Low effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine in preventing laboratory-confirmed influenza in primary care in the United Kingdom : 2014/15 mid-season results

Pebody, R G and Warburton, F and Ellis, J and Andrews, N and Thompson, C and von Wissmann, B and Green, H K and Cottrell, S and Johnston, J and de Lusignan, S and Moore, C and Gunson, R and Robertson, C and McMenamin, J and Zambon, M (2015) Low effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine in preventing laboratory-confirmed influenza in primary care in the United Kingdom : 2014/15 mid-season results. Eurosurveillance, 20 (5). ISSN 1025-496X (https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES2015.20.5.2102...)

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Abstract

In 2014/15 the United Kingdom experienced circulation of influenza A(H3N2) with impact in the elderly. Midseason vaccine effectiveness (VE) shows an adjusted VE of 3.4% (95% CI: −44.8 to 35.5) against primary care consultation with laboratory-confirmed influenza and −2.3% (95% CI: −56.2 to 33.0) for A(H3N2). The low VE reflects mismatch between circulating viruses and the 2014/15 northern hemisphere A(H3N2) vaccine strain. Early use of antivirals for prophylaxis and treatment of vulnerable populations remains important.