News Reports for July 14, 2012

Australia: Worst of the flu yet to come (New South Wales)

WAGGA residents have been put on alert as the city braces for the worst of this year's flu outbreak. The early bout of cold weather has seen a large number of patients visit their doctors, presenting with symptoms such as coughing and sneezing.

After an unseasonably cold summer and many people across the Riverina feeling physically and psychologically worn out after the recent flood event, Murrumbidgee Medicare Local practitioner Dr Lili Sadeg is recommending all residents get a flu shot. "I've spoken to a few clients who were quite sick last year because they came in late," she said.

This year's vaccine contains two strains that protect against influenza A strains, H1N1 California and H3N2 Perth, and one strain that protects against the influenza B strain called Brisbane.

Though Dr Sadeg said patients may still get a few flu symptoms as the winter season progresses, any illness would be significantly less than that suffered by those who are not immunised.

"A lot of people are coming in with respiratory problems," she said. "It will be bad (this year) because it is a lot colder than usual."

With medical experts concerned that this year's flu outbreak could be severe if the H3N2 strain intensifies, hospitals across Australia have already reported admitting a greater number of patients with flu symptoms than usual. Continued: http://www.dailyadvertiser.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 @ Sat Jul 14, 2012 at 06:11:29 AM UTC

New Zealand: Sick Cantabs told to stay home

Health officials are advising sick Cantabrians to stay home, amid fears flu cases could escalate as kids go back to school on Monday.  

Christchurch Hospital has seen an influx of flu patients over the last fortnight and were treating 40 patients with confirmed influenza or symptoms. Five of those patients were in a critical condition on ventilators in the Intensive Care Unit.

Dr Alistair Humphrey, Canterbury Medical Officer of Health, says if people are unwell and do not require hospital care they need to stay home and not spread their illness amongst colleagues or school mates. "Call your usual General Practice team number if you need medical assistance. Even afterhours, a registered nurse will answer your call.

"Nurses will reassure or advise on care at home if that's appropriate and if your need is greater, they'll direct you to the nearest after-hours medical service, or the emergency department if that's where you should be." Continued: http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-pre...  

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 Jul 14, 2012 at 06:16:08 AM UTC

US: SDSU Finds 'Game Changer' in Fighting Flu (California)

Several San Diego State University researchers say they have found a way to prevent illness and death from the flu, in mice.

Nearly 40 thousand people in the U.S. die every year from Flu related illnesses (Snip) and this discovery could be a first step in reducing those numbers.

Professor Joy Phillips, Ph.D. wanted to find out how a man-made protein, EP-67, would do in fighting the flu virus. So she and her team at the SDSU Bioscience Center gave the protein to infected mice.

"Significant protection from illness and we're quite frankly astonished at how well it worked," (Snip) within two hours of treatment the protein kick started the rodents' immune systems which in turn began attacking the virus.

Those infected with mild doses of the flu showed no signs of getting sick. Others were given doses that should have killed them. "All of the mice given EP67 survived," (Snip)

But what does this mean for the human population? Scripps Health internist Michelle Abbo, M.D. said mouse models don't always translate to people. Since the protein has never been used in humans, Abbo warns that there could be a severe allergic response or side effects.

However, she is excited at the prospect of saving the lives of people who die from the flu virus and helping the millions who suffer its effects each year.

It's important to note that this new discovery is a long way from human trials.It still has to be extensively tested before the public will have access to the treatment. Continued: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/new...

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 Jul 14, 2012 at 06:35:50 AM UTC

India: Seven test positive for H1N1, count up to 95 this year (Maharashtra)

Mumbai - SEVEN MORE PEOPLE, including three minors tested positive for H1N1 influenza in the city on Friday, taking the total count to 95 this year.

(Snip) a 32-year-old woman from Vile Parle, a 29-year-old woman from Bandra, a 37-year-old man from Kurla, a 26-year-old man from Bandra, a 12-year-old girl from Malad, a 10-year-old girl from Grant Road and a one-year old boy from Bandra - are all stable.

(Snip)only the 12-year-old girl has been admitted to a private hospital (Snip) "All the patients have been put on a course of Oseltamivir and are doing well," said Gomare. http://www.mumbaimirror.com/ar...

