MedWorm: 1918 Spanish Flu

Scientists call for curbs on own research on deadly bird flu virus

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:06:00 +0100

Virus experts in the US say outbreak of genetically engineered bird flu could be worst influenza pandemic in historyA group of the leading virus experts in the US has called for new, permanent restrictions on research in the face of a new genetically engineered flu virus that could kill half the population of the world.Scientists are currently observing a 60-day moratorium on research into the bird flu virus, after two groups found a way to make it infectious through airborne transmission.An outbreak of this virus could be worse than the 1918 Spanish flu that killed tens of millions of people, warned Michael Osterholm – who has led research into previous dangerous outbreaks – at a public meeting on censorship in science in New York on Thursday night."Frankly, I don't want a virus out t...

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Vaccination against influenza a virus (H1N1) among Spanish healthcare workers.

European Journal of Internal Medicine — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:24:32 +0100

Authors: Olalla J, de Ory F, Casas I, Benítez N PMID: 22284261 [PubMed - in process] (Source: European Journal of Internal Medicine)

Bird flu scientists suspend work amid epidemic fears

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:07:42 +0100

Researchers announce 60-day suspension to allow debate about security of their attempts to prevent spread of virusScientists trying to prevent bird flu from killing millions of people have suspended their work because of fears they might accidentally cause the epidemic they hope to stop, according to a letter published on Friday in scientific journals.Researchers from around the world signed a letter in the Nature and Science journals in which they announced a 60-day suspension to allow a public debate about the security of their work.The letter comes after developments in the study of bird flu in which scientists have created a similar virus that can be passed between mammals.Bird flu can only be caught by humans from birds such as chickens but it is usually lethal. Scientists fear that b...

Flu and climate may be connected

Physics Today News Picks — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

BBC: Global climate shifts and flu pandemics may be linked, say researchers. Weather can influence the migratory patterns of wild birds; thus different species are brought together that don’t normally mix. The birds then share viruses, which can morph into different strains to which the human population has not been previously exposed. In a paper published yesterday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Jeffrey Shaman of Columbia University and Marc Lipsitch of Harvard University note that the four most recent human influenza pandemics—in 1918, 1957, 1968, and 2009—were preceded by a climate pattern called La Niña. However, the researchers emphasize, most La Niñas have not preceded a pandemic. Rather, climate patterns could be one of several factors th...

Flu Pandemics And La Nina

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0100

Worldwide pandemics of influenza caused widespread death and illness in 1918, 1957, 1968 and 2009. A new study examining weather patterns around the time of these pandemics finds that each of them was preceded by La Nina conditions in the equatorial Pacific. The study's authors - Jeffrey Shaman of Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and Marc Lipsitch of the Harvard School of Public Health - note that the La Nina pattern is known to alter the migratory patterns of birds, which are thought to be a primary reservoir of human influenza... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Genetic diversity of HA1 domain of hemagglutinin gene of pandemic influenza H1N1pdm09 viruses in New Delhi, India

Journal of Medical Virology — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:19:23 +0100

AbstractGenetic analysis of pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1; H1N1pdm09) virus was undertaken to understand virus evolution during 2009 and 2010 in India. Surveillance of influenza viruses from July 2009 to December 2010 revealed major peaks of circulating H1N1pdm09 viruses in August–September and December–January 2009 and then in August–September 2010. To understand the diversity of the H1N1pdm09 virus, selected specimens (n = 23) from 2009 or 2010 were characterized by nucleotide sequence determination of the HA1 subunit of the HA gene. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 22 clustered with clade 7 viruses characterized by S203T mutations, whereas one virus from 2010 fell within clade 6. None of the viruses from either 2009 or 2010 formed a monophyletic group, suggesting a contin...

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Does the La Niña weather pattern lead to flu pandemics?

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health) Worldwide pandemics of influenza caused widespread death and illness in 1918, 1957, 1968 and 2009. A new study examining weather patterns around the time of these pandemics finds that each of them was preceded by La Niña conditions in the equatorial Pacific. Since the La Niña pattern is known to alter the migratory patterns of birds, the scientists theorize that altered migration patterns promote the development of dangerous new strains of influenza. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

H1N1: overview and perspectives

Jornal Brasileiro de Patologia e Medicina Laboratorial — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:50:49 +0100

O vírus influenza de origem suína, A/California/04/2009 (H1N1), foi inicialmente detectado no México e determinou a pandemia de influenza de 2009. Em agosto de 2010, a Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) declarou o início da fase pós-pandêmica. As características dessa última pandemia foram marcadamente diferentes das anteriores. O vírus emergiu de rearranjos genéticos originários em hospedeiro mamífero não humano, demonstrou transmissibilidade interespécies e afetou a população humana de forma diferente dos vírus pandêmicos anteriores (1918, 1957 e 1968) com maior morbidade e mortalidade em crianças e adultos jovens. Atualmente, o vírus apresenta padrão sazonal da mesma forma que o influenza A H3N2 e o influenza B, mantendo, até o momento, o mesmo perfil de patogen...

Epidemiological isolation causing variable mortality in Island populations during the 1918–1920 influenza pandemic

Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions Mortality differed more than 50‐fold during pandemic‐related epidemics on Pacific islands [range: 0·4% (Hawaii) to 22% (Samoa)], and on some islands, mortality sharply varied among demographic subgroups of island residents such as Saipan: Chamorros [12%] and Caroline Islanders [0·4%]. Among soldiers from island populations who had completed initial military training, influenza‐related mortality rates were generally low, for example, Puerto Rico (0·7%) and French Polynesia (0·13%). The findings suggest that among island residents, those who had been exposed to multiple, antigenically diverse respiratory pathogens prior to infection with the 1918 pandemic strain (e.g., less isolated) experienced lower mortality. The continuous circulation of antigenically diverse inf...

Plague epidemic in the kingdom of naples, 1656-1658.

Emerging Infectious Diseases — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Scasciamacchia S, Serrecchia L, Giangrossi L, Garofolo G, Balestrucci A, Sammartino G, Fasanella A Abstract TO THE EDITOR: In 1656, an epidemic of plague occurred in the Kingdom of Naples, Italy. Earlier the disease had spread from Algiers to Spain; in June 1647, it appeared in Valencia, and in the spring of 1648, it appeared in Aragon and several other Spanish areas of Valencia, Andalusia, and Catalonia. In 1652, plague had spread to Sardinia and then to the cities and territories of Naples, Rome, and Genoa. Within the Kingdom of Naples, plague first reached the town of Naples in the spring of 1656. Despite measures restricting population movement, by the summer of 1656, the disease had reached several provinces in southern Italy (1,2). PMID: 22260781 [PubMed - in pro...

The 1918-19 influenza pandemic in boyacá, Colombia.

Emerging Infectious Diseases — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Chowell G, Viboud C, Simonsen L, Miller MA, Acuna-Soto R, Díaz JM, Martínez-Martín AF Abstract To quantify age-specific excess-mortality rates and transmissibility patterns for the 1918-20 influenza pandemic in Boyacá, Colombia, we reviewed archival mortality records. We identified a severe pandemic wave during October 1918-January1919 associated with 40 excess deaths per 10,000 population. The age profile for excess deaths was W shaped; highest mortality rates were among infants (<5 y of age), followed by elderly persons (>60 y) and young adults (25-29 y). Mean reproduction number was estimated at 1.4-1.7, assuming 3- or 4-day generation intervals. Boyacá, unlike cities in Europe, the United States, or Mexico, experienced neither a herald pandemic wave of death...

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Differential mortality rates by ethnicity in 3 influenza pandemics over a century, new zealand.

Emerging Infectious Diseases — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Wilson N, Barnard LT, Summers JA, Shanks GD, Baker MG Abstract Evidence suggests that indigenous populations have suffered disproportionately from past influenza pandemics. To examine any such patterns for Māori in New Zealand, we searched the literature and performed new analyses by using additional datasets. The Māori death rate in the 1918 pandemic (4,230/100,000 population) was 7.3× the European rate. In the 1957 pandemic, the Māori death rate (40/100,000) was 6.2× the European rate. In the 2009 pandemic, the Māori rate was higher than the European rate (rate ratio 2.6, 95% confidence interval 1.3-5.3). These findings suggest some decline in pandemic-related ethnic inequalities in death rates over the past century. Nevertheless, the persistent excess in adverse o...

A Diabetes Comic and Mobile App

About Diabetes — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Arizona State Museum at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona collaborated with local popular Native American artist Ryan Huna Smith to develop a comic book and digital mobile app to help educate teens about type 2 diabetes and behaviors that could reduce risk. Smith was chosen for his exciting artwork that blends traditional Native American subjects and themes with main-stream comic book style. The result is a beautiful comic book called It's Up 2 You! and an interactive free mobile app with a digital version of the comic available for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad through iTunes. A limited number of printed comics were also made available for free at a public health fair. The mobile app features the digital comic in English, Spanish, and O'Odham. Included ...

A chemokine gene expression signature derived from meta-analysis predicts the pathogenicity of viral respiratory infections

BMC Systems Biology - Latest articles — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Highly pathogenic viruses elicit expression of many of the same key genes as lower pathogenic viruses but to a higher degree. This increased degree of expression may result in the uncontrolled co-localization of inflammatory cell types and lead to irreversible host damage. (Source: BMC Systems Biology - Latest articles)

When it comes to bird flu, nature is the greatest bioterrorist

Guardian Unlimited Science — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:48:53 +0100

I hope that fear of terrorism will not lead to the suppression of valuable research about engineering the H5N1 virusA few months ago, Dutch virologist Ron Fouchier made what he hoped would be a low-key announcement at a conference on influenza in Malta. After a series of painstaking experiments, Fouchier announced he had achieved the holy grail of influenza research: engineering the H5N1 bird flu virus so that it could pass easily between mammals. The "airborne" virus had been created, Fouchier explained, not by using sophisticated, lab-based genetic technology but by the relatively low-tech method of passaging H5N1 repeatedly through ferrets.The significance of the discovery was not lost on the assembled delegates. If ferrets could be infected this way, then so could humans. Fouchier had ...

When it comes to bird flu, nature is the greatest bioterrorist | Mark Honigsbaum

Guardian Unlimited Science — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:48:53 +0100

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Immunization schedule of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics: 2012 recommendations.

