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

Down boy! Talking about my own posts.

New news from Vietnam is announcing a new highly virulent and possibly even deadlier strain of H5N1 has been detected.

This is exceptionally distressing news for all of us as now it would appear that H5N1 is again mutating, possibly closer to human to human transmission, but even if it isnt currently travelling that road, it does appear to be developing into an even more deadlier strain than already exists.

As if we need to be facing this.

If this continues we could eventually be facing a strain, when it does become horizontally human contagous, that might have the capacity to destroy far higher numbers of people than the already achnowledged 60% mortality rate that it currently carries.

One simply cannot conceive of a virus that has the potential to kill maybe 80% of its victims, yet this is where this virus appears to be evolving.

Terrifying.

New highly toxic avian flu virus spreads to Vietnam

A new strain of avian flu virus that was found in China two months ago has appeared in Vietnam, health experts have confirmed.

Localities warned against new bird flu outbreaks
The new strain, 2.3.2.1 C, which has been detected through epidemic investigations, is highly toxic and therefore extremely deadly, Diep Kinh Tan, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said at a meeting on September 4 to review the epidemic situation.

The 2.3.2.1 C strain has recently spread to Vietnam and is now present in affected areas in seven provinces and cities, namely Haiphong, Ha Tinh, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Bac Kan, Thanh Hoa and Quang Ngai, said Hoang Van Nam, head of the Department of Animal Health (DoAH).

As the new strain is different from the A/H5N1 virus, the ministry is to conduct experiments and tests to confirm if the vaccines that are being used to combat A/H5N1 are also effective against the new strain.

Link here...

[link to english.vovnews.vn]

Now on the surface you might wonder why this has attracted attention.

Simple answer is, if these organisms can concentrate these viruses, then by extrapolation this infers two things.

The first is dont eat these shellfish as they are concentrating vessels for contagons.

Next, this implies that because they are concentrators of these flu viruses, they also will hugely lengthen the survival rates of these viruses and permiate their spread throughout water systems, possibly those thought to be healthy for human consumption.

Perhaps we now need to be considering boiling our beautiful stream fresh waters.

How sad.

Freshwater Clams As Bioconcentrators of Avian Influenza Virus in Water.
Huyvaert KP, Carlson JS, Bentler KT, Cobble KR, Nolte DL, Franklin AB.
Source1 United States Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center , Fort Collins, Colorado.

Abstract
Abstract We report experimental evidence for bioconcentration of a low-pathogenicity avian influenza virus (H6N8) in the tissue of freshwater clams. Our results support the concept that freshwater clams may provide an effective tool for use in the early detection of influenza A viruses in aquatic environments.

Link here...

[link to www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Be careful out there.


We had unusually high UV Index readings throughout the USA this year. It appears in my opinion that there is a problem with the Ozone layer. The sun during mid-day is very intense.....and you can burn rather quickly without sunscreen.

As we all know, there has been quite some contoversy regarding the presence of swine at county fairs this year in the US.

H3N2v has been closely associated with this presence and this has been the main driver in this debate.

But, this next study would give great weight to the argument for these animals to be receiving very special consideration for display containment in the future if the intent is to continue with their inclusion at those county fairs and address public health matters in a responsible way.

Current practices are clearly totally unacceptable, so new directions are clearly called for.

There is an urgent need to consider just how these animals can be in attendance but also in a far safer manner than is currently the practice.

Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 Virus among Healthy Show Pigs, United States.
Gray GC, Bender JB, Bridges CB, Daly RF, Krueger WS, Male MJ, Heil GL, Friary JA, Derby RB, Cox NJ.
Abstract
Within 5 months after the earliest detection of human influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, we found molecular and culture evidence of the virus in healthy US show pigs. The mixing of humans and pigs at swine shows possibly could further the geographic and cross-species spread of influenza A viruses.

Link here...

[link to www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Now this next article, at least to me, is a classic example of science attempting to find funding on the back of the dead in the water "global warming" scam.

