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Author Topic: H1N1 - Swine Flu - Novel Flu - Information  (Read 151853 times)
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« Reply #440 on: December 01, 2009, 01:41:28 AM »

H1N1 - Turkeys - read at www.flutrackers.com


H1N1 virus found in turkeys

Mon Nov 30, 2009 5:53pm EST http://www.reuters.com/article/inter...5AT5P720091130

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The pandemic H1N1 flu virus was confirmed in a flock of breeder turkeys in Virginia -- the first U.S. case involving turkeys, the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Monday.

The virus also has been found in hogs, three house cats, pet ferrets and a cheetah in California. USDA said infections of turkeys have been reported in Canada and Chile.

"This is the first detection of 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza in turkeys in the United States

....

Related: H1N1 has also been detected among pigs in Norway and Finland 
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« Reply #441 on: December 01, 2009, 09:39:41 AM »

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,578294,00.html?test=latestnews

H1N1 Flu Strain Found in Canadian Turkey Flock

Tuesday , December 01, 2009

RT
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WINNIPEG, Manitoba —
Turkeys in the Canadian province of Ontario have become infected with the H1N1 flu virus, but no birds or eggs from the farm entered the food supply, provincial government officials said on Tuesday.

The infection poses minimal risk to human health, Dr. Arlene King, Ontario's chief medical officer of health, said in a news conference in Toronto.

However, she noted the discovery highlights the need for those who work with farm animals to be vaccinated for both seasonal flu and the pandemic H1N1 flu strain.

The risk of the virus passing between people and animals is that the virus could evolve into a form against which humans have little or no immunity, King said. There is no evidence that the virus has changed, she added.

The discovery in a single Ontario barn by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is the second known incident of turkeys becoming infected with the H1N1 virus, also called swine flu. The first was in a flock in Chile.

RELATED:

H1N1 Topic Page

LiveShots H1N1 Blog

The Ontario case comes just over a week after the Canadian Thanksgiving holiday, which traditionally involves a turkey dinner.

Health officials are following up with people who had contact with the infected turkeys. One person with contact had shown flu-like symptoms.

The turkeys' owner has voluntarily agreed to quarantine the infected birds, but they aren't likely to be prematurely slaughtered, said Dr. Deb Stark, Ontario's chief veterinarian.

The outbreak of H1N1 flu among turkeys in Chile was discovered in August. It was also the first case of the virus being found outside humans and pigs.

Earlier this year the strain was found in hog herds in the Western Canadian provinces of Alberta and Manitoba.
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« Reply #442 on: December 01, 2009, 01:03:07 PM »

Thank you Klaas.  The following was read at www.flutrackers.com this morning....
H1N1 Found in Commercial Turkey Breeder Flock in Virginia
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2009 pandemic A/H1N1 influenza virus, United States of America (WAHID Interface - OIE World Animal Health Information Database, 12/1/09, edited)

2009 pandemic A/H1N1 influenza virus, United States of America

Information received on 30/11/2009 from Dr John Clifford, Deputy Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, United States of America

Summary
Report type Immediate notification

Start date 16/11/2009
Date of first confirmation of the event 24/11/2009
Report date 30/11/2009
Date submitted to OIE 30/11/2009

Reason for notification Emerging disease
Morbidity 1 scale05
Mortality 0 scale05
Zoonotic impact Refer to OIE guidance/opinion
 
Causal agent 2009 pandemic A/H1N1 influenza virus
 
New outbreaks

Outbreak 1 - State of Virginia, VIRGINIA
Date of start of the outbreak 16/11/2009
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Farm
 
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
Birds - 3270 - 0 - 0 - 0
Affected Population - Commercial turkey breeder flock.

The barn housing the affected birds contains approximately 3,270 turkey breeder hens.
No other barns on the farm are reported to be affected and no other birds have shown signs of clinical illness.

Summary of outbreaks
Total outbreaks: 1
Outbreak statistics: Species - Apparent morbidity rate - Apparent mortality rate - Apparent case fatality rate - Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Birds - ** - 0.00% - ** - 0.00%

* Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter
** Not calculated because of missing information

Epidemiology
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection
Unknown or inconclusive
Epidemiological comments
The USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services are conducting a comprehensive epidemiological investigation of this event.

Epidemiological sequence of event as of 30 November 2009:

Week of 16 November 2009: A significant drop in egg production was observed in one barn only.

23 November 2009: Presumptive detection of 2009 pandemic A/H1N1 was reported to APHIS and laboratory samples were submitted to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL).

30 November 2009: NVSL confirmation of 2009 pandemic A/H1N1 influenza virus.

Information points to recent exposure of the turkeys to a farm worker exhibiting influenza-like symptoms.

The farm was/and continues to be under enhanced biosecurity.
 
