Subproject 1:Seasonal influenza - interaction between global and local epidemics
This subproject will address primarily the impact of human movement along the East-West Corridor on exchange of seasonal influenza strains and epidemic of seasonal influenza as well as strengthening the capacity of the laboratories in the studied areas. The brief action plans are:
1. To obtain influenza-positive throat swab specimens from patients with influenza-like illness in Mukdahan, Savannakhet, and Quang Tri, which represent sites along the Corridor in Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam, respectively, and in Champasack and Ubonratchathani, which represents sites outside the Corridor in Laos and Thailand respectively;
2. To amplify the viral hemagglutinin sequences from the throat swab specimens;
3. To analyze the relationship of the viral sequences among the three countries along the Corridor and between the other site in and outside the Corridor in Laos;
4. To obtain blood sample from normal healthy subjects in the same areas;
5. To measure influenza antibody by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay in those blood specimens;
6. To compare the level of herd immunity among the study sites.