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<<Advancing Bird Flu-H5N1...Now following MERS and Ebola approaching PANDEMICS>>>

 
arkay  (OP)

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10/20/2012 09:10 PM
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Baltimore is reporting its first four cases of Influenza for this years Northern Hemispheres Flu season.

Unfortunately these newspaper articles do tend to be less specific as to the exact strains, so we really dont get much indication of which strains are circulating from these sources, but they still serve to give an indication of the speed and extent of infections.

State Health Officials Confirm First Seasonal Flu Cases
Four children from the Baltimore metropolitan area are the first recorded flu cases for 2012.

Baltimore-area children are the first confirmed cases of seasonal influenza, according to state health officials.

The four children, who are not being identified, are said to be doing well though one was hospitalized, according to a statement released Friday by the state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.


Link here..

[link to dundalk.patch.com]
arkay  (OP)

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10/20/2012 09:16 PM
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More Influenza like Illnesses this time in Mayflower Arkansas.

This outbreak is causing the closure of schools so that dissinfection can be carried out.

Mayflower schools to close on Monday due to sickness
By David Harten

This article was published October 18, 2012 at 12:16 p.m.

All three schools in the Mayflower School District will be closed Oct. 22 due to an increasing number of ill students.
Mayflower School District Superintendent John Gray said several students are suffering flu-like symptoms, and cases of strep throat and mononucleosis were also reported. All the facilities are being disinfected, and Gray advised that children who currently have a fever or feel sick should stay home.


Link here...

[link to www.arkansasonline.com]
arkay  (OP)

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10/20/2012 09:20 PM
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Re: <<Advancing Bird Flu-H5N1...Now following MERS and Ebola approaching PANDEMICS>>>
Odessa, in Ukraine is expecting a massive epidenic of influenza, according to this Russian article.

In Odessa, expected scale flu epidemic
In 2012, Odessa is waiting the most ambitious in recent years, the influenza epidemic.

This was said in the press conference head epidotdelom Odessa Ludmila oblSES Krasnitskaya.

According to her, except for strain AH1N1 «California," which is circulated for three years, will circulate two new - strain A H3N2 "Victoria" and the strain B «of Wisconsin."


Link here...

[link to translate.google.com]

Last Edited by arkay on 10/20/2012 09:21 PM
arkay  (OP)

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10/20/2012 09:30 PM
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Re: <<Advancing Bird Flu-H5N1...Now following MERS and Ebola approaching PANDEMICS>>>
H5N1 continues to cause constant problems in Vietman, with new outbreaks continually occuring.

Bird flu outbreak in Dien Bien

DIEN BIEN (VNS)- Cases of bird flu have been reported in Noong Luong Commune, Dien Bien District in the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien.

Director of the provincial Department of Animal Health Cao Thi Tuyet Lan said bird flu outbreaks were discovered last Friday in two households in the commune's Village 12, with nearly 720 livestock suffering from the disease.

Three days later, local authority discovered nearly 400 other livestock infected with the H5N1 virus in Village 15.

Since the outbreak, authorities have detected and culled more than 1,000 sick livestock in the commune.


Link here..

[link to vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn]
arkay  (OP)

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10/20/2012 09:36 PM
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Comments in this article would indicate that the flu season is indeed early in Middle America, with cases rapidly increasing according to one clinics recent figures.

Middle Georgia seeing early flu casesPublished: October 18, 2012
2012-10-18T22:20:41Z

By LIZ FABIAN — [email protected]
Influenza outbreaks typically peak in January, but some Middle Georgians are already suffering.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that of the 10 health regions in the nation, a higher percentage of flu cases were confirmed early this month in the South.“There’s no way that we are notified of every single flu case there is; however, we have gotten reports from physicians that they are seeing flu,” said Jennifer Jones, public information officer for the North Central Health District of Georgia, which covers Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Hancock, Houston, Jasper, Jones, Monroe, Peach, Putnam, Twiggs, Washington, and Wilkinson counties. “I can’t tell whether we’ll peak early or just see more cases.”Dr. Seth Bush of Middle Georgia Pediatrics typically sees about 50 patients a day, but he had more than 80 children come through the office Monday.“Definitely the flu is here early,” said Bush, who is also seeing cases of strep throat and stomach viruses.


