Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent flu is by getting a flu vaccine each year.
Influenza vaccination coverage among high-risk groups has dropped in the European Region over the last seven years, and half the countries report a decrease in the number of vaccine doses available.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the composition of the trivalent influenza vaccine for the southern hemisphere winter 2018 influenza season in a report published 28 September 2017.
The annual influenza meeting focused on new developments in influenza surveillance at the country and regional level, seasonal influenza vaccination programmes, provided an update on the global situation with regard to outbreaks of avian influenza and other emerging respiratory pathogens, and provided a forum for exchanging experiences from the past influenza season.
This meeting was designed to offer a place to exchange the latest information on into the development of narcolepsy following vaccination with one of the 2009 adjuvanted influenza A(H1N1) vaccines.
Location:Geneva, Switzerland
Organized by:International Alliance for Biological Standardisation and the World Health Organization
In November 2014, the Pharmacovigilance Centre of Netherlands (Lareb) provided an updated overview of Dutch cases of narcolepsy reported to have a link to Pandemrix.
This is the first published study where an attempt has been made to understand the possible biological mechanisms behind development of narcolepsy following vaccination with Pandemrix™.