Anales de Pediatria — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Moreno-Pérez D, Alvarez García FJ, Aristegui Fernández J, Barrio Corrales F, Cilleruelo Ortega MJ, Corretger Rauet JM, González-Hachero J, Hernández-Sampelayo Matos T, Merino Moína M, Ortigosa Del Castillo L, Ruiz-Contreras J, Abstract The Advisory Committee on Vaccines of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics (CAV-AEP) updates the immunization schedule every year, taking into account epidemiological data as well as evidence on the effectiveness and efficiency of vaccines. The present schedule includes grades of recommendation. We have graded as routine vaccinations those that the CAV-AEP believes all children should receive; as recommended those that fit the profile for universal childhood immunization and would ideally be given to all children, but that can be pri...

[Immunization schedule of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics: 2012 recommendations.]

Anales de Pediatria — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Moreno-Pérez D, Alvarez García FJ, Arístegui Fernández J, Barrio Corrales F, Cilleruelo Ortega MJ, Corretger Rauet JM, González-Hachero J, Hernández-Sampelayo Matos T, Merino Moína M, Ortigosa Del Castillo L, Ruiz-Contreras J, Abstract The Advisory Committee on Vaccines of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics (CAV-AEP) updates the immunization schedule every year, taking into account epidemiological data as well as evidence on the effectiveness and efficency of vaccines. The present schedule includes grades of recommendation. We have graded as routine vaccinations those that the CAV-AEP believes all children should receive; as recommended those that fit the profile for universal childhood immunization and would ideally be given to all children, but that can be pri...

Integrative review of literature about the AH1N1 Influenza

Texto e Contexto - Enfermagem — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:57:17 +0100

Objetivou-se conhecer a produção do conhecimento acerca da influenza AH1N1, a partir da literatura sobre o tema, relacionando com a emergência da pandemia. Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura, na qual se utilizou como critérios de seleção, artigos indexados nas bases de dados PubMed e SciELO, no período de 2005 a 2009, nos idiomas português, inglês ou espanhol. A amostra foi constituída por 14 artigos, todos publicados no ano de 2009. Observou-se uma significativa contribuição dos pesquisadores da área de saúde pública e dos estudos brasileiros sobre o tema. A pesquisa possibilitou conhecer o perfil epidemiológico da doença, incluindo perfil dos casos, letalidade da doença, conduta terapêutica e fatores de risco. Evidenciou-se carência de estudos relativo...

The Flu - How To Stop It!

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0100

During the 1918 to 1920 global influenza epidemic, between 50 to 100 million people lost their lives, with over a quarter of the world's population having being infected. Although vaccines might help in the event of a similar outbreak today, the possibility still remains that vaccine production would not be able to cope with such an influx in demand to make an important impact. In addition, hospitals would probably be overstretched, leaving many patients to be cared for by family members at home... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

[Seasonal influenza vaccination in children and adolescents. Recommendations of the CAV-AEP for the campaign.]

Anales de Pediatria — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Moreno-Pérez D, Arístegui Fernández J, Ruiz-Contreras J, Alvarez García FJ, Merino Moína M, González-Hachero J, Corretger Rauet JM, Hernández-Sampelayo Matos T, Ortigosa Del Castillo L, Cilleruelo Ortega MJ, Barrio Corrales F Abstract The Advisory Committee on Vaccines of the Spanish Association of Paediatrics establishes annual recommendations on influenza vaccination in childhood before the onset of influenza season. Routine influenza vaccination is particularly beneficial when the strategy is aimed at children older than 6 months of age with high-risk conditions and their home contacts. The recommendation of influenza vaccination in health workers with children is also emphasized. PMID: 22154734 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Anales de Pediatria...

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Estimating Absolute and Relative Case Fatality Ratios from Infectious Disease Surveillance Data

Biometrics — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Summary Knowing which populations are most at risk for severe outcomes from an emerging infectious disease is crucial in deciding the optimal allocation of resources during an outbreak response. The case fatality ratio (CFR) is the fraction of cases that die after contracting a disease. The relative CFR is the factor by which the case fatality in one group is greater or less than that in a second group. Incomplete reporting of the number of infected individuals, both recovered and dead, can lead to biased estimates of the CFR. We define conditions under which the CFR and the relative CFR are identifiable. Furthermore, we propose an estimator for the relative CFR that controls for time‐varying reporting rates. We generalize our methods to account for elapsed time between infection and dea...

World AIDS Day: December 1, 2011

Network News — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:02:09 +0100

World AIDS Day on December 1 brings together people from around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic. The day is an opportunity for public and private partners to spread awareness about the status of the pandemic and encourage progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in high prevalence countries and around the world. In advance of World AIDS Day 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke about her goal for an “AIDS Free Generation” – a goal which aligns with the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. Visit PEPFAR [http://www.pepfar.gov ] to view the November 8 speech. AIDSinfo joins people and organizations worldwide in observing World AIDS Day. In keeping with this year’s theme—Leading with Sc...

Using surveillance data to estimate pandemic vaccine effectiveness against laboratory confirmed influenza A(H1N1)2009 infection: two case control studies, Spain, season 2009-2010

BMC Public Health - Latest articles — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Point estimates of the pandemic influenza vaccine effectiveness suggested a protective effect of the pandemic vaccine against laboratory-confirmed influenza A(H1N1)2009 in the season 2009-2010. Both studies were limited by the low vaccine coverage and the late start of the vaccination campaign. Routine influenza surveillance provides reliable estimates and could be used for influenza vaccine effectiveness studies in future seasons taken into account the surveillance system limitations. (Source: BMC Public Health - Latest articles)

Pandemic and post-pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) infection in critically ill patients

Critical Care — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Patients from the post-pandemic Influenza (H1N1)v infection period had an unexpectedly higher mortality rate and showed a trend towards affecting a more vulnerable population, in keeping with more typical seasonal viral infection. (Source: Critical Care)

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of diabetic patients who were hospitalised with 2009 pandemic influenza A H1N1 infection

Journal of Infection — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The worse outcome among diabetes sufferers could be a consequence of the higher prevalence of comorbid underlying medical conditions but not diabetes itself. Further prospective studies are needed to verify these results. (Source: Journal of Infection)

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Pandemic Influenza: Implications for Preparation and Delivery of Critical Care Services

Journal of Intensive Care Medicine — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

In a 5-week span during the 1918 influenza A pandemic, more than 2000 patients were admitted to Cook County Hospital in Chicago, with a diagnosis of either influenza or pneumonia; 642 patients, approximately 31% of those admitted, died, with deaths occurring predominantly in patients of age 25 to 30 years. 1 This review summarizes basic information on the biology, epidemiology, control, treatment and prevention of influenza overall, and then addresses the potential impact of pandemic influenza in an intensive care unit setting. Issues that require consideration include workforce staffing and safety, resource management, alternate sites of care surge of patients, altered standards of care, and crisis communication. (Source: Journal of Intensive Care Medicine)

The Modes of Evolutionary Emergence of Primal and Late Pandemic Influenza Virus Strains from Viral Reservoir in Animals: An Interdisciplinary Analysis

Clinical and Developmental Immunology — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 12:13:12 +0100

Based on a wealth of recent findings, in conjunction with earliest chronologies pertaining to evolutionary emergences of ancestral RNA viruses, ducks, Influenzavirus A (assumingly within ducks), and hominids, as well as to the initial domestication of mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos), jungle fowl (Gallus gallus), wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), wild boar (Sus scrofa), and wild horse (Equus ferus), presumed genesis modes of primordial pandemic influenza strains have multidisciplinarily been configured. The virological fundamentality of domestication and farming of those various avian and mammalian species has thereby been demonstrated and broadly elucidated, within distinctive coevolutionary paradigms. The mentioned viral genesis modes were then analyzed, compatibly with common denomina...

The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Promising Lessons for Antiviral Therapy For Future Outbreaks.

Current Medicinal Chemistry — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Bavagnoli L, Maga G Abstract The influenza A virus is the main circulating influenza virus in the human population. It can cause disease also in birds and other mammals and is responsible for annual epidemics and occasional pandemics. The most known and deadly pandemic was the "Spanish flu" (influenza type A/H1N1), which struck the human population between 1918 and 1919, with probably the heaviest toll ever recorded in terms of human lives. The most recent flu pandemic, caused in 2009 by the swine-origin reassortant virus (pH1N1), has raised several critical issues in terms of our preparedness in responding fast to new pandemic influenza strains. Probably, the most instructive lesson that has been learned from the 2009 pandemic, was that the speed of manufacturing and dist...

Genetic diversity of influenza A(H1N1)2009 virus circulating during the season 2010–2011 in Spain

Journal of Clinical Virology — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Co-circulation of six different genetic groups of influenza A(H1N1)2009 viruses was identified in Spain during the season 2010–2011. Nevertheless, at this stage, none of the groups identified to date have resulted in significant antigenic changes according to data collected by World Health Organization Collaborating Centres for influenza surveillance. (Source: Journal of Clinical Virology)

Relationship between “purulent bronchitis” in military populations in Europe prior to 1918 and the 1918–1919 influenza pandemic

Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Please cite this paper as: Shanks et al. Relationship between “purulent bronchitis” in military populations in Europe prior to 1918 and the 1918–1919 influenza pandemic. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses DOI: 10.1111/j.1750‐2659.2011.00309.xPurulent bronchitis was a distinctive and apparently new lethal respiratory infection in British and American soldiers during the First World War. Mortality records suggest that purulent bronchitis caused localized outbreaks in the midst of a broad epidemic wave of lethal respiratory illness in 1916–1917. Probable purulent bronchitis deaths in the Australian Army showed an epidemic wave that moved from France to England. Purulent bronchitis may have been the clinical expression of infection with a novel influenza virus which also could ...

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A public-professional web-bridge for vaccines and vaccination: User concerns about vaccine safety.

Vaccine — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: García-Basteiro AL, Alvarez-Pasquín MJ, Mena G, Llupià A, Aldea M, Sequera G, Sanz S, Tuells J, Navarro-Alonso JA, de Arísteguí J, Bayas JM Abstract Vacunas.org (http://www.vacunas.org), a website founded by the Spanish Association of Vaccinology offers a personalized service called Ask the Expert, which answers any questions posed by the public or health professionals about vaccines and vaccination. The aim of this study was to analyze the factors associated with questions on vaccination safety and determine the characteristics of questioners and the type of question asked during the period 2008-2010. A total of 1341 questions were finally included in the analysis. Of those, 30% were related to vaccine safety. Questions about pregnant women had 5.01 higher odds of as...

