The National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo (NIPH) has conducted genetic analysis of the Influenza A virus in 22 samples to identify the subtypes currently circulating in the country, announcing that the majority of cases belong to the H3N2 subtype.
“Whole genome sequencing of the Influenza A virus was performed using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology on the GridION platform by Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT),” the statement said.
NIPH reported that sequencing was carried out on 22 samples previously detected as Influenza A through the RT-PCR method during the period December 18, 2025 – January 14, 2026.
Of these samples, “the vast majority (82%) were Influenza A/H3N2 viruses, while the remaining 18% belonged to Influenza A/H1N1.” According to the Institute, for the dominant H3N2 subtype, “all analyzed sequences belong to ‘clade K’ of the virus,” which has already been identified on all continents and accounts for approximately half of the sequences deposited in the global GISAID database for Europe.
NIPH emphasized that existing data indicate “a significant genetic divergence of this circulating virus compared to the strain included in the Influenza A(H3N2) vaccine used in the Northern Hemisphere.”
However, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), preliminary data from the VEBIS study show that “seasonal vaccines available in the EU provide protection against Influenza A(H3N2) infection, with vaccine effectiveness ranging from 52% to 57%.”
NIPH underlined that these assessments “support ongoing efforts to provide seasonal influenza vaccination to key populations as soon as possible, in order to mitigate the impact of influenza infections.”
According to the Institute, the sequencing results are consistent with regional and global surveillance findings and highlight the importance of using NGS technology in influenza genomic surveillance, contributing to monitoring circulating subtypes and assessing the need for regular updates to influenza vaccine composition.
