization in mild COVID-19 adult outpatients in Brazil.Subjects/MethodsAdults with signs and symptoms suggestive of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection who sought two hospitals (one public and one private) emergency department (ED) were prospectively enrolled. Patients with confirmed COVID-19 at inclusion were followed by phone calls at day (D) D7, D14 and D28. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed to explore the association between obesity and other potential predictors for hospitalization.ResultsA total of 1,050 participants were screened, 310 were diagnosed with COVID-19 by RT-PCR. Median age was 37.4 (IQR 29.8-45.0) years, and 186 (60.0%) were female. Duration of symptoms was 3.0 (IQR 2.0-5.0) days, and 10.0 (IQR 8.0-12.0) was the median number of symptoms at inclusion. A total of 98 (31.6%) were obese, and 243 (78.4%) had no previous medical conditions. Twenty three participants (23/310, 7.4%) required hospitalization during the period. After adjusting, obesity (BMI≥30.0 kg/m2) (OR=2.69, 95%CI 1.63-4.83, PConclusionsObesity, followed by aging, was the main factor associated with hospital admission for COVID-19 in a young population in a low-middle income country. Our findings highlighted the need for actions to promote additional protection for obese population, such as vaccination, and to encourage lifestyle changes.

To characterize the study population, estimating the in-hospital lethality rate by state and analysing associated factors with COVID-19-related deaths.A retrospective cohort study was carried out of hospitalised children and adolescents diagnosed with COVID-19, confirmed by RT-PCR, whose outcome was death by COVID-19 or recovery, from 2020 March 1 to August 1. The data source was the Influenza Epidemiological Surveillance Information System (SIVEP-Gripe in Brazilian acronym), where patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) are notified. Children were defined as those between the ages of 0 and 11, and adolescents those between 12 and 18. A bi and multivariate analysis were performed using Poisson Regression with robust variance, with adjusted Relative Risk as the final association measure.A total of 4,930 cases were analysed; 2,553 (51.8%) were males, 2,335 (47.4%) were brown-skinned. The Federative Unit of Roraima presented the highest in-hospital case-fatality rate, with 68.8% (11/16). Multivariate analysis showed that belonging to the age group adolescent (RR = 1.59; 95%CI 1.12 - 2.25; p = 0.009), SARS-critical patient (RR = 4.56; 95%CI 2, 77 - 7.51; p0.001) and presenting immunological disorders (RR = 2.24; 95%CI 1.58 - 3.17; p0.001) as comorbidities were statistically associated factors with death by COVID-19.It was observed that adolescents, SARS-critical patients, and presence of immunological disorders were important factors associated with death. Active surveillance and differentiated care are recommended for patients with chronic diseases and special immunological conditions.Caracterizar a população do estudo, estimar a taxa de letalidade intra-hospitalar por estado e analisar fatores associados aos óbitos por COVID-19.Foi realizado estudo de coorte retrospectiva de crianças e adolescentes hospitalizados com diagnóstico de COVID-19 confirmado por transcrição reversa seguida de reação em cadeia da polimerase (RT-PCR), tendo como desfecho óbito por COVID-19 ou recuperação, entre 1º de março e 1º de agosto de 2020. A fonte de dados foi o Sistema de Informação de Vigilância Epidemiológica da Gripe (SIVEP-Gripe), ao qual são notificados pacientes internados com Síndrome Respiratória Aguda Grave (SRAG). Consideraram-se crianças os pacientes com idade entre 0 e 11 anos completos e adolescentes aqueles com idade entre 12 e 18 anos completos. Realizou-se análise bi e multivariável por meio de Regressão de Poisson com variância robusta, utilizando-se como medida de associação final o Risco Relativo ajustado (RRa).Dos 4.930 casos analisados, 2.553 (51,8%) eram do sexo masculino. A raça/cor autodeclarada parda foi a mais frequente, com 2.335 (47,4%). A unidade federativa de Roraima apresentou a maior taxa de letalidade intra-hospitalar, com 68,8% (n = 11/16). A análise multivariada mostrou que pertencer ao grupo etário adolescente (RR = 1,59; IC95% 1,12 - 2,25; p = 0,009), ter sido classificado como SRAG-crítico (RR = 4,56; IC95% 2,77 - 7,51; p0,001) e apresentar imunopatia (RR = 2,24; IC95% 1,58 - 3,17; p0,001) como comorbidade configuraram-se como fatores associados ao óbito pela COVID-19.Observou-se que ser adolescente, ter classificação de SRAG-crítico e imunopatia como comorbidade foram importantes fatores associados ao óbito. Recomenda-se vigilância ativa e cuidados diferenciados a portadores de doenças crônicas e condições imunológicas especiais.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza are prevalent seasonal community viruses. Although not completely understood, SARS-CoV-2 may have the same means of transmission. Preventive social measures aimed at preventing SARS-CoV-2 spread could impact transmission of other respiratory viruses as well. The aim of this study is to report the detection of RSV and influenza during the period of social distancing due to COVID-19 pandemic in a heavily affected community. Methods: Prospective study with pediatric and adult populations seeking care for COVID-19-like symptoms during the fall and winter of 2020 at two hospitals in Southern Brazil. RT-PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2, influenza A (Flu A), influenza B (Flu B) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was performed for all participants. Results: 1435 suspected COVID-19 participants (1137 adults, and 298 children). were included between May and August. Median age was 37.7 years (IQR = 29.6-47.7), and 4.92 years (IQR = 1.96-9.53), for the adult and child cohorts, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 was positive in 469 (32.7%) while influenza and RSV were not detected at all. Conclusions: Measures to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission likely exerted a huge impact in the spread of alternate respiratory pathogens. These findings contribute to the knowledge about the dynamics of virus spread. Further, it may be considered for guiding therapeutic choices for these other viruses.