A Love Lost, PDF

CDC Flu updates — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 19:47:00 +0100

The fotonovela is a tool to help facilitate a discussion of the importance of influenza vaccination among pregnant women. The fotonovela is available in Spanish and English (bilingual). (Source: CDC Flu updates)

Another Earth at Oktoberfest

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:04:00 +0100

Carole Jahme explores the far-side of science fiction and fantasy at Oktoberfest, including a preview of Another EarthThis year has seen a bumper crop of big-screen sci-fi, including Apollo 18, Paul and Rise of the Planet of the Apes, with Contagion and In Time soon to be released. Science fiction grosses millions of dollars at the box office, but where do the true aficionados go to see more refined, unusual sci-fi offerings?Sci-Fi-London's Oktoberfest gives an opportunity for smaller, cult, and possibly more intelligent sci-fi and fantasy films to be viewed on the big screen. It is curated by ebullient sci-fi enthusiast Louis Savy, who founded the festival 10 years ago. To encourage new filmmakers, every year he organises a "48-hour film challenge" in which teams compete to create a sci-f...

Black Death genome sequenced from DNA in 14th century skeletons

Guardian Unlimited Science — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0100

Genome of Black Death bacterium is remarkably similar to that of modern strains that cause bubonic plagueEuropeans must have thought it was the end of the world. War was spreading across the continent, there was famine after flooding made crops rot in the fields, and an incurable plague was wiping out entire settlements.The Black Death is considered to have been the deadliest pandemic in history.Starting in 1347 and lasting five years, the plague killed 30-50% of the population of western Europe. In London, people were dying so fast the town had to establish two new cemeteries outside the city walls. At its height, 200 bodies a day were being sent to the burial sites in East Smithfield, not far from the Tower of London, to be stacked up.Now, by examining remains from some London cemeteries...

Analysis of antigen epitopes and molecular pathogenic characteristics of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza A virus in China.

Acta Virologica — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:20:02 +0100

Authors: Zhou JJ, Tian J, Fang DY, Liang Y, Yan HJ, Zhou JM, Gao HL, Fu CY, Liu Y, Ni HZ, Ke CW, Jiang LF Abstract In order to further predict the epidemic trend and develop vaccines for 2009 H1N1 virus, we monitored its epitopes and molecular pathogenic characteristics during the epidemic process. We also analyzed the similarity of antigenic and genetic characteristics among the novel 2009 H1N1, representative seasonal H1N1 strains, and vaccine strains. 2009 H1N1 isolates had high similarity of hemagglutinin (HA) antigenic sites with H1N1 viruses isolated before 1940 and up to 80.0% similarity with 1918 H1N1. The elderly people born before 1940 have relatively low 2009 H1N1 infection rate, which might be responsible for their previous infection with either 1918 H1N1 virus or an ea...

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Identification of International Circulating Linages of Methicilin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in North of Spain. Glycopeptide and Linezolid susceptibility.

Journal of Medical Microbiology — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Torres-Sangiao E, Perez-Castro S, Fernandez-Natal MI, Cisterna-Cancer R, Zapico-Gonzalez M, Fernandez-Perez B, Ojeda-Fernandez E, Nebreda T, Gozalo-Marguello M, Fuster-Foz C, Roiz-Mesones MP, Miguel-Martin MD, Torroba L, Coira-Nieto A, Vasallo-Vidal FJ, Mendez-Lage S, Prieto-Rodriguez E, Eiros JM, Torres J, Bou G Abstract Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains (MRSA) represents one of the main nosocomial pathogens at present. In Spain, the prevalence of MRSA has increased since the 1990s and the dissemination of epidemic clones, as well as the high incidence of the community-acquired MRSA USA300 clone, has led to the increased use of molecular typing methods. A total of 455 MRSA isolates, one sample per patient, were collected in 16 Spanish hospitals and carac...

Is The Government Hiding Something About Swine Flu?

Forbes.com Healthcare News — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 02:16:05 +0100

Remember the flu pandemic? The one that swept the world just two years ago? You might be forgiven if this has slipped your mind - after all, it doesn't seem like such a big deal now. That's because we got lucky: despite many dire warnings about the danger of another 1918 "Spanish flu", when the 2009 pandemic arrived, it was far milder than previous pandemics. Hundreds of millions of people got the flu in 2009, but for most of them, it wasn't so bad. In fact, the new flu is less severe the old flu - the strain that was circulating before the new pandemic hit. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)

Timing of Oseltamivir Administration and Outcomes in Hospitalized Adults With Pandemic 2009 Influenza A(H1N1) Virus Infection.

Chest — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Timely oseltamivir administration has a beneficial effect on outcomes in hospitalized adults with A(H1N1), even in those who are admitted beyond 48 h after onset of symptoms. PMID: 21415133 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Chest)

[Historical Review] Determinants of mortality in naval units during the 1918–19 influenza pandemic

The Lancet Infectious Diseases — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:39:45 +0100

SummaryIn 1918, two waves of epidemic influenza arose with very different clinical phenotypes. During the first wave, infection rates were high but mortality was low. During the second wave, high numbers of deaths occurred and mortality differed 30–100 times among seemingly similar groups of affected adults, but the reason for this variation is unclear. In 1918, the crews of most warships and some island populations were affected by influenza during both waves of infection and had no or very few deaths during the second wave. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)

Pandemic Flu of 1918 Circulated Months Before Deaths Peaked

The Doctors Lounge - Infections — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 19:00:00 +0100

Researchers find earliest evidence to date of the virus that killed more than 50 million people (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Infections)

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The Last Irish Plague: The Great Flu Epidemic in Ireland 1918-19

Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

(Source: Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences)

Highly Contagious Flu Strain Destroyed By Activating Antiviral Protein

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:00:00 +0100

A compound tested by UT Southwestern Medical Center investigators destroys several viruses, including the deadly Spanish flu that killed an estimated 30 million people in the worldwide pandemic of 1918. This lead compound - which acts by increasing the levels of a human antiviral protein - could potentially be developed into a new drug to combat the flu, a virus that tends to mutate into strains resistant to anti-influenza drugs. "The virus is 'smart' enough to bypass inhibitors or vaccines sometimes. Therefore, there is a need for alternative strategies... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Autopsy series of 68 cases dying before and during the 1918 influenza pandemic peak [Microbiology]

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

We report here clinical, pathological, bacteriological, and virological findings in 68 fatal American influenza/pneumonia military patients dying between May and October of 1918, a period that includes ∼4 mo before the 1918 pandemic was recognized, and 2 mo (September–October 1918) during which it appeared and peaked. The lung tissues of 37 of these cases were positive for influenza viral antigens or viral RNA, including four from the prepandemic period (May–August). The prepandemic and pandemic peak cases were indistinguishable clinically and pathologically. All 68 cases had histological evidence of bacterial pneumonia, and 94% showed abundant bacteria on Gram stain. Sequence analysis of the viral hemagglutinin receptor-binding domain performed on RNA from 13 cases suggested a trend...

Compound kills highly contagious flu strain by activating antiviral protein

UT Southwestern Medical Center News — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:00:00 +0100

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Study examines origins of Spanish flu outbreak

Los Angeles Times - Science — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 00:47:00 +0100

In 1918, the virus circulated for months before the deadly epidemic was identified. The study offers potential lessons to deal with a modern outbreak.The film "Contagion" may have been fiction, but the 1918-19 influenza epidemic was horrifyingly real. The "Spanish flu" epidemic tore a path of destruction across the globe, killing an estimated 50-100 million people within months before disappearing into history. (Source: Los Angeles Times - Science)

Frequent D225G in 1918 H1N1 Autopsy Lung

Recombinomics — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:52:40 +0100

The commentary discusses frequent detection of D225G in 1918 autopsy lung. (09/21/11 11:30) (Source: Recombinomics)

Earliest Known Evidence Of 1918 Influenza Pandemic

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:00:00 +0100

Examination of lung tissue and other autopsy material from 68 American soldiers who died of respiratory infections in 1918 has revealed that the influenza virus that eventually killed 50 million people worldwide was circulating in the United States at least four months before the 1918 influenza reached pandemic levels that fall. The study, using tissues preserved since 1918, was led by Jeffery K. Taubenberger, M.D., Ph.D., of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Spanish flu spread in U.S. before 1918 outbreak: study

CTV Health — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:10:03 +0100

The virus responsible for the worst flu pandemic in known history was circulating in the United States for several months before it was recognized, new research shows. (Source: CTV Health)

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Scientists find earliest known evidence of 1918 influenza pandemic

ScienceDaily Headlines — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:13:13 +0100

NIH scientists find earliest known evidence of 1918 influenza pandemic

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

(NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) Examination of lung tissue and other autopsy material from 68 American soldiers who died of respiratory infections in 1918 has revealed that the influenza virus that eventually killed 50 million people worldwide was circulating in the United States at least four months before the 1918 influenza reached pandemic levels that fall. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

When Flu Infection Turns Fatal

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 07:00:00 +0100

Most of the time, being ill with the flu is little more than a nuisance. Other times, it can spark an exaggerated immune response and turn deadly. Researchers reporting in the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication, have now traced the origins of this severe immune response -- called a cytokine storm -- to its source. Cytokines are the chemical signals that drive inflammation, and cytokine storms are thought to be the cause of many of the deaths attributed to the 1918 worldwide influenza pandemic and to the more recent outbreaks of swine and bird flu infection... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Adapting a Tertiary-Care Pediatric Weight Management Clinic to Better Reach Spanish-Speaking Families

Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 15:48:48 +0100

Abstract Pediatric obesity continues to be an epidemic, affecting Hispanic children disproportionately. Recent recommendations outline a step-wise approach to the treatment of overweight and obese children, culminating in tertiary-care, multidisciplinary programs. We detail here how our tertiary-care, family-based, pediatric weight management clinic addressed the problem of few Spanish-speaking families enrolling in treatment after referral by adding a Bilingual Case Manager. Utilizing a family-centered, high-contact, personal approach, our program increased the number of Hispanic families enrolling over ten-fold. Further, outcomes in Hispanic families were equal to or better than other racial/ethnic groups. Lessons learned from this experience may benefit other obesity tr...

