Influenza vaccine effectiveness in adults based on the rapid influenza diagnostic test results, during the 2015/16 season

We assessed the influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) of an inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine in adult patients, in our test-negative case-control design study based on the results of a rapid influenza diagnostic test. During the 2015/16 season in Japan, influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus and influenza B virus were epidemic. The overall adjusted VE was 44% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 13.6%-63.7%). The adjusted VE was 52.9% (95%CI: 20%-72.3%) against any influenza virus among those < 65 years of age and −5% (95%CI: 136%-53.5%) among the elderly ≧ 65 years of age.The adjusted VE against influenza A was 49.1% (95%CI: 13.9%-69.9%). Although the VE was 55.5% (95%CI: 14.8%-76.8%) among those <65 years of age, it was only 15.3% (95%CI: 120%-67.4%) among the elderly ≧ 65 years of age.The adjusted VE against influenza B was 33.8% (95%CI: 25%-64.8%) among adult patients (≧16 years of age) and 46.8% (95%CI: 13%-75%) among those < 65 years of age, the VE against influenza B could not be estimated in those ≧65 years of age because of the low number of elderly patients with that virus.