The first case of COVID-19 was detected in Brazil on 25 February 2020. We report and contextualize epidemiological, demographic and clinical findings for COVID-19 cases during the first 3 months of the epidemic. By 31 May 2020, 514,200 COVID-19 cases, including 29,314 deaths, had been reported in 75.3% (4,196 of 5,570) of municipalities across all five administrative regions of Brazil. The R0 value for Brazil was estimated at 3.1 (95% Bayesian credible interval = 2.4–5.5), with a higher median but overlapping credible intervals compared with some other seriously affected countries. A positive association between higher per-capita income and COVID-19 diagnosis was identified. Furthermore, the severe acute respiratory infection cases with unknown aetiology were associated with lower per-capita income. Co-circulation of six respiratory viruses was detected but at very low levels. These findings provide a comprehensive description of the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil and may help to guide subsequent measures to control virus transmission.

To describe COVID-19 hospitalized health worker cases in Brazil.This was a descriptive case series study; it included cases that became ill between February 21st and April 15th, 2020 registered on the Influenza Surveillance Information System (SIVEP-Gripe, acronym in Portuguese).Of the 184 cases, 110 (59.8%) were female and median age was 44 years (min-max: 23-85); 89 (48.4%) were nursing professionals and 50 (27.2%) were doctors. Ninety-two (50.0%) presented comorbidity, with heart disease predominating (n=37; 40.2%). Of the 112 professionals with a record of case progression, 85 (75.9%) were cured and 27 (24.1%) died, 18 of whom were male.The profile of COVID-19 hospitalized health workers is similar to that of the general population with regard to age and comorbidities, but different in relation to sex. The most affected areas were nursing and medicine.Descrever os casos hospitalizados pela COVID-19 em profissionais de saúde no Brasil.Estudo descritivo de tipo série de casos; foram incluídos aqueles com adoecimento entre 21 de fevereiro e 15 de abril de 2020, registrados no Sistema de Informação de Vigilância da Gripe (SIVEP-Gripe).Dos 184 casos, 110 (59,8%) eram do sexo feminino, com mediana de idade de 44 anos (mínima-máxima: 23-85); 89 (48,4%) eram profissionais da enfermagem e 50 (27,2%) eram médicos. Ainda, 92 (50,0%) apresentavam comorbidade, predominando cardiopatias (n=37; 40,2%). Dos 112 profissionais com registro de evolução, 85 (75,9%) alcançaram cura e 27 (24,1%) foram a óbito, 18 destes do sexo masculino.O perfil dos profissionais de saúde hospitalizados por COVID-19 é semelhante ao da população quanto à idade e comorbidades; porém, diferente quanto ao sexo. As áreas profissionais mais acometidas foram a enfermagem e a medicina.Describir los casos hospitalizados por COVID-19 en profesionales de salud, en Brasil. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo del tipo serie de casos; se incluyeron aquellos que enfermaron entre el 21 de febrero y el 15 de abril de 2020, registrados en el Sistema de Información de Vigilancia de la Gripe (SIVEP-Gripe).De los 184 (1,76%) casos 110 (59,8%) eran del sexo femenino, con promedio de edad de 44 años (mínima-máxima: 23-85), 89 (48,4%) eran profesionales de enfermería y 50 (27,2%) médicos. Además, 92 (50,0%) presentaron comorbilidad, predominando las cardiopatías (n=37; 40,2%). De los 112 profesionales con un historial de evolución, 85 (75,9%) fueron curados y 27 (24,1%) murieron, 18 de los cuales era de sexo masculino.El perfil de los hospitalizados por COVID-19 es similar al de la población en edad y comorbilidades, aunque diferente con relación a sexo. Las áreas más afectadas fueron la enfermería y la medicina.

