News Reports for September 4, 2012

Avian Flu Diary: An Increasingly Complex Flu Field

Michael Coston of Avian Flu Diary has written an exceptional article explaining why it is even more important to get your flu shot this year. I urge you not to miss the valuable information in this blog:

http://afludiary.blogspot.com/...

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by: bgw in MT @ Tue Sep 04, 2012 at 01:35:10 AM UTC

Mike did an awesome job with this one!!

Excellent information and laid out perfectly.

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 @ Tue Sep 04, 2012 at 05:01:47 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

India: Swine flu fear grips Odisha

Fear of swine flu outbreak has gripped the state of Odisha after two patients in a private hospital here were detected with the dreadful flu during the last 48 hours. Both the cases have been confirmed by the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) (Snip).

Both the patients are women and belong to the coastal districts of Jagatsinghpur and Angul districts (Snip). The women were shifted to the Bhubaneswar hospital after they showed symptoms of the fearsome flu in the district hospitals.

The news of the detection of the flu has triggered panic among the people as the disease has made a comeback to the state after a year. "The state was free from swine flu last year. (Snip) the re-emergence of the dreaded flu has created fear among the residents," said Ravi Goud, a Bhubaneswar resident.

(Snip)

Health Minister Damodar Rout has appealed to the people not to panic as "adequate steps have already been taken to combat the situation". "We are keeping a close watch on the situation and therefore, there is no reason to panic. We are on high alert," he said. (Snip) the district headquarters and hospitals have been directed to set up special wards for swine flu patients. http://www.deccanherald.com/co...

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 @ Tue Sep 04, 2012 at 04:52:26 AM UTC

Vietnam: Bird flu cases on the rise

HA NOI - Blue-ear disease in pigs and bird flu have increased significantly in several cities and provinces over the past three weeks (Snip)

Northern Bac Kan Province's Department of Animal Health said on Friday the H5N1 bird flu epidemic had broken out in 11 hamlets in Cho Don District, with about 380 birds infected and 2,370 birds having to be destroyed, while more than 280 pigs were reported dead in the province's Cho Moi District and Bac Kan Town.

Nong Van Chi, deputy chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Kan Province, said bird flu and blue-ear disease were difficult to control and likely to spread because of local people's hesitance to report the disease to authorities.

(Snip)

Releasing the statistics on Friday, the Dak Lak Province People's Committee said it had earmarked VND9 billion (US$428,000) to buy more than 6,600 vaccine doses and 11,200 litres of chemicals to cope with the epidemic.

(Snip)

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has supplied 25,000 litres of antiseptic chemicals from national reserves to support the provinces of Ha Tinh and Ninh Binh to prevent the spread of bird flu.

Central Ha Tinh Province's Preventive Medicine Department said H5N1 bird flu had broken out in four districts and Ha Tinh City while in northern Ninh Binh Province bird flu had spread to seven districts and towns with 32,000 birds having to be destroyed. http://vietnamnews.vnagency.co...  

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 @ Tue Sep 04, 2012 at 05:20:58 AM UTC

4 new swine flu suspects in Bhopal

BHOPAL: The swine flu scare continued in the state capital on Monday with four more suspected cases detected from different parts of the city. (Snip)

According to health officials, three of the four suspected cases are of local residents. "Until now the H1N1 cases and suspects were mainly from the nearby districts, but the trend is changing. Now we are finding suspects from within the city," (Snip)

The condition of the four suspected swine flu cases are critical, with all four on ventilator support (Snip).  Swine flu or H1N1 virus has led to the death of two people in the city in 2012. (Snip) http://timesofindia.indiatimes...

(Note: 4 cases and all 4 in critical condition and on ventilators? Hmmm, this needs to be watched carefully and sequences need to be done immediately, IMO.)