What a lot of hogwash.

Please tell me how when a food source deminishes that it can promote growth of a virus present in birds that migrate to feed on this deminishing food source.

Absolute rubbish.

Classic example right here in Australia.

Rabbits and foxes, both introduced species.

So, we have a good wet season or two, the rabbit numbers explode because of food abundance, followed by an expolsion of fox numbers for the same reason.

The food they predate on is more abundant so it can support a heavier population load.

Next phase, the fox numbers being high predate on the rabbits happily until the next slightly drier season which can no longer support the rabbit population, breading of rabbits deminishes in response, then the foxes begin to starve due to lower numbers of rabbits, and so the cycle goes.

So now please tell me how a parallel simple ecosystem is affected by this apparent global warming fiasco that PROMOTES an increase in the preditor presence in the absence of a food source.

For crying out loud are these people actually expecting us to believe in their junk science.

And do I know much about the rabbit /fox cycle here in Australia, perhaps as it was the only meat we could afford for several years when I was a kid and I was the one who fed the family with it after getting out of bed in the dark every morning and doing the rounds through inch thick frosts to all the rabbit burrows I was trapping.

I think so!

Just where do these people get their qualifications from?

The bottom of a corn flakes packet would be a good guess...honestly!

The consequences of climate change at an avian influenza 'hotspot'
Brown VL, Rohani P.
SourceDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.

Abstract
Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) pose significant danger to human health. A key step in managing this threat is understanding the maintenance of AIVs in wild birds, their natural reservoir. Ruddy turnstones (Arenaria interpres) are an atypical bird species in this regard, annually experiencing high AIV prevalence in only one location-Delaware Bay, USA, during their spring migration. While there, they congregate on beaches, attracted by the super-abundance of horseshoe crab eggs. A relationship between ruddy turnstone and horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) population sizes has been established, with a declining horseshoe crab population linked to a corresponding drop in ruddy turnstone population sizes. The effect of this interaction on AIV prevalence in ruddy turnstones has also been addressed. Here, we employ a transmission model to investigate how the interaction between these two species is likely to be altered by climate change. We explore the consequences of this modified interaction on both ruddy turnstone population size and AIV prevalence and show that, if climate change leads to a large enough mismatch in species phenology, AIV prevalence in ruddy turnstones will increase even as their population size decreases.

Yep and with the same 'global warming' senario, when you bounce a rubber ball it bounces higher and higher with each rebound, gravity, what gravity, hell theres no such thing just miraculous global warming, to leach out never ending funding for lazy BS make believe researchers, and the sheep that will believe anything they are told, if it packaged the right way.

This sort of stuff really angers me, but I guess you all get that!


Link here...

[link to www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Last Edited by arkay on 09/05/2012 09:00 AM

This article studies the various sub strains of H5N1 that are currently circulating in Southern Asia.

And it should be noted that it has been edited by none other that Ron Fouchier, from the Netherlands.

This is the researcher that successfully conducted that world breaking research on mutating H5N1 to H2H transmissibility.

He is one of the worlds leading authorities on H5N1.


Avian Influenza (H5N1) Virus of Clade 2.3.2 in Domestic Poultry in India
South Asia has experienced regular outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza virus since its first detection in India and Pakistan in February, 2006. Till 2009, the outbreaks in this region were due to clade 2.2 H5N1 virus. In 2010, Nepal reported the first outbreak of clade 2.3.2 virus in South Asia. In February 2011, two outbreaks of H5N1 virus were reported in the State of Tripura in India. The antigenic and genetic analyses of seven H5N1 viruses isolated during these outbreaks were carried out. Antigenic analysis confirmed 64 to 256-fold reduction in cross reactivity compared with clade 2.2 viruses. The intravenous pathogenicity index of the isolates ranged from 2.80–2.95 indicating high pathogenicity to chickens. Sequencing of all the eight gene-segments of seven H5N1 viruses isolated in these outbreaks was carried out. The predicted amino acid sequence analysis revealed high pathogenicity to chickens and susceptibility to the antivirals, amantadine and oseltamivir. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that these viruses belong to clade 2.3.2.1 and were distinct to the clade 2.3.2.1 viruses isolated in Nepal. Identification of new clade 2.3.2 H5N1 viruses in South Asia is reminiscent of the introduction of clade 2.2 viruses in this region in 2006/7. It is now important to monitor whether the clade 2.3.2.1 is replacing clade 2.2 in this region or co-circulating with it. Continued co-circulation of various subclades of the H5N1 virus which are more adapted to land based poultry in a highly populated region such as South Asia increases the risk of evolution of pandemic H5N1 strains.