BACKGROUND: In the absence of vaccines and effective pharmacological interventions to reduce with the COVID-19 transmission, social distancing measures have been implemented to mitigate the impact on healthcare systems and secure time to prepare the public health response. METHODS: We assessed the relationship between mobility data collected by mobile phone and time-dependent reproduction number R(t) using severe acute respiratory illness cases reported by 102 Brazilian cities with COVID-19 confirmed cases until April 15, grouped by demographic density (low, intermediate and high). FINDINGS: The mean social distancing index from February 1 to April 15 was 43.6% (27.2% to 63.7%), and no significant difference observed comparing the groups of demographic density (p-value = 0.809). The social distancing index measure obtained from mobility data was able to predict future values of R(t) in all groups of demographic density. Furthermore, using SARI cases, cross-correlation analyses showed that isolation was highly correlated with R(t) (ccf

Background Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the leading causes of acute respiratory tract infections. To optimize control strategies, a better understanding of the global epidemiology of RSV is critical. To this end, we initiated the Global Epidemiology of RSV in Hospitalized and Community care study (GERi). Methods Focal points from 44 countries were approached to join GERi and share detailed RSV surveillance data. Countries completed a questionnaire on the characteristics of their surveillance system. Results Fifteen countries provided granular surveillance data and information on their surveillance system. A median (interquartile range) of 1641 (552–2415) RSV cases per season were reported from 2000 and 2020. The majority (55%) of RSV cases occurred in the Conclusions The high number of cases in the

Resumo Objetivo: Descrever os casos hospitalizados pela COVID-19 em profissionais de saúde no Brasil. Métodos: Estudo descritivo de tipo série de casos; foram incluídos aqueles com adoecimento entre 21 de fevereiro e 15 de abril de 2020, registrados no Sistema de Informação de Vigilância da Gripe (SIVEP-Gripe). Resultados: Dos 184 casos, 110 (59,8%) eram do sexo feminino, com mediana de idade de 44 anos (mínima-máxima: 23-85); 89 (48,4%) eram profissionais da enfermagem e 50 (27,2%) eram médicos. Ainda, 92 (50,0%) apresentavam comorbidade, predominando cardiopatias (n=37; 40,2%). Dos 112 profissionais com registro de evolução, 85 (75,9%) alcançaram cura e 27 (24,1%) foram a óbito, 18 destes do sexo masculino. Conclusão: O perfil dos profissionais de saúde hospitalizados por COVID-19 é semelhante ao da população quanto à idade e comorbidades; porém, diferente quanto ao sexo. As áreas profissionais mais acometidas foram a enfermagem e a medicina.