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 @ Tue Sep 04, 2012 at 05:32:42 AM UTC

India: Health dept to study if PGI source of H1N1 virus in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh)

LUCKNOW: Seven fresh positive cases of swine flu took the total for the city to 56 on Monday even as more than 40 suspected cases were being examined by microbiologists at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS). The report for suspected cases is expected to be out on Tuesday evening.

The alarming number of cases finally woke up the health officials in Lucknow from their slumber. (Snip) chief medical officer, Lucknow Dr SNS Yadav said that he would get a study done on why swine flu is spreading, and added, "The study would find out if SGPGIMS is in the core of H1N1 infection in the city."

Around 50 patients of the total 56 are either residents of SGPGIMS or are living in areas adjoining to the apex institution. We have heard that the virus is circulating in the AC duct of the institution," Dr Yadav said. When asked to comment, head of microbiology department, SGPGIMS, Prof TN Dhole said, "Swine flu is an air-borne infection. Though as of now, I cannot prove that it is circulating in our AC duct, I can surely say that even if it was in the duct, it would have come from somewhere." Continued: 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 @ Tue Sep 04, 2012 at 05:50:55 AM UTC

Lake County Ohio H3N2v With No Swine Exposure

Recombinomics Commentary

Lake County Deputy Health Commissioner Ron Graham said a child was recently hospitalized for a short time, but recovered and is back home.

The Lake County General Health District has launched an investigation to determine if there was any contact with swine and to determine how exposure to the virus might have occurred. To this point, no contact with swine has been identified

Graham said the illness did not come from attendance at the Lake County Fair.

A public health investigation is being conducted to identify if there was any contact with sick animals or other persons who may have had influenza symptoms. The investigation so far has not demonstrated any connection to the Lake County Fair or any other Ohio Fair.

The above comments are from two media reports (Snip) on the recent confirmed H3N2v case from Lake County, Ohio.  The absence of a swine exposure or contact would represent community transmission (Snip).  the large number of H3N2v cases in Ohio has increased awareness for influenza-like illness, which is starting to lead to more widespread testing, including cases without swine exposure.

The H3N2v cases in Ohio also led to testing of ILI cases in Ashland, Kentucky, which is in Boyd County, which is adjacent to Gallia County in Ohio and Mason County in West Virginia, where H3N2v cases have been confirmed.

Although Kentucky claimed that the ILI in children with no swine contact was due to seasonal H3N2, the recently released sequences from a sample submitted by the Kentucky Division of Laboratory Services in Frankfort was clearly from a H3N2v case and raises concerns that the 6 seasonal H3N2 cases claimed by Kentucky as well as the 188 seasonal H3N2 cases in weeks 31-33 reported by the CDC in the week 34 FluView represented sustained community transmission, which is strongly supported by the close relationship between the 41 July/August H3N2v sequences from cases identified from Hawaii to Maryland.

The detection of the same sub-clade in multiple cases with no swine contact has striking similarities to the initial cases identified in the 2009 pandemic.  However, the CDC has been focused on the case with swine contact and has relied to the state testing with the CDC RT-PCR test to exclude cases from sequence analysis. 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 @ Tue Sep 04, 2012 at 06:12:14 AM UTC

Minnesota H1N2v Has 2011 H3N2v Genes Including MP

Recombinomics Commentary

The CDC has released a full set of sequences (at GISAID) from one of the H1N2v isolates from Minnesota, A/Minnesota/12/2012 (collected August 26).  The CDC is to be commended for the rapid release of this importnat sequence.

Unlike the H1N2 isolate from 2011, A/Minnesota/19/2011, the current sequence has an H1N1pdm09 M gene that is closely related the M gene in 2011 human cases, which is also true for PB2, PA, NA, and MP, raising concerns of human adaptation.  This increased transmission is also supported by the detection of three cases, which is more than the two H1N2v human cases described previously. 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 @ Tue Sep 04, 2012 at 06:18:44 AM UTC

Mongolia: Better Prepared for Avian and Human Influenza

The "Avian and Human Influenza Control, Preparedness and Response Project" (Sept. 2008 - Nov. 2011) strengthened the capacity of Mongolia's emergency departments, public health system and veterinary services to detect and respond to potential outbreaks of infectious diseases such as an avian and human pandemic influenza.

