Mysterious U.S. Swine Flu Probe Widens as Mexico Finds Swine Flu *updated*

A Filipino domestic helper is in critical condition with human swine flu, the Centre for Health Protection announced today.



It was the second serious case of the virus in Hong Kong.



Centre Controller Dr Thomas Tsang said today the maid, 37, needs mechanical ventilation to support her breathing while being treated at the intensive care unit at United Christian Hospital.



Her employers, a couple living in Kwun Tong, also had flu-like symptoms. As the wife is pregnant, she has been admitted to hospital for observation, while the husband was prescribed Tamiflu.



The patient developed a fever a day after arriving in Hong Kong from the Philippines on June 28 and was given medication at a private clinic. She returned for follow-up on July 1 when an X-ray showed her lungs were clear.



Her condition quickly deteriorated, though, and she was admitted to United Christian Hospital's intensive care unit with serious pneumonia symptoms on July 7.



Results of tests taken on July 7 and 8 showed she was negative for Influenza A. But one taken yesterday was positive for Influenza A, while further tests carried out at the centre's lab today confirmed she was infected with human swine flu.



Dr Tsang said they were investigating whether the maid had another hidden disease which could have led to her critical condition.



In the 24 hours up to 2.30pm today, 58 new cases of human swine flu were confirmed, involving 26 males and 32 females, aged between two and 55.



There have been 1,236 human swine flu cases in Hong Kong.

A second health worker at Alberta Children's Hospital has contracted swine flu following a recent outbreak of the virus at the Calgary pediatric facility, medical officials said Friday.www.calgaryherald.com...

Recombinomics Commentary 14:41
July 11, 2009
The recent report of osletamivir resistant pandemic H1N1 in Hong Kong in a traveler (16F) from San Francisco, A/Hong Kong 2369/2009 raised concerns because the traveler had not take osletamivir and her case was mild. She recovered without any antiviral treatment, but the presence of H274Y raised concerns that resistant virus was silently circulating because most mild cases in the United States were no longer tested or reported.

The publication of the sequence increased concerns, because the NA sequence, except for H274Y, exactly matched the sequence from the first case in New Jersey, A/New Jersey/1/2009, a Bergen county women (22F) infected in April. Since the Hong Kong case was in June, the identity between the two sequences indicated that the virus had spread across the United States undetected between April and June, and was only detected when it was exported to Hong Kong, through routine osletamivir resistant testing of pandemic isolates.

The sequence in Hong Kong matched a sequece from Japan, A/Sapporo/1/2009, which was published in Genbank a few days later. Like New Jersey, the Japan sequence did not have H274Y, but it also was detected in a traveler (20M) from the United States (Hawaii), increasing concerns that this sequence was transmitting in the United States undetected.

The next day, two more sequences were released. One was a partial NA sequence from Catalonia, Spain (A/Catalonia/387/2009), which also exactly matched the sequence from New Jersey and Japan, while the other was from Vastra Gotalands , Sweden (A/Stockholm/37/2009), which also matched the above sequences, but had one additional change. The isolate from Sweden was also from a traveler (2M) from the United States. Both isolates were also from patients infected in June, so the Tamiflu flu resistant sequence, or precursor, was detected in Hong Kong, China, Sapporo, Japan, Catalonia, Spain, and Vastra Gotalands, Sweden in the month of June, and at least three of the four isolates were from patients traveling from the United States. However, the only match in isolates from the United States was in a New Jersey patient infected in April.

The export of infections from a country not reporting corresponding infections signals a poor surveillance system. Although the number of sequences from the United States is the highest in the world, the failure to identify the oseltamivir resistant precursor sequences matching those found worldwide in travelers from United States is cause for concern.

After the resistant isolate was announced, assurances were given, citing on the lack of detection of resistance in the United States. This failure however may be due an emphasis on severe cases and lack of testing of mild cases. Moreover, even if precursor sequences are detected, a low abundance version would not be identified in a consensus sequence.

In any event, the failure to identify the precursor since April, when the sequence is detected worldwide in June travelers from the United States, raises serious concerns about surveillance programs which focus efforts on severe cases and largely ignore milder cases.www.recombinomics.com...

[edit on 11-7-2009 by wizardwars]

A 48-days-old baby in Bogota died of the AH1N1 flu, health authorities announced. The baby is the fifth deadly victim of the virus in Colombia.

The baby died Monday already, but the cause of death wasn't confirmed until Friday.

The victims was brought into a Bogota hospital on June 20th with his indigenous mother and ten others. Those who had been in touch with the baby are under medical surveillance.

According to officials, 152 people in Colombia are now confirmed to have been infected by the AH1N1 virus. Three deaths are being investigated, because they possiblyare related to the flu.colombiareports.com...

Santiago. Chile reported Saturday the death of nine patients due to A/H1N1 flu, raising the death toll to 25 in the country, AFP informed.
Chile has confirmed more than 9500 A/H1N1 flu cases. 50% of the patients are between 5 and 19 years.
More than 8000 new A/H1N1 flu cases were reported in the country only for a weekwww.focus-fen.net...