The database of the Global Influenza B Study was created by collecting surveillance datasets from each of the participating countries. These national datasets are owned by the participating countries, and thus cannot be shared publicly. Researchers interested in obtaining the country-specific datasets may contact the individuals listed below for further details regarding data access.Argentina (Santa Fe Province): Gabriela Kusznierz (labconi@yahoo.com.ar)Australia: Kate Pennington (kate.pennington@health.gov.au)Bhutan: Sonam Wangchuk (swangchuk@health.gov.bt)Brazil: Cláudio Maierovitch Pessanha Henriques (claudio.henriques@saude.gov.br)Cameroon: Guy Vernet (vernet@pasteur-yaounde.org)Chile: Rodrigo Fasce (rfasce@ispch.cl)China: Feng Luzhao (fenglz@chinacdc.cn)Costa Rica: Alexey W. Clara (wclara@cdc.gov)Ecuador: Alfredo Bruno (alfredobruno@yahoo.es)El Salvador: Alexey W. Clara (wclara@cdc.gov)England: Maria Zambon (maria.zambon@phe.gov.uk)Guatemala: Alexey W. Clara (wclara@cdc.gov)Honduras: Alexey W. Clara (wclara@cdc.gov)Indonesia: Herman Kosasih (hermaninarespond@gmail.com)Italy: Caterina Rizzo (caterina.rizzo@iss.it)Ivory Coast: Herve A. Kadjo (hervekadjo@pasteur.ci)Kazakhstan: Gulzhan Muratbayeva (hnv2@cdc.gov)Kenya: Joshua Mott (zud9@cdc.gov)Madagascar: Jean-Michel Heraud (jmheraud@pasteur.mg)Morocco: Amal Barakat (amal.barakat@yahoo.fr)New Zealand: Sue Huang (sue.huang@esr.cri.nz)Nicaragua: Alexey W. Clara (wclara@cdc.gov)Panama: Alexey W. Clara (wclara@cdc.gov)Portugal: Ana Paula Rodrigues (ana.rodrigues@insa.min-saude.pt)Singapore: Vernon Lee (vernonljm@hotmail.com)South Africa: Cheryl Cohen (cherylc@nicd.ac.za)Turkey: Meral Akcay Ciblak (ciblakm@yahoo.com)Ukraine: Alla Mironenko (miralla@ukr.net)Viet Nam: Le Thi Quinh Mai (lom9@hotmail.com); International audience; BACKGROUND:Influenza disease burden varies by age and this has important public health implications. We compared the proportional distribution of different influenza virus types within age strata using surveillance data from twenty-nine countries during 1999-2014 (N=358,796 influenza cases).METHODS:For each virus, we calculated a Relative Illness Ratio (defined as the ratio of the percentage of cases in an age group to the percentage of the country population in the same age group) for young children (0-4 years), older children (5-17 years), young adults (18-39 years), older adults (40-64 years), and the elderly (65+ years). We used random-effects meta-analysis models to obtain summary relative illness ratios (sRIRs), and conducted meta-regression and sub-group analyses to explore causes of between-estimates heterogeneity.RESULTS:The influenza virus with highest sRIR was A(H1N1) for young children, B for older children, A(H1N1)pdm2009 for adults, and (A(H3N2) for the elderly. As expected, considering the diverse nature of the national surveillance datasets included in our analysis, between-estimates heterogeneity was high (I2>90%) for most sRIRs. The variations of countries' geographic, demographic and economic characteristics and the proportion of outpatients among reported influenza cases explained only part of the heterogeneity, suggesting that multiple factors were at play.CONCLUSIONS:These results highlight the importance of presenting burden of disease estimates by age group and virus (sub)type.

