Which influenza viruses will emerge following the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic?

Karen L Laurie; Steve Rockman

doi:10.1111/irv.12866

Which influenza viruses will emerge following the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic?

Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2021 Sep;15(5):573-576. doi: 10.1111/irv.12866. Epub 2021 May 6.

Authors

Karen L Laurie¹, Steve Rockman^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Seqirus Ltd, Parkville, Vic., Australia.
² Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia.

Abstract

The world has experienced five pandemics in just over one hundred years, four due to influenza and one due to coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). In each case of pandemic influenza, the pandemic influenza strain has replaced the previous seasonal influenza virus. Notably, throughout the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, there has been a 99% reduction in influenza isolation globally. It is anticipated that influenza will re-emerge following the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and circulate again. The potential for which influenza viruses will emerge is examined.

Keywords: COVID-19; influenza; pandemic; pandemic influenza; seasonal influenza; virus replacement.

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Humans
Influenza, Human* / epidemiology
Influenza, Human* / virology
Orthomyxoviridae* / classification
Pandemics