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[link to www.macon.com]
arkay  (OP)

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10/20/2012 09:39 PM
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Another death from swine flu in India is being reported in this article.

Swine flu claims a life in Indore, raising death toll to nine

Press Trust of India / Indore October 18, 2012, 19:45

Swine flu claimed one more life at a private hospital here, raising the death toll due to H1N1 virus to nine since May this year in Indore, an official said today.


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[link to www.business-standard.com]
arkay  (OP)

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10/20/2012 09:45 PM
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This next poorly translated article tells of an alarming case of a 12 year old boy with suspected H5N1 avian influenza in Egypt.

The article also seems to indicate that a further 40 people may be showing some signs of infection too.

Bird flu back .. And injuring 40 students conjunctival inflammation in Luxor
Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 11:21 AM Khalid and my Lord and Nermin Magdy and Karem Aldezty society and people
Dr. Mohammad Mustafa Hamid, Minister of Health and Population

Bird flu returned to appear for the first time in the era of President Mohammad Anchorage. In Dakahlia Governorate detained Mansoura Chest Hospital, the child Magdy Assem Hussein Southpaw (12 years), from Samanoud after doctors suspected mental illness bird flu, after the appearance of symptoms of the disease of «cough and shortness of breath and high temperatures», and the hospital holding child , and the necessary sampling and sent to the central laboratories of the Ministry of Health, to make sure the infection.


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[link to translate.google.com]
arkay  (OP)

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10/20/2012 10:35 PM
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This next article describes how H5N1 Avian influenza is rapidly spreading throughout Vietnem.

Vietnam: avian influenza is spreading
19 October, 2012
According to the Vietnamese Department of Animal Health, avian influenza H5N1 outbreaks have been detected in the northern and central provinces of Ha Tinh, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Bac Kan, Quang Ngai, Hoa Binh and Tuyen Quang, where more than 180,000 chickens and ducks have been culled so far.
The strain belongs to a subclade of the 2.3.2.1 clade that infected poultry in Vietnam in 2011.
The new strain appeared in July and took just one month to spread from north to central Vietnam


Link here...

[link to www.poultrymed.com]
arkay  (OP)

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10/20/2012 10:37 PM
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This report indicated how Banglades is attempting to be pro-active in theie efforts to contain the spread of Avian Influenza.

Bangladesh: avian influenza immunization program
20 October, 2012
The Drug Administration authorities have given permission to import avian influenza vaccine to start immunization program experimentally aiming to prevent the deadly virus from spreading to local poultry industry in Bangladesh.
The government's drug regulatory authority allowed three drug importing companies to import avian influenza vaccine from the US, the Netherlands and China.


Link here...

[link to www.poultrymed.com]
arkay  (OP)

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10/24/2012 09:07 PM
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Re: <<Advancing Bird Flu-H5N1...Now following MERS and Ebola approaching PANDEMICS>>>
Swiss Authorities have blocked the use of a flu vaccine produced by NOVARTIS, following Itallian findings of unusual particles present in the vaccines.

Date: October 24, 2010 Source: Yahoo por J. by J. Torres] Torres]

Swissmedic, the Swiss authority control and approval of drugs, today ordered the preventive suspension of the supply of flu vaccine from Novartis company, after the impurities detected in doses used in Italy.

In a statement, Swissmedic said it had been informed of the situation by the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA), which has banned the import and use of vaccines from Novartis.

Link here...

[link to www.promedmail.org]
arkay  (OP)

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10/24/2012 09:18 PM
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More news here on further cases of Influenza being detected in the US.