Free PMC article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/31513690/ We describe the epidemiological characteristics, pattern of circulation, and geographical distribution of influenza B viruses and its lineages using data from the Global Influenza B Study. We included over 1.8 million influenza cases occurred in thirty-one countries during 2000-2018. We calculated the proportion of cases caused by influenza B and its lineages; determined the timing of influenza A and B epidemics; compared the age distribution of B/Victoria and B/Yamagata cases; and evaluated the frequency of lineage-level mismatch for the trivalent vaccine. The median proportion of influenza cases caused by influenza B virus was 23.4%, with a tendency (borderline statistical significance, p = 0.060) to be higher in tropical vs. temperate countries. Influenza B was the dominant virus type in about one every seven seasons. In temperate countries, influenza B epidemics occurred on average three weeks later than influenza A epidemics; no consistent pattern emerged in the tropics. The two B lineages caused a comparable proportion of influenza B cases globally, however the B/Yamagata was more frequent in temperate countries, and the B/Victoria in the tropics (p = 0.048). B/Yamagata patients were significantly older than B/Victoria patients in almost all countries. A lineage-level vaccine mismatch was observed in over 40% of seasons in temperate countries and in 30% of seasons in the tropics. The type B virus caused a substantial proportion of influenza infections globally in the 21st century, and its two virus lineages differed in terms of age and geographical distribution of patients. These findings will help inform health policy decisions aiming to reduce disease burden associated with seasonal influenza. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

BackgroundDespite having influenza vaccination policies and programs, countries in the Americas underutilize seasonal influenza vaccine, in part because of insufficient evidence about severe influenza burden. We aimed to estimate the annual burden of influenza-associated respiratory hospitalizations in the Americas.MethodsThirty-five countries in the Americas with national influenza surveillance were invited to provide monthly laboratory data and hospital discharges for respiratory illness (International Classification of Diseases 10th edition J codes 0-99) during 2010-2015. In three age-strata (ResultsSixteen of 35 countries (46%) contributed primary data to the analyses, representing 79% of the America's population. The average pooled rate of influenza-associated respiratory hospitalization was 90/100,000 population (95% confidence interval 61-132) among children aged ConclusionsInfluenza-associated respiratory hospitalizations impose a heavy burden on health systems in the Americas. Countries in the Americas should use this information to justify investments in seasonal influenza vaccination-especially among young children and the elderly.

ObjectiveThere are limited published data about the circulation of influenza B/Victoria and B/Yamagata in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and most countries have a vaccine policy that includes the use of the trivalent influenza vaccine. We analyzed influenza surveillance data to inform decision-making in LAC about prevention strategies, such as the use of the quadrivalent influenza vaccine.MethodsThere are a total of 28 reference laboratories and National Influenza Centers in LAC that conduct influenza virologic surveillance according to global standards, and on a weekly basis upload their surveillance data to the open-access World Health Organization (WHO) platform FluNet. These data include the number of specimens tested for influenza and the number of specimens positive for influenza by type, subtype and lineage, all by the epidemiologic week of specimen collection. We invited these laboratories to provide additional epidemiologic data about the hospitalized influenza B cases. We conducted descriptive analyses of patterns of influenza circulation and characteristics of hospitalized cases. We compared the predominant B lineage each season to the lineage in the vaccine applied, to determine vaccine mismatch. A Chi-square and Wilcoxan statistic were used to assess the statistical significance of differences in proportions and medians at the PFindingsDuring 2010-2017, the annual number of influenza B cases in LAC was ~4500 to 7000 cases. Since 2011, among the LAC-laboratories reporting influenza B lineage using molecular methods, both B/Victoria and B/Yamagata were detected annually. Among the hospitalized influenza B cases, there were statistically significant differences observed between B/Victoria and B/Yamagata cases when comparing age and the proportion with underlying co-morbid conditions and with history of oseltamivir treatment (PConclusionsInfluenza B is important in LAC with both B/Victoria and B/Yamagata circulating annually in all sub regions. During approximately one-third of the seasons, an influenza B vaccine mismatch was identified. Further analyses are needed to better characterize the medical and economic burden of each influenza B lineage, to examine the potential cross-protection of one vaccine lineage against the other circulating virus lineage, and to determine the potential impact and cost-effectiveness of using the quadrivalent vaccine rather than the trivalent influenza vaccine.

