First case of Australian flu sequenced in Italy by the hygiene laboratory of the San Martino hospital in Genoa. The h3n2 virus was found on a Genoese boy returning from a vacation, who had arrived at the emergency room with a high fever, sore throat, fat cough, bone pain and general malaise. The boy’s swab, vaccinated with three doses, tested negative for covid 19. Hospitalized, he was thus subjected to further investigations, including a molecular analysis to search for the main respiratory pathogens, which allowed to detect the presence of the strain h3n2, particularly widespread in other parts of the world such as, for example, in Australia and throughout the southern hemisphere, where it is now winter. The gene sequence of the virus was subsequently inserted in the appropriate international site where all the sequences identified worldwide as virus A / genoa / 2022 are deposited.
“The finding of influenza viruses, albeit sporadic, in a summer period indicates the usefulness of continuous virological surveillance and the need to consider influenza in the diagnostic pathways of acute respiratory infections, even in the era of covid 19 – explains the San Martino hygiene director, Giancarlo Icardi – this case must make us reflect on the importance for those at risk of vaccinating, starting from October, against the flu with the updated vaccine that will contain the h3n2 strain antigenically similar to the virus identified in Genoa “.
For the president and councilor for health of the Liguria Region, Giovanni Toti, “once again the hygiene laboratory of the San Martino polyclinic directed by Professor Icardi proves to be a health excellence of our region. After the work carried out during the covid emergency , our professionals are also working on the influenza virus, which, especially in fragile individuals, can have serious consequences. For this reason, it is important to keep your attention and undergo the annual flu recall: this year too, our vaccination campaign will start in the autumn, with a further effort by health personnel who continue to fight against the pandemic, today with proven weapons such as vaccines, against the pandemic “.