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Abstract
Introduction
Results and Discussion
Materials and Methods
Acknowledgments
Author Contributions
References
Shanmuga Nagarajan1*, Chakradhar Tosh1, David K. Smith3, Joseph Sriyal Malik Peiris2, Harshad Vinayakrao Murugkar1, Rajangam Sridevi1, Manoj Kumar1, Megha Katare1, Rajlaxmi Jain1, Zohra Syed1, Padmanava Behera1, Chung L. Cheung2, Rekha Khandia1, Sushil Tripathi1, Yi Guan2, Shiv Chandra Dubey1

1 High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Anand Nagar, Bhopal, India, 2 State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, 3 State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, International Institute of Infection and Immunity, Shantou University Medical School, Shantou, People's Republic of China

Abstract Top
South Asia has experienced regular outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza virus since its first detection in India and Pakistan in February, 2006. Till 2009, the outbreaks in this region were due to clade 2.2 H5N1 virus. In 2010, Nepal reported the first outbreak of clade 2.3.2 virus in South Asia. In February 2011, two outbreaks of H5N1 virus were reported in the State of Tripura in India. The antigenic and genetic analyses of seven H5N1 viruses isolated during these outbreaks were carried out. Antigenic analysis confirmed 64 to 256-fold reduction in cross reactivity compared with clade 2.2 viruses. The intravenous pathogenicity index of the isolates ranged from 2.80–2.95 indicating high pathogenicity to chickens. Sequencing of all the eight gene-segments of seven H5N1 viruses isolated in these outbreaks was carried out. The predicted amino acid sequence analysis revealed high pathogenicity to chickens and susceptibility to the antivirals, amantadine and oseltamivir. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that these viruses belong to clade 2.3.2.1 and were distinct to the clade 2.3.2.1 viruses isolated in Nepal. Identification of new clade 2.3.2 H5N1 viruses in South Asia is reminiscent of the introduction of clade 2.2 viruses in this region in 2006/7. It is now important to monitor whether the clade 2.3.2.1 is replacing clade 2.2 in this region or co-circulating with it. Continued co-circulation of various subclades of the H5N1 virus which are more adapted to land based poultry in a highly populated region such as South Asia increases the risk of evolution of pandemic H5N1 strains.

Citation: Nagarajan S, Tosh C, Smith DK, Peiris JSM, Murugkar HV, et al. (2012) Avian Influenza (H5N1) Virus of Clade 2.3.2 in Domestic Poultry in India. PLoS ONE 7(2): e31844. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0031844

Editor: Ron A. M. Fouchier, Erasmus Medical Center, The Netherlands


Received: August 4, 2011; Accepted: January 13, 2012; Published: February 20, 2012

Copyright: © 2012 Nagarajan et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Link here...

[link to www.plosone.org]

This next article is a bit difficult to follow but it describes the differences between two sets of H3N2v strains that have been tested and points to them being of seperate origins.

It also seems to make it clear that one of these two seperate strains has been transmitted initially from human to swine at a county fair in the US, which again appears to point to some unusual occurances taking place with this virus.

LaPorte Human and Swine H3N2v Do Not Match
Recombinomics Commentary 23:55
September 5, 2012

Additionally, all respiratory specimens collected from a sample of 12 swine at the fair were positive for influenza A (H3N2) virus. The specimens were forwarded to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for additional testing. Preliminary genetic analysis has shown a very high level of similarity between the gene sequences of H3N2v viruses from humans and the H3N2 viruses from swine.

