Molecular epidemiology of influenza A virus infection among hospitalized children in Vietnam during post-pandemic period.

Genetic variability makes influenza virus to escape the immunity and causes yearly epidemics. Monitoring those changes is necessary for vaccine selection. In addition, H3N2 viruses were considered to be seeded from Southeast Asia before spreading globally. This study described the molecular epidemiology of influenza A during the post-pandemic season 2010-2011 in Vietnam. Nasopharyngeal samples were collected from children with respiratory infections at Children's Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City. The HA, NA, M genes were amplified, sequenced and analyzed. Thirty-five of 1,082 (3.2%) patients were positive for influenza A, including 14 pandemic H1N1 2009 (H1N1pdm09) and 21 H3N2 infections. H3N2 was dominant in the rainy season (May-October 2010) while H1N1pdm09 was dominant in the dry season (November 2010-April 2011). Phylogenetic analysis showed that Vietnamese H1N1pdm09 sequences in 2010-2011 formed the distinct cluster, with other contemporary Asian and 2012-American sequences, suggesting a possible common ancestor. All were oseltamivir-sensitive except two strains carrying S247N and D199N in NA which reduced the neuraminidase inhibitor susceptibility. The Vietnamese H3N2 viruses in mid-2010 belonged to the emerging subclade Perth10/2010, which then spread worldwide in 2011. The Vietnamese influenza viruses were well matched with the Southern Hemisphere vaccine formulation. Mutations at antigenic sites were also identified in these viruses. Surveillance of influenza viruses in tropical countries is important not only for development of their prevention and control strategies but also for earlier identification of the newly emerged strains that may be selected for future vaccine.