It seems to be a strong theme that most of these cases are being used to by Authorities to heavily encourage early Influenza vaccinations.

Harrison County patient diagnosed as one of first flu cases of seasonPublished: October 23, 2012

By DONNA HARRIS Sun_Herald

A Harrison County patient is one of the first diagnosed with flu for the 2012-13 season, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health.The state department has confirmed samples from two patients from Harrison and Lamar counties have been documented at the MSDH Public Health Laboratory."We now have two confirmed flu cases in Mississippi," State Health Officer Dr. Mary Currier said. "This not only indicates that flu has been detected in the state, but it also serves as a reminder that now is the best time to get your flu shot."


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[link to www.sunherald.com]
arkay  (OP)

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10/24/2012 09:30 PM
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This newspaper heading is completely missleading and has to be guilty of outright scare tactics, just to encourage flu vaccinations in Russia.

One must really question the motives of people who would go to such irresponsible lengths to promote their adgendas.

Crying wolf, is not healthy.

22.10.12 / 10:31
SARS epidemic threatens sverdlovchanam - peak incidence is expected in December 2012 - January 2013

In the Sverdlovsk region with increased levels of influenza and acute respiratory infections (ARI).

As reported by the provincial Ministry of Health, as of September recorded weekly from 15 to 23 thousand cases of disease.


Link here...

[link to vedomosti-ural.ru]
arkay  (OP)

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10/24/2012 09:35 PM
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Novavax appears to be having some successes with trials of an H5N1 vaccine.

Novavax pandemic influenza vaccine Phase I trials meet primary objectives
18 October 2012


Two Phase I trials conducted by Novavax in healthy adults administered with A/H5N1 avian influenza vaccine candidate, either alone or with one of two undisclosed adjuvants, have met primary objectives.

The randomised, observer-blind trials demonstrated the safety and immunogenicity of differing doses of the vaccine, achieved statistically significant adjuvant effects on the immune responses and observed no vaccine-related serious adverse events.


Link here...

[link to www.drugdevelopment-technology.com]
arkay  (OP)

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10/24/2012 09:52 PM
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This next story relates to a different situation than Italy has identified and referred to in an earlier post above.

We must forgiven for wondering why all these different companies are having difficulties with the quality control of their flu vaccine productions this year.

One wonders if all other countries sourcing these vaccines are being as vigilant to the quality and safety of these vaccines as Italy is demonstrating.


Italy bans Novartis vaccines even after company assures their safety
Johnson & Johnson withholds its flu vaccine for tests on quality

October 24, 2012 | By Eric Palmer

Italy is having a difficult time getting flu vaccine. Italian authorities today said they are banning four different Novartis ($NVS) vaccines because of questions over "side effects" less than two weeks after being told by Johnson & Johnson ($JNJ) vaccine unit Crucell that its flu vaccine was being withheld over quality concerns.

The Italian Medicines Agency said it is "banning" the sale of Novartis' Aggripal, Fluad and Influpozzi, based on information it received from the company that the vaccines "can produce collateral effects," according to a report from AFP news. The agency said it would carry out further tests to determine the "quality and safety" of the nearly half a million doses of vaccine. It is recommending citizens not use Agrippal, Fluad, subunit Influpozzi and adjunvated Influpozzi until further notice.


Link here...

[link to www.fiercepharma.com]
arkay  (OP)

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10/24/2012 10:04 PM
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Re: <<Advancing Bird Flu-H5N1...Now following MERS and Ebola approaching PANDEMICS>>>
While this next article has absolutely nothing to do with influenza, the connection and reason it is highlighted here is its association with county fairs again this year in the US

Regrettably this E.Coli outbreak has taken the life of a child attendee.

It would seem to be way past time that the organizers of these county fairs take stock of what can happen and now take affirmative action to at least help prevent illness being contracted at these fairs.

Perhaps the provision of health warning signs and appropriate hand washing and alcohol sanitizing facilities at each display area would go a long way in both education for their visitors and prevention of illness after exposure of potential risks.