Insights on influenza pathogenesis from the grave.

Virus Research — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Taubenberger JK, Kash JC Abstract The 1918-1919 'Spanish' influenza virus caused the worst pandemic in recorded history and resulted in approximately 50 million deaths worldwide. Efforts to understand what happened and to use these insights to prevent a future similar pandemic have been ongoing since 1918. In 2005 the genome of the 1918 influenza virus was completely determined by sequencing fragments of viral RNA preserved in autopsy tissues of 1918 victims, and using reverse genetics, infectious viruses bearing some or all the 1918 virus gene segments were reconstructed. These studies have yielded much information about the origin and pathogenicity of the 1918 virus, but many questions still remain. PMID: 21925551 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Virus Re...

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Structural analysis of the hot spots in the binding between H1N1 HA and the 2D1 antibody: do mutations of H1N1 from 1918 to 2009 affect much on this binding?

Bioinformatics — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Motivation: Worldwide and substantial mortality caused by the 2009 H1N1 influenza A has stimulated a new surge of research on H1N1 viruses. An epitope conservation has been learned in the HA1 protein that allows antibodies to cross-neutralize both 1918 and 2009 H1N1. However, few works have thoroughly studied the binding hot spots in those two antigen–antibody interfaces which are responsible for the antibody cross-neutralization. Results: We apply predictive methods to identify binding hot spots at the epitope sites of the HA1 proteins and at the paratope sites of the 2D1 antibody. We find that the six mutations at the HA1's epitope from 1918 to 2009 should not harm its binding to 2D1. Instead, the change of binding free energy on the whole exhibits an increased tendency after these...

Epidemiology: 1918 Flu in 2011

Editors' Choice — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Analyses of historical data from the devastating influenza pandemic of 1918 have facilitated our understanding and preparations for controlling contemporary outbreaks. Fraser et al. accessed previously unpublished data from the … [Read more] (Source: Editors' Choice)

Researchers Determine Three-dimensional Structure Of Site On Influenza B Virus Protein That Suppresses Human Defenses To Infection

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 07:00:00 +0100

Researchers at Rutgers University and the University of Texas at Austin have reported a discovery that could help scientists develop drugs to fight seasonal influenza epidemics caused by the common influenza B strain. Their discovery also helps explain how influenza B is limited to humans, and why it cannot be as virulent as A strains that incorporate new genes from influenza viruses that infect other species. The devastating flu pandemic of 1918, the pandemics of 1968 and 1977, and the avian influenza that emerged in the middle of the last decade were caused by influenza A viruses... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Genetic comparison among dolphin morbillivirus in the 1990-1992 and 2006-2008 Mediterranean outbreaks.

Infection, Genetics and Evolution — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Nina BE, Fernando E, Manuel SV Abstract In 1990, dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) killed thousands of striped dolphins in the Mediterranean. Subsequently, the prevalence of the infection declined in this species. In 2006-2008, the virus killed not only numerous striped dolphins but also long-finned pilot whales. All partial sequences of the phosphoprotein and nucleoprotein genes obtained thus far from different host species during the 2006-2008 outbreak show 100% identity, suggesting that a single virus was involved, and these sequences are nearly identical to the 1990 Spanish strain. Here our first objective was to determine the sequence identity between the morbillivirus from the 2006-2008 outbreak and the 1990 Spanish strain by sequencing more extensive genomic regions of st...

Influenza Transmission in Households During the 1918 Pandemic

American Journal of Epidemiology — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Analysis of historical data has strongly shaped our understanding of the epidemiology of pandemic influenza and informs analysis of current and future epidemics. Here, the authors analyzed previously unpublished documents from a large household survey of the "Spanish" H1N1 influenza pandemic, conducted in 1918, for the first time quantifying influenza transmissibility at the person-to-person level during that most lethal of pandemics. The authors estimated a low probability of person-to-person transmission relative to comparable estimates from seasonal influenza and other directly transmitted infections but similar to recent estimates from the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. The authors estimated a very low probability of asymptomatic infection, a previously unknown parameter for this pandemic, consis...

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Pandemic Novel 2009 H1N1 Influenza: What Have We Learned?

Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2011; 32: 393-399DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1283279ABSTRACTIn March 2009, cases of influenza-like illness in Mexico caused by a novel H1N1 virus containing genes from swine, avian, and human influenza strains were reported. Within several weeks, 2009 H1N1 disseminated rapidly and was the predominant influenza strain globally. On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization declared that criteria for an influenza pandemic had been met. Concern that this pandemic would rival the 1918 pandemic was high. Fortunately, that was not the case. Influenza-related disease activity peaked in late October to November 2009. By August 2010, the H1N1 influenza virus had moved into the postpandemic period. During the 2010–2011 season, influenza A H3N2 has been the predominant sero...

Can The Spanish Flu Devastate Us Again? Researchers Work To Determine How H1N1 Becomes Pandemic

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 07:00:00 +0100

The last century has seen two major pandemics caused by the H1N1 virus - the Spanish Flu in 1918 and 2009's Swine Flu scare, which had thousands travelling with surgical masks and clamoring for vaccination. But scientists did not know what distinguished the Swine Flu from ordinary influenza in pigs or seasonal outbreaks in humans, giving it the power to travel extensively and infect large populations. Until now. Prof. Nir Ben-Tal of Tel Aviv University's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and his graduate student Daphna Meroz, in collaboration with Dr... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

The pathogenesis of influenza virus infections: the contributions of virus and host factors.

Current Opinion in Immunology — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Authors: Fukuyama S, Kawaoka Y Abstract Influenza viruses cause acute respiratory inflammation in humans and symptoms such as high fever, body aches, and fatigue. Usually these symptoms improve after several days; however, the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus [influenza A(H1N1) 2009] is more pathogenic than seasonal influenza viruses and the pathogenicity of highly pathogenic H5N1 viruses is still higher. The 1918 influenza pandemic virus caused severe pneumonia, resulting in an estimated 50 million deaths worldwide. Several virulence factors have been identified in these virus strains, but host factors are also responsible for the pathogenesis of infections caused by virulent viruses. Here, we review the contributions of both virus and host factors to the pathogenesis of these v...

Influence of Prior Pneumococcal and Influenza Vaccination on Outcomes of Older Adults with Community‐Acquired Pneumonia

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSION: The clinical outcomes of vaccinated older adults hospitalized with CAP were not better than those observed in unvaccinated individuals. (Source: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society)

Influenza A positive but H1N1 negative myocarditis in a patient coming from a high outbreak region of new influenza.

Cardiology Journal — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 05:15:02 +0100

We present the case of a 21 year-old man holidaying on the Spanish island of Mallorca, a region of high outbreak of infections with a new influenza A/H1N1 virus. Symptomatic influenza A infection, but not H1N1 positive, led to myocarditis after intimate contact with a woman with positive H1N1 titer. The electrocardiogram showed T-wave inversions in II, III, aVF and V5, V6. Serum chemistry showed elevated levels of troponin T, increased creatine kinase (CK) and CK myocardial band. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging revealed mid- -myocardial and subepicardial hyperintensities in the lateral wall, and subepicardial and mid-myocardial areas of gadolinium enhancement in the inferior wall. Despite intimate contact with an H1N1 positive patient, the analyses on H1N1 (H1 A/Brisbane/59/07, H1 A/ /C...

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Can Photoperiod Predict Mortality in the 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic?

Journal of Biological Rhythms — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Amplitude of the seasonal change in day length increases with distance from the equator, and changes in day length markedly alter immune function in diverse nonhuman animal models of infection. Historical records of mortality data, ambient temperature, population density, geography, and economic indicators from 42 countries during 1918-1920 were analyzed to determine relative contributions toward human mortality during the "Spanish" influenza pandemic of 1918-1920. The data identify a strong negative relation between distance from the equator and mortality during the 1918-1920 influenza pandemic, which, in a multiple regression model, manifested independent of major economic, demographic, and temperature variables. Enhanced survival was evident in populations that experienced a winter nadi...

Charting the Host Adaptation of Influenza Viruses

Molecular Biology and Evolution — Thu, 19 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Four influenza pandemics have struck the human population during the last 100 years causing substantial morbidity and mortality. The pandemics were caused by the introduction of a new virus into the human population from an avian or swine host or through the mixing of virus segments from an animal host with a human virus to create a new reassortant subtype virus. Understanding which changes have contributed to the adaptation of the virus to the human host is essential in assessing the pandemic potential of current and future animal viruses. Here, we develop a measure of the level of adaptation of a given virus strain to a particular host. We show that adaptation to the human host has been gradual with a timescale of decades and that none of the virus proteins have yet achieved full adaptat...

Drug design: Designer proteins target flu

Nature — Tue, 17 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Drug design: Designer proteins target flu Nature 473, 7347 (2011). doi:10.1038/473256d Proteins that bind to the 1918 pandemic influenza virus have been designed using computer modelling.The viral surface protein haemagglutinin is essential to the flu virus's infection of human cells, making it an attractive drug target. David Baker at the University of Washington in Seattle (Source: Nature)

Oseltamivir-resistant pandemic influenza a (H1N1) 2009 viruses in Spain

Journal of Clinical Virology — Tue, 17 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: In Spain, the number of oseltamivir-resistant pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 viruses is until now very low. No evidence for any spread of oseltamivir-resistant H1N1 viruses is achieved in our Country. (Source: Journal of Clinical Virology)

Low But Highly Variable Mortality Among Nurses and Physicians During the Influenza Pandemic of 1918-1919

Medscape Today Headlines — Mon, 16 May 2011 11:06:00 +0100

How did doctors and nurses in the military fare during the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919? Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

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Scientists design new anti-flu virus proteins using computational methods

ScienceDaily Headlines — Sat, 14 May 2011 00:44:44 +0100

Scientists have demonstrated the use of computational methods to design new antiviral proteins not found in nature, but capable of targeting specific surfaces of flu virus molecules. Such designer proteins may have diagnostic and therapeutic potential in identifying and fighting viral infections. The researchers created a protein that disabled the part of the 1918 pandemic flu virus involved in invading respiratory tract cells. It did so by preventing segment from reconfiguring. This same protein also disabled a similar section of an avian flu virus. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

A model to evaluate mass vaccination against pneumococcus as a countermeasure against pandemic influenza.

