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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 2005, p. 1651-1661, Vol. 43, No. 4
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.4.1651-1661.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Laboratory-Based Surveillance and Molecular Epidemiology of Influenza Virus in Taiwan

Shin-Ru Shih,¹ Guang-Wu Chen,¹ Ching-Chun Yang,¹ Weng-Zhi Yang,² Ding-Ping Liu,² Jih-Hui Lin,² Shu-Chun Chiu,² Haur-Young Chen,² Kuo-Chien Tsao,¹ Chung-Guei Huang,¹ Ya-Ling Huang,¹ Chee-Keng Mok,¹ Chi-Jene Chen,¹ Tzou-Yien Lin,¹ Jen-Ren Wang,³ Chuan-Liang Kao,⁴ Kwei-Hsian Lin,⁵ Li-Kuang Chen,⁶ Hock-Liew Eng,¹ Yung-Ching Liu,⁷ Po-Yen Chen,⁷ Jen-Shiou Lin,⁸ Jen-Hsien Wang,⁹ Cheng-Wen Lin,⁹ Yu-Jiun Chan,⁷ Jang-Jih Lu,¹⁰ Chao A. Hsiung,¹¹ Pei-Jer Chen,^4* and Ih-Jen Su^2,11*

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital & Chang Gung University,¹ National Health Research Institutes,¹¹ Center for Disease Control and Prevention,² National Taiwan University Hospital,⁴ Veterans General Hospital,⁷ Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei,¹⁰ National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan,³ Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung,⁵ Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien,⁶ Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua,⁸ China Medical University Hospital, TaichungTaiwan⁹

Received 31 August 2004/ Returned for modification 23 September 2004/ Accepted 22 November 2004

A laboratory-based surveillance network of 11 clinical virological laboratories for influenza viruses was established in Taiwan under the coordination of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Taiwan. From October 2000 to March 2004, 3,244 influenza viruses were isolated, including 1,969 influenza A and 1,275 influenza B viruses. The influenza infections usually occurred frequently in winter in the northern hemisphere. However, the influenza seasonality in Taiwan was not clear during the four seasons under investigation. For example, the influenza A viruses peaked during the winters of 2001, 2002, and 2003. However, some isolated peaks were also found in the summer and fall (June to November) of 2001 and 2002. An unusual peak of influenza B also occurred in the summer of 2002 (June to August). Phylogenetic analysis shows that influenza A isolates from the same year were often grouped together. However, influenza B isolates from the year 2002 clustered into different groups, and the data indicate that both B/Victoria/2/87-like and B/Yamagata/16/88-like lineages of influenza B viruses were cocirculating. Sequence comparison of epidemic strains versus vaccine strains shows that many vaccine-like Taiwanese strains were circulating at least 2 years before the vaccine strains were introduced. No clear seasonality of influenza reports in Taiwan occurred in contrast to other more continental regions.

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* Corresponding author. Mailing address for Ih-Jen Su: Division of Clinical Research, NHRI, 138, Shen-Li Rd., Tainan, Taiwan. Phone: 886-6-3028045. Fax: 886-6-3028046. E-mail: suihjen{at}nhri.org.tw.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address for Pei-Jer Chen: Graduate Institute, National Taiwan University Medical College, 1, Jen-Ai Rd., Taipei, Taiwan. Phone: 886-2-23123456, ext. 7311. Fax: 886-2-23709820. E-mail: peijer{at}ha.mc.ntu.edu.tw.

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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 2005, p. 1651-1661, Vol. 43, No. 4
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.4.1651-1661.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

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