Virologist Nikiforov spoke about the danger of influenza B that came to the Russian Federation

Influenza B, whose arrival was registered in Russia, is less aggressive compared to influenza A (H1N1), which spread in the country in November and December last year. Professor Vladimir Nikiforov, head of the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Russian National Research Medical University named after N. I. Pirogov, said this in an interview with Lenta.ru, commenting on the current situation with influenza.

“It is believed that it does not have a pandemic potential, it is milder, but still it remains influenza, it is not just SARS,” the expert noted. According to him, influenza B has the characteristic unpleasant features of other influenzas, but they are less pronounced than influenza A.

Recall that in January, the head of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, said that influenza A in Russia is being replaced by influenza B. According to the official, this usually means the end of the epidemiological rise. Earlier, Popova’s predecessor as head of the RPN, State Duma deputy Gennady Onishchenko, explained that seasonal outbreaks and influenza epidemics begin with a more aggressive type A virus, which is replaced by a milder type B towards the end of the epidemic.

Recall that this year, the H1N1-09 strain, otherwise called “swine flu”, came to Russia as influenza A. It is characterized by increased virulence and a rather severe course of the disease. Epidemics of this flu in Russia have happened before – in 2009 and 2016.

As the most reliable means of preventing influenza, sanitary doctors traditionally call vaccination – it was carried out in Russia from September to November last year. The vaccine contains both influenza A and B antigens, so it continues to protect those vaccinated, says Vladimir Nikiforov.