Vaccine — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Authors: Crowe S, Utley M, Walker G, Grove P, Pagel C A mathematical model has been developed for the purpose of evaluating vaccination against pneumococcus as a countermeasure against pandemic influenza. As the characteristics of a future pandemic cannot be known in advance, three distinct pandemic scenarios were considered, corresponding to a 1918-like pandemic, a 1957/1968-like pandemic and a 2009-like pandemic. Model estimates for each of these pandemic scenarios are presented for two options of vaccination programme; universal vaccination of the entire UK population and vaccination only of those people considered to be at heightened risk of developing influenza complications. We find that the benefits of each option (in terms of estimated number of deaths and hospital admissions a...

Large Differences In Mortality During 1918 Influenza Pandemic Between Urban And Isolated Rural Areas

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:00:00 +0100

In urban communities, less than 1 in 100 inhabitants died from Spanish flu in 1918, but in isolated communities up to 9 out of 10 died. An important explanation for the differences is due to different exposure to influenza in the decades before the Spanish flu came. Those living in urban communities probably had a higher degree of pre-existing immunity that protected against illness and death in 1918 than those living in very isolated rural areas. This is shown in a new study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

1918 influenza pandemic (Spanish flu): Large differences in mortality between urban and isolated rural areas

ScienceDaily Headlines — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:20:20 +0100

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Large differences in mortality between urban and isolated rural areas

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0100

(Norwegian Institute of Public Health) In urban communities, less than 1 in 100 inhabitants died from Spanish flu in 1918, but in isolated communities up to 9 out of 10 died. This could be due to different exposure to influenza in the decades before Spanish flu. People in urban communities probably had a higher degree of pre-existing immunity than those in isolated rural areas. This is shown in a new study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Serological study of the 2009 pandemic due to influenza A H1N1 in the metropolitan French population Pandemic H1N1 seroepidemiology in metropolitan France

Clinical Microbiology and Infection — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100

SummaryWe looked for evidence of antibodies to the 2009 influenza A/H1N1 pandemic virus in panels of sera from individuals living in metropolitan France, obtained either pre‐, per‐ or post‐ the epidemic, using standard haemagglutination inhibition and microneutralisation tests. The difference between seroprevalence values measured in post‐ and pre‐epidemic panels was used as an estimate of seroconversion rate in age‐groups (23.4% [0‐24 age‐group]; 16.5% [25‐34]; 7.9% [35‐44]; 7.2% [45‐54]; 1.6% [55‐64]; 3.1% [>65]), confirming that the distribution of cases in different age‐groups was similar to that of seasonal H1N1 virus. During the pre‐pandemic period low‐titre cross‐reactive antibodies were present in a large proportion of the population (presumably a...

Serological study of the 2009 pandemic due to influenza A H1N1 in the metropolitan French population

Clinical Microbiology and Infection — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Clin Microbiol InfectAbstractWe looked for evidence of antibodies to the 2009 influenza A/H1N1 pandemic virus in panels of sera from individuals living in metropolitan France, obtained either before, during or after the epidemic, using standard haemagglutination inhibition and microneutralization tests. The difference between seroprevalence values measured in post‐ and pre‐epidemic panels was used as an estimate of seroconversion rate in different age groups (23.4% (0–24 years, age‐group 0); 16.5% (25–34); 7.9% (35–44); 7.2% (45–54); 1.6% (55–64); and 3.1% (>65)), confirming that the distribution of cases in different age groups was similar to that of the seasonal H1N1 virus. During the pre‐pandemic period low‐titre cross‐reactive antibodies were present in a large...

Viral infections in workers in hospital and research laboratory settings: a comparative review of infection modes and respective biosafety aspects

International Journal of Infectious Diseases — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The currently accepted and practiced risk analysis of accidental viral infections based on the conventional dynamics of infection of the etiological agents is insufficient to cope with accidental viral infections in laboratories and to a lesser extent in hospitals, where unconventional modes of infection are less frequently present but still have relevant clinical and potential epidemiological consequences. Unconventional modes of infection, atypical clinical development, or extremely severe cases are frequently present together with high viral loads and high virulence of the agents manipulated in laboratories. In hospitals by contrast, the only possible association of atypical cases is with the individual resistance of the worker. Current standard precaution practices are ins...

Antigen-Antibody docking reveals the molecular basis for cross-reactivity of the 1918 and 2009 Influenza A/H1N1 pandemic viruses.

Bioinformation — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:45:16 +0100

Authors: Cherian S, Hil P, Mishra AC To understand the reported cross-reactivity of the 2009 H1N1 and the 1918 H1N1 pandemic viruses we docked the crystal structure of 2D1, an antibody derived from a survivor of the 1918 pandemic, to the structures of hemaglutinin (HA) of the 2009 strain and seasonal H1 vaccine strains. Our studies revealed that 2D1 binds to the 2009 HA at antigenic site 'Sa', with stabilizing contacts, similar to that in an available co-crystal structure of 2D1-1918 HA. However, 2D1 failed to bind to the known antigenic sites in the HAs of seasonal strains. Our study thus reveals the molecular basis for pre-existing immunity in elderly people to the 2009 pandemic virus. PMID: 21464843 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Bioinformation)

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The association between excess weight and self-rated health and psychological distress in women in Spain.

Public Health Nutrition — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: The present study highlights that obese Spanish women have worse self-rated health and psychological health than those with normal weight. These aspects are relevant because of the growing importance placed on the functionality of patients and their mental health within the obesity epidemic. PMID: 21477413 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Public Health Nutrition)

Transmission parameters of the A/H1N1 (2009) influenza virus pandemic: a review

Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Discussion The serial interval of A/H1N1 (2009) flu was typically short, with mean value similar to the seasonal flu. The estimates of the reproduction number were more variable. Compared with past influenza pandemics, the median reproduction number was similar (1968) or slightly smaller (1889, 1918, 1957). (Source: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses)

Vaccination against H5N1 avian influenza virus: a comprehensive serological analysis of two successive heterologous vaccines in exotic zoo birds.

Clinical and Vaccine Immunology — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Vergara-Alert J, Fernández-Bellon H, Busquets N, Alcántara G, Delclaux M, Pizarro B, Sánchez C, Sánchez A, Majó N, Darji A In 2005, European Commission directive 2005/744/EC allowed controlled vaccination against avian influenza (AI) of valuable avian species housed in zoos. In 2006, fifteen Spanish zoos and wildlife centres began a vaccination program with a commercial H5N9 inactivated vaccine. Between November 2007 and May 2008, birds from ten of these centres were vaccinated again with a commercial H5N3 inactivated vaccine. During these campaigns, pre- and post-vaccination samples from different bird orders were taken to study the response against AI virus H5 vaccines. Sera prior to vaccinations with both vaccines were examined for the presence of total antibodies agai...

Looters strip Latin America of archaeological heritage

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:59:59 +0100

A century after Machu Picchu's rediscovery, ancient Mayan and Moche sites are being ransacked for tourist baublesEtched into the surviving art of the Moche, one of South America's most ancient and mysterious civilisations, is a fearsome creature dubbed the Decapitator. Also known as Ai Apaec, the octopus-type figure holds a knife in one hand and a severed head in the other in a graphic rendition of the human sacrifices the Moche practiced in northern Peru 1,500 years ago.For archaeologists, the horror here is not in Moche iconography, which you see in pottery and mural fragments, but in the hundreds of thousands of trenches scarring the landscape: a warren of man-made pillage. Gangs of looters, known as huaqueros, are ransacking Peru's heritage to illegally sell artefacts to collectors and...

Parkinson’s disease or Parkinson symptoms following seasonal influenza

Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions Influenza is associated with PD‐like symptoms such as tremor, particularly in the month after an infection, but not with an increased risk of developing idiopathic PD. (Source: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses)

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Timing of Oseltamivir Administration and Outcomes in Hospitalized Adults with Pandemic 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection.

Chest — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Timely oseltamivir administration has a beneficial effect on outcomes in hospitalized adults with pandemic (H1N1) 2009, even in those who are admitted beyond 48 hours after onset of symptoms. PMID: 21415133 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Chest)

Scientists warn about future flu strains

NHS News Feed — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:20:00 +0100

Conclusion The researchers raise important questions about the possibility of a future flu pandemic caused by the H2N2 virus, and about whether vaccination programme planning could be used to prevent it. However, many issues need further consideration, including a detailed assessment of the probability of the H2N2 strain jumping to humans, whether it would pose a serious health threat, how long it would take to emerge and which groups of people would be vulnerable. It is important to note that infection with the H1N1 virus, although dangerous for some population groups, did not make most people seriously ill. As the researchers point out, there are concerns over whether it makes sense to expose individuals to vaccines for a virus that is not currently circulating in humans, although they s...

Keeping an eye on H1N1

Medicineworld.org: New Article Alert — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:01:11 +0100

In the fall of 1917, a new strain of influenza swirled around the globe. At first, it resembled a typical flu epidemic: Most deaths occurred among the elderly, while younger people recovered quickly. However, in the summer of 1918, a deadlier version of the same virus began spreading, with disastrous consequence. In total, the pandemic killed at least 50 million people - about 3 percent of the world's population at the time........ (Source: Medicineworld.org: New Article Alert)

Toll-like receptor pre-stimulation protects mice against lethal infection with highly pathogenic influenza viruses

Virology Journal — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Since the beginning of the 20th century, humans have experienced four influenza pandemics, including the devastating 1918 "Spanish influenza". Moreover, H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses are currently spreading worldwide, although they are not yet efficiently transmitted among humans. While the threat of a global pandemic involving a highly pathogenic influenza virus strain looms large, our mechanisms to address such a catastrophe remain limited. Here, we show that pre-stimulation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 2 and 4 increased resistance against influenza viruses known to induce high pathogenicity in animal models. Our data emphasize the complexity of the host response against different influenza viruses, and suggest that TLR agonists might be utilized to protect again...

Caffeoylquinic Acids Are Major Constituents with Potent Anti-Influenza Effects in Brazilian Green Propolis Water Extract

Journal of Oncology — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:29:16 +0100

We examined the evaluation of the anti-influenza virus (A/WSN/33 (H1N1)) activity of Brazilian green propolis water extract (PWE) and its constituents by cell viability and real-time PCR assays. Our findings showed strong evidence that PWE has an anti-influenza effect and demonstrate that caffeoylquinic acids are the active anti-influenza components of PWE. Furthermore, we have found that the amount of viral RNA per cell remained unchanged even in the presence of PWE, suggesting that PWE has no direct impact on the influenza virus but may have a cytoprotective activity by affecting internal cellular process. These findings indicate that caffeoylquinic acids are the active anti-influenza components of PWE. Above findings might facilitate the prophylactic application of natural products and ...