Control measures
Measures applied
No vaccination
No treatment of affected animals
Measures to be applied
No other measures
Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) (National laboratory)

Tests and results: Species - Test - Test date - Result

Birds - agar-gel immunodiffusion (AGID) - 24/11/2009 - Positive
Birds - gene sequencing - 30/11/2009 - Positive
Birds - real-time reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR) - 24/11/2009 - Positive
Birds - virus isolation - 30/11/2009 - Positive

Future Reporting
The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.
-

WAHID Interface - OIE World Animal Health Information Database
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« Reply #443 on: December 02, 2009, 10:28:16 AM »

Read on www.flutrackers.com today:


Fraudulent 2009 H1N1 Influenza Products List

Information current as of noon December 01, 2009
145 entries in list

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/h1n1flu/

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


 Re: Colorado reports 56 deaths this season - total 57
Source: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/dc/Infl...s_Linelist.pdf

Age - Deaths

0-18 - 9
19-24 - 2
25-49 - 20
50-64 - 18
65+ - 7

Total - 56

Colorado reported one death prior to September 1, 2009

Read this morning at www.flutrackers.com
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=133611

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
   

 Today, 08:36 AM 
 
 Ohio AG Warns Of Swine Flu Computer Virus

------------------------------------------------------

Ohio AG Warns Of Swine Flu Computer Virus

Associated Press
Published: December 2, 2009

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray warns that a scam playing on fears of the swine flu virus is spreading a computer virus that could lead to identify theft.

Cordray said Tuesday that Ohioans need to beware of bogus e-mails that appear to come from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, announcing the launch of a state vaccination program for swine flu.

The messages encourage recipients to click on a link and download instructions for creating a personal vaccination profile.

Cordray warns that the download infects computers with a virus capable of sending the user’s personal information back to the scammers.

The attorney general says consumers should always resist links in e-mails that come from people they don’t know personally.


http://www.wytv.com/content/news/ohs...VZy_Zvs1w.cspx
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« Reply #444 on: December 04, 2009, 04:01:03 PM »

Read following article at www.flutrackers.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two cats in Colorado test positive for H1N1, CSU says

By Coloradoan news reports • December 4, 2009

Two cats from different households in Colorado have tested positive for H1N1, according to Colorado State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. The felines are expected to recover, but their cases serve as a reminder to pet owners to seek veterinary attention for companion animals that appear to be ill, said a CSU statement.

The cats in these two cases were diagnosed with lower respiratory tract infections by Colorado veterinarians. Both cats are currently ill and have been ill for multiple weeks, with one illness beginning on Oct. 2 and the other beginning in early November. Antibiotics do not treat H1N1, but both cats received antibiotics as a precaution against secondary bacterial infections. Neither cat had symptoms that responded to antibiotics.


“We expect that both cats will recover, but these cases serve as a reminder to pet owners to seek veterinary attention as soon as possible if their pet seems ill. This flu has also been identified in ferrets, exotic cats and birds in the United States, so any companion animal that appears to have the flu should get immediate attention,” Kristy Pabilonia, a veterinarian and expert on H1N1 testing in animals at CSU, said in the statement released by CSU. “We are very interested in understanding more about H1N1 in cats and other pets and providing tests to veterinarians who suspect H1N1 in companion animals.”


Swabs from the cats’ mouth and nose were tested by CSU and additional blood serum confirmation testing from Iowa State University confirmed that they have the pandemic H1N1 strain.

Veterinarians believe that both of the cats became ill with H1N1 after a person in their household contracted the virus.

In addition to receiving veterinary care, cats and ferrets with H1N1 should be made comfortable and get plenty of rest, enticing food and fluids.

The USDA is reporting three other confirmed cases of H1N1 in cats, one each in Oregon, Iowa and Pennsylvania. At least five ferrets have been confirmed to have H1N1, four in Oregon and one in Nebraska.

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20...H1N1++CSU+says
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« Reply #445 on: December 07, 2009, 04:16:50 PM »

Reading at www.flutrackers.com this afternoon....

 New York Autopsies Show 2009 H1N1 Influenza Virus Damages Entire Airway

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For Immediate Release
Monday, December 07, 2009
 E-mail this page
 Subscribe   Contact:
Anne A. Oplinger
301-402-1663


New York Autopsies Show 2009 H1N1 Influenza Virus Damages Entire Airway

In fatal cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza, the virus can damage cells throughout the respiratory airway, much like the viruses that caused the 1918 and 1957 influenza pandemics, report researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner.

The scientists reviewed autopsy reports, hospital records and other clinical data from 34 people who died of 2009 H1N1 influenza infection between May 15 and July 9, 2009. All but two of the deaths occurred in New York City.

A microscopic examination of tissues throughout the airways revealed that the virus caused damage primarily to the upper airway — the trachea and bronchial tubes — but tissue damage in the lower airway, including deep in the lungs, was present as well. Evidence of secondary bacterial infection was seen in more than half of the victims.
 
The team was led by James R. Gill, M.D., of the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner and New York University School of Medicine, and Jeffery K. Taubenberger, M.D., Ph.D., of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at NIH. The findings are reported in the Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, now available online and scheduled to appear in the February 2010 print issue.

"This study provides clinicians with a clear and detailed picture of the disease caused by 2009 H1N1 influenza virus that will help inform patient management," says NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D."In fatal cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza, it appears the novel pandemic influenza virus produces pulmonary damage that looks very much like that seen in earlier influenza pandemics."

