News Reports for April 16, 2012

India: Two more test positive for H1N1 in Mumbai (Maharashtra)

Two more persons tested positive for H1N1 influenza virus on Sunday, taking the toll of positive cases in the city to 16 since March. The incidence of positive cases and deaths across the state, especially in Pune, has seen a resurgence since March, after the virus lay dormant for most part of last year.

(Snip) the two patients were a 56-year old woman from Gamdevi and a 36-year-old man from Prabhadevi. "Both are taking treatment from private practitioners and doing well. They have not been admitted to any hospital so far," (Snip) the patients' relatives as well as those in contact with them would also be checked and if needed, put on anti-viral drug Tamiflu. (Snip) http://timesofindia.indiatimes...  

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 06:20:50 AM UTC

Report clearing bird flu studies for publication posted without board members' OK

by Helen Branswell

The final report of the U.S. panel that recently withdrew its objections to the publication of two controversial bird flu studies has been posted publicly. But several members of the committee say they were neither told the report would be released at this point, nor given a chance to approve the final wording of the document.

The National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity's report to U.S. Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius suggests the U.S. government lift its objection to full publication of the two studies. The studies (Snip) show how H5N1 flu viruses can be mutated to the point where they can transmit through the air from ferret to ferret (Snip) The NSABB had originally said the studies should be published in abbreviated form only, to prevent someone with ill-intent from trying to create an H5N1 virus that could spread person-to-person.

At a meeting in late March, the board voted unanimously that the U.S. work could be published but voted 12 to six to withdraw its objections to publication of the Dutch study. The board acts as an adviser to the U.S. government; it will be up to Sebelius to say whether the U.S. is withdrawing its objections to publication of the studies. (Snip)

The report containing the NSABB's recommendations was published on the board's website Saturday. A letter from Dr. Francis Collins, director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, revealed the report had been made public. (Snip)

Many board members only learned of the release Sunday and several said they had not been notified their report would be made public at this time. It was expected the report would not be released until Sebelius makes public her decision. Several, who asked not to be identified, acknowledged they'd never seen nor signed off on the final version of their report.

Publication of the report follows Friday's release of a letter from one NSABB member, Michael Osterholm, which slammed the way the final decision was reached. Osterholm, a flu expert and director of the Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said the information presented to the board was "one-sided" and the March 29-30 meeting was designed to produce the eventual outcome.

Osterholm warned that the decision to recommend the two studies could be published in full merely "kicked the can down the road" towards what may be another standoff with one of the scientists involved in this affair. In his letter, he revealed that Dutch scientist Ron Fouchier disclosed at the meeting that he has found a mutation that makes generating a mammal-to-mammal transmissible H5N1 virus significantly easier. http://www.mysask.com/portal/s...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 06:32:07 AM UTC

Australia: South Australians urged to get flu shots

South Australians at risk of contracting the flu have been urged to get immunised this year. Health Minister John Hill says the flu is a serious illness and accounts for about 20,000 hospital admissions and up to 2000 deaths in Australia each year.

The minister lined up with doctors and nurses at the Royal Adelaide Hospital on Monday to get his flu shot and has urged health workers and others at risk of the virus to do the same. (Snip) its really important for health workers to get vaccinated and give themselves the best protection possible against the virus.

'People who are particularly at risk from complications associated with influenza should also make sure they get vaccinated. (Snip) The seasonal influenza vaccine is available free (Snip) for all people in high risk categories. http://bigpondnews.com/article...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 06:42:37 AM UTC

India: H1N1 patient still serious, one more result awaited (Punjab)

LUDHIANA: Doctors in Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), who are treating swine flu patient Vijay Kumar on Sunday said his condition is serious and he is on ventilator. Vijay, who was staying in Shimlapuri, tested positive for swine flu on Friday night and has been admitted at DMCH since.