Surely something can and must be done, especially with preventable and senseless deaths being attributed to these events.

20 sickened by E. coli in N.C.; Toddler dies

CHARLOTTE, N.C. North Carolina health officials say a child has died from an E. coli infection contracted at the Cleveland County Fair.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced the death Saturday. Fourteen children and six adults who attended the fair have gotten sick with the bacteria.


Link here...

[link to www.cbsnews.com]
arkay  (OP)

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10/25/2012 09:28 PM
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At last some light at the end of the tunnel.

This article reveals a recent pier reviewed study of gene sequencing and matching between swine and humans that attended the Ohio county fair this year in the US.

The study clearly shows almost perfect matching of the H3N2v virus present in both the swine and the affected humans.

This now clears up with absolute certainty any questions that have been expressd here in relation to there being two parallel sets of H3N2v viruses for the Ohio fair.

We now need to continue with this same protocol with all the rest of the fairs to ascertain where the divergence occurred and then answers can be sought for how that instance came to be.

Also of excellent news in this article, are suggestions being made by the researchers that relate to improving public safety where these risk factors might exist at these fairs.

Study: Fair-related swine and human H3N2 viruses closely match
Robert Roos News Editor


Oct 25, 2012 (CIDRAP News) – Researchers report that swine and human influenza A/H3N2 viruses associated with an Ohio county fair held in July make a nearly perfect genetic match, suggesting that there is almost no biological barrier to prevent such viruses from passing between humans and pigs.

The authors sequenced the genomes of H3N2 viruses isolated from pigs that were exhibited at the fair and from several people who were infected with strains of variant H3N2 (H3N2v, the term for the human version) after participating in or visiting the fair. They found that the genomes were more than 99% the same, according to their report in Emerging Microbes and Infections.


[link to www.cidrap.umn.edu]
arkay  (OP)

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10/25/2012 09:44 PM
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The formatting of this next report of a new outbreak of H5N1 in Vietnam is poor.

For a clearer picture, please follow the link provided.

This report identifies a fresh Avian Influenza outbreak that was first identified on October the 12th, 2012.

GENERAL INFO
Disease Event ID Reporting date Observation date
173170 19/10/2012 12/10/2012

LOCATION
Region Admin 1 (Country) Locality Lat/Long Quality of Coordinates
Asia Lai Chau (Viet Nam) Noong Luong Commune 21.294917/102.973062 Centroid Locality

DISEASE
Status DISEASE Serotype Source
Confirmed Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 National authorities
OverlaysDisease Event
Admin 1 Level (GAUL)
Global Poultry Density
Production Systems
World Rivers
Base LayerCountries/Territories (GAUL)



SPECIES AFFECTED
An.Type An.Class Species At Risk Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Domestic Birds unspecified bird 1107
Domestic Birds duck 953
Domestic Birds chicken 127
Domestic


Link here...

[link to empres-i.fao.org]
arkay  (OP)

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10/25/2012 09:56 PM
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Re: <<Advancing Bird Flu-H5N1...Now following MERS and Ebola approaching PANDEMICS>>>
These next two reports, also from the same source and also of poor formatting for this thread indicate that there have been two fresh reports of Highly Infectous Avian Influenza both being reported in Egypt and both in ducks, but at different locations.

This might be a case of immigrating birds moving to their alternate sites as the seasons change.

Here is report Number 2, note the dates.

GENERAL INFO
Disease Event ID Reporting date Observation date
173169 25/10/2012 25/10/2012

LOCATION
Region Admin 1 (Country) Locality Lat/Long Quality of Coordinates
Africa Al Minufiyah (menoufia) (Egypt) Shentna Elhagar 30.4683759661/31.0017238822 Centroid Admin1

DISEASE
Status DISEASE Serotype Source
Confirmed Highly pathogenic avian influenza FAO Field Officer
OverlaysDisease Event
Admin 1 Level (GAUL)
Global Poultry Density
Production Systems
World Rivers
Base LayerCountries/Territories (GAUL)



SPECIES AFFECTED
An.Type An.Class Species At Risk Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Domestic Birds duck 50

LABORATORIES
Disease Tested Species Test Result Result Date Reference Laboratory
Highly pathogenic avian influenza


Link here...