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 Jul 14, 2012 at 06:47:45 AM UTC

US: Canine influenza found in San Diego County; shelter dog tests positive for disease

The San Diego County Department of Animal Services is alerting the public that a dog from the County shelter in Bonita has tested positive for canine influenza. Canine influenza was first recognized in Florida in 2004 and has been spreading steadily across the United States. While this disease has been reported in California, this is the first time County Animal Services (DAS) has seen it here in San Diego County.

"We have periodically been testing dogs at our shelter in Bonita for several years and this is the first dog that has tested positive. The test confirms the disease exists in San Diego County," said DAS Director Dawn Danielson.

The virus spreads from one sick dog to another through sneezing or coughing; or through contaminated objects such as the hands or clothing of a person handling the dog. Canine influenza is not transmittable to people.

The disease, while found throughout shelters and communities in many states, is rarely diagnosed as canine influenza. The symptoms include a mild low-grade fever; a soft, moist or dry cough lasting 10-30 days, a thick nasal discharge and no response to antibiotics. While many dogs may not show any symptoms, others will get sick enough to require treatment. As with people who get influenza, if a dog's system is compromised, the disease can lead to death. Continued: http://www.lajollalight.com/20...

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 Jul 14, 2012 at 06:53:06 AM UTC

India: 12 new cases of swine flu reported in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Twelve new cases of swine flu have been reported from different parts of Kerala in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of patients afflicted with the infection to 345 since January this year.

(Snip) five of the new H1N1 cases were reported from Malappuram followed by four from Thrissur and one each from Kasargode, Kannur and Kollam districts respectively.
Kozhikode accounted for 115 cases reported since January this year, followed by Malappuram-66, Kasargode-38, Kannur-40, Thrissur-31, Wayanad-24, Kottayam-10, Ernakulam-10, Alappuzha-10, Palakkad-3, Thiruvananthapuram-1 and Kollam-1, (Snip)

The department has stepped up measures to detect, test and treat the patients suffering from the infection, (Snip) http://english.manoramaonline....

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 Jul 14, 2012 at 19:17:09 PM UTC

MD oversees trials for universal flu shot

If successful, vaccine available in 5 to 7 years

Imagine a vaccine that could protect you from H1N1 and the avian flu in addition to seasonal flu. And it would even guard against new flu strains -- only requiring the occasional booster shot.

A Philadelphia research company -- with ties to Winnipeg's National Microbiology Laboratory -- believes it may be on the road to discovering this holy grail of flu vaccines.

Joseph Kim, president and CEO of Inovio Pharmaceuticals, said the company may be five to seven years from releasing a universal flu vaccine, if a series of trials, including one in Winnipeg, is successful.

"Conventional vaccines over the last 100 years or so have probably saved more lives than any other human invention," Kim said.

But the technology has become stagnant, especially flu vaccines, he said. The seasonal flu shot, offering protection from three strains of influenza, changes from year to year. And its success varies from season to season.

Inovio has come up with a synthetic DNA vaccine it believes will offer protection against past and future influenza strains. It was developed using computer code DNA of all the flu strains in the past 100 years. Kim said the company has seen positive initial results in testing of its SynCon vaccine against six representative strains of the deadly H5N1 (avian flu) virus. Continued: http://www.winnipegfreepress.c...

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 Jul 14, 2012 at 19:24:54 PM UTC

Australia: Hospital flu risk to patients (Victoria)

MOST doctors and nurses in Victorian hospitals are not vaccinated against the flu, leading health experts including the Australian Medical Association to support mandatory immunisation to prevent patients contracting deadly strains of the virus from the professionals treating them.

With the number of reported flu cases eclipsing last year's tally and medical experts strongly recommending flu shots in the wider population, figures compiled for The Sunday Age by the state's infectious disease monitor show low immunisation rates among hospital staff.

Just 39.8 per cent of medical staff, including doctors, were vaccinated last year, and the rate has risen above 40 per cent just once since 2005, at the peak of the swine flu pandemic. The rate of vaccination among nurses was slightly higher, but still below 50 per cent. Continued: http://www.theage.com.au/victo...

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 Jul 14, 2012 at 19:31:26 PM UTC

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for July 14, 2012

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Sun Jul 15, 2012 at 04:09:27 AM UTC