Another suspected case of the flu has been brought to the hospital and doctors have kept him in isolation while they await the result of his blood sample (Snip)

Dr Rajesh Mahajan, who is treating Vijay said, "We have been giving him medicines and are hoping his body will respond well." (Snip)

(Snip) the civil surgeon's office is trying to keep residents from panicking about the swine flu cases.  (Snip) As far as Vijay Kumar is concerned he didn't catch the infection in Ludhiana but in most likelihood caught it when he had gone to Nangal, his native place. There is no reason for residents to get scared. We have also been spreading awareness about swine flu and have even asked hospitals to keep isolation wards ready for any eventuality."
(Snip)
"Residents need not be scared as the infection spreads through close contact with the swine flu patients. We have already given Tamiflu dosage to the patients' family members to check its spread," he said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes...  

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 07:03:32 AM UTC

India: No Swine Flu patient in danger (Tamil Nadu)

CHENNAI: A day after the number of people affected with swine flu in the state hit 50, the health department has sent out speedy assurances that none of them are in mortal danger. (Snip) all the cases had been diagnosed and the treatment administered with practised ease. As all health workers, doctors and others in the healthcare industry have been immunized against AH1N1 virus, the risk of secondary infection was very low, he said.

(Snip) though the number of cases have increased over the last two weeks, the onset of the symptoms and its severity are much lower than what the state saw during the 2009-10 season. (Snip) apart from the one farmer who succumbed to the disease, no one has shown signs of the disease worsening.

The Health Department and Corporation meanwhile have taken a strong stand on private hospitals and labs reporting suspicious cases as soon as possible. (Snip) cases being unreported or treated without a channel of information reaching the DPH, stringent action has been threatened. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/no-...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 07:13:47 AM UTC

US: CDC tracking influenza strain that especially could impact children under 10 years old

ATLANTA - Children under the age of 10 years old may be especially susceptible to a new strain of influenza, according to an article published Friday in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report."
(Snip)
The CDC conducted a preliminary analysis to evaluate the age-specific presence of serum cross-reactive antibody in U.S. populations vaccinated or not vaccinated with the 2010-2011 seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine. The results indicated that little or no cross-reactive antibody to A (H3N2)v exists among children under 10 years; that the 2010-2011 influenza vaccine had no impact on cross-reactive antibody levels in those under the age of 3 years; cross-reactive antibody was detected in 20% to 30% of those over 10 years old; and, among adults, vaccination with the 2010-2011 influenza vaccine provided a modest boost to the level of cross-reactive A (H3N2)v antibodies.

Receipt of seasonal influenza vaccine continues to be recommended to protect against circulating human influenza viruses for all age groups and might provide limited protection against A (H3N2)v infection in the adult population. A vaccine virus specific for A (H3N2)v has been developed and could be used to produce an H3N2v vaccine, if needed, the CDC reported.

Human infections with influenza A (H3N2)v were reported with increased frequency in 2011 compared with previous years, however enhanced surveillance might be a contributing factor, noted MMWR editors. Continued: http://www.drugstorenews.com/a...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 20:20:20 PM UTC

2012 H3N2v Match Failures Between Swine and Humans

Recombinomics Commentary

The USDA has released a large series of swine H1N1v, H1N2, and H3N2v sequences (Snip).  Included were a large number of H3N2v sequences from later 2011 and early 2012.  However, none of these sequences matched the human constellations in cases from 2011 and 2012.

Sequences from 13 of the H3N2 isolates included the M gene, and six had an M gene from H1N1pdm09 (Snip)  However, none of the six had an H3 that matched the human sequences from 2011 or 2012.

Similarly, 29 H3 sequences were released, but only two 2010 isolates from Minnesota (Snip) matched the human H3 sequences, but neither had an M gene from H1N1pdm09.  Instead the M gene was similar to the swine H3N2 M gene in the human cases from 2010.  Moreover, all eight gene segments for A/swine/Minnesota/A01076999/2010 were released, and they matched the human isolates A/Wisconsin/12/2010 and A/Pennsylvania/40/2010).  The N2 from A/swine/Minnesota/A01134337/2010 also matched the human sequences suggesting that this isolate also matched the human sequences in all 8 gene segments.