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Recommended first-line antibiotics appropriate for flu-associated pneumonia in UK primary care

NeLM - News — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Source: Thorax Area: News Analysis of susceptibility test data for the main organisms causing pneumonia associated with flu-like illness in the UK indicates that co-amoxiclav and doxycycline, the recommended first-line empirical antibiotics for this indication, are appropriate as a high proportion of isolates remain sensitive to them. Influenza may be complicated by viral or bacterial pneumonia, and specimens from the 1918-19 flu pandemic suggest that bacterial pneumonia was a major cause of death during that pandemic. As bacterial pneumonia requires rapid treatment, it is important that the antibiotics recommended for empirical use remain appropriate. Current UK guidelines for the management of pandemic flu consider that the pathogens most likely to be associated with secondar...

Substitutions in position 222 of haemagglutinin of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 viruses in Spain

Journal of Clinical Virology — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Appearance of D222G and D222E substitution in HA of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) viruses circulating in Spain might be related with severe respiratory disease. (Source: Journal of Clinical Virology)

Acute kidney injury in critical ill patients affected by influenza A (H1N1) v infection

Critical Care — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

IntroductionLittle information exists about the impact of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patient affected by pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1) v infection. Methods: This was a prospective, observational, multi-center study conducted in 148 Spanish intensive care units (ICU). Patients with chronic renal failure were excluded. AKI was defined according to AKIN criteria. Results: A total of 661 patients were analyzed. One hundred and eighteen (17.7%) patients developed AKI; 37 (31.4%) of the patients with AKI were classified as AKI I, 15 (12.7%) as AKI II and finally 66 (55.9%) as AKI III, of which 50 (75.7%) required continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Patients with AKI had a higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score (19.2+8.3 versus 12.6...

Effect of 1918 PB1-F2 Expression on Influenza A Virus Infection Kinetics

PLoS Computational Biology — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Author Summary Influenza A virus is a respiratory pathogen that causes significant morbidity and mortality in infected individuals, particularly during pandemics like the 1918–1919 Spanish Flu pandemic. Recent data suggests that the influenza virus PB1-F2 protein contributes to disease severity. Here, we use data from infected mice together with quantitative analyses to understand how the PB1-F2 protein from the 1918–1919 pandemic strain influences viral kinetics. We find that the rates of virus growth and decay are increased when the 1918 PB1-F2 is present. Our analyses suggest that infection with an influenza virus possessing the 1918 PB1-F2 protein results in a higher rate of viral production from infected cells and a higher rate of infected cell death. These results provide new in...

The ability of pandemic influenza virus hemagglutinins to induce lower respiratory pathology is associated with decreased surfactant protein D binding.

Virology — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Qi L, Kash JC, Dugan VG, Jagger BW, Lau YF, Sheng ZM, Crouch EC, Hartshorn KL, Taubenberger JK Pandemic influenza viral infections have been associated with viral pneumonia. Chimeric influenza viruses with the hemagglutinin segment of the 1918, 1957, 1968, or 2009 pandemic influenza viruses in the context of a seasonal H1N1 influenza genome were constructed to analyze the role of hemagglutinin (HA) in pathogenesis and cell tropism in a mouse model. We also explored whether there was an association between the ability of lung surfactant protein D (SP-D) to bind to the HA and the ability of the corresponding chimeric virus to infect bronchiolar and alveolar epithelial cells of the lower respiratory tract. Viruses expressing the hemagglutinin of pandemic viruses were associated w...

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Synthetic Biology: Planning for a Secure Future

ActionBioscience — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Synthetic biology combines traditional engineering and biology disciplines. Synthetic biology (synbio) is an emerging field at the intersection of biology and engineering with the potential to no less than revolutionize the way we view and work with biotechnology today. By applying the toolbox of engineering disciplines to biology, an entirely new set of applications becomes possible. Potential benefits of synthetic biology include the development of low-cost drugs and the production of chemicals and energy by engineered bacteria. Nonetheless, potential and perceived risks due to deliberate or accidental damage are cause for concern. To ensure the vital and successful development of this new scientific field, it is necessary to be aware of these risks and devise possible biosafety strateg...

Flu breakthrough promises a vaccine to kill all strains

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:50:02 +0100

This study represents some potentially very exciting findings with positive implications not only for influenza but possibly for infectious disease in a wider context. The findings are extremely encouraging in terms of the apparent efficacy of the virus and the that it appears to be a safe formulation. However, I think that a larger trial will be able to confirm these findings and let this technology be taken forward."He added: "T-cell vaccines are an exciting technology and we should encourage research and development into the area of vaccinology to help combat infectious diseases in all parts of the world."Target proteinsA traditional flu vaccine uses the external proteins on a flu virus (the H and N on strains such as H1N1 and H3N2) to prompt the body's immune system to create antibodie...

Obesity lengthens hospital stay for swine flu patients

Nursing Times Breaking News — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Obesity may not increase mortality rates among swine flu (H1N1) patients but they may have longer critical care and hospital stays, according to Spanish researchers. (Source: Nursing Times Breaking News)

Low but highly variable mortality among nurses and physicians during the influenza pandemic of 1918–1919

Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions During the 1918 pandemic, mortality among nurses and physicians was relatively low compared to their patients and significantly varied across locations and settings. Medical‐care providers (particularly U.S. nursing officers) who were new to their assignments when pandemic‐related epidemics occurred may have had higher risk of influenza‐related mortality because of occupational exposures to bacterial respiratory pathogens that they had not previously encountered. (Source: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses)

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Older Hispanics Not Getting Flu Shots (CME/CE)

MedPage Today Primary Care — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0100

(MedPage Today) -- Hispanics 65 and older -- especially those who prefer to speak only Spanish -- are less likely to receive the recommended immunizations for influenza and pneumococcal disease than non-Hispanic whites, researchers found. (Source: MedPage Today Primary Care)

Immunization Disparities by Hispanic Ethnicity and Language Preference [Original Investigation]

Archives of Internal Medicine — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions Hispanic seniors, especially when Spanish-preferring and in linguistically isolated "new destinations," such as the Southeast, continue to be immunized at markedly lower rates than non-Hispanic whites, even after adjustment for health and sociodemographics. Individual physicians and policymakers may be able to assist this vulnerable group by addressing cultural and linguistic barriers to immunization. (Source: Archives of Internal Medicine)

Excess Healthcare Burden during 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic in Taiwan: Implications for Post-pandemic Preparedness

BMC Public Health - Latest articles — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Considerable extra burden with significant loss of lives was reported in 1918 by both the public medics system and the public hospitals. In comparison, only a substantial number of excess hospitalizations in the public hospitals was reported in 1920, indicating that the population was relatively unprepared for the first wave in 1918 and did not fully utilize the public hospitals. Moreover, comparatively low mortality was reported by the public hospitals and the public medics during the second wave in 1920 even though significantly more patients were hospitalized, suggesting that there had been substantially less fatal illnesses among the hospitalized patients during the second wave. Our results provide viable parameters for assessing healthcare needs for post-pandemic prepared...

Immune response to swine flu 'extraordinary'

NHS News Feed — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:50:00 +0100

Conclusion Producing a vaccine effective against all flu viruses has proved very difficult, due to differences between strains and their rapidly evolving genetics altering the molecules on their surface, which are the target of vaccines. This research gives further support to the idea that vaccines that protect against a broader range of flu viruses may be possible. However, a universal flu vaccine is still some way off. The study has also identified specific antibodies that could potentially be used to treat or prevent H1N1 strains of influenza. More research will be needed to establish their effectiveness and safety before they could come into wider use. Although this study did identify antibodies from patients who had pandemic H1N1 flu (swine flu) which could also bind to a range of pas...

Pandemic flu strain could point way to universal vaccine

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0100

(Emory University) Using blood samples from patients infected with the 2009 H1N1 strain, researchers developed antibodies that could bind H1N1 viruses from the last decade, as well as the 1918 flu virus and even H5N1. Some of the antibodies protected mice from a lethal viral dose, even 60 hours post-infection. The antibodies could help researchers in designing a vaccine against a wide spectrum of flu viruses. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

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H1N1 pandemic flu points to vaccine strategy for multiple flu strains

ScienceDaily Headlines — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Using blood samples from patients infected with the 2009 H1N1 strain, researchers developed antibodies that could bind H1N1 viruses from the last decade, as well as the 1918 flu virus and even H5N1. Some of the antibodies protected mice from a lethal viral dose, even 60 hours post-infection. The antibodies could help researchers in designing a vaccine against a wide spectrum of flu viruses. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

The nonadaptive nature of the H1N1 2009 Swine Flu pandemic contrasts with the adaptive facilitation of transmission to a new host

BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Because this substitution was not present in the 1918 H1N1 pandemic virus, we posit that the emergence of pandemics is due to epistatic interactions between sites distributed over different segments. Altogether, our results are consistent with population dynamics models that highlight the epistatic and nonadaptive rise of novel epitopes in viral populations, followed by their demise when the resulting virus is too virulent. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles)

[Vaccination schedule of the Spanish Association of Paediatrics: recommendations 2011.]

Anales de Pediatria — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Marès Bermúdez J, van Esso Arbolave D, Moreno-Pérez D, Merino Moína M, Alvarez García FJ, Cilleruelo Ortega MJ, Arístegui Fernández J, Ortigosa Del Castillo L, Ruiz-Contreras J, Barrio Corrales F, González-Hachero J The Advisory Committee on Vaccines of the Spanish Paediatric Association updates annually the immunization schedule, taking into account epidemiological data as well as evidence of the effectiveness and efficiency of vaccines. This vaccination schedule includes grades of recommendation. The committee has graded as universal vaccines those that all children should receive, as recommended, those with a profile of universal vaccines of childhood and as are desirable those that all children may receive, but that can be prioritized based on public funding resour...

