Challenges and Strategies of Laboratory Diagnosis for Newly Emerging Influenza Viruses in Taiwan: A Decade after SARS

Abstract

Since the first case of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Taiwan was identified in March 2003, viral respiratory infections, in particular the influenza virus, have become a national public health concern. Taiwan would face a serious threat of public health problems if another SARS epidemic overlapped with a flu outbreak. After SARS, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control accelerated and strengthened domestic research on influenza and expanded the exchange of information with international counterparts. The capacity of influenza A to cross species barriers presents a potential threat to human health. Given the mutations of avian flu viruses such as H7N9, H6N1, and H10N8, all countries, including Taiwan, must equip themselves to face a possible epidemic or pandemic. Such preparedness requires global collaboration.

Figure 1

Weekly distribution of Taiwan influenza isolates, 2003–2013. Weekly distribution of Taiwanese influenza isolates based on cell culture and immunofluorescence results from January 2003 to December 2013. Different types and subtypes were colored as follows: H1N1 in indigo, pdmH1N1 in light blue, H3N2 in red, and B in green.

Figure 2

Epidemic events of influenza A virus in Taiwan, 2003–2013. Shown are the events in Taiwan (top) in the context of the timeline of the influenza epidemics worldwide (bottom).