Researchers Find Surprising Pattern of Influenza Spread in South,America and Tropics ( BETHESDA Md. March 20 2007--Researc...)

Researchers Find Surprising Pattern of Influenza Spread in South,America and Tropics

BETHESDA, Md., March 20, 2007--Researchers studying influenza transmission patterns in the Southern Hemisphere and in tropical areas, specifically Brazil, uncovered the unexpected finding that each season influenza travels from low populated regions near the equator to the more populated centers. Their work, funded by the Fogarty International Center (NIH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), can improve planning for influenza control in tropical areas.

In their paper, "Seasonality of Influenza in Brazil: A Traveling Wave from the Amazon to the Subtropics," to be published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, the researchers document the seasonal spread of influenza viruses and seasonal mortality patterns associated with influenza across Brazil. The interest in Brazil arises because the country covers a range of latitudes and crosses several regions, including tropical and sub-tropical climates.

"This study contributes to the understanding of the role of tropical regions in the global circulation of influenza. It has direct implications for public health by offering guidance for the timing of delivery and composition of influenza vaccines," said Dr. Mark Miller, a co-author and Associate Director for Research at FIC.

As epidemic months of influenza in Brazil are triggered earlier in the year in the equatorial regions, vaccine recommendations using formulations from the Northern Hemisphere could be more appropriate for some countries in the Southern Hemisphere near the equator. This point is becoming increasingly important as more tropical countries introduce and use substantial quantities of vaccine.

Brazilian investigators worked with colleagues at FIC and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in revealing the unexpected spatial transmission patterns in the annual seasonality of influenza across a large area of the South American continen
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( BETHESDA Md. March 20 2007--Researc...)Researchers Find Surprising Pattern of Influenza Spread in South,America and Tropics,Health