The new report also underscores the impact 2009 H1N1 influenza is having on younger people.

While most deaths from seasonal influenza occur in adults over 65 years old, deaths from 2009 H1N1 influenza occur predominately among younger people. The majority of deaths (62 percent) in the 34 cases studied were among those 25 to 49 years old; two infants were also among the fatal cases.

Ninety-one percent of those autopsied had underlying medical conditions, such as heart disease or respiratory disease, including asthma, before becoming ill with 2009 H1N1 influenza.

Seventy-two percent of the adults and adolescents who died were obese. This finding agrees with earlier reports, based on hospital records, linking obesity with an increased risk of death from 2009 H1N1 influenza.

Continue reading at link below:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reference: JR Gill et al. Pulmonary pathological findings of fatal 2009 pandemic influenza A/H1N1 viral infections. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. Published online Dec. 7, 2009. {Note: Full text of the paper is available at www.archivesofpathology.org} http://www.nih.gov/news/health/dec2009/niaid-07.htm
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« Reply #446 on: December 07, 2009, 04:24:08 PM »

Read at www.flutrackers.com this afternoon.  Link to article below.

 CDC - Swine Flu Emergency Warning Signs - FluTrackers

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Know The Emergency Warning Signs

December 5, 2009, 6:00 AM ET

There are �emergency warning signs� that should signal anyone to seek medical care urgently.

Seek care if the sick person has ANY of the signs below.


In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Sudden dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting (vomiting that goes on)

 
In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

Fast breathing or working hard to breathe
Bluish skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough
Fever with a rash
Being unable to eat
Having no tears when crying

 
In addition to the signs above, get medical help right away for any infant who has any of these signs:

Being unable to eat
Has trouble breathing
Having no tears when crying


http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/homecare/warningsigns.htm
 
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« Reply #447 on: December 09, 2009, 10:22:43 AM »

The story of a Katy, Texas family.... read at www.flutracker.com



 Houston - Katy family details brush with swine flu

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Katy family details brush with swine flu

By CINDY GEORGE Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
Dec. 8, 2009, 11:56PM

H1N1 illness has dropped off from peaks this summer and in early fall, but a Katy couple who nearly lost their teenage son to swine flu warned Houstonians Tuesday to get vaccinated now before the pandemic surges again.

Despite waning media coverage as well as fewer infections due to swine flu in Houston, the Cary family encouraged others to seek vaccination as the best way to avoid dire consequences from the H1N1 virus.

Billy Cary spent 54 days in Texas Children's Hospital this fall after swine flu wiped out his immune system, allowing secondary staph infections to invade both of his lungs.

The 13-year-old tennis player and his parents, Bill and Kim Cary, told their story at Tuesday's H1N1 Flu Forum — a lunch with local experts presented by The Immunization Partnership and the Rotary Club of Houston.

Lingering effects

The healthy eighth-grader — whose entire family had received seasonal flu shots to protect his asthmatic sister — now has scarred lungs, damaged kidneys and will probably lose the tips of some toes because of poor circulation while hospitalized.

Mild symptoms one Monday in September turned into vomiting and fever by early Friday. Before the weekend, Billy was in intensive care.

“Being that he's so healthy, it hit us like a ton of bricks,” said his mother, Kim Cary. “It's hard to describe our fear of his dying.”

More than 200 children nationwide have died since April from reported swine flu complications, but some estimates put the actual figure above 1,000.

Access to the vaccine, which began trickling into Texas two months ago, has been restricted mostly to those at high risk of H1N1 complications.
In recent days, most Houston-area health departments opened up their supplies to everyone.

Vaccine available to all

The Houston and Harris County health departments began offering the vaccine to all late last month. Supplies at the Galveston and Fort Bend health departments became available to everyone this week, though officials are focusing on priority groups: pregnant women, children, young adults, caregivers for infants, and adults up to age 64 with chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems. The Montgomery County health department will offer free vaccines next week to anyone who asks.

The H1N1 vaccine has been shipped to some large retailers, including about 100 Kroger stores in the Houston area. Participating pharmacies in the grocery chain, which begin offering shots today for $10, will get 300 to 1,000 doses each, said Rebecca King, Kroger's consumer affairs manager for Texas.

Billy was treated at Texas Children's alongside other youngsters with H1N1 who died, his mother said. The victims included a healthy 6-year-old Little Leaguer and a teen from Pasadena who had underlying conditions.

“There was just a lot of sadness there. The mother's cries I will never forget. I will never forget … ,” Kim Cary said. “Get your H1N1 vaccine. You don't want what happened to Billy to happen to your children.”

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...n/6760368.html
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« Reply #448 on: December 10, 2009, 10:48:47 AM »

Interesting reading at FluTrackers this morning - www.flutrackers.com ......