Erratum in - Correction: Temporal Patterns of Influenza A and B in Tropical and Temperate Countries: What Are the Lessons for Influenza Vaccination? PLoS One. 2016 May 2;11(5):e0155089. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155089. Introduction: Determining the optimal time to vaccinate is important for influenza vaccination programmes. Here, we assessed the temporal characteristics of influenza epidemics in the Northern and Southern hemispheres and in the tropics, and discuss their implications for vaccination programmes. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of surveillance data between 2000 and 2014 from the Global Influenza B Study database. The seasonal peak of influenza was defined as the week with the most reported cases (overall, A, and B) in the season. The duration of seasonal activity was assessed using the maximum proportion of influenza cases during three consecutive months and the minimum number of months with 80% of cases in the season. We also assessed whether co-circulation of A and B virus types affected the duration of influenza epidemics. Results: 212 influenza seasons and 571,907 cases were included from 30 countries. In tropical countries, the seasonal influenza activity lasted longer and the peaks of influenza A and B coincided less frequently than in temperate countries. Temporal characteristics of influenza epidemics were heterogeneous in the tropics, with distinct seasonal epidemics observed only in some countries. Seasons with co-circulation of influenza A and B were longer than influenza A seasons, especially in the tropics. Discussion: Our findings show that influenza seasonality is less well defined in the tropics than in temperate regions. This has important implications for vaccination programmes in these countries. High-quality influenza surveillance systems are needed in the tropics to enable decisions about when to vaccinate. The Global Influenza B Study is supported by an unrestricted research grant from Sanofi Pasteur. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

OBJETIVO. Descrever as caracteristicas epidemiologicas da malaria e seus principais determinantes no Municipio de Cruzeiro do Sul, no Estado do Acre, Brasil, entre 1998 e 2008 METODOS. Este estudo descritivo, retrospectivo, utilizou dados secundarios disponiveis nos sistemas de informacao em malaria desenvolvidos pelo Ministerio da Saude do Brasil (SISMAL/SIVEP-Malaria). Os dados foram analisados no software TABLEAU®. Dados geo-espaciais foram obtidos para avaliar a distribuicao dos casos de malaria. RESULTADOS: A incidencia parasitaria anual (IPA) de 27 casos/1-000 habitantes em 1998 chegou a 571,5 casos/1-000 habitantes em 2006, quando a cidade registrou sua maior epidemia, subsequente ao estabelecimento de um programa estadual de incentivo a perfuracao de tanques para piscicultura, em 2005. As localidades rurais apresentaram maior numero de casos. Entretanto, as localidades periurbanas que possuiam tanques de piscicultura tiveram IPAs mais elevadas do que areas sem tanques. Apos a intensificacao das acoes do Programa Nacional de Controle da Malaria, a IPA diminuiu para 152,9 casos/1-000 habitantes em 2008. CONCLUSOES. O incentivo a atividades economicas em areas periurbanas de transmissao instavel de malaria, tipicas da America Latina, deve ser muito bem planejado. O controle da malaria em Cruzeiro do Sul baseou-se em estrategias integradas implementadas simultaneamente pelos governos federal, estadual e municipal, como preconizado pelo Plano Nacional de Controle da Malaria. E importante ressaltar a utilidade de um bom sistema de informacao como o SIVEP-Malaria para estimar a carga de doenca e monitorar de forma eficiente o impacto das intervencoes.

In order to estimate the prevalence of influenza like illness (ILI) in adults from all state capitals and geographic regions in Brazil, a periodical monitoring of ILI cases by the national telephone survey (VIGITEL) was carried out in 2010.A cross-sectional study with 47,876 telephone interviews in the state capitals and Federal District, a probabilistic sample of adult population (18 years-old) with landline telephone. Questions concerning the results of ILI cases and pandemic influenza (H1N1) 2009, from January 10 to November 30, were analyzed. The proportion of cases stratified by sociodemographic characteristics and Brazilian geographic region was weighted with data from the National Survey with Household Sampling (PNAD) 2008.The prevalence of ILI cases in the last 30 days before interview was 31.2% (95%CI 30.2-32.2%) for all state capitals and the Federal District. This prevalence was higher among women, young adults (18 to 29 years-old) and individuals with 9 to 11 years of schooling. According to the geographic region analysis, Northern Brazil presented the highest prevalence of ILI cases. A tendency to increase with further decrease was observed among the geographic regions, except the Northeast. Need for health care assistance was reported by 26.8% (95%CI 25.1-28.5) from ILI cases. Among ILI cases that sought health care assistance, 2.6% (95%CI 1.8-3.4) reported pandemic influenza (H1N1) 2009 medical suspicion.The results of this survey supported influenza surveillance as it provided timeliness and useful surveillance information, which were not captured by the traditional surveillance system, as the occurrence of ILI and need of health care assistance.

