Monthly Archives: February 2010

2010 February 27 06:34:14 UTC – Chile in Distress; Tsunami WARNING for Hawaii ETA 1105 AM HST Comments Off on 2010 February 27 06:34:14 UTC – Chile in Distress; Tsunami WARNING for Hawaii ETA 1105 AM HST

Background on Chile Earthquake USGS: Magnitude 8.8 – OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE AMEMBASSY Santiago: Statement on February 27 Earthquake in Chile NOAA: Tsunami Warnings and Advisories PAHO: EOC Situation Report #3 – Damage and power shortages force suspension of H1N1 vaccinations

Emergency departments see rise in Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI) 2

Recent article in CIDRAP reports that emergency room clinicians are noting an increase in influenza-like illnesses (ILI). Key excerpts are provided below. Emergency departments see rise in flu-like illness Feb 24, 2010 (CIDRAP News), Lisa Schnirring Staff Writer Some of the nation’s emergency departments are noting increases in flu-like illness cases that appear to be […]

Seroprevalence study suggests substantial H1N1 immunity in the USA; Factors influencing future H1N1 waves include social clustering, atmospheric conditions and virus competition Comments Off on Seroprevalence study suggests substantial H1N1 immunity in the USA; Factors influencing future H1N1 waves include social clustering, atmospheric conditions and virus competition

University of Pittsburgh researchers estimate that 21% of the U.S. population (63 million persons) have been infected with H1N1, and has developed immunity. The research used 846 anonymous, leftover blood samples drawn on hospital and clinic patients from the Pittsburgh area in the mid-November and early December 2009 timeframe. Stored serum samples from 100 healthy, […]

Breaking News: WHO Emergency Committee Signals No Post-Peak Phase for H1N1 Pandemic Comments Off on Breaking News: WHO Emergency Committee Signals No Post-Peak Phase for H1N1 Pandemic

The Associated Press relays the following report from London that concerns World Health Organization (WHO) deliberations on transitioning from the peak phase of the H1N1 pandemic (i.e. Level 6), which has lasted nine months. According to the AP report, WHO’s “emergency committee met Tuesday and suggested it was “premature” to recommend downgrading the global flu […]

H1N1 Transitions: FDA Selects Pandemic H1N1 for Inclusion in 2010-11 Seasonal Flu Vaccine Comments Off on H1N1 Transitions: FDA Selects Pandemic H1N1 for Inclusion in 2010-11 Seasonal Flu Vaccine

A US Food and Drug Administration vaccines panel voted to follow World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations to include pandemic H1N1 in the seasonal flu vaccine for 2010-2011. A/California/7/2009 (the pandemic strain) will replace A/Brisbane/59/2007 for the H1N1 component of the trivalent (three-strain) influenza vaccine.  FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee also voted to […]

H1N1 in Transition: WHO to Decide Post-Peak Phase in H1N1 Pandemic; 2009 H1N1 Replaces Seasonal A H1N1 in Next Trivalent Influenza Vaccine 2

This week, the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Committee will advise on transition to a “post-peak” phase for the H1N1 pandemic. The current pandemic alert level is at Level 6. The committee ruled out a “post-pandemic” phase because, in its view, H1N1 is not yet behaving like normal seasonal infuenza, and that future waves of […]

Video Digest: H1N1 Vaccine Demand Slowing in the USA – Vignettes from Coast to Coast (Jan/Feb) Comments Off on Video Digest: H1N1 Vaccine Demand Slowing in the USA – Vignettes from Coast to Coast (Jan/Feb)

 

Of Mice and Men: H1N1 Immunity in the USA; Effects of H1N1 Vaccines Past and Present 1

A recent study published in PLoS Pathogens found that vaccines developed from “classical H1N1 viruses (Sw/30 or NJ/76), 1918 virus-like particles, and a human H1N1 virus isolated in 1943 (Wei/43) protected against death from 2009 pandemic H1N1…” when tested in vivo in mice. Another study finding was that the “H1N1 virus underwent little antigenic drift […]

A Tale of Two Essays on Vaccine-Preventable Diseases; Risk Perception, Misinformation and other Barriers to H1N1 Vaccination Among Adults and Children 1

Vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks are on the rise, and are taking an increasing toll in lives and money. Moreover, the recent experience with the 2009 novel H1N1 flu outbreak served as a stark reminder that “there is no strong mechanism in place for vaccinating adults in the United States.” This is the latest brief from Trust […]

H1N1 Virus Mutation and Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) Resistance; Duke University Medical Center Patient Cluster Raises Questions 3

In its Weekly Epidemiological Report (WER), the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed a worldwide count of 225 cases of H1N1 that were resistant to oseltamivir (Tamiflu). The “225 cases came from 20 countries and included 65 cases in the Americas, 77 in Europe, 1 in Africa, and 82 in the Western Pacific region. All cases […]