A new antigenic variant of human influenza A (H3N2) virus isolated from airport and community surveillance in Taiwan in early 2009

A new variant of influenza A H3N2 virus emerged in January 2009 and became the dominant strain in Taiwan in April 2009. The variant was also detected in imported cases from various regions, including East and Southeast Asia and North America, indicating that it has circulated globally. Compared to the 2009–2010 vaccine strain, A/Brisbane/10/2007, the hemagglutinin gene of this variant exhibited five substitutions, E62K, N144K, K158N, K173Q and N189K, which are located in the antigenic sites E, A, B, D and B respectively, and it was antigenically distinct from A/Brisbane/10/2007 with more than eight-fold titer reduction in the hemagglutination inhibition reaction. The A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like virus recommended by World Health Organization for use in the 2010 southern hemisphere and 2010–2011 northern influenza seasons exhibited the same substitutions like this new variant. In addition to regional or community influenza surveillance, the imported cases or airport fever screening surveillance may be a good resource to monitor the evolution of the virus and benefit the real-time information of global influenza circulation.