Not Even A Cheetah Can Outrun H1N1

Posted: 2:53 pm PST December 9, 2009Updated: 4:04 pm PST December 9, 2009


SANTA ROSA, Calif. -- A cheetah living on a Northern California wildlife preserve has tested positive for the H1N1 virus, marking what wildlife officials believe is the first reported case of the virus in a zoological setting in the United States

On. Nov. 15, caretakers at the Safari West Wildlife Preserve and African Tent Camp noticed that Gijima, an 8-year-old cheetah, was lethargic, uninterested in food and was coughing, preserve spokeswoman Aphrodite Caserta said.

The cheetah was taken in for inspection and was thought to have a respiratory infection. However, the director of the preserve, Nancy Anne Lang, had seen a news report of a house cat contracting the H1N1 virus, and asked to have Gijima tested because she displayed similar symptoms.

A couple of days later, the test came back positive for H1N1 virus, Caserta said.

Gijima has since recovered fully from the illness and is back in her enclosure with her sister, Thula, Caserta said.

She said officials at Safari West do not know how Gijima was infected with the virus, and that the preserve is continuing its regular hygienic practices, including frequent hand washing, sterilization of food bowls and tools, and the use of foot baths at the entrances to animal enclosures.

"We didn't feel like she had any harm" from the virus, Caserta said. "It was just kind of a fascinating thing for us to understand."

Steve Feldman, spokesman for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, said he believes Gijima's illness is the first of its kind for an animal in a zoological setting.

Feldman said the illness is "just really an issue of animal health, and doesn't present any issues for public health."

The AZA is a wildlife conservation organization that also accredits zoos and aquariums nationwide.

AZA-accredited places in the Bay Area include the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the San Francisco Zoo, the Oakland Zoo, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, Happy Hollow Zoo in San Jose, the Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco, and the Coyote Point Museum in San Mateo.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/21913141/detail.html
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« Reply #449 on: December 10, 2009, 11:15:48 AM »

Read at www.flutrackers.com - with link to entire article below...

Editorial: Reckless disregard for H1N1's danger

Rumors, myths stopping many from getting influenza vaccine.
Last update: December 10, 2009 - 6:41 AM

A contagion of complacency is threatening to undermine the fight to contain the H1N1 influenza pandemic.

The vaccine is the single most potent weapon against this dangerous pathogen, which is causing serious illness in children, young adults and pregnant women in Minnesota and elsewhere.

Yet polls consistently show that Americans, who once clamored to get the shot, are recklessly putting their lives or their children's at risk by not getting the shot as the vaccine becomes more widely available.

According to a recent CNN poll, more than half of American adults -- 55 percent -- said they do not plan to get the H1N1 shot.

A poll conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media found that 37 percent of parents surveyed with kids under 18 were unlikely to have their children vaccinated.

These polls accurately reflect reality: Disappointingly few parents signed their kids up for shots when New York public schools held vaccination clinics.

Doctors, nurses and health officials understandably are frustrated. The H1N1 shot, like every other seasonal flu vaccine, is a public health hat trick. It's safe, effective and inexpensive.

And yet people under the sway of Internet rumors and harebrained celebrities are deliberately choosing not to take advantage of this potentially lifesaving medicine.


Educated adults who wouldn't dream of asking a blogger or former MTV-personality-turned-anti-vaccine-zealot Jenny McCarthy to treat a heart attack or set a broken bone ridiculously trust both for guidance on vaccines.

It makes zero sense, especially when so many are making decisions about their children's flu shots based on this kind of "advice."

It's the equivalent of putting your kid in a vehicle without a car seat. Grandparents, family and friends, please step up and say something. Don't tolerate this reckless irresponsibility.

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/e...D3aPc:_Yyc:aUU
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« Reply #450 on: December 11, 2009, 10:03:14 AM »

Article From HSToday - Homeland Security Insight & Analysis
Information found on www.flutrackers.com
Entire article at link below.....

Concerns Grow Over Possible H1N1-H5N1 'Reassortment,' Other Mutations         
by Anthony L. Kimery     
Tuesday, 01 December 2009 

'The obvious risk is of H5N1 combining with the pandemic [H1N1] virus'
Virologists and influenza authorities are becoming increasingly concerned that the 2009 A-H1N1 flu virus could “reassort” with the highly virulent H5N1 avian flu that’s still prevalent in parts of the world like China, and that a mutation could occur resulting in a new strain that has the lethality of H5N1 and the human transmissibility of A-H1N1.

The concerns have grown in the wake of revelations that mutations of the H1N1 flu virus had been found in Norway and elsewhere, leading experts to fear that it might just be a matter of time before there’s a reassortment of H1N1 and H5N1.

This comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) reported very high pandemic activity in Italy, Norway, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation (Urals region), and Sweden.

Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine also reported high pandemic activity.

Meanwhile, authorities said they believe the peak of the A-H1N1 pandemic's second wave hasn’t  yet been reached in some parts of the world.

WHO said it’s keeping a "very careful” eye on the reported mutations in order to ascertain whether it is causing more severe illness diseases than the A-H1N1 virus.

"We really need to look at this very carefully to see whether it is in fact associated with severe cases," WHO spokesman Thomas Abraham told reporters. He said investigations by WHO's collaborating network of labs will be able to provide a better "understanding … about clinical features associated with the infection of this particular form of the virus."

