6th Clinical Microbiology Conference

Biography

Biography: Maria Rita Castrucci

Abstract

rnInfluenza virus causes annual epidemics with substantial respiratory illness and mortality worldwide, particularly in high-risk groups, such as the elderly and immunocompromised. Vaccination is the most effective way to protect people against influenza and to contain its spread. However, seasonal influenza viruses continuously accumulate mutations in the antigenic sites of the hemagglutinin molecule (antigenic drift), thus requiring annual renewal of the strain composition of vaccines. The influenza network established by the World Health Organization (WHO), which is known as the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS), has the main objective to carry out virological surveillance of human influenza and ensure the capacity to monitor the evolution of influenza viruses, their antigenic characteristics and susceptibility to antivirals. Moreover, the emergence of novel strains of influenza A viruseswith pandemic potential further underlines the need to monitor and promptly detect human cases of influenza at the human-animal interface.rnIn Italy, influenza virological surveillance is routinely carried out by the National Influenza Centre at IstitutoSuperiore di Sanità, in collaboration with a network of peripheral Laboratories. Recently, the evolution of human seasonal A(H3N2) viruses with changes in receptor binding posessome serious concerns for identification and antigenic characterization of the most recent viral strains. The incidence of A(H1N1)pdm09 viral infection among young/middle-aged adults and the sustained co-circulation of B viruses further contribute to the daunting complexity of seasonal influenza epidemics. Results of influenza surveillance activities over the last two seasons are presented.rn