The Australian Influenza Vaccine Committee (AIVC) met at TGA, Canberra, on 11th October 2017, to recommend influenza viruses to be used in the composition of the influenza vaccines for 2018. During this meeting, the expert committee reviewed and evaluated data related to epidemiology, antigenic and genetic characteristics of recent influenza isolates circulating in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere, serological responses to 2016-2017 vaccines, and the availability of candidate vaccines viruses and reagents.
- The committee recommended that the TGA should adopt the following WHO recommendation issued on 28 September 2017, for the 2018 Southern Hemisphere influenza vaccines the trivalent influenza vaccine components for the Australian 2018 influenza season should contain the following:
- A (H1N1): an A/Michigan/45/2015 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus
- A (H3N2): an A/Singapore/INFIMH-16-0019/2016 (H3N2)-like virus
- B: a B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus.
- the quadrivalent influenza vaccine for the Australian 2018 influenza season should contain the trivalent influenza vaccine components listed above, and the additional B strain:
- B: a B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus.
The AIVC recommendation for the composition of influenza vaccines for Australia in 2018 introduces a new A (H3N2) like virus strain when compared to the composition of the trivalent and quadrivalent vaccines for Australia in 2017. For the TIV the B strain has swapped to the alternative B strain included in the quadrivalent vaccine.
The TGA has accepted the recommendations of the AIVC.
The TGA considers the following viruses or reassortants are suitable vaccine strains:
- those as listed on the WHO Influenza vaccine web pages: Influenza vaccine viruses and reagents- external site for H1N1, H3N2 and B viruses.
If other candidate vaccine viruses or reagents become available their suitability for use should be discussed with the TGA by emailing influenza.reagents@health.gov.au.