Thus, the latest swine demonstrate a growing trend of swine sequences away from the human sequences. Continued: http://www.recombinomics.com/N...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 20:25:32 PM UTC

UK: Government response after swine flu may have led to more deaths: Liam Donaldson

The Coalition's decision to scrap the flu awareness campaign after coming into power may have contributed to hundreds of preventable deaths, the government's former chief medical officer has said.

A report by Prof Sir Liam Donaldson found there were more deaths and admissions to intensive care in the winter of 2010/11 than in the previous year, when there was a swine flu pandemic. Sir Liam said the attitude in the winter of 2010/11 was 'laissez-faire' and England was the only developed country apart from Greece and Ireland to see a rise in deaths the year after the pandemic.

The report said: "The differences in the government response over the two years were striking and likely to have contributed to the increased impact of the disease in the second year."

In the paper published in the journal Eurosurveillance, Sir Liam said there were approximately ten per cent more hospital admissions, 30 per cent more deaths and 30 per cent more critical care admissions in the second year than in both waves of the pandemic year combined. Continued: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/hea...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 20:29:05 PM UTC

Ireland: Flu outbreak at Donegal nursing home declared over

Seven elderly residents at the Co Donegal home died as a result of the outbreak. All of the residents at the home who were suffering from symptoms of influenza have since recovered. No new residents will be admitted to the home until a deep clean has been completed.

A spokesperson for the HSE said that "no further investigation is underway but we will be keeping a watching brief for the next week or so. A report will be written and it will be made available to the public as soon as possible."

Six residents, aged in their 80s and 90s, died at the Sisters of Nazareth care home between 22 March and 2 April as a result of the outbreak. A seventh died in hospital on 8 April. At one stage up to 14 residents at the 48-bed facility were infected and had to be segregated from other residents. Continued: http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/04...  

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 20:34:34 PM UTC

India: H1N1 on the rise

Slide show: http://www.thehindu.com/health...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 20:43:12 PM UTC

U.S. security advisers urge limits for data

The U.S. biosecurity panel that recently lifted its objections to the publication of controversial bird flu studies has raised additional concerns about one of the papers, work conducted by a Dutch research team.

In its report to the U.S. government, posted online over the weekend, the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity waived its earlier objections to the study led by Yoshihiro Kawaoka at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. But the board said the second study, by Ron Fouchier of Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, needs clarifications before it can be published and suggested additional information that was not in the study the board vetted should not be added to the final document.

"Importantly, the Board also noted that additional information that would enable the construction of an H5N1 virus that is both highly pathogenic and transmissible between mammals through the air should not be included in the manuscript," it stated. Continued: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/SciT...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 20:48:55 PM UTC

Philippines: Poultry products from China, Taiwan banned

Poultry products like chicken, Peking duck and century eggs from Taiwan are now banned from entering the Philippines after an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a broiler breeder farm in the Liou-Jia District, Tai-nan, Taiwan, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Monday.

The DA has released a memorandum order prohibiting the entry of domestic and wild birds, poultry meat, chicks and eggs from Taiwan to "prevent the entry of the HPAI virus (and) protect the health of the local poultry population as well as humans."

The Philippines is one of the few countries in Asia that is bird flu-free (Snip) Recently, South Korea said it would import chicken products from Filipino poultry producers. Continued: http://globalnation.inquirer.n...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 20:54:16 PM UTC

India: Ludhiana: One patient tested swine flu positive, 2 more suspected cases

Punjab - (Snip) a patient at the Dayanand Medical College (DMCH) was confirmed to be swine-flu positive and two other were suspected.

Swine flu victim, Vijay Kumar who works at the hospital has been undergoing treatment at the DMCH. (Snip) A staff nurse at PGI was also found to be swine-flu-positive.

All the hospitals in the city (Snip) have been given instructions to create separate wards in isolation for those confirmed of swine flu. http://www.punjabnewsline.com/...  

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. --Unknown

     

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by: Carol@SC @ Mon Apr 16, 2012 at 21:00:42 PM UTC

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for April 17, 2012

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Tue Apr 17, 2012 at 04:58:27 AM UTC