Global influenza surveillance

The WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network was established in 1952. The network comprises 4 WHO Collaborating Centres (WHO CCs) and 122 institutions in 94 countries, which are recognized by WHO as National Influenza Centres (NICs). These NICs collect specimens in their country, perform primary virus isolation and preliminary antigenic characterization. They ship newly isolated strains to WHO CCs for high level antigenic and genetic analysis, the result of which forms the basis for WHO recommendations on the composition of influenza vaccine for the Northern and Southern Hemisphere each year.

The WHO Influenza Surveillance Network serves also as a global alert mechanism for the emergence of influenza viruses with pandemic potential.

A WHO Survey of NICs (January-June 2002) was carried out to identify strengths and weaknesses of the NIC network. Using it as a basis, a WHO Global Influenza Programme Action Plan for the next 5 years has been developed to further strengthen the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network and and to target future resources for influenza surveillance.

WHO Consultation on the Composition of Influenza Vaccine for the Northern Hemisphere 2009-2010
9-11 February 2009
Geneva, Switzerland
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Recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 2009 southern hemisphere influenza season
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Seasonal influenza activity in the world
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Tracking A(H5N1) avian influenza viruses
Influenza tracking system launched
Influenza Virus Tracking System
Viruses shared with WHO from 2003 to 2007 [pdf 22kb]

WHO External Quality Assessment Project for the Detection of Subtype Influenza A Viruses by PCR
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WHO survey of NICS 2007

WHO Working Group on Influenza Research at the Human/Animal Interface

14 January 2009
Avian influenza - situation in Egypt - update

14 January 2009
Yellow fever in Guinea

7 January 2009
Avian influenza – situation in China

Disease Outbreak News