[link to empres-i.fao.org]

and here is the first report with a different date and report number.

GENERAL INFO
Disease Event ID Reporting date Observation date
173168 21/10/2012 21/10/2012

LOCATION
Region Admin 1 (Country) Locality Lat/Long Quality of Coordinates
Africa Al Jizah (giza) (Egypt) Elbadrashin 28.8467408469/29.5400624265 Centroid Admin1

DISEASE
Status DISEASE Serotype Source
Confirmed Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 FAO Field Officer
OverlaysDisease Event
Admin 1 Level (GAUL)
Global Poultry Density
Production Systems
World Rivers
Base LayerCountries/Territories (GAUL)



SPECIES AFFECTED
An.Type An.Class Species At Risk Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Domestic Birds duck


Link here...

[link to empres-i.fao.org]
arkay  (OP)

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10/25/2012 10:16 PM
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The number of influenza cases in Mauritius seems to be almost alarming from this next report.

Unfortunately the article doesent identify which strains are prevelant there.

Seasonal influenza is back and sufferers have been flowing into hospitals around the island.

The Ministry of Health and Quality of Life has recorded a total of 16,135 cases since the beginning of the month. “Some symptoms doctors have observed are: a sudden muscular pain, severe headache and high temperatures reaching up to 40 degrees,” the minister of Health and Quality of Life, Lormus Bundhoo told The Independent.

He added that the number of cases registered from September 24 to October 21 has increased compared to the same period last year. “We have had 22,308 cases, of which 16,135 is only for the October period,” said the minister. He pointed out that only 21,004 cases were reported last year for the same period.


Link here...

[link to theindependent.mu]
arkay  (OP)

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10/25/2012 10:28 PM
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H1N1 Swine Flu has claimed the lives of three, two of them women, in India, from this report of October the 25th.

Swine flu claims three lives in Jamnagar

Press Trust of India / Jamnagar October 25, 2012, 22:15

Three persons, including two young women, died due to swine flu in a local hospital today, health officials said.

Rama Panda (25), Noorjehan Rafiq (25) and Chintu Ramawat (24) succumbed to the dreaded H1N1 influenza virus at Guru Gobind Singh Hospital, where they had been undergoing treatment, they said.


Link here...

[link to www.business-standard.com]
arkay  (OP)

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10/25/2012 10:32 PM
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Bhutan has also reported a fresh outbreak of H5N1 Avian Influenza in poultry as a result of the illegal importation of these birds.

Information received on 25/10/2012 from Dr Karma Dukpa, Director General, Department of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, THIMPHU, Bhutan

SummaryReport type Follow-up report No. 7
Date of start of the event 30/12/2011
Date of pre-confirmation of the event 08/01/2012
Report date 25/10/2012
Date submitted to OIE 25/10/2012
Reason for notification Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence 25/03/2010
Manifestation of disease Clinical disease
Causal agent Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
Serotype H5N1
Nature of diagnosis Clinical, Laboratory (advanced)
This event pertains to a defined zone within the country
Related reports Immediate notification (09/01/2012)
Follow-up report No. 1 (17/01/2012)
Follow-up report No. 2 (18/01/2012)
Follow-up report No. 3 (01/03/2012)
Follow-up report No. 4 (02/03/2012)
Follow-up report No. 5 (09/03/2012)
Follow-up report No. 6 (20/04/2012)
Follow-up report No. 7 (25/10/2012)


New outbreaks (1)
Outbreak 1 (BHT_HPAI_2012_01) Rinchending, Phuentsholing, Chhukha, CHHUKHA
Date of start of the outbreak 02/10/2012
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Birds 496 24 24 29 0

Affected population Backyard free-ranging local chickens at Rinchending village. The affected village is located beside the Thimphu-Phuentsholing highway about 5 kilometres from Phuentsholing town.