Challenge

Mongolia is a land-locked country bordered by China and Russia. Both countries have reported outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza that could be transmitted to humans. Mongolia became vulnerable to this serious disease.

Mongolia also plays a unique role in global response to avian influenza. Every year, millions of birds migrate through Mongolia between their Arctic breeding ground and the wintering ground in the south. Monitoring those birds is an essential task for Mongolia.

In response to the threat posed by the disease, the Government of Mongolia prepared a three-year National Strategy and Action Plan for Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza and requested the World Bank to carry out an independent evaluation of the strategy, which the Bank conducted in 2007. The assessment noted the country's progress in disease preparedness but also pointed out the existing gaps, such as lack of technical and financial resources and low personnel capacity in Mongolia to fight diseases.

Approach

The project focused on strengthening the capacity of key agencies involved in the Avian and Human Influenza preparedness and response: the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) of the Ministry of Food, the Agriculture and Light Industry of the Ministry of Health (MOH), and their counterparts at the aimag (province) level. It aimed to raise awareness among senior policy makers and officials, review and improve the existing policy and regulatory framework related to the disease, improve the existing command and control structures with international best practices, and develop standard operational procedures.

The project also helped establish computer-based early warning and surveillance systems across the country, equipped response teams in different sectors with better technical skills, and upgraded infection control and intensive care facilities in provincial hospitals that could be most exposed to such diseases.

Results

The project conducted risk assessments on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, vulnerability to and preparedness for human influenza pandemic, and hospital infection control. A manual on zoonotic disease risk assessment has also been developed.

The project initiated Avian Influenza surveillance among poultry in the country, expanded coverage of early warning and response system for human diseases and sustained surveillance among wild birds. Continued: http://www.mad-mongolia.com/ne...

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 @ Tue Sep 04, 2012 at 13:02:14 PM UTC

Texas Fairgoers Face New Health Threats

September 4, 2012
http://www.kens5.com/news/heal...
Dallas, Texas:  As workers labor to make the State Fair of Texas grounds beautiful, organizers say efforts are also being taken to make it safer from disease.  All 277 acres have already been sprayed once to combat the mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus.

"This week, they'll start spraying the lagoon area," added State Fair spokeswoman Sue Gooding. "And then, if we need to do another round before the Fair, we'll do that, and then anything we need to do during the Fair."

Officials say fairgoers will be encouraged to bring their own insect repellant.  Three years ago, when swine flu first hit, the Fair installed hand sanitizers to prevent people from passing that virus person-to-person.  This year, another form of pig flu is a threat. Federal health officials confirmed a 61-year-old Ohio woman died from the H3N2v virus after having direct contact with pigs at a county fair.  At least fourteen others have been hospitalized.  As a result, State Fair officials say contact this year with pigs will be limited. Strollers, pacifiers, and food are discouraged in the livestock area as a precaution.
(more)


"I am opposed to any form of tyranny over the mind of man."  Thomas Jefferson

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by: History Lover @ Tue Sep 04, 2012 at 14:43:33 PM UTC

WisFourteen Fair Visitors Confirmed to Have Had Influenza From Pigs

Wisconsin Ag Connection - 09/04/2012

The total number of visitors who attended Wisconsin fairs last month and have contracted the H3N2 influenza virus now totals 14. According to state health officials, all of the patients had contact with pigs or came close to pigs at either the state fair, or Kenosha, Dodge or Manitowoc County fairs. The majority of cases are children, with an average age of 10-years-old.

"While this strain of influenza appears to cause an illness similar to seasonal strains, keep in mind that any influenza can cause very severe illness in certain people," said Dr. Henry Anderson. "Because H3N2v infections have been associated with four Wisconsin fairs already, we are recommending that older adults, pregnant women, young children, and people with weakened immune systems or chronic medical conditions should avoid entering swine barns at fairs this season."

continued
http://www.wisconsinagconnecti...

