The Australian Influenza Vaccine Committee (AIVC) met at TGA, Canberra, on Wednesday 10th October 2018, to recommend influenza viruses to be used in the composition of the influenza vaccines for 2019. 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 2017-2018 vaccines, and the availability of candidate vaccines viruses and reagents.
The committee recommended that the following viruses be used for influenza vaccines in the 2019 southern hemisphere influenza season:
Egg based Quadrivalent influenza vaccine:
- an A/Michigan/45/2015 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus;
- an A/Switzerland/8060/2017 (H3N2)-like virus;
- a B/Colorado/06/2017-like virus (B/Victoria/2/87 lineage); and
- a B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus (B/Yamagata/16/88 lineage).
Egg based Trivalent vaccines:
- an A/Michigan/45/2015 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus;
- an A/Switzerland/8060/2017 (H3N2)-like virus; and
- a B/Phuket/3073/2013-like (B/Yamagata/16/88 lineage)
Non-egg based vaccines:
- A(H3N2) component: A/Singapore/INFMH-16-0019/2016 (H3N2)-like virus
- Other components the same as above indicated for egg based vaccines
The AIVC recommendation for the composition of influenza vaccines for Australia in 2019 introduces a new A (H3N2) like virus strain and new strain for the B Victoria lineage when compared to the composition of the trivalent and quadrivalent vaccines for Australia in 2018.
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.