Summary of outbreaks Total outbreaks: 1
Total animals affected Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Birds 496 24 24 29 0

Outbreak statistics Species Apparent morbidity rate Apparent mortality rate Apparent case fatality rate Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Birds 4.84% 4.84% 100.00% 10.69%

*Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter

EpidemiologySource of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection Introduction of new live animals
Illegal movement of animals

Epidemiological comments As on 17 October 2012 a total of 24 poultry died in the affected area. Trace-back investigations revealed that there were poultry deaths in the area from 2 October although not reported to the local veterinary authorities. The disease was confirmed through rRT-PCR at the National Veterinary Laboratory in the country on 16 October when two carcasses were subjected to tests.


Link here...

[link to www.oie.int]
arkay  (OP)

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10/26/2012 05:12 AM
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Re: <<Advancing Bird Flu-H5N1...Now following MERS and Ebola approaching PANDEMICS>>>
This article goes into great detail on how the CDC has viewed and assesed the H3N2v influenza outbreaks that were associated with the county fairs this year in the US.

It explains how the CDC associated most of the cases as being transmitted from close contact with exhibition swine and in general their direct handlers.

The report is a good account of most of the reported flu cases and for the most part answers a lot of the assertions that have been levelled against the CDC by this OP and in that regard I may have been too agressive with a lot of my assertions, and to that extent I offer my apology to the CDC.

With what has been said in the article it certainly appears that I got it wrong and I hope that readers and the CDC can forgive me for my heavy handed treatment of this matter.

There does remain a couple of inconsistancies that are yet to be accounted for and those are the the genetic sequencing did reveal two distinct lines of the H3N2v flu strains, and there still also remains the question of how patient zero contracted that initial case of H3N2v.

These have been the two driving reasons for all my writings mentioned above and they do continue to remain unanswered, but they do not permit or forgive my handling of this matter, for which I again offer my most sincere apolagies.

arkay.



CDC: Extensive swine contact was key in H3N2v cases
Robert Roos News Editor


Oct 26, 2012 (CIDRAP News) – With this year's big outbreak of swine-origin H3N2 influenza apparently over, a leading flu expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says extensive contact with pigs seems to have been the key risk factor and that very few cases had clear signs of human-to-human transmission.

The CDC has recorded 306 cases of variant H3N2 (H3N2v) infection since Jul 12, almost all of them in people who participated in or visited county and state fairs where pigs were exhibited. The outbreak prompted warnings for people to avoid swine barns if they were at risk for flu complications or wanted to limit their risk of catching flu.


Link here...

[link to www.cidrap.umn.edu]

Last Edited by arkay on 10/26/2012 09:33 PM
arkay  (OP)

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10/26/2012 09:39 PM
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Re: <<Advancing Bird Flu-H5N1...Now following MERS and Ebola approaching PANDEMICS>>>
After quite a period without news of H5N1 being present in India, it appears that this has now changed for the worst with a new outbreak that has decimated a flock of turkeys.

About 3,600 Turkeys have died of avian influenza (H5N1) at the Central Poultry Development Organisation at Hesaragatta on the city outskirts, a government official said here today. "The remaining 700 Turkeys have been culled",Secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry,Arvind Jannu said. CPDO has been quarantined,he said. Confirmation that these birds died following the influenza came from Bhopal-based high security animal disease laboratory two days ago.

Link here...

[link to hisz.rsoe.hu]
arkay  (OP)

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10/28/2012 09:11 PM
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THe World Health Organization has released its latest snapshot figures for Influenza on the global scale for the period from the 30th of September to the 23rd of October 2012.