Immunization with 1976 swine H1N1‐ or 2009 pandemic H1N1‐inactivated vaccines protects mice from a lethal 1918 influenza infection

Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions Vaccination with the 1976 swH1N1 or 2009 pH1N1 vaccines protected mice from a lethal challenge with 1918, and these mice lost no weight and had significantly reduced viral load and pathology in the lungs. Protection was likely due to cross‐reactive antibodies detected by microneutralization assay. Our data suggest that the general population may be protected from a future 1918‐like pandemic because of prior infection or immunization with 1976 swH1N1 or 2009 pH1N1. Also, influenza protection studies generally focus on cross‐reactive hemagglutination‐inhibiting antibodies; while hemagglutinin is the primary surface antigen, this fails to account for other influenza viral antigens. Neutralizing antibody may be a better correlate of human protection against pathogenic in...

The flu is not to be sneezed at

The Telegraph : Swine Flu A H1N1 — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 19:15:53 +0100

The virus has an unrivalled ability to spring surprises, says Geoffrey Lean. (Source: The Telegraph : Swine Flu A H1N1)

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Mathematical Modeling Of Influenza Infection Being Studied By Consortium

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Mount Sinai School of Medicine has announced that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has renewed funding of the Program for Research on Immune Modeling and Experimentation (PRIME). This program seeks to develop easy-to-use, predictive mathematical models to better understand patterns of infection among individuals affected by the H1N1 and 1918 influenza viruses and other related viruses. The renewed contract provides an additional $17... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Consortium studying mathematical modeling of influenza infection

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0100

(The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine) Mount Sinai School of Medicine today announced that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has renewed funding of the Program for Research on Immune Modeling and Experimentation (PRIME). This program seeks to develop easy-to-use, predictive mathematical models to better understand patterns of infection among individuals affected by the H1N1 and 1918 influenza viruses and other related viruses. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Racial Disparities in Exposure, Susceptibility, and Access to Health Care in the US H1N1 Influenza Pandemic.

American Journal of Public Health — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions. We found significant race/ethnicity-related disparities in potential risk from H1N1 flu. Disparities in the risks of exposure, susceptibility (particularly to severe disease), and access to health care may interact to exacerbate existing health inequalities and contribute to increased morbidity and mortality in these populations. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print December 16, 2010: e1-e9. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2009.188029). PMID: 21164098 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: American Journal of Public Health)

Influenza Vaccine Supply and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Vaccination Among the Elderly

American Journal of Preventive Medicine — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 16:18:44 +0100

Updated Spanish Language Fact Sheet: HIV among Hispanics/Latinos

CDC HIV/AIDS Prevention — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:00:00 +0100

The HIV epidemic is a serious threat to the Hispanic/Latino community. While Hispanics/ Latinos1 represented approximately 15% of the United States (US) population, the rate of new HIV infections among Hispanics/Latinos was 2.5 times that of whites in 2006. During that same year, Hispanics/Latinos accounted for 17% of new HIV infections in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. (Source: CDC HIV/AIDS Prevention)

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Updated Spanish Language Fact Sheet: HIV among Latinos

CDC HIV/AIDS Prevention — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:00:00 +0100

The HIV epidemic is a serious threat to the Hispanic/Latino community. While Hispanics/ Latinos1 represented approximately 15% of the United States (US) population, the rate of new HIV infections among Latinos was 2.5 times that of whites in 2006. During that same year, Latinos accounted for 17% of new HIV infections in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. (Source: CDC HIV/AIDS Prevention)

Mortality risk factors for pandemic influenza on new zealand troop ship, 1918.

Emerging Infectious Diseases — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100

We describe the epidemiology and risk factors for death in an outbreak of pandemic influenza on a troop ship. Mortality and descriptive data for military personnel on His Majesty's New Zealand Transport troop ship Tahiti in July 1918 were analyzed, along with archival information. Mortality risk was increased among persons 25-34 years of age. Accommodations in cabins rather than sleeping in hammocks in other areas were also associated with increased mortality risk (rate ratio 4.28, 95% confidence interval 2.69-6.81). Assignment to a particular military unit, the field artillery (probably housed in cabins), also made a significant difference (adjusted odds ratio in logistic regression 3.04, 95% confidence interval 1.59-5.82). There were no significant differences by assigned rurality (rural...

Skeletons from the 18th century reveal typhus epidemic from Spain

ScienceDaily Headlines — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 13:00:00 +0100

By studying the dental pulp of skeletons buried in Douai (northern France), researchers have identified the pathogenic agents responsible for trench fever and typhus. This work reveals for the first time the presence of typhus in Europe at the start of the 18th century and lends weight to the hypothesis that this disease could have been imported into Europe by Spanish conquistadors returning from the Americas. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Origin of the 1918 pandemic H1N1 influenza A virus as studied by codon usage patterns and phylogenetic analysis.

RNA — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Anhlan D, Grundmann N, Makalowski W, Ludwig S, Scholtissek C The pandemic of 1918 was caused by an H1N1 influenza A virus, which is a negative strand RNA virus; however, little is known about the nature of its direct ancestral strains. Here we applied a broad genetic and phylogenetic analysis of a wide range of influenza virus genes, in particular the PB1 gene, to gain information about the phylogenetic relatedness of the 1918 H1N1 virus. We compared the RNA genome of the 1918 strain to many other influenza strains of different origin by several means, including relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU), effective number of codons (ENC), and phylogenetic relationship. We found that the PB1 gene of the 1918 pandemic virus had ENC values similar to the H1N1 classical swine and huma...

New Study Re-Examines Bacterial Vaccine Studies Conducted During 1918 Influenza Pandemic

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Secondary infections with bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, which causes pneumonia, were a major cause of death during the 1918 flu pandemic and may be important in modern pandemics as well, according to a new article in the Journal of Infectious Diseases co-authored by David M. Morens, M.D., senior advisor to the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health. The researchers examined 13 studies published between 1918 and 1920... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Pandemic influenza 1918 H1N1 and 1968 H3N2 DNA vaccines induce cross‐reactive immunity in ferrets against infection with viruses drifted for decades

Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions DNA vaccines based on pandemic or recent seasonal influenza genes induced cross‐reactive immunity against contemporary virus challenge as good as or superior to contemporary conventional trivalent protein vaccines. This suggests a unique ability of influenza DNA to induce cross‐protective immunity against both contemporary and long‐time drifted viruses. (Source: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses)

New study re-examines bacterial vaccine studies conducted during 1918 influenza pandemic

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 04:00:00 +0100

(NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) Secondary infections with bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, which causes pneumonia, were a major cause of death during the 1918 flu pandemic and may be important in modern pandemics as well, according to a new article in the Journal of Infectious Diseases co-authored by David M. Morens, M.D., senior advisor to the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of NIH. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Characterization of antibodies specific for hemagglutinin and neuraminidase proteins of the 1918 and 2009 pandemic H1N1 viruses.

Vaccine — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Liu Y, Liu X, Fang J, Shen X, Chen W, Lin X, Li H, Tan W, Wang Y, Zhao P, Qi Z Serologic studies have detected protective immunity against 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus (H1N1-2009) in some people. However, further study of preexisting immunity has been complicated by the complexity of the human immunological background. Here, we immunized mice with HA- and NA-encoding plasmids. The cross-neutralizing activity of the anti-HA antisera and the effect of the anti-NA antisera on viral infectivity were evaluated using H1N1-1918- and 2009-pseudotyped particles (pps) and an H1N1-2009 isolate. Antibodies to H1N1-2009 HA (09HA) neutralized pps harboring 09HA or H1N1-1918 HA (18HA); similarly, antibodies to 18HA neutralized pps harboring 18HA or 09HA. Antibodies to 09HA and 18HA als...

Efficacy of Whole‐Cell Killed Bacterial Vaccines in Preventing Pneumonia and Death during the 1918 Influenza Pandemic

The Journal of Infectious Diseases Latest Issue — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:16:40 +0100

Conclusions. Despite significant methodological problems, the systematic biases in these studies do not exclude the possibilities that whole‐cell inactivated pneumococcal vaccines may confer cross‐protection to multiple pneumococcal serotypes and that bacterial vaccines may play a role in preventing influenza‐associated pneumonia. (Source: The Journal of Infectious Diseases Latest Issue)

Finding a Killer's Achilles' Heel: Clues from a Pandemic

Scientific American Topic - Medical Technology — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 13:00:00 +0100

It has been five years since a team of scientists resurrected the 1918 influenza virus from the lungs of a long-frozen victim. At the time, the Jurassic Park–like feat was both widely celebrated and sharply criticized. Opponents worried about the risk of an accidental (or intentional) release of the revived killer, which claimed between 50 million and 100 million lives in about 15 months and has been dubbed the worst plague in human history. Proponents insisted that the insights gained from a fully reconstructed virus would be instrumental in fighting the next pandemic.A paper published in the November issue of the journal Microbe cites a potential new drug target, among other findings, as evidence that the risk was not taken in vain. Terrence Tumpey of the Centers for Disease Contro...

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Framing disease: The avian influenza pandemic in Australia

Health Sociology Review — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Health Sociology Review 19(3): 369-381 Abstract Since 2003, avian influenza has recently spread around the world sparking fears of a potential pandemic. As a result of this, a range of explanations and expectations surrounding the phenomenon were generated. Such social representations of disease depict the issue under discussion and frame reactions to the event. This paper explores the social representations surrounding avian influenza in Australia. Methodologically, a textual analysis of media and government documents was conducted in order to uncover the social representations implicit in these accounts. This demonstrated a symbolic framing of avian influenza with reference to the Spanish Influenza pandemic (1918). Analytically, the study draws upon the concepts of social representations...

Birdbooker Report 140

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 16:00:01 +0100

Compiled by an ardent bibliophile, this is a weekly report about nature, science and history books that have been newly published in North America and the UK.Books to the ceiling, Books to the sky,My pile of books is a mile high.How I love them! How I need them!I'll have a long beard by the time I read them. ~ Arnold Lobel [1933-1987] author of many popular children's books. Compiled by Ian "Birdbooker" Paulsen, the Birdbooker Report is a long-running weekly report listing the wide variety of nature, natural history, ecology, animal behaviour, science and history books that have been newly released or republished in North America and in the UK. The books listed here were received by Ian during the previous week, courtesy of these various publishing houses. New and Recent Titles: Capainolo,...

[Paleopathology and the history of medicine : The example of influenza pandemics.]

