摘要：The National In. uenza Surveillance Scheme includes data on in. uenza-like illness from sentinel general practitioner practices, laboratory reports of in. uenza from National Notifi able Diseases Surveillance Scheme and absenteeism data from a national employer. In 2004, 2,116 cases of laboratory-confi rmed in. uenza-like illness were reported, which was 41 per cent lower than the previous year. Peak activity was recorded in September, a month later than in 2003. In. uenza A was again predominant while in. uenza B had an increased activity compared to the previous season. Four hundred and fi fty-four isolates were antigenically analysed: 342 were A (H3N2 strain), 4 were A(H1N1 strain) strains and 108 were in. uenza B viruses. Further antigenic drift was seen in the A(H3N2) subtype with approximately one third of all isolates antigenically distinguishable from the A/Fujian/411/2002 reference strain. Vaccination coverage indicated that 79 per cent of Australians aged over 65 years received the 2004 in. uenza vaccine