Since it emerged, the A-H1N1 virus has constantly been mutating, authorities said. So far, most of these mutations have no clinical significance, but "occasionally we come across a virus that might have clinical significance,” Abraham said.

WHO warned that the H5N1 virus has emerged in poultry in Egypt, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam just as the H1N1 pandemic influenza continues its rampage across the world.

Not only does this place “those in direct contact with birds - usually rural folk and farm workers - at risk of catching the often-fatal disease,” but “the virus could undergo a process of ‘reassortment’ with another influenza virus and produce a completely new strain," WHO stated.

"The most obvious risk is of H5N1 combining with the pandemic ... [H1N1] virus, producing a flu virus that is as deadly as the former and as contagious as the latter."

That the two flu strain could merge, reassert, and produce a new hybrid influenza strain combining the worst elements of each of the viruses is a possibility that authorities have been worrying about ever since the spread of the A-H1N1 virus increased to pandemic level.

“We don’t know if this is possible, but we are certainly aware of the risk,” Dr. Shin Young-soo, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific,” told The Philippine Star. “We are on alert for this development.”

“Influenza viruses are unpredictable. In areas where [A-H1N1] is endemic, we and our partners and national governments are working to build surveillance systems to identify changes in the behavior of the virus,” Shin said. “We are also focusing on early-response capacity to reduce the potential threats to human health.”

Virologists told HSToday.us that “it’s very possible that the two flu strains could combine – this reassortment that we talk about – that could result in a mix of the two,” as one explained. “Of course, what we are concerned about is a mutation that contains the worst characteristics of the two viruses.”

Zhong Nanshan, director of the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases in China's southern Guangdong province, warned that China has to be on high alert to any mutation and changes in the virulence of A-H1N1.

"This is something we need to monitor, the change, the mutation of the virus. This is why reporting of the death rate must be really transparent,” he told Reuters Television, adding, China, as you know, is different from other countries. Inside China, H5N1 has been existing for some time, so if there is really a reassortment between H1N1 and H5N1, it will be a disaster.”

WHO reported more than half-a-million laboratory confirmed cases of H1N1 worldwide in mid-November and close to 7,000 deaths, but stressed that in reality that figure is likely much, much higher.

Across Europe, the number of deaths related to pandemic H1N1 has doubled nearly every two weeks since mid-October.

US influenza and public health authorities agreed in interviews with HSToday.us. They said the number of people infected in the US is undoubtedly “much higher” than the number of lab-confirmed cases given that most people who exhibit traditional H1N1 sickness symptoms are not tested to determine if they have H1N1 or a seasonal flu virus strain.

HSToday.us reported last week that four patients at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC, at least five persons in a hospital in Wales, and a father in Quebec, Canada become infected with an apparently mutated strain of H1N1 that is resistant to Tamiflu (oseltamivir), the leading antiviral of choice to treat influenza in lieu of having a vaccine.

Meanwhile, Norwegian health authorities reported a potentially significant mutation in H1N1 that could be responsible for the severest symptoms in those infected by the strain - especially persons most at risk to the virus.

Authorities have been monitoring this development very carefully because of concerns that it, too, might become resistant to Tamiflu, and, possibly, other antivirals if they become as widely administered as oseltamivir.

Similar mutations have been reported elsewhere, but haven’t necessarily provoked a more virulent virus or proven to be less resistant to Tamiflu or other antivirals. Nevertheless, authorities increasingly are concerned.

Virologists have been worried for some time that antiviral-resistant influenza could become a serious problem during a pandemic, as antivirals are the primary defense against a pandemic until an effective vaccine is developed and distributed.

Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported  during a November 25 press briefing that there's been "a worrisome spike in serious pneumococcal disease" linked to A-H1N1 had appeared in the CDC's Active Bacterial Core surveillance program that monitors infections at ten locations across the nation.

CDC reported a tripling of cases of severe, life-threatening bacterial infections at the monitoring sites.
 


http://www.hstoday.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11277&Itemid=149
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« Reply #451 on: December 11, 2009, 10:09:09 AM »


Deaths Related to 2009 Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) Among American Indian/Alaska Natives --- 12 States, 2009


Indigenous populations from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand have been found to have a three to eight times higher rate of hospitalization and death associated with infection with the 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus...

Continue article here.....
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5848a1.htm
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« Reply #452 on: December 11, 2009, 10:14:04 AM »

2009 H1N1 and Seasonal Flu and African American Communities: Questions and Answers
December 10, 2009, 1:30 PM ET

Since April 2009, the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus has been spreading from person-to-person worldwide, affecting all racial and ethnic groups.

This 2009 H1N1 and Seasonal Flu and African American Communities: Questions and Answers document summarizes current understanding of the impact of 2009 H1N1 and seasonal influenza virus on African Americans, describes some of the barriers to uptake of 2009 H1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccines, and outlines potential strategies for improving health and increasing vaccine coverage in African American communities....