Der Urologe. Ausg. A — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Authors: Fangerau H The paper examines the history of former influenza pandemics from the perspective of changing nosographic categories. Special emphasis is put on the so-called Spanish flu of 1918. Due to its high mortality rates this pandemic is often highlighted as a warning sign for what may happen during a future pandemic. After a short introduction into the problematic status of the validity of retrospective diagnoses the history of influenza pandemics is discussed. The pandemic of 1918 is analysed from the perspective of the public health system being connected to and relying on medical and scientific debates. The reasons for this pandemic's rank as the long forgotten pandemic are discussed. PMID: 20949254 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Der Urologe. Ausg. A)

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Community-Acquired Respiratory Co-infection (CARC) in Critically Ill Patients Infected With Pandemic 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection.

Chest — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: During 2009 pandemics, the role of bacterial coinfection in bringing patients to the ICU has not been clear, being S. pneumoniae the most common pathogen. This work clearly evidences that bacterial coinfection is a contributor for increased consumption of health resources in critical patients infected with the virus, but is the virus the cause of critical illness in the vast majority of the cases. PMID: 20930007 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Chest)

Public health gains from health in prisons in Spain

Public Health — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0100

This article outlines the measures taken and the impact they had in greatly reducing the infection rates of HIV and the cases of AIDS. (Source: Public Health)

Cases of Swine Flu in Kidney Transplant Recipients in our Hospital

Transplantation Proceedings — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Abstract: In late March 2009, an outbreak of influenza A virus infection was detected in Mexico with subsequent cases observed in many other countries. The pandemic was caused by an H1N1 virus that represents a quadruple reassortment of 2 swine strains, 1 human strain, and 1 avian strain of influenza. Until February 1, 2010, a total of 47 cases of influenza A (Inf A) were recorded by the Spanish Society of Nephrology in kidney transplant recipients. Herein we have reported our 3 cases (6.4%) in this registry. A 17-year-old girl with hepatorenal polycystosis received a liver and kidney transplant at 37 months previously. She displayed high fever and mild respiratory symptoms that resolved without treatment. A 38-year-old woman with chronic renal failure (CRF) of undetermined etiology receiv...

New Study Re-examines Bacterial Vaccine Studies Conducted During 1918 Influenza Pandemic

PandemicFlu.gov RSS Feed for News Releases — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 23:30:00 +0100

Pre-existing Antibody Response against 2009 Pandemic Influenza H1N1 Viruses in Taiwanese Population.

Clinical and Vaccine Immunology — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Authors: Chi CY, Liu CC, Lin CC, Wang HC, Cheng YT, Chang CM, Wang JR Novel pandemic influenza H1N1 (pH1N1) virus spread rapidly across the world in 2009. Due to the important role of the antibody-mediated immunity in the protection of influenza infection, we investigated the cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies against 2009 pH1N1 of 229 stored sera from donors born between 1917 and 2008 in Taiwan using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based microneutralization test. The peak of cumulative geometric mean titer was in donors aged over 90 years and declined sharply afterward. Sixteen of 27 subjects (59%) aged over 80 years had cross-reactive antibody titer of 160 or more against the 2009 pH1N1, whereas none of the donors from age 9 to 49 had an antibody titer of 160 or more. Interesti...

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Did Salicylates Increase the Death Toll in the 1918 Influenza Pandemic? (A TPR rerun)

The Poison Review — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:08:04 +0100

4 out of 5 stars SALICYLATES AND PANDEMIC INFLUENZA MORTALITY, 1918-1919 PHARMACOLOGY, PATHOLOGY, AND HISTORIC EVIDENCE Starko KM. Clin Infect Dis 1 November 2009 Abstract This absolutely fascinating — but somewhat speculative — article hypothesizes that overuse of aspirin was responsible for some of the deaths in the 1918 flu pandemic. The author — who wrote one of the early papers on Reyes Syndrome and aspirin — brings considerable evidence to support her thesis. First, there were two general patterns of death during the pandemic. Late fatalities were generally due to superinfection and bacterial pneumonia. But autopsies on victims with early deaths — occurring on approximately the second day of illness — showed pulmonary edema, a purpuric rash...

Preventing and Treating Influenza (Flu) - Spanish

CDC Flu updates — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 21:23:00 +0100

(Source: CDC Flu updates)

[The 1918-1919 Spanish Flu Pandemic as mirrored in the Orvosi Hetilap (Hungarian Medical Journal).]

Orvosi Hetilap — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 03:42:14 +0100

Authors: SzÃ¡llÃ¡si A PMID: 20826380 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Orvosi Hetilap)

Genetic divergence of influenza A NS1 gene in pandemic 2009 H1N1 isolates with respect to H1N1 and H3N2 isolates from previous seasonal epidemics

Virology Journal — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The H1N1v NS1 gene was more conserved than that of previous epidemic strains. In addition, a closer genetic identity of H1N1v with the swine than the human reference strains was shown. Hot-spots were shown in the H1N1v NS1 aa sequence whose biologic relevance remains to be investigated. (Source: Virology Journal)

The Role of Radiology in Influenza: Novel H1N1 and Lessons Learned From the 1918 Pandemic

Journal of the American College of Radiology : JACR — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100

The pandemic of swine-origin H1N1 influenza that began in early 2009 has provided evidence that radiology can assist in the early diagnosis of severe cases, raising new opportunities for the further development of infectious disease imaging. To help define radiology's role in present and future influenza outbreaks, it is important to understand how radiologists have responded to past epidemics and how these outbreaks influenced the development of imaging science. The authors review the role of radiology in the most severe influenza outbreak in history, the “great pandemic” of 1918, which arrived only 23 years after the discovery of x-rays. In large part because of the coincidental increase in the radiologic capacity of military hospitals for World War I, the 1918 pandemic firmly reinfo...

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[Critical study of spanish adult consumer profile of antibiotics on the basis of National Surveys of Health in 1993, 1995, 1997, 2001 and 2003.]

Revista Espanola de Quimioterapia — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Consumption of antibiotics coincides with described data by other authors, and this was always higher than prescribed. The association with other variables may be limited by the inadequate NSH design in order to know the exact consumption of antibiotics. PMID: 20844843 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Revista Espanola de Quimioterapia)

On the number of recovered individuals in the SIS and SIR stochastic epidemic models.

Mathematical Biosciences — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Authors: Artalejo JR, Economou A, Lopez-Herrero MJ The basic models of infectious disease dynamics (the SIS and SIR models) are considered. Particular attention is paid to the number of infected individuals that recovered and its relationship with the final epidemic size. We investigate this descriptor both until the extinction of the epidemic and in transient regime. Simple and efficient methods to obtain the distribution of the number of recovered individuals and its moments are proposed and discussed with respect to the previous work. The methodology could also be extended to other stochastic epidemic models. The theory is illustrated by numerical experiments, which demonstrate that the proposed computational methods can be applied efficiently. In particular, we use the distribution...

Codon usage bias and the evolution of influenza A viruses

BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Codon usage patterns from CA allowed identification of host origin and evolutionary trends in influenza viruses, providing an alternative method and a tool to understand the evolution of influenza viruses. Human influenza viruses are subject to selection pressure on codon usage which might assist in understanding the characteristics of newly emerging viruses. (Source: BMC Evolutionary Biology - Latest articles)

2009 H1N1 Influenza: A Twenty-First Century Pandemic With Roots in the Early Twentieth Century.

The American Journal of the Medical Sciences — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Authors: Farley MM A swine-origin H1N1 triple-reassortant influenza A virus found to be a distant relative of the 1918 "Spanish flu" virus emerged in April 2009 to give rise to the first influenza pandemic of the 21st century. Although disease was generally mild and similar to seasonal influenza, severe manifestations including respiratory failure were noted in some, particularly those with underlying conditions such as asthma, pregnancy and immunosuppression. Children and younger adults accounted for most cases, hospitalizations and deaths. A reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay was superior to antigen-based rapid tests for diagnosis. All 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza strains were susceptible to 1 or more neuraminidase inhibitors. Monovalent, unadjuvanted 2009 H1N1 vac...

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Trends in Global Warming and Evolution of Nucleoproteins from Influenza A Viruses since 1918

Transboundary and Emerging Diseases — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100

(Source: Transboundary and Emerging Diseases)

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Perspectives from Spanish infectious diseases professionals on 2009 A (H1N1) influenza: the third half

Clinical Microbiology and Infection — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Clin Microbiol InfectAbstractThe first influenza pandemic in more than 40 years was declared in 2009. We aimed to evaluate the beliefs of Spanish infectious diseases professionals regarding several aspects of 2009 A (H1N1) influenza once the epidemic waned. An online survey was designed and distributed among members of the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC). The survey considered hospital organization and preparedness planning and conduct, as well as the opinion of the infectious diseases professionals regarding several key issues. Between 7 March and 22 March 2010, 303 responses, corresponding to 12.8% of the SEIMC membership, were received. Of the respondents, 48.2% were microbiologists and 42.3% were clinicians dealing with infectious diseases. For...

Multiclonal epidemic of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates producing DHA‐1 in a Spanish hospital

Clinical Microbiology and Infection — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This study reports the first characterization of STs for blaDHA‐1‐producing K. pneumoniae isolates. (Source: Clinical Microbiology and Infection)

Evolution of Human Receptor Binding Affinity of H1N1 Hemagglutinins from 1918 to 2009 Pandemic Influenza A Virus

Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:09:21 +0100

Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling, Volume 0, Issue 0, Articles ASAP (As Soon As Publishable). (Source: Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling)

Gender influence in influenza vaccine uptake in Spain: Time trends analysis (1995-2006).

Vaccine — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100

This study aims to analyze gender differences in influenza vaccine coverage and predictors of vaccine uptake in Spain from year 1995 to 2006. We used data obtained from the Spanish National Health Surveys (NHSS) conducted in 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003 and 2006. Only subjects for whom the vaccine was recommended in Spain (age >/=65 years and <65 years with an associated chronic condition) during the entire study period were analyzed. Influenza vaccination status was self-reported. Independent variables included: year of survey, age, marital status, educational level, size of town, physician visits and chronic conditions. The study population included 26,653 (15,973 women and 10,680 men) individuals and 54.9% (CI 95% 54.3-55.5) were vaccinated. Vaccination coverage was higher among men tha...