Date: Fri 26 Oct 2012

Surce: World Health Organisation (WHO), Programmes and projects, Influenza [edited]

[link to www.who.int]





Influenza virus activity in the world


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


Source: Laboratory confirmed data from the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS). Based on FluNet reporting (as of 23 Oct 2012, 15:00 UTC), during weeks 40 to 41 (30 Sep 2012 to 13 Oct 2012), National Influenza Centres (NICs) and other national influenza laboratories from 93 countries, areas or territories reported data. The WHO GISRS laboratories tested more than 18 909 specimens. 996 were positive for influenza viruses, of which 575 (57.7 percent) were typed as influenza A and 421 (42.3 percent) as influenza B. Of the sub-typed influenza A viruses, 206 (39.4 percent) were influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and 317 (60.6 percent) were influenza A(H3N2). Of the characterized B viruses, 16 (72.7 percent) belong to the B-Yamagata lineage and 6 (27.3 percent) to the B-Victoria lineage.



Summary


-------


During weeks 40 and 41, influenza activity remained low globally although increased reports of laboratory confirmed influenza positives have been received from some countries in the northern hemisphere. Influenza A(H3N2) viruses remained the predominant subtype globally, followed by influenza B and A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses.



Sporadic detections of influenza viruses have been reported from Europe and North America. In Canada, A(H3N2) and A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses were detected while in the United States of America, influenza B viruses have been predominant followed by A(H3N2) and A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses. In Europe, detections of A(H3N2) and influenza B viruses have been reported.



In Asia, co-circulation of A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses and influenza B viruses continued in India and Nepal. Influenza B viruses remained the predominant subtype in the region. Sporadic detections of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and influenza B viruses were reported from Qatar in the Middle East.



In the southern hemisphere, influenza activity has decreased. Influenza activity was reported to be at baseline level in Australia while no reports of laboratory confirmed influenza positives were received from other countries in Oceania.



In Africa, A(H3N2) continued to circulate throughout central, eastern and western Africa.



In Central and South America, influenza activity increased slightly in Argentina, Brazil and Chile compared to previous weeks. Co-circulation of influenza A(H3N2) and B viruses continued in a few countries throughout the region.


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arkay  (OP)

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10/28/2012 09:43 PM
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Re: <<Advancing Bird Flu-H5N1...Now following MERS and Ebola approaching PANDEMICS>>>
A survey of emergency nurses in the US has found some interresting resonses in relation to their intentions to attend for work in the event of an Avian Influenza Outbreak.

A National Survey of Emergency Nurses and Avian Influenza Threat.
Bell MA, Dake JA, Price JH, Jordan TR, Rega P.
SourceToledo, OH. Electronic address: [email protected].

Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to determine the perceived likelihood of emergency nurses reporting to work during an avian influenza outbreak, to consider options if nurses decided not to report work, and to explore Protection Motivation Theory constructs as predictors of reporting to work.


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arkay  (OP)

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10/28/2012 09:49 PM
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A similar study to that mentioned above has also been made of Canadian Health Care Professionals.

The duty to care in an influenza pandemic: A qualitative study of Canadian public perspectives.
Bensimon CM, Smith MJ, Pisartchik D, Sahni S, Upshur RE.
SourceUniversity of Toronto, Joint Centre for Bioethics, 155 College Street, Suite 754, Toronto, ON M5T 1P8, Canada. Electronic address: [email protected].

Abstract
Ever since the emergence of SARS, when we were reminded that the nature of health care practitioners' duty to care is greatly contested, it has remained a polarizing issue. Discussions on the nature and limits of health care practitioners' duty to care during disasters and public health emergencies abounds the literature, ripe with arguments seeking to ground its foundations.


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arkay  (OP)

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10/28/2012 09:55 PM
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The diary from a 1918 Soldier on a troop ship that suffered a pandemic outbreak of Spannish Flu has been identified and is available fo public viewing.