[edit on 11-7-2009 by wizardwars]

The virus was accelerating and a "second wave" was likely after schools go back in September.

"The number of cases is rising rapidly and it could get really nasty," he said. "Forty deaths a day is a plausible figure. When this hits us it will be all hands to the pump, and we need to prepare for that now." www.telegraph.co.uk...

Friday, July 10, 2009

If a mass inoculation campaign against swine flu begins in the fall, it will be an historic event, for a multitude of reasons.

The vaccines will likely be distributed locally in unexpected venues- at pharmacies, schools, and even Walmart.www.palmbeachpost.com...

WELLINGTON, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed deaths in New Zealand from influenza A/H1N1 rose to seven on Saturday, up one since Friday, the Ministry of Health said.

The latest death involved a man from east North Island's Taranaki region, who had tested positive for the new strain of flu virus and died last week.

Doctors said he had also suffered "underlying medical condition."

The cumulative cases have reached 1,555 in New Zealand so farnews.xinhuanet.com...

SILICON VALLEY, Calif. (KCBS) -- Santa Clara County health officials still have concerns about the swine flu virus that broke out last spring.

Public health officer Marty Fenstersheib said the number of H1N1 cases in the county is up to 170 and its not fading away.

"Since we've been testing and observing the flu since April and May, it continues," he said. "And hasn't really let up.www.kcbs.com...

[edit on 11-7-2009 by wizardwars]

The path of a popular medicine from the laboratory to the chemist or doctor’s surgery can involve years of clinical trials on a select group of patients.

When the new vaccine for swine flu arrives in Britain, regulators said this weekend, it could be approved for use in just five days.

Regulators at the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) said the fast-tracked procedure has involved clinical trials of a “mock-up” vaccine similar to the one that will be used for the biggest mass vaccination programme in generations. It will be introduced into the general population while regulators continue to carry out simultaneous clinical trials. www.timesonline.co.uk...

The NHS is preparing to vaccinate the entire population against swine flu after the disease claimed the life of its first healthy British patient.

A new vaccine is expected to arrive in Britain in the next few weeks and could be fast-tracked through regulatory approval in five days.

As many as 20m people could be inoculated this year. Ministers have secured up to 90m doses, and the rest of the population is likely to be offered vaccinations next year.www.timesonline.co.uk...

Originally posted by wizardwars
As many as 20m people could be inoculated this year. Ministers have secured up to 90m doses, and the rest of the population is likely to be ** offered ** vaccinations next year.www.timesonline.co.uk...

OFFERED - as in NOT mandatory?

Two more deaths related to A/H1N1 swine flu were confirmed by the Florida Department of Health (DOH)– a 55 year old Duval man and a 27-year-old new mom in Palm Beach County. No further details were given other than to say that the baby survived.

The young mother’s death was announced came on a day when President Obama told state leaders at a flu preparedness summit to plan for a widespread outbreak this fall. This brings the official number of swine flu related deaths in Florida to 8, unofficially we suspect the number to be significantly higher.

Four counties – Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Orange – account for more than 60 percent of the state’s cases.

Palm Beach County has recorded 146 cases, most coming in the past few weeks, with the young mother being the first fatality. County health department spokesman Tim O’Connor said. “It’s summertime, so it’s very unusual to see this.”

Pregnant women seem to be especially vulnerable and the CDC doesn’t know why they more serious complications from the illness.

In May, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, published the case histories of three pregnant women, suggesting that the changes to a woman’s body that occur with pregnancy – including changes in her heart, lungs and immune systems – were what made the women vulnerable.

Other then recommending that pregnant women be given Tamiflu the CDC made no other suggestions.www.conunderground.com...

Jul 11, 2009 (The Honolulu Advertiser - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- A second person in Hawai'i who tested positive for the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, has died, a state health spokeswoman said yesterday.

However, it was not known what role swine flu played in the person's death, and if the person had other contributing health conditions.

"We did receive a laboratory confirmation today on an individual who was hospitalized and died, and that person was positive for H1N1," Department of Health spokeswoman Janice Okubo said yesterday.

"We're still waiting to get the data and background on the case. We likely will not have any details or further information until Monday." In the earlier case, a woman in her late 60s who died at Tripler Army Medical Center on June 19 also had swine flu, officials have said.www.swineflunews.org...

The Queensland Government says five people out of the 18 in hospital with swine flu are in intensive care.

Queensland Health says more than 1,970 people have so far tested positive for swine flu across the state.

South-east Queensland has the highest concentration of swine flu sufferers, while the Mount Isa health district recorded its first case yesterday.

Queensland Health says testing for the virus is being prioritised for people who are at risk of severe complications - those who have mild symptoms will not be tested.

Parents have been asked to keep sick children at home when school resumes.

The national swine flu tally stands at more than 8,000au.news.yahoo.com...

