title: Influenza vaccine effectiveness assessment through sentinel virological data in three post-pandemic seasons.
abstract: Influenza vaccination aims at reducing the incidence of serious disease, complications and death among those with the most risk of severe influenza disease. Influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) through sentinel surveillance data from the PIDIRAC program (Daily Acute Respiratory Infection Surveillance of Catalonia) during 2010-2011, 2011-2012, and 2012-2013 influenza seasons, with three different predominant circulating influenza virus (IV) types [A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) and B, respectively] was assessed. The total number of sentinel samples with known vaccination background collected during the study period was 3173, 14.7% of which had received the corresponding seasonal influenza vaccine. 1117 samples (35.2%) were positive for IV. A retrospective negative case control design was used to assess vaccine effectiveness (VE) for the entire period and for each epidemic influenza season. An overall VE of 58.1% (95% CI:46.8-67) was obtained. Differences in VE according to epidemic season were observed, being highest for the 2012-2013 season with predominance of IV type B (69.7% ;95% CI:51.5-81) and for the 2010-2011 season, with predominance of the A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza virus strain (67.2% ;95%CI:49.5-78.8) and lowest for the 2011-2012 season with A(H3N2) subtype predominance (34.2% ;95%CI:4.5-54.6). Influenza vaccination prevents a substantial number of influenza-associated illnesses. Although vaccines with increased effectiveness are needed and the search for a universal vaccine that is not subject to genetic modifications might increase VE, nowadays only the efforts to increase vaccination rates of high-risk population and healthcare personnel let reduce the burden of influenza and its complications.
authors.affiliation: a Public Health Agency of Catalonia; Department of Health; Generalitat of Catalonia; Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Núria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Torner
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Basile
authors.forename: M Angeles
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Marcos
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antón
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mar Mosquera
authors.forename: Ricard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Isanta
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cabezas
authors.forename: Mireia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jané
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.forename: The Pidirac Sentinel Surveillance
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Program Of Catalonia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines
keywords: Human influenza; Influenza vaccine; Pandemic influenza Sentinel Surveillance; Seasonal influenza; Vaccine effectiveness