United we stand: Divided we fall
www.flunewsnetwork.com

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by: cottontop @ Tue Sep 04, 2012 at 19:01:11 PM UTC

France: Hunting Practice Helps Spread Bird Flu

Game restocking, which involves releasing millions of human-raised animals for hunters to kill, is helping to spread disease through hand-reared populations and possibly wild ones as well, according to a PLoS ONE study. The study focused on Mallard ducks, but prior research has warned against the restocking of other animals, such as rabbits and partridges. The life of these animals usually begins with crowded, often unsanitary conditions and ends with death by hunting.

"Mallards are reared in high densities, share little ponds where influenza viruses can persist and their genetic diversity is very poor," lead author Marion Vittecoq told Discovery News. "These conditions favor influenza virus infections and their spread in the game bird facilities."

Vittecoq, a researcher of health ecology at the Tour du Valat Research Center, and her colleagues conducted a two-year study in the Camargue region of Southern France to investigate the influence of hand-reared Mallard releases on avian flu virus dynamics in surrounding wildlife. The study was collaboration involving Tour du Valat, CNRS, ONCFS and the Institut Pasteur de Paris.

The scientists sampled Mallards from several game facilities before their release and identified an extremely high infection rate caused by the H10N7 strain of bird flu. Sampled ducks from the wild, before the release of the raised birds, did not have this virus. The same virus has infected humans before in Egypt and Australia.

There is some good news, however. The detected virus is a relatively low pathogenic one, and is not as virulent as strains such as HPAIV H5N1 that is currently circulating in South-East Asia and North Africa, co-author Frédéric Thomas said. So far, the virus does not appear to spread from human to human. Vittecoq explained, "These viruses were certainly transmitted from birds to humans and (are) unable to achieve transmission from man to man."

Such a transmission would likely require a mutation of the virus, which scientists are carefully monitoring. What does not appear to be monitored well, however, are game restocking operations. Continued: http://news.discovery.com/anim...

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 @ Tue Sep 04, 2012 at 22:28:55 PM UTC

Discovery News Video: Viruses And Germs

http://news.discovery.com/vide...

(Note: The video continues after each advertisment. It last several minutes.)

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 @ Tue Sep 04, 2012 at 22:32:49 PM UTC

New flu vaccine guidelines for children get CDC, AAFP approval

Much like the autumn leaves they accompany, influenza strains are always changing their colors. As such, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has tailored new recommendations for vaccine use in children during the 2012-2013 season, intent on meeting altered ailment with altered antidote.

Among the amendments in the CDC's prevention protocol for flu-prone children is an updated vaccination schedule for kids ages 6 months to 8 years. Only one dose of the vaccine will be needed if any of the following are applicable to a given case:

•The child has received 2 or more doses of seasonal influenza vaccine since July 1, 2010.

•The child has received 2 or more doses of seasonal influenza vaccine before July 1, 2010, and 1 or more doses of monovalent 2009 (H1N1) vaccine.


•The child has received 1 or more doses of seasonal influenza vaccine before July 1, 2010, and 1 or more doses of seasonal influenza vaccine since July 1, 2010.

For children in the noted age bracket who do not match this criteria, the CDC recommends two doses of the upcoming influenza vaccine, to be administered four weeks apart (at the minimum). "Children who received the seasonal trivalent vaccine before the 2010-11 season, but did not receive vaccine containing the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) antigen, are recommended to receive two doses this season, regardless of the number of doses they received prior to the 2010-11 season," the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), which supports the CDC recommendations, added in a news release. Continued: http://www.physbiztech.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 @ Tue Sep 04, 2012 at 23:14:45 PM UTC

Please post new news stories to...

News Reports for September 5, 2012

Thank you!

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by: AlohaOR @ Wed Sep 05, 2012 at 04:20:17 AM UTC