Differential age susceptibility to influenza B/Victoria lineage viruses in the 2015 Australian influenza season

Barr IG, Vijaykrishna D, Sullivan S. 2016. Eurosurveillance 21(4):pii=30118.

Abstract

Influenza B viruses make up an important part of the burden from seasonal influenza globally. The 2015 seaon in Australia saw an unusual predominance of influenza B with a distinctive switch during the season from B/Yamagata/16/88 lineage viruses to B/Victoria/2/87 lineage viruses. We also noted significant differences in the age groups infected by the different B lineages, with B/Victoria infecting a younger population than B/Yamagata, that could not be explained by potential prior exposure.