Pandemic influenza outbreak on a troop ship-diary of a soldier in 1918.
Summers JA.
Abstract
A newly identified diary from a soldier in 1918 describes aspects of a troop ship outbreak of pandemic influenza. This diary is the only known document that describes this outbreak and provides information not officially documented concerning possible risk factors such as overcrowding and the suboptimal outbreak response by military leaders. It also presents an independent personal perspective of this overwhelming experience.


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arkay  (OP)

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10/28/2012 10:02 PM
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Canada has also now joined in with a number of European countries to cease using the Novartis Flu Vaccines until further studies can give a clearer picture on the vaccines safe use.

Novartis Suspends Distribution of Seasonal Flu Vaccines Agriflu and Fluad in Canada as a PrecautionInformation Update
2012-162
October 26, 2012
For immediate release

OTTAWA - Health Canada would like to provide further information to Canadians about its assessment of the voluntary suspension of use in Europe of the seasonal flu vaccines Agriflu and Fluad.

Agriflu and Fluad are two of the seasonal flu vaccines produced by Novartis that have been pulled from use in several European countries pending further examination of white floating material discovered clumping in the vaccines.


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arkay  (OP)

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10/28/2012 10:08 PM
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This next article shows just how unexpected and potentially easy it can be for viruses to recombine to form a new virus, even when these viruses are being used in vaccines.

This experienced has occurred here in Australia and has affected chickens.

Scientists have found that 2 virus strains used to vaccinate chickens in Australia may have recombined to form a virus that is sickening and killing the animals. "This shows that recombination of such strains can happen, and people need to think about it," says Glenn Browning, a veterinary microbiologist at the University of Melbourne, Parkville in Australia and one of the co-authors on the paper.

Chickens worldwide are susceptible to a group of herpesviruses called ILTV, which target their upper respiratory tract. The resulting disease, called infectious laryngotracheitis, reduces egg production and can kill up to 1/5th of those infected. "The birds effectively choke to death on blood and mucus," says Browning. The disease is not known to infect any animals other than chickens and chicken-like birds.

To combat ILTV, farmers vaccinate their chickens with attenuated herpesviruses that can still infect and replicate but do not lead to disease. Australia has used 2 vaccines, which are produced by Pfizer and called SA2 and A20. In 2006, however, the country purchased a new vaccine from the European company Intervet called Serva. 2 years later, new strains of ILTV, called class 8 and 9, appeared. They are just as deadly as other strains. "But they seem to be dominating over the strains that were reported prior to 2007," says Browning.

Because the new strains appeared shortly after the European vaccine was introduced, scientists thought that the new vaccine strain might have reverted back to a disease-causing form. But when the researchers sequenced the genomes of the 2 new strains and the 3 vaccine strains, they found that the new viruses were actually stitched together from the European and Australian vaccines. Although it is not clear what mutations keep the vaccine strains from causing disease in the 1st place, they were probably lost when the viruses recombined, says Browning, whose team reports its findings online today [12 Jul 2012] in Science.


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28 Oct 2012 Vaccine combination, poultry - Australia: deadly
arkay  (OP)

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10/31/2012 08:03 PM
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We recently reported that India had reported a fresh outbreak of H5N1.

Now it would appear that attempts to control this outbreak havent been successful and are causing further significant culling of huge numbers or birds.

Indian bird flu outbreak worsens

Avian Influenza Outbreak

The first officially acknowledged outbreak of avian influenza in India’s Bangalore region is forcing the animal husbandry department to take unprecedented stringent measures around the Central Poultry Development Organisation & Training Institute (CPDOTI) in Hesaraghatta, where the outbreak began.

Following the culling of 4,265 turkeys last week after the initial outbreak, the state’s animal husbandry department announced the deaths of 206 chickens and 17 ducks suspected to be due to avian influenza at CPDOTI. In response, the department is now planning to cull 19,235 chickens, 13,673 ducks and 369 emus. 52 poultry sheds have also been listed for cleaning and sanitation work to prevent any possible spread of the disease.


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[link to www.worldpoultry.net]





GLP