OBJETIVOS: Com o objetivo de estimar a prevalência da síndrome gripal em adultos das capitais e regiões do Brasil, realizou-se monitoramento da ocorrência de sinais e sintomas compatíveis por inquérito telefônico (VIGITEL) em 2010. MÉTODO: Estudo transversal que contou com 47.876 entrevistas nas capitais dos estados brasileiros e no Distrito Federal, com amostragem probabilística da população >18 anos, residente em domicílios com linha fixa de telefone. Foram analisadas as questões referentes à síndrome gripal e influenza pandêmica (H1N1) 2009, no período de 10 de janeiro a 30 de novembro de 2010. Os percentuais foram calculados para as regiões do país e para o Brasil e ponderados segundo a distribuição sociodemográfica da PNAD 2008. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de indivíduos, com algum sinal ou sintoma de gripe nos 30 dias anteriores à entrevista, foi de 31,2% (IC95% 30,2-32,2%). O relato de síndrome gripal foi mais frequente entre as mulheres, adultos jovens (18 a 29 anos) e aquelas pessoas com 9 a 11 anos de estudo. A maior prevalência de sinais ou sintomas gripais ocorreu na região Norte. Verificou-se tendência crescente com posterior decréscimo em todas as regiões, exceto na Nordeste. A procura pelo serviço de saúde foi relatada por 26,8% (IC95% 25,1-28,5) das pessoas que adoeceram. A suspeita médica de influenza pandêmica (H1N1) 2009 ocorreu em 2,6% (IC95% 1,8-3,4) dos entrevistados que relataram ter procurado o serviço de saúde. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados deste inquérito forneceram informações oportunas e úteis, as quais não foram captadas pelo sistema de vigilância tradicional, como a ocorrência de sinal ou sintoma gripal e a procura pelo serviço de saúde. OBJECTIVES: In order to estimate the prevalence of influenza like illness (ILI) in adults from all state capitals and geographic regions in Brazil, a periodical monitoring of ILI cases by the national telephone survey (VIGITEL) was carried out in 2010. METHOD: A cross-sectional study with 47,876 telephone interviews in the state capitals and Federal District, a probabilistic sample of adult population (>18 years-old) with landline telephone. Questions concerning the results of ILI cases and pandemic influenza (H1N1) 2009, from January 10 to November 30, were analyzed. The proportion of cases stratified by sociodemographic characteristics and Brazilian geographic region was weighted with data from the National Survey with Household Sampling (PNAD) 2008. RESULTS: The prevalence of ILI cases in the last 30 days before interview was 31.2% (95%CI 30.2-32.2%) for all state capitals and the Federal District. This prevalence was higher among women, young adults (18 to 29 years-old) and individuals with 9 to 11 years of schooling. According to the geographic region analysis, Northern Brazil presented the highest prevalence of ILI cases. A tendency to increase with further decrease was observed among the geographic regions, except the Northeast. Need for health care assistance was reported by 26.8% (95%CI 25.1-28.5) from ILI cases. Among ILI cases that sought health care assistance, 2.6% (95%CI 1.8-3.4) reported pandemic influenza (H1N1) 2009 medical suspicion. CONCLUSION: The results of this survey supported influenza surveillance as it provided timeliness and useful surveillance information, which were not captured by the traditional surveillance system, as the occurrence of ILI and need of health care assistance.