Link here...

[link to www.recombinomics.com]

From a more technical aspect, another study has looked at aspects of the H1N1 virus that made it possible for it to go pandemic and this new understanding will assist with any new pandemic outbreaks.

Molecular Basis of the Transmission of the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic Influenza Virus
A novel reassortant swine influenza virus acquired sustained human-to-human transmissibility and caused the 2009 influenza pandemic. However, the molecular aspects of influenza virus transmission remain poorly understood.

Link here...

[link to jvi.asm.org]

Back here in Australia, Influenza testing results for New South Wales for the period from the 18th of August to the 24th of August 2012 are as follows.

Laboratory testing summary for influenza
For the week ending 24 August 2012: A total of 1517 tests for respiratory viruses were performed at sentinel NSW laboratories (Table 2) with 15.5% testing positive for influenza. Influenza A: 150 specimens (9.9%) tested positive (Table 2, Figure 4). Of these:
&#61607; 102 (68%) tested positive for influenza A(H3N2)
&#61607; Two tested positive for influenza A(pH1N1). The remainder tested negative to influenza A(pH1N1) and are assumed to have been A(H3N2) Influenza B: 85 specimens (4.8%) tested positive (Table 2, Figure 4). The proportion of respiratory specimens positive for influenza A decreased compared to the previous week. Influenza B activity continues to increase.
Influenza continues to be the dominant respiratory virus identified by NSW sentinel laboratories.

Link here...

[link to www.health.nsw.gov.au]

Influenza reports for Queensland are reported here for the whole year to date up to the 26th of August.

Please follow the link here...

[link to www.health.nsw.gov.au]

In South Australia flu reports from the 19th of August to the 25th of August is summerized here.

There were 275 cases of influenza virus infection reported this week, a decrease from 330 cases reported in the previous week. Of these cases, 24 were attributed to influenza B virus, 249 were typed as Influenza A, and two were identified as the pandemic Influenza A H1N1 2009 strain. There have been 4,693 influenza cases year-to-date compared to 2,921 cases reported for the same period last year.

Link here...

[link to www.influenzaspecialistgroup.org.au]

Tasmania summerizes its influenza testing for the last week ending on the 26th of August 2012 as follows.

The 2012 influenza season to date has featured a rapid increase in cases from baseline in May to a peak in late July/early August. Notifications continued to decline during the second half of August. There were 44 notifications received in the last week ending 26 August, compared to 75 the week prior. Notifications of influenza are only those people who are tested and then test positive for influenza; the true level of influenza illness in the community will always be higher.

Influenza A has been responsible for over 95 per cent of influenza notifications in Tasmania during 2012. Influenza A notifications continued to decrease in recent weeks. Where sub-typing of Influenza A viruses has been conducted almost all have been the influenza A H3N2 subtype. Influenza A H1N1 (pandemic or “swine” flu) remains rare. An increasing number of influenza B notifications were received during August but still comprised less than 10 per cent of all influenza cases for the month.

Link here...

[link to www.dhhs.tas.gov.au]

Victoria reports its influenza testing for the period up to the 26th of August as follows.

Week ending 26 August 2012

Influenza-like illness (ILI) activity was similar to the previous three weeks, with a presentation rate of 8.9 cases per 1000 patients seen, still within average levels of activity.

From the 585 swabs received from surveillance GPs this season (30/4/12 – 26/8/12), 232 (40%) have been positive for influenza, of which 21 were A(H1N1)pdm09, 177 were A(H3N2), 10 are A(untyped), 2 were influenza C and 22 were influenza B.

This week we received 33 surveillance swabs of which 14 (42%) were positive for influenza. Of these swabs 1 was A(H1N1)pdm09, 7 were A(H3N2), 3 were untyped and 3 influenza B.

The majority of viruses detected through routine testing this week were influenza A, RSV and picornavirus. Of those positive for influenza 6 were A(H3N2) and 5 were untyped. Of the 199 influenza viruses detected so far this year 19 have been A(H1N1)pdm09, 149 have been A(H3N2), 16 are A(untyped) and 15 influenza B.

Link here...

[link to www.influenzaspecialistgroup.org.au]

Western Australian influenza reporting up to the week ending the 26th of August 2012 is as follows.

Influenza test requests received by PathWest remained stable compared to last week, but the proportion positive in both sentinel and routine samples continues to decline, reaching 36% this week. Overall detections comprised; 65.6% (145) A/H3N2 virus, 32.6% (72) influenza B virus, 1.3% (3) AH1N1 and 0.5% (1) were mixed infection.

Link here...

[link to www.influenzaspecialistgroup.org.au]

New Zealand is finally beginning to report a drop below baseline of influenza reports for the period from the 27th of August to the 2nd of September 2012

Summary
· ILI through sentinel surveillance was reported from 19 out of 20 District Health Boards
(DHB) with a national consultation rate of 36.7 per 100 000 (137 ILI consultations).
· A total of 391 swabs were received from sentinel (30) and non-sentinel (361)
surveillance.
· 113 viruses were identified: A(H3N2) (70) ) including four A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like
viruses, A (Not subtyped) (24), B (15) including one B/Wisconsin/1/2010-like and
A(H1N1)pdm09 (4).
In week 35, ILI consultation rate has decreased below the baseline. The proportion of positive
influenza samples has also decreased. Influenza A(H3N2) viruses remain the predominant
virus in many regions. These viruses do not appear to demonstrate a major antigenic drift.

Link here...

[link to www.surv.esr.cri.nz]

South Africa has its influenza reports available for the period up to the 19th of August are as follows.

The 2012 influenza season which started in week 21 (week ending 27 May) when the detection rate from the Viral Watch Programme rose to 21%, continues. This year to date (week 33, ending 19 August), 1521 specimens have been received from Viral Watch sites in all nine provinces. Influenza A (unsubtyped) was detected in 13 patients, influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 in three, influenza A(H3N2) in 348, and influenza B in 206 patients.

In this time period 3266 patients with SARI have been tested at the 5 sentinel sites, and influenza A(unsubtyped) was detected in four patients, influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 in one, influenza A(H3N2) in 84, and influenza B in 45 patients in all four provinces with sentinel sites. There are a number of specimens collected during week 33 awaiting results.

Please note that these data are from sentinel sites and reflect trends in the areas with participating sites. Numbers reported reflect numbers of patients enrolled into the surveillance programmes and do not reflect total numbers of patients in the community.

Link here...

[link to www.nicd.ac.za]

Italy is reporting that it has detected Low Pathegenic Avian Influenza in turkey for consumption.

Unfortunately this is all the information currently available.

Italy: LPAI in turkeys
5 September, 2012
Low pathogenic avian influenza H5, was detected in meat-type turkeys, in Brescia (North Italy).

Link Here...

[link to www.poultrymed.com]

This next post is interesting in as much as we always knew that the Siberian marshlands were the main resevoir for influenzas in migrating birds, and now this study looks at this information further.

Precursor genes of future pandemic influenza viruses are perpetuated in ducks nesting in Siberia.

...genes of the isolates in Siberia are closely related to those of H5N1 influenza virus strains isolated from chickens and humans in Hong Kong in...

Link here...

[link to www.springerlink.com]

Great info. Scary as hell. Thanks for the post!

Hi UK anon, its great to see you here as you are fully aware and your post, reposted here, shows your genuine compassion to your fellow peoples, which isnt always evident from others in these times, so let me at least say this for you and know that your expressions of your feelings make you also a very special person too.

I hope that in more recent times that you have been able to settle in to your new home and that you have been also able to restore greater normality and peace back into your life.

Can I ask if you did manage to get away while the olimpics were on?

anyway its great to have you back here, so hang in there we love to get all your great updates.

cheers and best wishes too

arkay.

ahh then thats ok

Really glad that you are finding this thread informative and helpful, its nice to get this type of feedback so with the greatest of respect let me thank for your most greatfully appreciated comments.

cheers

arkay

This story reports on studies conducted on various people who suffered reactions to the 2009 H1N1 vaccine and reveals its findings.


Study: Few pediatric adverse events tied to 2009 H1N1 vaccine
Robert Roos News Editor


Sep 6, 2012 (CIDRAP News) – Experts who carefully studied 99 adverse events reported in children after they received the H1N1 influenza vaccine during the 2009 pandemic concluded that most of the events were unrelated to the vaccine and left no lingering effects, providing reassurance of the vaccine's safety.

Writing in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, the experts reported that 16 of the adverse events following immunization (AEFI) were definitely or probably related to the vaccine, and another 21 were possibly related. The rest were listed as unlikely to be related (43), unrelated (17), and unclassifiable (2).

The case-by-case review "provided reassurance that most events resolved spontaneously and without sequelae and were not likely to be related to the vaccination," the report states. The 2009 H1N1 strain continues to be included in trivalent seasonal flu vaccines.

The authors are members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment (CISA) network. Barbara Pahud, MD, MPH, of Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City, Mo., is first author of the study.

The 99 cases reviewed were among 3,928 H1N1-vaccine-related events in children reported to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System through January 2010. Of these, 214 were classified as "serious, non-fatal," and the CDC referred 109 of them to the CISA for further review. The authors obtained enough clinical information to complete their review in 99 of the 109 cases.


Link Here...

[link to www.cidrap.umn.edu]

It might appear that our little thread here is being read by some pretty important entities, and that some of our observations and assertions regarding the H3N2v strain and its various uncharacteristic themes may be responsible for the CDC to be attempting to do some backside covering manovers of this whole conundrum.

From what we are reading it seems that we may have hit the nail on the head and some pretty heavy questions are being fired at the CDC from certain unknown quarters, but from someone with enough clout to have the CDC on the hop pretty big time on this one.

If all this is correct, then the contention that has been made here that Patient Zero was "artificially" exposed to a new introduced strain of H3N2v does indeed continue to appear to be correct, which leaves a lot of very serious questions to be addressed.

This saga has more steam left in it yet.

We will continue to watch this story unfold as it has to do with all those obvious questions left hanging.

H3N2v Sequences Refute CDC Swine Exposure Message
Recombinomics Commentary 15:00
September 6, 2012

Found in U.S. pigs in 2010 and humans in July 2011, this H3N2v virus appears to spread more easily from pigs to people than other variant influenza viruses. Most reported cases to date have occurred in people who are exhibiting or helping to exhibit pigs at fairs this season after close and prolonged contact with pigs. "So far more than 90 percent of cases have occurred in people who are exhibiting or helping to exhibit pigs, or who are family members of these people. That is why our message is so targeted," says Finelli.

The above comments are from the August 31 CDC update on H3N2v and the comment that “this H3N2v virus” appearing first in humans in July 2011 clearly refers to the sub-clade represented by A/Indiana/08/2011, which has an H1N1pdm09 M gene. However, the claim that this sub-clade was found in pigs in 2010 is not supported by any public data, and is unlikely to be supported by any private data. Although the presence of the H1N1pdm09 M gene in H3N2 was found in swine in 2010, those isolates were easily distinguished from the 2011 sub-clade and have never been reported in human cases.

Link here...

[link to www.recombinomics.com]

More here on the post above that continues to reinforce our story and helps put the message into terms better understood by lay people.

Thanks must go the recombinomics people for their persistence in following up on this matter and also for their further help by reporting the news in terms that we, as lay people can adequately grasp, we thank them most greatfully for their represention of our interests and congratulate them also for their works of dilligence.

Its this type of persistence, dedication, genuine concern and achievement that goes so far to ensure that qualified oversight will demand complete transparency from those who we put in place to protect us all and that other competing negative influences are deprived of opportunities to do harm to our greater community.

CDC In H3N2v Sequence Denial
Recombinomics Commentary 21:30
September 6, 2012

Found in U.S. pigs in 2010 and humans in July 2011, this H3N2v virus appears to spread more easily from pigs to people than other variant influenza viruses. Most reported cases to date have occurred in people who are exhibiting or helping to exhibit pigs at fairs this season after close and prolonged contact with pigs. "So far more than 90 percent of cases have occurred in people who are exhibiting or helping to exhibit pigs, or who are family members of these people. That is why our message is so targeted," says Finelli.

The above comments (emphasis added) are from the August 31 CDC update on H3N2v which clearly represent the CDC “story”. However the story isn’t based on hard data, such as the sequences from the H3N2v infected people and pigs, but is based on samples from a highly biased population with swine exposure who are H3N2v confirmed through aggressive testing using a suspect RT-PCR assay that performs well on samples with high RNA levels, but gives inconclusive or false negative results on samples with lower RNA levels.

The positives are then used to further bias the sampling, which then creates more message that is “targeted”.

Ironically, the increase in positives generates more hard data that thoroughly refutes the “story”, so the hard data is either ignored or misrepresented.

Link here...

[link to www.recombinomics.com]

Its unusual for us to be hearing news from Europe of H1N1, but here we have a report of two travellers who have tested positive for H1N1 and both were resistant to Tamiflu.

It appears that they have both contracted their illnesses in Spain.

Eurosurveillance, Volume 17, Issue 36, 06 September 2012
Rapid communications
Oseltamivir-resistant influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus in Dutch travellers returning from Spain, August 2012
A Meijer ()1, M Jonges1, P van Beek2, C Swaan2, A Osterhaus3,4, R S Daniels5, A C Hurt6, M P Koopmans1,4
1.Laboratory for Infectious Diseases and Screening, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
2.Preparedness and Response Unit, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
3.National Influenza Centre, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
4.Viroscience laboratory, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
5.World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, Medical Research Council (MRC) National Institute for Medical Research, London, United Kingdom
6.World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

-------------------------------------------------------------​-------------------

Citation style for this article: Meijer A, Jonges M, van Beek P, Swaan C, Osterhaus A, Daniels RS, Hurt AC, Koopmans MP. Oseltamivir-resistant influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus in Dutch travellers returning from Spain, August 2012. Euro Surveill. 2012;17(36):pii=20266. Available online: [link to www.eurosurveillance.org]

Date of submission: 05 September 2012

-------------------------------------------------------------​-------------------

Two Dutch travellers were infected with oseltamivir-resistant influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses with an H275Y neuraminidase substitution in early August 2012. Both cases were probably infected during separate holidays at the Catalonian coast (Spain). No epidemiological connection between the two cases was found, and neither of them was treated with oseltamivir before specimen collection. Genetic analysis of the neuraminidase gene revealed the presence of previously described permissive mutations that may increase the likelihood of such strains emerging and spreading widely.

Link here...

[link to www.eurosurveillance.org]

The FDA in America has released the contents list for next years flu vaccine and also the list of laborities lisenced to manufacture this vaccine.

While this recepie list doesent specifically make mention as to exactly which H3N2 virus strain it is including, previous mention that the current vaccine does NOT give cover to the new H3N2V variant strain which contains the H1N1 M gene, what this release does say is that it will give protection to two newer strains so from that, one would be lead to believe that this new variant strain is in fact a part of this new vaccine.

Better clarification is naturally be highly sought after on this very important aspect.

FDA NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Aug. 13, 2012
Media Inquiries: Heidi Rebello, 301-796-4566, [email protected]
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA, [email protected]

FDA approves vaccines for the 2012-2013 influenza season

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that it has approved the 2012-2013 influenza (flu) vaccine formulation for all six manufacturers licensed to produce and distribute the vaccines in the United States.

