Contribution of the National Influenza Laboratory to confront the 2009 pandemic influenza in Cuba

Revista Cubana de Medicina Tropical

Goyenechea Hernández, Ángel¹  Hernández Espinosa, Bárbara¹  Llanes Cordero, María Josefa²  Morier Díaz, Luis¹  Llop Hernández, Alina¹  González Báez, Guelsys¹  Piñón Ramos, Alexander¹  Valdés Ramírez, Odalys¹  González Muñoz, Grehete¹  Guzmán Tirado, María Guadalupe¹  Savón Valdés, Clara¹  Arencibia García, Amely¹  Oropesa Fernández, Suset¹  Herrada Rodríguez, Nilvia¹  Kourí Cardellá, Vivian¹  Acosta Herrera, Belsy¹  Guilarte García, Elias¹ 

[1] Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kourí, La Habana, Cuba;Ministerio de Salud Pública, La Habana, Cuba

关键词: : pandemic influenza;    molecular diagnosis;    laboratory surveillance;   

DOI  :  

学科分类：传染病学

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

INTRODUCTION: acute respiratory infections are considered the most important causes of morbidity and mortality around the world. These infections became more significant when associated to epidemics and pandemic events caused by influenza virus. The need for global surveillance of influenza viruses was recognized as early as 1947 and led to the establishment of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN). The Cuban National Influenza Centre (NIC) belongs to this network since 1975. On April 2009, the recognition of a new influenza A (H1N1) of swine origin circulating in humans was identified as the causative agent of the first pandemic in the 21st century declared by the WHO. OBJECTIVE: to carry out surveillance of the new pandemic virus nationwide. METHODS: the Cuban National Influenza Center developed a diagnostic diagram to confirm infection with the pandemic virus in suspected cases. Different PCR assays for typing and subtyping of influenza A virus were used. RESULTS: from April to December 2009, 6 900 clinical respiratory samples were processed by using this diagram, 980 cases were confirmed and notified to the national health authorities and to the Pan American Health Organization. Human rhinoviruses were other important etiologic agents of the frequently detected acute respiratory infections. CONCLUSION: with the national strategy for surveillance at lab, it was possible to effectively monitor the circulation of the influenza viruses and of other respiratory viruses in our country and to alert the national health authorities, with a view to facing up to the pandemic influenza (2009)

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC