Flu News Network
March 9, 2010
Recombinomics: H1N1 Low Reactor G158E D225N Recombinant In Japan
The recently released sequence, A/Yamagata/721/2009, represents a new recombinant with the low reactor polymorphism G158E and D225N. This sequence follows release of recombinant sequences with G158E and D225G in Russia and Italy. A Ukraine sequence with D225G has also been designated a low reactor (Snip), which when recombined with G158E raises concerns of serious vaccine failure. D225G has been found to be strongly associated with severe and fatal cases in Norway as well as Ukraine. Egg isolates from milder cases have also been found to contain D225G, which was not seen in direct sequencing of the clinical samples or isolates grown in mammalian cells. D225G, has affinity for gal 2,3 receptors found in chicken embryos in eggs, and therefore a more sensitive assay for samples with low levels of D225G. Recent statements by the CDC on the number of patients testing positive for D225G do not include patients with D225G detection limited to egg isolates, indicating the CDC is using the negative data from assays that select against D225G, to nullify detection of D225G in eggs which selective for the change. The use of a negative result from a less sensitive assay to trump positive results from more sensitive assays raises serious concerns on the generation and interpretation of sequence data. This concern is increased when the above "logic" is applied to an important marker like D225G. (Snip) D225G may be circulating widely but silently (Snip) D225G appears to be on the rise, and this increase may accelerate because D225G confers low reactor status, and can recombine with another low reactor polymorphism, like G158E.
continued
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/03091002/D225N_G158E_Japan.html
India
• New phases of human trials of swine flu vaccine begin (Link) Rwanda
• Swine Flu Reported in Burera (Link) United States
• TX: Poultry lab groundbreaking scheduled for Wednesday (Link) Vietnam
• Hanoi hosts meeting on bird flu (Link)
• Experts call for bird flu control strategy (Link) General
• Europe: Swine flu seen lying low, then rising again (Link)
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March 8, 2010
Egypt: New plan to fight bird flu
New plan to fight bird flu CAIRO, 8 March 2010 (IRIN) - Egypt is moving to curb the spread of avian influenza (H5N1) after a recent upsurge in infections, the Egyptian Health Ministry says.
The sale of poultry between any of Egypt's 29 governorates is to be banned, and a major Health Ministry-led awareness campaign will alert the public to the dangers of raising birds at home, Sabir Galal, deputy chief of the Veterinary Medicine Section at the Health Ministry, told IRIN. "Bird flu has become endemic in this country... The fear now is that the virus can assume more dangerous forms in the days to come," he said. The Ministry also said it would stop inoculating birds after vaccines had proved incapable of stopping the virus from spreading. With 105 infections to date, including 30 deaths, Egypt is the world's third most affected country by avian influenza, according to the World Health Organization.
http://www.dowell-netherlands.com/2010/03/in-brief-new-plan-to-fight-bird-flu-in.html
Haiti
• Haiti Epidemic Advisory System (HEAS) SitRep: Updated 1 Mar. (Link) Nigeria
• Bird Flu: FCTA Deploys Vet Doctors to Entry Points (Link) South Korea
• Korea Vows Better Management of Bio Resources (Link) Thailand
• 212 confirmed deaths (Link)
• H1N1 death toll rises to 218 (Link) United States
• US: FDA Issues Another Emergency Use Authorization for Commercial H1N1 Flu Test to Quest Diagnostics' Focus Diagnostics (Link)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~March March 7, 2010
India: Swine flu deaths India's toll climbs to 1,385
A health official was quoted as saying yesterday that there were two deaths in India that happened because of swine flu or influenza (H1N1). The country's total death toll due to the epidemic reached 1,385, sources added. These deaths had taken place in the state of Maharashtra and sources confirmed that these deaths were due to swine flu. (Snip)
18 new swine flu infections were reported from across the country.
(Snip)
So far, India has had a total of 29,672 confirmed cases of swine flu. the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases of the virus reported has climbed to 29,762, in India.
http://www.topnews.in/swine-flu-deaths-indias-toll-climbs-1385-2255452
United States
• TX: H1N1 claims three lives in Bexar County in two weeks (Link)
• CDC & ACHA: Don't Let Influenza Spoil Your Plans for Spring Break (Link)
• FDA Issues Final Guidance to Boost Development of Cell-based Viral Vaccines (Link)
• Flu.gov: Guidance for Employers To Plan and Respond to current flu Season (Link)
(News is slow today folks.-cottontop)
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March 6, 2010
Recombinomics: Jump In H1N1 Low Reactors In United States Raises Concerns
Five viruses (0.3%) tested showed reduced titers with antiserum produced against A/California/07/2009. The above comment from today's CDC week 8 report indicates the number of low reactors reported by the CDC has jumped from 2 to 5 in a week that reflected an all time low in H1N1 testing. The per cent positive is on the rise and is at the highest level in 2010, and as high as it has been since mid-December (week 50), so the number of positive samples is up, in spite of the very limited testing. Increases in low reactors are expected as the H1N1 evolves away from the current immunity as well as the California/7 based vaccine. The first two low reactors reported by the CDC had N159D and a phylogenetic tree by the US Air Force School for Aerospace Medicine had an isolate, A/Texas/732/2009, from week 47 which had N159S (listed as N156S in tree), which may also be a low reactor. (Snip) another isolate, A/OCONUS4/4081/2009 from week 5, had N159K but since the isolate was outside of the continental US it is unlikely to be one of the new low reactors. (Snip) as of Feb 2, 472 HA sequences had been sent to the CDC, so additional examples of N159K in the US may be present. (Snip) the detection of three different changes at the same position (N159D, N159S, N159K) suggest that this position may play a significant role in immunological escape in the upcoming wave. This change is adjacent to G158E, which has also been linked to low reactor status in isolates from Germany, as determined by the CDC and Mill Hill. The changes are in addition to K157E, which has been reported as another low reactor.
continued
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/03051002/H1N1_LR_US_Jump.html
Bangladesh
• Bangladesh to track migratory birds by satellite (Link) Canada
• ProMED: H1N1 (22): Canada (Saskatchewan) Reassortment (Link)
• CFIA forced to detail flight by swine flu-infected agent (Link) Myanmar
• More bird flu H5N1 cases reported in Myanmar northwestern division (Link)
• Roundup: Myanmar experiences bird flu H5N1 re-strike along with influenza A/H1N1 (Link) United States
• US: CDC: Pandemic vaccine safety record still matches seasonal vaccine (Link) Complete report here: (Link)
• IL: H1N1 report: 9 hospitalizations, no deaths for week ending Mar. 5 (Link)
• PA: CIDRAP: Penn State flu cases renew vaccine push (Link) Full article here: (Link) Vietnam
• Bird flu fight must be stepped up (Link)
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March 5, 2010
H1N1 mutation's proposed link to severe illness debated
Robert Roos News Editor
Mar 4, 2010 (CIDRAP News) – Norwegian scientists today reported a pandemic H1N1 virus mutation that appears to be associated with severe disease, but a leading US flu expert said global data on the mutation don't show a clear connection with severe illness.
A team from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo reports that it found the mutation in 11 of 61 severe illness cases that were analyzed between July and December 2009. The mutation was not found in any of 205 mild cases that were analyzed between May 2009 and January 2010.
"This difference is statistically significant and our data are consistent with a possible relationship between this mutation and the clinical outcome," says the report by A. Kilander and colleagues, published today in Eurosurveillance. "To our knowledge, this is the first identification of a change in the pandemic virus that correlates with a severe clinical outcome."
However, Dr. Nancy Cox, director of the Influenza Division at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said global H1N1 data so far do not show a clear association between the mutation and severe illness.
"If you look globally you can see that this mutation is neither necessary nor sufficient for a severe or fatal outcome," Cox told CIDRAP News.
The mutation the Norwegians found in the severe cases is called D222G (a change from aspartic acid to glycine in position 222 in the HA1 subunit of the hemagglutinin protein), according to the report. The team found it by sequencing viruses from the 61 severe cases and 205 mild cases. D222G mutant viruses were detected in severe cases throughout the sampling period of July to early December.
continued
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/swineflu/news/mar0410mutation.html
Association of D225G/N With Severe H1N1 Cases In Norway Recombinomics Commentary Here we report the occurrence of an amino acid substitution, aspartic acid to glycine in position 222 (D222G) in the HA1 subunit of the viral haemagglutinin, in clinical specimens from 11 out of 61 cases analysed in Norway with severe outcome. Such mutants were not observed in any of 205 mild cases investigated (Table), thus the frequency of this mutation was significantly higher in severe (including fatal) cases (p<0.001, Fisher's exact test, two-sided) than in mild cases. D222G mutants were detected throughout the sampling period, from the first recorded severe cases in July until early December. The frequency of another substitution in the same position, D222E, did not differ significantly between mild and severe cases (p=0.772). Yet another substitution, D222N, was observed in a very few cases (n=4), and at a higher rate than expected among severe cases (three of four cases, p=0.039). The wild type 222D was, not surprisingly, significantly less frequent in severe than in mild cases (p<0.001). In several of the patients where D222G mutant viruses were found, they coexisted with wildtype 222D viruses. Further analysis of this phenomenon is ongoing. The above comments from a report from Norway in Eurosurveillance confirm that D225G/N (H3 numbering) is significantly more common in severe cases in Norway. These data support sequences released by Mill Hill from fatal cases in Ukraine, as well as fatal cases in Russia, which raises concerns that a third wave with a higher frequency of D225G/N would produce a higher incidence of severe and fatal cases. This concern is increased by the designation of a Ukraine isolate with D225G as a low reactor.
continued
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/03041001/D225GN_Norway.html
China
• Pig carcasses buried amid outbreak scare (Link) France
• Metropolitan France (translated) (Link) Nepal
• No need to fear about bird flu, says govt (Link) Taiwan
• More Low-Path Bird Flu Found in Taiwan (Link) United States
• Travelers from Haiti bringing malaria to U.S. (Link) Vietnam
• Kon Tum declares free of bird flu (Link)
• ProMED: Bird flu outbreak strikes Khanh Hoa, Vietnam (Link) General
• Avian Influenza, Human (21): Egypt, Vietnam, WHO (Link)
• Poem from CDC's EID (Link)
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March 4, 2010
Mexico detects first swine flu mutation
Mexican officials say they have confirmed the first mutation of the A(H1N1) flu virus in a girl who survived the infection.
Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova told Mexican journalists on Wednesday that the case was the first confirmed mutation of the swine flu virus, though there were 423 other suspected cases.
He said the girl was treated two months ago . . . . (Continued)
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-world/mexico-detects-first-swine-flu-mutation-20100304-pk4p.html
Crofsblogs: virus mutated to become resistant to Tamiflu Health minister José Ángel Córdova has confirmed the first case in Mexico in which the H1N1 virus mutated to become resistant to Tamiflu, the principal antiviral against the disease. http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/2010/03/mexico-confirms-first-h1n1-mutation.html
Bangladesh
• 14 new outbreaks of H5N1 in birds in February (Link)
China
• Influenza Pandemic (H1N1) (20): China, Update (Link)
Egypt
• WHO confirms 5 human H5N1 cases (Link)
India
• Swine flu: Indian vaccine to be out mid-May (Link)
• Indian flu kit better than WHO unit (Link)
Indonesia
• Indonesian Expert Disagrees that Bird Flu is Under Control (Link)
Malaysia
• A(H1N1) 263 ILI cases last week (Link)
United States
• Revised CDC data on H1N1 hospitalizations and deaths (Link)
Vietnam
• More northern provinces see bird flu outbreaks (Link)
• WHO confirms 3 human H5N1 cases (Link)
• 7 new outbreaks of H5N1 in birds in February (Link)
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March 2, 2010
The Flu Season that Fizzled Cases of H1N1 Have Dwindled, Seasonal Flu Has Been a No-Show and Doctors Wonder Why
By BETSY MCKAY
.This has been a flu season like few others. Normally at this time of year, influenza is rampant in the U.S., prompting hundreds of thousands of people to stay home in the dead of winter with fever, aches and pains. Now, after raging through college campuses and communities last summer and fall, cases of the new H1N1 swine flu virus have dwindled to a trickle, and run-of-the-mill seasonal flu has barely made an appearance. Not one state reported widespread flu illness to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the week ended Feb. 20, the latest data available. The percentage of all doctors' visits by patients with influenza-like symptoms has dropped from a high of 7.8% in late October-the largest peak since the agency began surveillance in 1997-to 1.8% in late February, well below the norm for flu season. Doctors and flu experts say the lull is unusual. "This is typically the peak of flu," said James Turner, executive director of the University of Virginia's department of student health. He said the Charlottesville, Va., student health center usually sees as many as 130 students a week complaining of flu symptoms this time of year. Recently, no more than three to five students a week have been coming in with fever, cough or other signs of flu, he said.
continued
http://tinyurl.com/yfbdcer
Brazil
• Brazil to vaccinate 90 million against A/H1N1 flu (Link) China
• Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak in China (Link) Egypt
• 68 H5N1 outbreaks in birds (Link) Malaysia
• Malaysia records first swine flu death for the year (Link) Nepal
• Govt keeping public in dark on outbreaks of H5N1 (Link) Swaziland
• Mystery chicken disease outbreak (Link) Vietnam
• H5N1 epidemic returns (Link)
• Third case of bird flu infects northern woman (Link) Research
• Social Stress May Enhance The Immune Response To Influenza Virus (Link)
• Influenza Virus-Specific Immunological Memory Is Enhanced by Repeated Social Defeat (Abstract) (Link)
• H5N1 Avian Influenza DNA Vaccine Receives Korean Approval to Begin Clinical Trials (Link) Commentary
• Recombinomics: H1N1 Vaccine Failure In Europe (Link)
• Dr. Donohue: Pneumonia death in healthy young people is rare (Link)
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March 1, 2010
Egypt: Discovery of new cases of bird flu and the total at 104 case
3/1/2010 7:28:00 PM
Masrawy - Special - The Ministery of Health on Monday the discovery of new human cases of bird flu, a man aged 53 years bringing the total cases to 104 cases since the onset of the disease in Egypt. The ministry said in a statement that the situation of 104 men from the Governor of the Hospital of the Nile Qalyubia of health insurance on 27 February, which was suffering from high temperature, cough, runny nose and chronic inflammation of the issued and pneumonia after being easier to birds suspected of being infected with bird flu. And give the injured Tamiflu was immediately transferred to a hospital in Cairo and the Abbasid was in critical condition. http://www.masrawy.com/news/
Burma
• New flu strain spreading fast in Burma (Link)
China
• Hong Kong: 21 ill in respiratory tract infection outbreak (Link)
Indonesia
• Indonesia Opens BSL 3 Facility (Link)
South Korea
• South Korea strengthens measures to combat bird flu (Link)
United States
• Alabama: Swine flu numbers higher than expected (Link)
Commentary
• Recombinomics: H1N1 H274Y Tamiflu Resistance in Italian Recombinant (Link)
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February 28, 2010
Cairo - MENA
Cases of recovery from the swine flu in Egypt more than 16 thousand
The Ministry of Health on Sunday said that the total cases of infection, "H 1 - to 1" was known as swine flu since it appeared in Egypt and even now is 16116, including 5597 cases among school students and 863 cases among college students.
A statement by the Ministry of Health that the total casualties among school students in the past week amounted to only 5 cases among university students and a single case.
The statement noted that the total casualties outside schools and universities was the case, with a total 9656 cases of recovery from the injuries amounted to 15838 healing and the case is still under treatment, 7 cases receiving treatment in hospital.
The statement noted that the total deaths since the outbreak of the disease and so far amounted to 271 cases.
http://www.egynews.net
Two cases of bird flu in Kafr El-Sheikh
Department of Health announced the Kafr El-Sheikh on injured: Zainab Abdul Aziz Al Haddad (30 years), Mohamed Abdullah Mohamed al-Sayed (13 years) infected with avian flu, fever hospital was Hdzhma Kafr El-Sheikh
The Directorate: that their samples are positive, and that brings the number of cases at the level of the Republic to 102 cases since the outbreak of the disease until now.
On the other hand announced that the Directorate of Veterinary Medicine, Kafr El-Sheikh 8900 execution of an infected bird with various illnesses, and the closure of 25 poultry farms do not comply, the closure of 9 shops for the birds in Kafr El-Sheikh and Desouk; for non-compliance with the specifications.
It was also editor of 100 cases of butcher shops in all centers to maintain; to slaughter outside Alskhanp.
http://www.dowell-netherlands.com/2010/02/two-cases-of-bird-flu-in-kafr-el-sheikh.html
Barbados
• Barbados becoming diagnostic lab capital (Link)
Bhutan
• Measures to control bird flu (Link)
• OIE report on outbreak of H5N1 in Bhutan (Link)
Vietnam
• ProMED: Vietnam's 1st H5N1 fatality of 2010 (Link)
Commentary
• Daily Kos: Paid Sick Days - Interview With Jon Green (Link)
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February 27, 2010
Widespread and Common Tamiflu Resistance in Japan Recombinomics Commentary
The Japan NIID released sequences (at GISAID) from 13 recent isolates in Japan which were collected between November, 2009 and January, 2010. Ten of the thirteen were Tamiflu resistant because of H274Y. The geographic locations were diverse and the sequences fell onto multiple branches of a phylogenetic tree indicating they were independently introduced, while those clustered were also transmitting. The independent introductions and transmission were reported previously, but not at this high frequency of 77% (10/13). Although A/Wakayama-C/1/2010 represents the first reported sequence from a 2010 isolate with H274Y, the large number of such sequences in December collections suggests H274Y is currently widespread in Japan. Earlier sequences created a trend of an increasing frequency of reported sequences with H274Y, but the latest report suggests that the trend is quickly moving toward fixing H274Y in pandemic H1N1, as was seen in seasonal flu. H274Y produces resistance in Tamiflu as well as Peramivir, which leaves Relenza as the only approved antiviral unaffected by H274Y or S31N in M2. The recent reports of increased H1N1 activity on Region 4, (Southeast - United States) as well as increased absenteeism in schools, raise concerns of a new wave of H1N1. Each of the prior pandemics last century had a winter/spring wave which followed a fall wave, and the emerging pandemic displaced the existing influenza A seasonal flu.
(Snip)
The trend of increasing frequencies of H274Y in isolates in Japan, coupled with reports of low reactor recombinants, raises concerns that the winter/spring wave will be more difficult to manage.
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/02261001/H274Y_Japan_Wide.html
Bhutan
• Bird Flu Containment Update (Link)
United States
• CA: 11th swine flu death in Sonoma County (Link)
• GA: Swine flu vaccines go unused (Link)
Vietnam
• First bird flu fatality for 2010 (Link)
• Animal disease warning issued as bird flu kills Mekong resident (Link)
General
• CIDRAP: FDA approves 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine (Link)
Recombinomics: H1N1 Low Reactor G158E D225N Recombinant In Japan
The recently released sequence, A/Yamagata/721/2009, represents a new recombinant with the low reactor polymorphism G158E and D225N. This sequence follows release of recombinant sequences with G158E and D225G in Russia and Italy. A Ukraine sequence with D225G has also been designated a low reactor (Snip), which when recombined with G158E raises concerns of serious vaccine failure. D225G has been found to be strongly associated with severe and fatal cases in Norway as well as Ukraine. Egg isolates from milder cases have also been found to contain D225G, which was not seen in direct sequencing of the clinical samples or isolates grown in mammalian cells. D225G, has affinity for gal 2,3 receptors found in chicken embryos in eggs, and therefore a more sensitive assay for samples with low levels of D225G. Recent statements by the CDC on the number of patients testing positive for D225G do not include patients with D225G detection limited to egg isolates, indicating the CDC is using the negative data from assays that select against D225G, to nullify detection of D225G in eggs which selective for the change. The use of a negative result from a less sensitive assay to trump positive results from more sensitive assays raises serious concerns on the generation and interpretation of sequence data. This concern is increased when the above "logic" is applied to an important marker like D225G. (Snip) D225G may be circulating widely but silently (Snip) D225G appears to be on the rise, and this increase may accelerate because D225G confers low reactor status, and can recombine with another low reactor polymorphism, like G158E.
continued
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/03091002/D225N_G158E_Japan.html
India
• New phases of human trials of swine flu vaccine begin (Link) Rwanda
• Swine Flu Reported in Burera (Link) United States
• TX: Poultry lab groundbreaking scheduled for Wednesday (Link) Vietnam
• Hanoi hosts meeting on bird flu (Link)
• Experts call for bird flu control strategy (Link) General
• Europe: Swine flu seen lying low, then rising again (Link)
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March 8, 2010
Egypt: New plan to fight bird flu
New plan to fight bird flu CAIRO, 8 March 2010 (IRIN) - Egypt is moving to curb the spread of avian influenza (H5N1) after a recent upsurge in infections, the Egyptian Health Ministry says.
The sale of poultry between any of Egypt's 29 governorates is to be banned, and a major Health Ministry-led awareness campaign will alert the public to the dangers of raising birds at home, Sabir Galal, deputy chief of the Veterinary Medicine Section at the Health Ministry, told IRIN. "Bird flu has become endemic in this country... The fear now is that the virus can assume more dangerous forms in the days to come," he said. The Ministry also said it would stop inoculating birds after vaccines had proved incapable of stopping the virus from spreading. With 105 infections to date, including 30 deaths, Egypt is the world's third most affected country by avian influenza, according to the World Health Organization.
http://www.dowell-netherlands.com/2010/03/in-brief-new-plan-to-fight-bird-flu-in.html
Haiti
• Haiti Epidemic Advisory System (HEAS) SitRep: Updated 1 Mar. (Link) Nigeria
• Bird Flu: FCTA Deploys Vet Doctors to Entry Points (Link) South Korea
• Korea Vows Better Management of Bio Resources (Link) Thailand
• 212 confirmed deaths (Link)
• H1N1 death toll rises to 218 (Link) United States
• US: FDA Issues Another Emergency Use Authorization for Commercial H1N1 Flu Test to Quest Diagnostics' Focus Diagnostics (Link)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~March March 7, 2010
India: Swine flu deaths India's toll climbs to 1,385
A health official was quoted as saying yesterday that there were two deaths in India that happened because of swine flu or influenza (H1N1). The country's total death toll due to the epidemic reached 1,385, sources added. These deaths had taken place in the state of Maharashtra and sources confirmed that these deaths were due to swine flu. (Snip)
18 new swine flu infections were reported from across the country.
(Snip)
So far, India has had a total of 29,672 confirmed cases of swine flu. the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases of the virus reported has climbed to 29,762, in India.
http://www.topnews.in/swine-flu-deaths-indias-toll-climbs-1385-2255452
United States
• TX: H1N1 claims three lives in Bexar County in two weeks (Link)
• CDC & ACHA: Don't Let Influenza Spoil Your Plans for Spring Break (Link)
• FDA Issues Final Guidance to Boost Development of Cell-based Viral Vaccines (Link)
• Flu.gov: Guidance for Employers To Plan and Respond to current flu Season (Link)
(News is slow today folks.-cottontop)
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March 6, 2010
Recombinomics: Jump In H1N1 Low Reactors In United States Raises Concerns
Five viruses (0.3%) tested showed reduced titers with antiserum produced against A/California/07/2009. The above comment from today's CDC week 8 report indicates the number of low reactors reported by the CDC has jumped from 2 to 5 in a week that reflected an all time low in H1N1 testing. The per cent positive is on the rise and is at the highest level in 2010, and as high as it has been since mid-December (week 50), so the number of positive samples is up, in spite of the very limited testing. Increases in low reactors are expected as the H1N1 evolves away from the current immunity as well as the California/7 based vaccine. The first two low reactors reported by the CDC had N159D and a phylogenetic tree by the US Air Force School for Aerospace Medicine had an isolate, A/Texas/732/2009, from week 47 which had N159S (listed as N156S in tree), which may also be a low reactor. (Snip) another isolate, A/OCONUS4/4081/2009 from week 5, had N159K but since the isolate was outside of the continental US it is unlikely to be one of the new low reactors. (Snip) as of Feb 2, 472 HA sequences had been sent to the CDC, so additional examples of N159K in the US may be present. (Snip) the detection of three different changes at the same position (N159D, N159S, N159K) suggest that this position may play a significant role in immunological escape in the upcoming wave. This change is adjacent to G158E, which has also been linked to low reactor status in isolates from Germany, as determined by the CDC and Mill Hill. The changes are in addition to K157E, which has been reported as another low reactor.
continued
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/03051002/H1N1_LR_US_Jump.html
Bangladesh
• Bangladesh to track migratory birds by satellite (Link) Canada
• ProMED: H1N1 (22): Canada (Saskatchewan) Reassortment (Link)
• CFIA forced to detail flight by swine flu-infected agent (Link) Myanmar
• More bird flu H5N1 cases reported in Myanmar northwestern division (Link)
• Roundup: Myanmar experiences bird flu H5N1 re-strike along with influenza A/H1N1 (Link) United States
• US: CDC: Pandemic vaccine safety record still matches seasonal vaccine (Link) Complete report here: (Link)
• IL: H1N1 report: 9 hospitalizations, no deaths for week ending Mar. 5 (Link)
• PA: CIDRAP: Penn State flu cases renew vaccine push (Link) Full article here: (Link) Vietnam
• Bird flu fight must be stepped up (Link)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 5, 2010
H1N1 mutation's proposed link to severe illness debated
Robert Roos News Editor
Mar 4, 2010 (CIDRAP News) – Norwegian scientists today reported a pandemic H1N1 virus mutation that appears to be associated with severe disease, but a leading US flu expert said global data on the mutation don't show a clear connection with severe illness.
A team from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo reports that it found the mutation in 11 of 61 severe illness cases that were analyzed between July and December 2009. The mutation was not found in any of 205 mild cases that were analyzed between May 2009 and January 2010.
"This difference is statistically significant and our data are consistent with a possible relationship between this mutation and the clinical outcome," says the report by A. Kilander and colleagues, published today in Eurosurveillance. "To our knowledge, this is the first identification of a change in the pandemic virus that correlates with a severe clinical outcome."
However, Dr. Nancy Cox, director of the Influenza Division at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said global H1N1 data so far do not show a clear association between the mutation and severe illness.
"If you look globally you can see that this mutation is neither necessary nor sufficient for a severe or fatal outcome," Cox told CIDRAP News.
The mutation the Norwegians found in the severe cases is called D222G (a change from aspartic acid to glycine in position 222 in the HA1 subunit of the hemagglutinin protein), according to the report. The team found it by sequencing viruses from the 61 severe cases and 205 mild cases. D222G mutant viruses were detected in severe cases throughout the sampling period of July to early December.
continued
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/swineflu/news/mar0410mutation.html
Association of D225G/N With Severe H1N1 Cases In Norway Recombinomics Commentary Here we report the occurrence of an amino acid substitution, aspartic acid to glycine in position 222 (D222G) in the HA1 subunit of the viral haemagglutinin, in clinical specimens from 11 out of 61 cases analysed in Norway with severe outcome. Such mutants were not observed in any of 205 mild cases investigated (Table), thus the frequency of this mutation was significantly higher in severe (including fatal) cases (p<0.001, Fisher's exact test, two-sided) than in mild cases. D222G mutants were detected throughout the sampling period, from the first recorded severe cases in July until early December. The frequency of another substitution in the same position, D222E, did not differ significantly between mild and severe cases (p=0.772). Yet another substitution, D222N, was observed in a very few cases (n=4), and at a higher rate than expected among severe cases (three of four cases, p=0.039). The wild type 222D was, not surprisingly, significantly less frequent in severe than in mild cases (p<0.001). In several of the patients where D222G mutant viruses were found, they coexisted with wildtype 222D viruses. Further analysis of this phenomenon is ongoing. The above comments from a report from Norway in Eurosurveillance confirm that D225G/N (H3 numbering) is significantly more common in severe cases in Norway. These data support sequences released by Mill Hill from fatal cases in Ukraine, as well as fatal cases in Russia, which raises concerns that a third wave with a higher frequency of D225G/N would produce a higher incidence of severe and fatal cases. This concern is increased by the designation of a Ukraine isolate with D225G as a low reactor.
continued
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/03041001/D225GN_Norway.html
China
• Pig carcasses buried amid outbreak scare (Link) France
• Metropolitan France (translated) (Link) Nepal
• No need to fear about bird flu, says govt (Link) Taiwan
• More Low-Path Bird Flu Found in Taiwan (Link) United States
• Travelers from Haiti bringing malaria to U.S. (Link) Vietnam
• Kon Tum declares free of bird flu (Link)
• ProMED: Bird flu outbreak strikes Khanh Hoa, Vietnam (Link) General
• Avian Influenza, Human (21): Egypt, Vietnam, WHO (Link)
• Poem from CDC's EID (Link)
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March 4, 2010
Mexico detects first swine flu mutation
Mexican officials say they have confirmed the first mutation of the A(H1N1) flu virus in a girl who survived the infection.
Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova told Mexican journalists on Wednesday that the case was the first confirmed mutation of the swine flu virus, though there were 423 other suspected cases.
He said the girl was treated two months ago . . . . (Continued)
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-world/mexico-detects-first-swine-flu-mutation-20100304-pk4p.html
Crofsblogs: virus mutated to become resistant to Tamiflu Health minister José Ángel Córdova has confirmed the first case in Mexico in which the H1N1 virus mutated to become resistant to Tamiflu, the principal antiviral against the disease. http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/2010/03/mexico-confirms-first-h1n1-mutation.html
Bangladesh
• 14 new outbreaks of H5N1 in birds in February (Link)
China
• Influenza Pandemic (H1N1) (20): China, Update (Link)
Egypt
• WHO confirms 5 human H5N1 cases (Link)
India
• Swine flu: Indian vaccine to be out mid-May (Link)
• Indian flu kit better than WHO unit (Link)
Indonesia
• Indonesian Expert Disagrees that Bird Flu is Under Control (Link)
Malaysia
• A(H1N1) 263 ILI cases last week (Link)
United States
• Revised CDC data on H1N1 hospitalizations and deaths (Link)
Vietnam
• More northern provinces see bird flu outbreaks (Link)
• WHO confirms 3 human H5N1 cases (Link)
• 7 new outbreaks of H5N1 in birds in February (Link)
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March 2, 2010
The Flu Season that Fizzled Cases of H1N1 Have Dwindled, Seasonal Flu Has Been a No-Show and Doctors Wonder Why
By BETSY MCKAY
.This has been a flu season like few others. Normally at this time of year, influenza is rampant in the U.S., prompting hundreds of thousands of people to stay home in the dead of winter with fever, aches and pains. Now, after raging through college campuses and communities last summer and fall, cases of the new H1N1 swine flu virus have dwindled to a trickle, and run-of-the-mill seasonal flu has barely made an appearance. Not one state reported widespread flu illness to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the week ended Feb. 20, the latest data available. The percentage of all doctors' visits by patients with influenza-like symptoms has dropped from a high of 7.8% in late October-the largest peak since the agency began surveillance in 1997-to 1.8% in late February, well below the norm for flu season. Doctors and flu experts say the lull is unusual. "This is typically the peak of flu," said James Turner, executive director of the University of Virginia's department of student health. He said the Charlottesville, Va., student health center usually sees as many as 130 students a week complaining of flu symptoms this time of year. Recently, no more than three to five students a week have been coming in with fever, cough or other signs of flu, he said.
continued
http://tinyurl.com/yfbdcer
Brazil
• Brazil to vaccinate 90 million against A/H1N1 flu (Link) China
• Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak in China (Link) Egypt
• 68 H5N1 outbreaks in birds (Link) Malaysia
• Malaysia records first swine flu death for the year (Link) Nepal
• Govt keeping public in dark on outbreaks of H5N1 (Link) Swaziland
• Mystery chicken disease outbreak (Link) Vietnam
• H5N1 epidemic returns (Link)
• Third case of bird flu infects northern woman (Link) Research
• Social Stress May Enhance The Immune Response To Influenza Virus (Link)
• Influenza Virus-Specific Immunological Memory Is Enhanced by Repeated Social Defeat (Abstract) (Link)
• H5N1 Avian Influenza DNA Vaccine Receives Korean Approval to Begin Clinical Trials (Link) Commentary
• Recombinomics: H1N1 Vaccine Failure In Europe (Link)
• Dr. Donohue: Pneumonia death in healthy young people is rare (Link)
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March 1, 2010
Egypt: Discovery of new cases of bird flu and the total at 104 case
3/1/2010 7:28:00 PM
Masrawy - Special - The Ministery of Health on Monday the discovery of new human cases of bird flu, a man aged 53 years bringing the total cases to 104 cases since the onset of the disease in Egypt. The ministry said in a statement that the situation of 104 men from the Governor of the Hospital of the Nile Qalyubia of health insurance on 27 February, which was suffering from high temperature, cough, runny nose and chronic inflammation of the issued and pneumonia after being easier to birds suspected of being infected with bird flu. And give the injured Tamiflu was immediately transferred to a hospital in Cairo and the Abbasid was in critical condition. http://www.masrawy.com/news/
Burma
• New flu strain spreading fast in Burma (Link)
China
• Hong Kong: 21 ill in respiratory tract infection outbreak (Link)
Indonesia
• Indonesia Opens BSL 3 Facility (Link)
South Korea
• South Korea strengthens measures to combat bird flu (Link)
United States
• Alabama: Swine flu numbers higher than expected (Link)
Commentary
• Recombinomics: H1N1 H274Y Tamiflu Resistance in Italian Recombinant (Link)
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February 28, 2010
Cairo - MENA
Cases of recovery from the swine flu in Egypt more than 16 thousand
The Ministry of Health on Sunday said that the total cases of infection, "H 1 - to 1" was known as swine flu since it appeared in Egypt and even now is 16116, including 5597 cases among school students and 863 cases among college students.
A statement by the Ministry of Health that the total casualties among school students in the past week amounted to only 5 cases among university students and a single case.
The statement noted that the total casualties outside schools and universities was the case, with a total 9656 cases of recovery from the injuries amounted to 15838 healing and the case is still under treatment, 7 cases receiving treatment in hospital.
The statement noted that the total deaths since the outbreak of the disease and so far amounted to 271 cases.
http://www.egynews.net
Two cases of bird flu in Kafr El-Sheikh
Department of Health announced the Kafr El-Sheikh on injured: Zainab Abdul Aziz Al Haddad (30 years), Mohamed Abdullah Mohamed al-Sayed (13 years) infected with avian flu, fever hospital was Hdzhma Kafr El-Sheikh
The Directorate: that their samples are positive, and that brings the number of cases at the level of the Republic to 102 cases since the outbreak of the disease until now.
On the other hand announced that the Directorate of Veterinary Medicine, Kafr El-Sheikh 8900 execution of an infected bird with various illnesses, and the closure of 25 poultry farms do not comply, the closure of 9 shops for the birds in Kafr El-Sheikh and Desouk; for non-compliance with the specifications.
It was also editor of 100 cases of butcher shops in all centers to maintain; to slaughter outside Alskhanp.
http://www.dowell-netherlands.com/2010/02/two-cases-of-bird-flu-in-kafr-el-sheikh.html
Barbados
• Barbados becoming diagnostic lab capital (Link)
Bhutan
• Measures to control bird flu (Link)
• OIE report on outbreak of H5N1 in Bhutan (Link)
Vietnam
• ProMED: Vietnam's 1st H5N1 fatality of 2010 (Link)
Commentary
• Daily Kos: Paid Sick Days - Interview With Jon Green (Link)
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February 27, 2010
Widespread and Common Tamiflu Resistance in Japan Recombinomics Commentary
The Japan NIID released sequences (at GISAID) from 13 recent isolates in Japan which were collected between November, 2009 and January, 2010. Ten of the thirteen were Tamiflu resistant because of H274Y. The geographic locations were diverse and the sequences fell onto multiple branches of a phylogenetic tree indicating they were independently introduced, while those clustered were also transmitting. The independent introductions and transmission were reported previously, but not at this high frequency of 77% (10/13). Although A/Wakayama-C/1/2010 represents the first reported sequence from a 2010 isolate with H274Y, the large number of such sequences in December collections suggests H274Y is currently widespread in Japan. Earlier sequences created a trend of an increasing frequency of reported sequences with H274Y, but the latest report suggests that the trend is quickly moving toward fixing H274Y in pandemic H1N1, as was seen in seasonal flu. H274Y produces resistance in Tamiflu as well as Peramivir, which leaves Relenza as the only approved antiviral unaffected by H274Y or S31N in M2. The recent reports of increased H1N1 activity on Region 4, (Southeast - United States) as well as increased absenteeism in schools, raise concerns of a new wave of H1N1. Each of the prior pandemics last century had a winter/spring wave which followed a fall wave, and the emerging pandemic displaced the existing influenza A seasonal flu.
(Snip)
The trend of increasing frequencies of H274Y in isolates in Japan, coupled with reports of low reactor recombinants, raises concerns that the winter/spring wave will be more difficult to manage.
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/02261001/H274Y_Japan_Wide.html
Bhutan
• Bird Flu Containment Update (Link)
United States
• CA: 11th swine flu death in Sonoma County (Link)
• GA: Swine flu vaccines go unused (Link)
Vietnam
• First bird flu fatality for 2010 (Link)
• Animal disease warning issued as bird flu kills Mekong resident (Link)
General
• CIDRAP: FDA approves 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine (Link)