Each year experts from the FDA, the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other public health experts study influenza virus samples and global disease patterns to identify virus strains likely to cause the most illness during the upcoming flu season.

Based on that information and the recommendations of the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, the strains selected for inclusion in the 2012-2013 flu vaccines are:
A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus
A/Victoria/361/2011 (H3N2)-like virus
B/Wisconsin/1/2010-like virus.

While the H1N1 virus is the same as what was included in the 2011-2012 influenza vaccines, this year’s influenza H3N2 and B viruses differ from those in the 2011-2012 influenza vaccines.
Vaccination remains the cornerstone of preventing influenza, a contagious respiratory disease caused by different influenza viruses infecting the nose, throat and lungs. This year’s seasonal vaccines will provide protection against the three influenza virus strains that global surveillance indicates are likely to be the most common strains circulating during the upcoming season.

There is always a possibility of a less than optimal match between the virus strains predicted to circulate and the virus strains that end up causing the most illness. However, even if the vaccine and the circulating strains are not an exact match, the vaccine may reduce the severity of the illness or may help prevent influenza-related complications.

“The best way to prevent influenza is by getting vaccinated each year,” said Karen Midthun, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “It is especially important to get vaccinated this year because two of the three virus strains used in this season’s influenza vaccines differ from the strains included in last year’s vaccines.”

According to the CDC, between 5 percent and 20 percent of the U.S. population develops influenza each year. This leads to more than 200,000 hospitalizations from related complications. Influenza seasons are unpredictable and can be severe, with annual influenza-related deaths ranging from a low of about 3,000 to a high of 49,000 people in the U.S. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, recommends that everyone six months of age and older receive an annual influenza vaccine.

Health care providers play an important role in advising their patients to get vaccinated each year and should also protect themselves, their patients, their family, and the community from influenza by getting vaccinated.

The manufacturers licensed to produce the nation’s 2012-2013 flu vaccines and the brand names of the vaccines for the upcoming flu season are:
Afluria, manufactured by CSL Limited;
Fluarix, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals;
FluLaval, manufactured by ID Biomedical Corporation;
FluMist, manufactured by MedImmune Vaccines Inc.;
Fluvirin, manufactured by Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Limited; and
Fluzone, Fluzone High-Dose and Fluzone Intradermal, manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur.

Link here...

[link to www.fda.gov]

In a very brief news article there has been a report of another positive test for H1N1 in India bringing the total to that region to 5.

Indore, Sep 5 (PTI) A man today tested positive for swine flu infection, taking the number of people affected by the H1N1 virus in western Mahdya Pradesh to five, authorities said. Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) in-charge Dr G L Sodhi told reporters that a 52-year-old man tested positive for H1N1 virus, and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital here

Link here...

[link to ibnlive.in.com]

Report Number 76 from Vietnam which is some 53 pages long indicates the state of new outbreaks of H5N1 being reported to date.

Follow-up report No.76
Report reference: 1828/TY-DT, Reference OIE : 12264, Report Date : 06/09/2012, Country : Vietnam
Report Summary
Name of sender of the report Dr Nam Hoang Van Telephone (84-43) 868 59 91
Position Director General Fax (84-43) 869 13 11
Address N° 15/78 Giai Phong Road, Dong Da
Hanoi Hanoi
Email [email protected]
Date submitted to OIE 06/09/2012
Animal type Terrestrial Date of report 06/09/2012
Disease Highly pathogenic avian influenza Date of start of the event 06/12/2006
Causal Agent Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus Date of pre-confirmation of the
event
19/12/2006
Serotype(s) H5N1 Date of last occurrence 10/08/2006
Reason Reoccurrence of a listed disease Diagnosis Clinical, Laboratory (basic), Laboratory (advanced)
Country or zone a zone or compartment Clinical signs yes
Number of reported outbreaks Submitted= 358, draft= 0

Link here...

[link to www.oie.int]