Dr. Rhonda Medows, DCH Commissioner and Acting Public Health Director reports the swine flu (H1NI) has claimed its first victim in Georgia. A 43 year old woman from CobbCounty has reportedly died from both the flu and other health conditions. Condolences and sympathy are extended to this grieving family. May we never forget that statistics are not the individual people who make up those numbers – but real people and families who are involved. For encouragement in grieving, you may find solace in going to Grief/Share for understanding from others who have grieved. www.griefshare.org...

Most warnings of this type and bacterium like E-coli is most dangerous to the very young and elderly; but this flu seems to pick and choose its victims among children and young adults – but no one is immune especially those with other existing health problems. And this is the group that is “out and about and among” more than most.

While it was reported that the deaths from this flu nationwide has not been as great as the common flu; however, the real flu season has not yet begun. All efforts are being exerted to assure that there is enough flu vaccine available by October – the usual time of flu shot awareness. And then let us hope and pray that it is made in America and not in some country that is not governed closely by the FDA. We have had several recalls of such medicines. In February of 2008, there was a recall of Heparin – used to thin blood – was manufactured in China and was tainted causing deaths in America. www.examiner.com...

Democrat MP for Bangkok Kowit Tharana urged the government to take a proactive approach to fight the spread of the disease.

He said a national campaign should be launched to clean up the places thought to be major virus transmission points. "Government agencies and private business organisations should lead by example.

"The government must take proactive steps to deal with the flu and ask state agencies and the private sector for cooperation," he said.

Mr Kowit said the virus could also spread through touching bank notes and coins and people who handle them should always wash their hands with antiseptic liquids.www.bangkokpost.com...

Pneumonia symptoms vary greatly from case-to-case and can be mild to moderate or severe. Pneumonia is a general term that describes a lung infection; such infections can be caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi. With such a variety of causes, it's no surprise that pneumonia can have a wide variety of symptoms as well. If you find that you've developed one or several of the symptoms below, you should seek medical attention. A doctor can diagnose pneumonia and begin the appropriate treatment regimen. knol.google.com...#

Fungal pneumonias are rare but important. Sometimes the clinical presentation is identical to more common bacterial or atypical pneumonias. In such cases, the diagnosis is either not made or is made accidentally from diagnostic specimens obtained to determine the likely bacterial pathogen. Other cases look like routine bacterial or atypical pneumonia at presentation but do not improve or even progress as they are being treated with appropriate antibacterial agents. In such cases, it is important not to give a series of treatment courses with different antibacterial antibiotics that all cover essentially the same range of pathogens. Rather the diagnostic efforts must be escalated, progressing to more aggressive measures (fiberoptic bronchoscopy, fine needle aspiration, and rarely thoracoscopic or traditional open lung biopsy) until a specific diagnosis is reached. In some cases, there are clinical clues that point to a fungal cause. Attention to these clues can lead to early initiation of appropriate diagnostic sequences, faster diagnosis, and earlier initiation of specific therapy.

Fungi typically enter the lung with inhalation of their spores, though they can reach the lung through the bloodstream if other parts of the body are infected. Also, fungal pneumonia can be caused by reactivation of a latent infection. Once inside the alveoli, fungi travel into the spaces between the cells and also between adjacent alveoli through connecting pores. This invasion triggers the immune system to respond by sending white blood cells responsible for attacking microorganisms (neutrophils) to the lungs. The neutrophils engulf and kill the offending organisms but also release cytokines which result in a general activation of the immune system. This results in the fever, chills, and fatigue common in bacterial and fungal pneumonia. The neutrophils and fluid leaked from surrounding blood vessels fill the alveoli and result in impaired oxygen transportation. www.pneumoniasymptoms.org...

Swine flu vaccine to be cleared after five-day trial

The path of a popular medicine from the laboratory to the chemist or doctor’s surgery can involve years of clinical trials on a select group of patients.

When the new vaccine for swine flu arrives in Britain, regulators said this weekend, it could be approved for use in just five days.

Regulators at the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) said the fast-tracked procedure has involved clinical trials of a “mock-up” vaccine similar to the one that will be used for the biggest mass vaccination programme in generations. It will be introduced into the general population while regulators continue to carry out simultaneous clinical trials.

The first patients in the queue for the jab - being supplied to the UK by GSK and Baxter Healthcare - may understandably be a little nervous at any possible side effects. A mass vaccination campaign against swine flu in America was halted in the 1970s after some people suffered Guillain-Barré syndrome, a disorder of the nervous system.

However, regulators said fast-tracking would not be at the expense of patient safety. “The vaccines are authorised with a detailed risk management plan,” the EMEA said. “There is quite a body of evidence regarding safety on the trials of the mock-up, and the actual vaccine could be assessed in five days.”

The UK government has ordered enough vaccine to cover the entire population. GPs are being told to prepare for a nationwide vaccination campaign.

So how many want to line up for a “mock-up” fast-tracked clinical trial vaccine. I say they start with Baxter employees then government officials who allowed it to be done this way.