Continue article at this link....
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/african_americans_qa.htm
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« Reply #453 on: December 11, 2009, 10:20:59 AM »

NIAID Trial of 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine
Enrolling HIV-Positive Adults

Trial Complements Current Studies in
HIV-Infected Children and Pregnant Women

HIV-infected adults currently are being recruited to participate in a clinical trial of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine. The study, sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health, will enroll approximately 240 men and women between the ages of 18 and 64.

snip

The trial is being conducted at six sites, including these five NIAID-funded Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units:  Baylor College of Medicine, Houston; Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center; Saint Louis University, Mo.; University of Iowa, Iowa City; and University of Maryland, Baltimore.  The University of Washington, Seattle, also is participating in the trial.

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http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2009/H1N1trialHIVpositive.htm
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« Reply #454 on: December 11, 2009, 10:28:01 AM »

Questions & Answers  (CDC Information)

2009 H1N1 Flu In The News
December 10, 2009 1:00 PM ET


How many 2009 H1N1 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are estimated to have occurred in the United States?

CDC developed a method to provide an estimated range of the total number of 2009 H1N1 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the United States by age group using data on flu associated hospitalizations collected through CDC’s Emerging Infections Program.

On November 12, 2009 CDC provided the first estimates for April through October 17, 2009 and committed to updating those estimates approximately monthly.

On December 10, 2009, CDC issued updated estimates for the numbers of 2009 H1N1 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the United States since the pandemic started in April 2009 through November 14, 2009.

CDC estimates that between 34 million and 67 million cases of 2009 H1N1 occurred between April and November 14, 2009.

The mid-level in this range is about 47 million people infected with 2009 H1N1.

CDC estimates that between about 154,000 and 303,000 2009 H1N1-related hospitalizations occurred between April and November 14, 2009.

The mid-level in this range is about 213,000 H1N1-related hospitalizations.
 
CDC estimates that between about 7,070 and 13,930 2009 H1N1-related deaths occurred between April and November 14, 2009.

The mid-level in this range is about 9,820 2009 H1N1-related deaths.
 
A table showing this data by age group is available. In addition, background information on these estimates and information about the methodology used to generate these estimates also is available on the CDC web site.


Entire article at this link.....
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/in_the_news/updated_cdc_estimates.htm
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« Reply #455 on: December 15, 2009, 03:47:25 PM »

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/health/Q-A-after-H1N1-vaccine-recall

Q&A after H1N1 vaccine recall
Recall of vaccine has many people asking questions


Updated: Tuesday, 15 Dec 2009, 2:18 PM CST
Published : Tuesday, 15 Dec 2009, 2:17 PM CST

(CDC) - The following FAQ is taken verbatim from the CDC Web site. It contains up-to-date info regarding Tuesday's H1N1 flu-shot recall.

Why are some lots of pediatric H1N1 vaccine manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur in pre-filled syringes being recalled from the market?

As part of its quality assurance program, the manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur, performs routine, ongoing stability testing of its influenza A (H1N1) vaccine after the vaccine has been shipped to providers. Stability testing means measuring the strength (also called potency) of a vaccine over time. It is performed because sometimes the strength of a vaccine can go down over time. On December 7, Sanofi Pasteur notified CDC and FDA that the potency in one batch (called a “lot”) of pediatric syringes that had been distributed was later found to have dropped below a pre-specified limit. As a result of this finding, Sanofi Pasteur tested additional lots and found that three other lots that had been distributed also had an antigen content that, while properly filled at the time of manufacturing, was later measured to be below pre-specified limits. This means that doses from these four vaccine lots no longer meet the manufacturer’s specifications for potency. Sanofi Pasteur will send providers directions for returning any unused vaccine from these lots.
What does potency mean for the H1N1 vaccine?

Potency (or strength) is determined by the measurement of the concentration of the active ingredient (also called antigen) in the H1N1 vaccine.

Are there any concerns about safety of vaccines from these lots?

No. There are no safety concerns with these lots of H1N1 vaccine. All lots successfully passed pre-release testing for purity, potency and safety.

Should infants and children who received vaccines from these lots be revaccinated?

No. The vaccine potency is only slightly below the “specified” range. The vaccine in these lots is still expected to be effective in stimulating a protective response despite this slight reduction in the concentration of antigen. There is no need to re-administer a dose to those who received vaccine from these lots. However, as is recommended for all 2009 H1N1 vaccines, all children less than 10 years old should get the recommended two doses of H1N1 vaccine approximately a month apart for the optimal immune response. Therefore, children less than 10 years old who have only received one dose of vaccine thus far should still receive a second dose of 2009 H1N1 vaccine.
What action(s) should parents of children who have received vaccine from the recalled lots take?

Parents of children who received vaccine from the recalled lots do not need to take any action, other than to complete the two-dose immunization series if not already completed.

What are the lot numbers affected by this recall?

Vaccine doses with the following lot numbers are included in the recall:

0.25 ml pre-filled syringes, 10-packs (NDC # 49281-650-25, sometimes coded as 49281-0650-25):
UT023DA
UT028DA
UT028CB

0.25 ml pre-filled syringes, 25-packs (NDC # 49281-650-70, sometimes coded as 49281-0650-70):
UT030CA

How many doses of the pediatric H1N1 vaccine are affected by this recall?

