News Reports for June 16, 2012

WHO report sums up Northern Hemisphere flu season

Jun 15, 2012 (CIDRAP News) - The 2011-12 flu season in most temperate countries of the Northern Hemisphere started later than usual, except for North Africa, and was mild in many countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today in a wrap-up report.

The circulating flu strains varied widely by country and even by region (Snip) which appeared in its Weekly Epidemiological Record. (Snip) in North America, the 2009 H1N1 virus predominated in Mexico, with H3N2 dominating in the United States, and influenza B taking the lead in most parts of Canada.

In temperate parts of Asia, influenza B peaked first in China and Mongolia, followed by a rise in H3N2 activity later in the season. The reverse pattern was seen in South Korea and Japan.

Many countries saw doctors' visits for flulike illness at or below last season's levels, but Japan reported its highest number of confirmed flu cases since 2002, except for during the 2009 pandemic period (Snip)

Some European countries such as Spain and France reported excess mortality in older adults, much of it related to H3N2 that circulated in those areas. European officials also reported that the 2009 H1N1 virus was overrepresented in cases of severe influenza.

As the season progressed, influenza lab experts noted drift in the H3N2 strain and increasing numbers of influenza B samples from the Yamagata lineage, which prompted WHO advisors to recommend changing two of the three strains for the Northern Hemisphere's 2012-13 flu season.

Little oseltamivir (Tamiflu) resistance was seen in 2009 H1N1 viruses, except for 16 cases from Texas late in the flu season. Among 14 cases with available information, 3 patients had taken the drug for 1 day or more at the time of specimen collection, and 2 had family members taking the oseltamivir. Nine had no oseltamivir exposure.

In the United States last week, flu markers remained well below baselines, with no new pediatric flu deaths reported (Snip)

In other flu developments, Bermuda's health department is reporting an unusual spike in flu illnesses (Snip)  A spokeswoman for the Bermuda Hospitals Board said 26 patients with flulike illness were hospitalized between Jun 6 and Jun 13, a level higher than expected at this time of the year. She added that the hospitalization pattern is probably accompanied by a wave of cases reported to doctors' offices. http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidr...

Continued with links to the following:

Jun 15 Wkly Epidemiol Rec report

Jun 15 CDC weekly influenza update

Jun 13 Royal Gazette story  

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 @ Sat Jun 16, 2012 at 06:45:03 AM UTC

Malasia: No new H1N1 cases reported at Kedah NS camp

http://thestar.com.my/news/sto...

KAJANG: The Influenza A(H1N1) outbreak at the National Service (NS) camp is under control, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

He said there have been no new cases since Thursday.

Ninety NS trainees at Dusun Minda National Service training camp in Kuala Nerang, Kedah, were quarantined two days ago after coming down with A(H1N1).

"We were careful to ensure that the virus did not spread," Liow said during a visit to the Kajang Hospital yesterday.

He was there to view the site for the hospital's proposed block of wards, which will cost RM3mil.

In Alor Setar. 14 of the 21 trainees who were warded four days ago have been discharged from hospital.

Kedah Health and Medical Servi­ces Department director Dr Ismail Abu Taat said the 14 were allowed to return to the camp yesterday.

However, he said, they were placed under quarantine together with others who had the Influenza A symptoms as a precaution.

Dr Ismail stressed that the department was closely monitoring all trainees under quarantine at the camp, adding that they were being treated with anti-viral medication by doctors and nurses.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said the seven trainees who remained warded were in stable condition.

All trainees were given face masks to wear since Tuesday with activities limited to light training.

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by: Cathy M @ Sat Jun 16, 2012 at 13:46:50 PM UTC

Seroconversion to Seasonal Influenza Viruses after A(H1N1)pdm09 Virus Infection, Quebec, Canada

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/artic...

Abstract
We looked for cross-reactive antibodies in 122 persons with paired serum samples collected during the 2009 pandemic of influenza virus A(H1N1)pdm09. Eight (12%) of 67 persons with A(H1N1)pdm09 infection confirmed by reverse transcription PCR and/or serology also seroconverted to the seasonal A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1) virus, compared with 1 (2%) of 55 A(H1N1)pdm09-negative persons (p<0.05).

Intro:
The role of seasonal 2008-09 trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines in protecting against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus remains controversial (1). Recent reports indicated that prior infections with seasonal influenza A viruses protected against A(H1N1)pdm09 virus infection, suggesting the presence of cross-reactive antibodies...
[much more]

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by: Cathy M @ Sat Jun 16, 2012 at 13:48:57 PM UTC

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for June 17, 2012

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Sun Jun 17, 2012 at 04:35:55 AM UTC