Avian Influenza & Pandemic Threat: In the news

Researchers, Experts Debate Publication Of H5N1 Research Amid Updated Studies

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:45:27 -0500

"As researchers from both sides of the debate over two controversial H5N1 studies weighed in [Tuesday] on full publication versus a more cautionary approach, two U.S. journals" -- the Journal of Infectious Diseases (JID) and its sister publication, Clinical Infectious Diseases -- "said they are developing policies to address any future such instances," CIDRAP News writes. "We are developing policies that address these issues on a case-by-case basis, so that freedom of scientific expression can be maintained without sacrificing individual safety or national security," JID Editor Martin Hirsch wrote in an editorial, the news service notes, adding, "He also introduced three new JID perspective pieces that discuss the difficult issues" (Schnirring, 3/28). {Kaiser Daily Global Health Policy Report, 03/29/2012}

Woman dies of swine flu

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:44:53 -0500

A 32-year-old pregnant woman died at Gandhi Hospital on Tuesday night following complications that developed after she tested positive for swine flu. This is the fourth swine flu related death bet... {The Hindu, 03/29/2012}

Swine flu jab linked to narcolepsy

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:44:24 -0500

New concerns have been raised over a pandemic swine flu vaccine used in Britain and a link to narcolepsy in children. A study has found that children who had been vaccinated are 13 times more likely to suffer from the condition. {Healthcare Today (UK), 03/29/2012}

Swine flu claims one life in Bhopal

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:43:53 -0500

Anil Hole (37), resident of Saket Nagar was admitted in Career Hospital on March 25, with severe cold and lung congestion. {Hindustan Times, 03/29/2012}

Swine flu vaccine 'linked to' sleeping disorder

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:43:33 -0500

The pandemic swine flu vaccine has been linked to narcolepsy after a study found children who had been vaccinated with 13 times more likely to suffer from the condition. {The Telegraph, 03/29/2012}

Panel reconvenes to reexamine controversial bird flu studies

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:43:06 -0500

A bid from some quarters in the U.S. to resolve the ongoing controversy over two unpublished bird flu studies will begin to play out over the next two days as government biosecurity advisers reconvene to reconsider the issue. {The Canadian Press, 03/29/2012}

Vietnam treats human bird flu case

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:42:43 -0500

A 31-year-old man has become the 2nd patient to be successfully treated for bird flu (H5N1) so far this year in Vietnam. {World Poultry, 03/29/2012}

Sion youth latest swine flu case in Mumbai

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:42:23 -0500

A 27-year-old male from Sion with a travel history to Pune is the latest to test positive for H1N1 in the city. This has taken the toll of positive cases to six in the city in less than ten days. {Times of India, 03/29/2012}

Genetic regulators hijacked by avian and swine flu viruses identified: UBC study

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:41:58 -0500

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have identified a number of tiny but powerful "genetic regulators" that are hijacked by avian and swine flu viruses during human infection. {EurekAlert!, 03/29/2012}

Scientists volley ahead of more dual-use H5N1 debate

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:41:34 -0500

As researchers from both sides of the debate over two controversial H5N1 studies weighed in yesterday on full publication versus a more cautionary approach, two US journals said they are developing policies to address any future such instances. {CIDRAP News, 03/28/2012}

Experts call for overhaul of global flu surveillance

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:41:12 -0500

In a set of articles published today in Nature, influenza experts say global flu surveillance—especially in poultry and swine—is sorely lacking and needs a major overhaul to make it more sustained, timely, and representative. {CIDRAP News, 03/28/2012}

11 test positive for H1N1; three off ventilators

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:40:29 -0500

As many as 11 people tested positive for H1N1 influenza on Wednesday in the city. {Times of India, 03/28/2012}

The Big, Overlooked Factor in the Rise of Pandemics: The Human Vector

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:40:05 -0500

"How do you make preparedness sexy?" Dave Daigle asks. A communications expert in disaster readiness at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Daigle created last year’s cheeky Zombie Apocalypse campaign, designed to teach the social media generation how to survive natural disasters and uncontained infectious outbreaks. He never expected the associated Twitter campaign to crash his server and ultimately garner three billion hits. The whole initiative, the most successful in CDC public-relations history, cost taxpayers all of $87—for clip art. {Discover, 03/28/2012}

H5N1 surveillance: Shift expertise to where it matters

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:38:52 -0500

Tools and training for responding to diseases such as avian flu must relocate to countries where infections are most likely to emerge, says Jeremy Farrar. {nature, 03/28/2012}

H5N1: How to track a flu virus

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:38:30 -0500

Four experts pinpoint ways to improve monitoring of H5N1 avian influenza in the field. {nature, 03/28/2012}

Flu surveillance lacking

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:38:05 -0500

Nature analysis highlights need for international strategy to watch for pandemic threats. {nature, 03/28/2012}

Why all our bird flu research should be published

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:37:36 -0500

Our experiments have sparked concerns about bio-terrorism. But fear must never stop research. {The Guardian, 03/28/2012}

PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza, human (39): Indonesia (NB)

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:36:48 -0500

Avian Influenza - Worldwide/Unknown, A 17-year-old has died of bird flu in Indonesia, the country's 6th fatality from the virus so far this year [2012]. Health ministry spokeswoman Murti Utami said Tuesday [27 Mar 2012] the boy from eastern Lombok island developed symptoms early this month [March 2012] after coming into contact with sick chickens. He died on 9 Mar 2012 after one week's hospitalisation. Ms. Utami says laboratory results came back several days ago confirming he had the deadly H5N1 virus.Bird flu began ravaging {ProMED-mail, 03/28/2012}

Bird flu kills teen in eastern Indonesia

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:36:19 -0500

JAKARTA, Indonesia- A 17-year-old has died of bird flu in Indonesia. He is the country’s sixth fatality from the virus so far this year. Health ministry spokeswoman {Taiwan News, 03/28/2012}

H1N1 Vaccine Tied to Spike in Narcolepsy

frank — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:35:46 -0500

(MedPage Today) -- Cases of childhood narcolepsy spiked in Finland in 2010, and researchers there are suggesting the adjuvanted vaccine against the H1N1 pandemic flu might have been a trigger. {MedPage Today, 03/28/2012}