Approximately 800,000 doses of vaccine in these lots were distributed to providers.
Is the potency issue related to this recall isolated to just the pediatric H1N1 vaccine for 6-35 month olds?

The potency problem described here is specific to the four lots of Sanofi Pasteur’s pediatric H1N1 vaccine in 0.25 mL pre-filled syringes. Sanofi Pasteur is investigating what caused the problem. The same vaccine packaged in other dosing forms, such as pre-filled syringes for older children adults, and multi-dose vials, continues to meet specifications. This recall does not affect H1N1 vaccine produced by other manufacturers.

Were these lots of vaccine shipped after failing a required test?

No. The lots being recalled passed all quality controls and met all specifications before they were shipped.

All vaccines are routinely tested for purity, potency and safety prior to release. The four lots of vaccine met all required specifications at the time of release and shipment to distribution centers. The vaccine provided in multi-dose vials and the single-dose, 0.5 mL pre-filled syringes for persons 36 months and older continues to meet all specifications.

What is being done to notify providers who received vaccine from the affected lots?

Sanofi Pasteur will send a notification to providers who received doses from any of the four lots of vaccine so that they can return any unused vaccine.

Where were the affected lots of vaccine distributed?

Vaccine from these four lots was distributed throughout the United States.

For U.S. children 6-35 months old, what other options are available currently for vaccination against H1N1 influenza?

For children 6 months of age and older, vaccine is available in multidose vials. The vaccine in multidose vials has not experienced this

drop in potency and meets all standards of safety, purity and potency. As with all multidose vials of vaccines, these multidose vials contain a preservative (thimerosal) to prevent potential contamination after the vial is opened. The standard dose for this preparation in the 6-35 month age group is the same as for the pre-filled syringes, 0.25 mL. For healthy children at least 2 years of age, the nasal spray (live, attenuated influenza vaccine) is also an option. This vaccine is produced in single-units that do not contain thimerosal.
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« Reply #456 on: December 15, 2009, 07:32:04 PM »

Thanks Muffy....the following was found at www.flutrackers.com and speaks to the
above article.

COLORADO - El Paso County - vaccine recall information:

 El Paso County - 200 doses of H1N1 vaccine recalled

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Breaking News Flu vaccine recall

Posted by Pam Zubeck on Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 12:15 PM

The El Paso County Health Department has been notified to recall 200 doses of H1N1 vaccine that were received on Dec. 7, the county says in a press release. The department was notified today.

The manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur notified the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that the antigen content in the identified lot numbers of pediatric syringes was later found to have dropped below a pre-specified limit, meaning the potency is below standard.

This is not a safety concern, the press release said, and the Health Department's five large-scale community clinics (Coronado, Harrison High Schools, New Life Church, The Hangar; and The Citadel held on Dec. 5) did not use any pre-filled syringes.

The Health Department is sending a notification to providers in the community who received their H1N1 vaccine supplies from McKesson, asking them to check remaining pre-filled vaccine lot numbers and to not administer it to children.

http://www.csindy.com/IndyBlog/archi...vaccine-recall
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« Reply #457 on: December 15, 2009, 07:35:05 PM »

Also read at www.Flutrackers.com and speaks to the vaccine recall....

VIRGINIA - vaccine recall information:

 23,700 doses of kids' swine flu vaccine doses recalled in Va.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thousands of kids' swine flu vaccine doses recalled in Va.

By Elizabeth Simpson
The Virginian-Pilot
© December 15, 2009

Virginia health officials say the state received 23,700 doses of the 800,000 H1N1 flu vaccines that have been recalled across the country by the manufacturer because tests showed they may not be potent enough to ward off the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notified doctors today about the recall of the vaccine doses made by Sanofi Pasteur to ward against the pandemic H1N1 flu, known as swine flu.

A Virginia Department of Health official said Virginia received 23,700 of those doses, which were pre-filled syringes intended for children 6 months to almost 3 years of age. Sanofi will be contacting the sites that received the doses to make arrangements for the return of unused doses.

Seventy-four sites in the state, including both doctors and health departments, received some of the vaccine.

CDC health officials recommend children those ages get two doses, spaced about a month apart. CDC officials say it's not clear how many doses have already been given, but children do not need to be re-vaccinated.

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/12/thou...es-recalled-va
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« Reply #458 on: December 15, 2009, 07:38:21 PM »

Thanks to www.flutrackers.com.....information on vaccine recall

Georgia - Savannah - Coastal Health District - vaccine recall

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHD got some of recalled vaccine
Health officials say no safety concerns with vaccine

Special to the
Bryan County News
Posted: Dec. 15, 2009 3:23 p.m.
Updated: Dec. 15, 2009 3:23 p.m


SAVANNAH, GA– The Coastal Health District received some doses of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine from the lots that were voluntarily recalled today by vaccine manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur. Less than 100 of the recalled single-dose, pre-filled pediatric syringes meant for children ages six to 35 months were distributed to health departments in the District’s eight counties including Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, and McIntosh. Some of the vaccine has already been administered. Unused vaccine from the recalled lots will be returned to the manufacturer as requested.

