In‐field detection and characterization of B/Victoria lineage deletion variant viruses causing early influenza activity and an outbreak in Louisiana, 2019.

Background: In 2019, the Louisiana Department of Health reported an early influenza B/Victoria (B/VIC) virus outbreak. Method: As it was an atypically large outbreak, we deployed to Louisiana to investigate it using genomics and a triplex real‐time RT‐PCR assay to detect three antigenically distinct B/VIC lineage variant viruses. Results: The investigation indicated that B/VIC V1A.3 subclade, containing a three amino acid deletion in the hemagglutinin and known to be antigenically distinct to the B/Colorado/06/2017 vaccine virus, was the most prevalent circulating virus within the specimens evaluated (86/88 in real‐time RT‐PCR). Conclusion: This work underscores the value of portable platforms for rapid, onsite pathogen characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]