Excess mortality among the elderly in European countries, December 2014 to February 2015.

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Virology

Background:

• Winter seasons typically see increased mortality, particularly among the elderly.
• Surveillance data tracks influenza activity and its potential public health impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze excess mortality trends in European elderly populations during the 2014-2015 winter season.
• To investigate the correlation between excess deaths and influenza A (H3N2) prevalence.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of weekly all-cause excess death data for individuals aged 65 and above in 14 European countries.
• Comparison of 2014-2015 winter mortality rates with the preceding four winter seasons.
• Correlation assessment with European influenza surveillance data, noting predominant virus strains.

Main Results:

• A significant increase in weekly excess deaths was observed among individuals aged 65+ from December 2014 to February 2015.
• This period of elevated mortality coincided with a heightened proportion of influenza detection across European surveillance schemes.
• Influenza A (H3N2) viruses were the predominant strain identified throughout Europe during this season.

Conclusions:

• The 2014-2015 winter season experienced a notable rise in excess mortality among older Europeans.
• Influenza A (H3N2) activity is strongly implicated as a contributing factor to the observed excess deaths.
• Other factors like cold snaps and co-circulating respiratory infections may have also played a role.