There are no safety concerns with the recalled vaccine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all of the recalled lots successfully passed pre-release testing for purity, potency, and safety. The vaccine was recalled because testing by the manufacturer revealed that the antigen content in four lots of the vaccine had lower than required potency levels. Antigen is the active ingredient in a vaccine that causes the human body’s immune system to develop antibodies that help fight an invading virus
“The vaccine that has been voluntarily recalled is perfectly safe,” said Dr. Diane Weems, Chief Medical Officer for the Coastal Health District. “The potency of the recalled vaccine is only slightly below the specified range and the vaccine in these lots is still expected to be effective.”

The CDC and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are in agreement that because the recalled vaccine is still expected to provoke an immune response to the H1N1 flu, there is no need to revaccinate anyone who has received vaccine from the recalled lots. All children under 10 should receive two doses of H1N1 vaccine approximately one month apart. Therefore, children less than 10 years old who have only received one dose of vaccine thus far (whether it came from one of the recalled lots or not), should still receive a seconddose of 2009 H1N1 vaccine.

http://www.bryancountynews.net/news/article/4847/
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« Reply #459 on: December 15, 2009, 07:41:21 PM »

Thanks to www.flutrackers.com.....

INDIANA COUNTIES - Vaccine recall

Recalled H1N1 vaccine distributed in area counties

STAFF REPORTS • December 15, 2009

Sanofi Aventis is voluntarily recalling 800,000 doses of pediatric H1N1 flu vaccine in prefilled syringes because routine tests disclosed that its potency has diminished, federal officials said today.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an alert about the recall this morning, noting that the vaccine was fine when it was shipped, but its potency apparently faded during a month of storage.

According to the Indiana State Health Department, the recalled vaccine was distributed to health departments in Tippecanoe, Benton, Boone, Cass, Clinton, Howard and Montgomery counties.

Other counties receiving the recalled vaccine (outside the Journal & Courier circulation area) include Allen, Bartholomew, Clark, Crawford, DeKalb, Dearborn, Delaware, Elkhart, Floyd, Gary City, Grant, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Henry, Jackson, Johnson, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Lake, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Miami, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Porter, Putnam, Rush, Shelby, St. Joseph, Vanderburgh, Vigo, Warrick and Wayne counties.

Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, says there's no reason for parents to worry, because demand for the vaccine is so great that the doses were most likely administered before its potency faded.

"There's no need for parents to call pediatricians. We think the doses given are protective and safe," Schuchat said. The manufacturer is now notifying health providers who received the affected lots to discard the syringes, meant for children from 6 to 35 months of age.

The agency recommends that children in that age group get two doses, about a month apart.

Injectible vaccine is licensed to be stable for 18 months, while the nasal spray should last for 18 weeks. Seasonal flu vaccine is typically dated to expire in June of the year after it was produced, but Shuchat says that "month to month" its potency may drop, but usually not enough to limit its effectiveness.

The following is a statement from State Health Commissioner Judy Monroe regarding the recall and what area parents should do:

I want to reassure parents the recent recall of some lots of the 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine is NOT due to safety concerns. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there is also no need to re-vaccinate persons who have received the vaccine from these lots. Indiana received about 10,000 doses of the affected lots, and the Indiana State Department of Health is working closely with local health departments and other providers of the H1N1 flu vaccine to locate any unused vaccine from the affected lots that have been shipped to Indiana, so they can be returned to the manufacturer.

Parents of children who received vaccine from the recalled lots do not need to take any action, other than to complete the two-dose immunization series, if not already completed. These vaccine lots were routinely tested after distribution and were found to have a decreased level of antigen, which decreases the potency of the vaccine. The slightly reduced concentration of vaccine antigen found in retesting these lots is still expected to be effective in stimulating a protective response.

Again, there is no need to re-administer a dose to those who received vaccine from these lots. However, as is recommended for all 2009 H1N1 vaccines, all children younger than 10 years old should get the recommended two doses of H1N1 vaccine approximately a month apart for the optimal immune response. So, children younger than 10 years old who have only received one dose of vaccine thus far should still receive a second dose of 2009 H1N1 vaccine.

Sanofi Pasteur has discontinued distribution of the 0.25 mL syringes of H1N1 pediatric vaccines. For children 6 months of age and older, vaccine is available in multi-dose vials. The vaccine in multi-dose vials is a safe and effective vaccine for children. One difference between vaccine in prefilled syringes and the multi-dose vials is that the multi-dose vials contain a preservative (thimerosal) to prevent potential contamination after the vial is opened. The standard dose for this preparation for administration to infants 6-35 months old is the same as for the prefilled syringes, 0.25 mL. For healthy children at least 2 years of age, the nasal spray (live, attenuated influenza vaccine) is also an option. The nasal spray vaccine is produced in single units that do not contain thimerosal.

Parents with questions can visit www.in.gov/flu or call (877) 826-0011.

http://www.jconline.com/article/2009...-area-counties
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