biostudies-literatureWang YApplied Research Project of Public Welfare of Huzhou Bureau of Science and TechnologyHuzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention key discipline: acute Infectious Diseasese0299488https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10901301biostudies-literatureUnknown19(2)<h4>Purpose</h4>To assess the epidemiology of seasonal influenza in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China, during 2018-2022 and provide insights for influenza prevention.<h4>Methods</h4>Following the National Influenza Surveillance Program, we conducted pathogen surveillance by randomly sampling throat swabs from cases with influenza-like illness (ILI) at two sentinel hospitals.<h4>Results</h4>From 2018 to 2022, a total of 3,813,471 cases were treated at two hospitals in Huzhou, China. Among them, there were 112,385 cases of Influenza-Like Illness (ILI), accounting for 2.95% of the total number of cases. A total of 11,686 ILI throat swab samples were tested for influenza viruses, with 1,602 cases testing positive for influenza virus nucleic acid, resulting in a positivity rate of 13.71%. Among the positive strains, there were 677 strains of A(H3N2) virus, 301 strains of A(H1N1) virus, 570 strains of B/Victoria virus, and 54 strains of B/Yamagata virus. The ILI percentage (ILI%) and influenza nucleic acid positivity rate showed winter-spring peaks in the years 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022, with the peaks concentrated in January and February. Additionally, a small peak was observed in August 2022 during the summer season. No peak was observed during the winter-spring season of 2020. The highest proportion of ILI cases was observed in children aged 0-4 years, followed by school-age children aged 5-14 years. There was a positive correlation between ILI% and influenza virus nucleic acid positivity rate (r = 0.60, p < 0.05).<h4>Conclusions</h4>The influenza outbreak in Huzhou from 2020 to 2022 was to some extent influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and public health measures. After the conclusion of the COVID-19 pandemic, the influenza outbreak in Huzhou may become more severe. Therefore, it is crucial to promptly assess the influenza outbreak trends based on the ILI% and the positivity rate of influenza virus nucleic acid tests.PloS oneAnalysis of data from two influenza surveillance hospitals in Zhejiang province, China, for the period 2018-2022.PMC109013012022GYB10ZDXK202202Liu YShen JZhang ZWang YSun XLiu GfalseAnalysis of data from two influenza surveillance hospitals in Zhejiang province, China, for the period 2018-2022.<h4>Purpose</h4>To assess the epidemiology of seasonal influenza in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China, during 2018-2022 and provide insights for influenza prevention.<h4>Methods</h4>Following the National Influenza Surveillance Program, we conducted pathogen surveillance by randomly sampling throat swabs from cases with influenza-like illness (ILI) at two sentinel hospitals.<h4>Results</h4>From 2018 to 2022, a total of 3,813,471 cases were treated at two hospitals in Huzhou, China. Among them, there were 112,385 cases of Influenza-Like Illness (ILI), accounting for 2.95% of the total number of cases. A total of 11,686 ILI throat swab samples were tested for influenza viruses, with 1,602 cases testing positive for influenza virus nucleic acid, resulting in a positivity rate of 13.71%. Among the positive strains, there were 677 strains of A(H3N2) virus, 301 strains of A(H1N1) virus, 570 strains of B/Victoria virus, and 54 strains of B/Yamagata virus. The ILI percentage (ILI%) and influenza nucleic acid positivity rate showed winter-spring peaks in the years 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022, with the peaks concentrated in January and February. Additionally, a small peak was observed in August 2022 during the summer season. No peak was observed during the winter-spring season of 2020. The highest proportion of ILI cases was observed in children aged 0-4 years, followed by school-age children aged 5-14 years. There was a positive correlation between ILI% and influenza virus nucleic acid positivity rate (r = 0.60, p < 0.05).<h4>Conclusions</h4>The influenza outbreak in Huzhou from 2020 to 2022 was to some extent influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and public health measures. After the conclusion of the COVID-19 pandemic, the influenza outbreak in Huzhou may become more severe. Therefore, it is crucial to promptly assess the influenza outbreak trends based on the ILI% and the positivity rate of influenza virus nucleic acid tests.2024-01-01T00:00:00Z20242024-11-21T08:56:35.934Z2024-11-21T08:56:35.934ZS-EPMC109013013841676110.1371/journal.pone.0299488