[Molecular characterization of human influenza viruses--a look back on the last 10 years].

Influenza A (H3N2) viruses and influenza B viruses have caused more than 90% of influenza infections in Germany during the last then years. Continuous and extensive antigenic variation was evident for both the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) surface proteins of H3N2 and influenza B viruses. Molecular characterisation revealed an ongoing genetic drift even in years when the antigenic profiles of circulating strains were indistinguishable from those of the previous season. Retrospective phylogenetic studies showed that viruses similar to vaccine strains circulated one or two years before a given strain was recommended as vaccine strain. New drift variants of H3N2 viruses with significantly changed antigenic features appeared during the seasons 1997/1998 and 2002/2003. Most influenza seasons were characterised by a co-circulation of at least two different lineages of H3N2 viruses. Genetic reassortment between H3N2 viruses belonging to separate lineages caused the different evolutionary pathways of the HA and viruses was responsible for the occurrence of H1N2 viruses during the season 2001/02. This new subtype has been detected only sporadically in Germany. The evolution of influenza B viruses was characterised by the re-emergence of B/Victoria/2/87-lineage viruses and their co-circulation with viruses of the B/Yamagata/16/88-lineage. Reassortant B viruses possessing a Victoria/87-lineage HA and a Yamagata/88-like NA were predominant in Germany during 2002/03 and 2004/05.