Webcast: Discussion Of NSABB’s H5N1 Recommendations

 

 

# 6181

 

My thanks to Helen Branswell for tweeting this event.

 

Set you alarm clocks accordingly, as tomorrow morning (Wednesday, February 29th) the ASM Biodefense and Emerging Diseases Research Meeting will provide a live webcast of an hour-long discussion over the NSABB’s recommendations to redact portions of two H5N1 research papers.

 

Featuring: 

Michael T. Osterholm, Ph.D., MPH  NSABB/CIDRAP 

Anthony S. Fauci, M.D  (NIAID)

Bruce Alberts, Ph.D. Editor-in-Chief of Science

Ron A.M. Fouchier, Ph.D.    H5N1 Researcher

Live Stream Details
Date: Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Time: 7:15 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. EST
Link:

If you are unable to watch the live feed, a video should be posted by 1:00pm.

WHO: Egypt Announces Two New Bird Flu Cases

 

 

# 6180

 

The World Health Organization has posted a new update in their GAR (Global Alert & Response) system regarding two new H5N1 human infections in Egypt, both of which proved fatal.

These are the 4th and 5th H5N1 infections reported in Egypt this year and the first fatalities. A hat tip to Françoise Ramona on FluTrackers for posting this in the French forum.

 

 

Avian influenza – situation in Egypt – update

28 February 2012 - The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt has notified WHO of two new cases of human infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) virus.

 

The first case is a thirty-two year old male from Behira governorate, in the Abo Elmatameer District. He developed symptoms on 16 February 2012 and was admitted to hospital on 21 February 2012 where he received oseltamivir treatment upon admission. He died on 28 February 2012.

 

The second case was a thirty seven year-old female from Kafr Elshihk governorate in the Kelleen District. She developed symptoms on 18 February 2012 and was admitted to hospital on 23 February 2012 where she received oseltamivir treatment upon admission. She died on 26 February 2012.

 

Preliminary investigations into both cases with regard to the source of infection indicate close contact with sick or deceased backyard poultry at the cases' respective residences.

 

Both cases were confirmed by the Central Public Health Laboratories, a National Influenza Center of the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network.

 

Of the 163 cases confirmed to date in Egypt 57 have been fatal.

 

CDC Webinar: Antiviral Medication Recommendations For Influenza

 

 

Credit – CDC COCA

# 6179

 

Primarily of interest to clinicians - including physicians, nurses, physician’s assistants, pharmacists, paramedics, veterinarians, epidemiologists, public health practitioners, and state and local health department officials -  the CDC will hold a webinar later today on the use of antiviral medications for influenza.

 

These COCA (Clinician Outreach Communication Activity) calls are designed to ensure that clinicians have the up-to-date information for their practices, and also provide Continuing Education Credits.

 

The details of today’s COCA call follows, along with links to some recent calls that are archived and available for viewing.

 

 

2011-2012 Influenza Season: Antiviral Medication Recommendations 

= Continuing Education Credits

Date: Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Time: 2:00 - 3:00 pm (Eastern Time)

Participate by Phone:

Dial:800-779-7163
Passcode: 7319016

Participate by Webinar:

https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join.php?i=PW6062720&p=7319016&t=c

Presenter(s):

 

Timothy Uyeki, MD, MPH, MPP
CAPT, U.S. Public Health Service
Deputy Chief for Science
Epidemiology and Prevention Branch
Influenza Division
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
CDC

Overview:

CDC estimates that influenza virus infections in the United States result in an average of more than 200,000 related hospitalizations, and between 3,300 to 49,000 deaths each year, depending upon the severity of the influenza season. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons aged 6 months and older, and is the best way to prevent influenza. However, available evidence consistently indicates that antiviral treatment, when initiated as early as possible in patients with confirmed or suspected influenza, can reduce severe outcomes of influenza.  During this COCA conference call, a subject matter expert will review current Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and CDC guidance on the use of antiviral medications in the prevention and treatment of influenza.

 

 

For a list of recent (and upcoming) conference calls, visit this link.

It Happens Every Spring

 

 

Credit NOAA – NWS Storm Prediction Center

 

# 6178

 

For very good reasons, during the months of February and March many states across the nation – particularly in the mid-west and the deep south – promote a Severe Weather Awareness Week.

 

Last year’s record breaking tornado season, which claimed the highest number of lives in a half century, serves as a stark reminder of just how vulnerable we are to these violent weather events.

 

NOAA provides a State by State listing of Weather Awareness Events, and some states publish severe weather preparedness guides.  A few examples follow, but you can Google `Severe Weather Awareness’ and your State’s name, to see if one is available for your area.

 

 

Some states have Severe Weather Guides online, such as this website maintained by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

 

 

While it is impossible to predict just what kind of spring and summer storm season we will see, when warm moist air to the south and east does battle with cooler or drier air masses to the north and west, you have the basic ingredients for severe weather.  

 

And outbreaks of tornadoes can frequently result. 

 

But it isn’t just tornadoes that we watch out for. Straight line winds, downbursts, hail, lightning, and torrential rains are also hazards carried by these storms, and all can be deadly.

 

 

 

March, April, May and June generally see the strongest, and most frequent tornadoes, but in truth - these violent windstorms can occur any time of the year - particularly in the south. 

 

In an average year, more than 1,000 tornadoes are reported in the United States.   It is likely that the actual number is considerably higher, as not all tornadoes occur in areas where they can be seen or confirmed.

 

All but a small part of the United States is vulnerable to these storms, but the strongest of these storms generally occur in an area we call Tornado Alley (below Left), which runs from middle Texas north though Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota.

 

This is the area where you will generally find the largest and most powerful tornadoes; the F5 wedge type. 

 

TORNADO ALLEY                       DIXIE ALLEY

 

Fortunately, much of the mid-west is sparsely populated, and so the number of tornado deaths that occur here are actually less than in other areas of the country.   

 

DIXIE ALLEY (above right) sees more frequent, albeit usually less severe tornadoes.  Due to a higher population density, more deaths occur in Dixie Alley than in Tornado Alley most years.

 

To keep abreast of severe storm forecasts, you can visit NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center online.  There you’ll find interactive maps showing current and anticipated severe weather threats all across the nation.

 

 

Another resource is NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

 

Once thought of as mainly a source of local weather information, it has now become an `All-Hazards' alert system as well.

 

In order to receive these broadcasts, you need a special receiver.  Many of these radios have a special `Tone Alert', and will begin playing once they receive a special alert signal from the broadcaster.

 

Like having an emergency kit, a first aid kit, and a portable AM/FM radio - having a weather radio is an important part of being prepared. 

 

Most Americans are woefully unprepared to deal with emergencies.  This despite dozens of major disasters (often weather related) that occur every year in this country. 

 

Agencies like FEMA, READY.GOV and the HHS are constantly trying to get the preparedness message out, so that when (not `if') a disaster does occur, human losses can be minimized.

 

For more information on how to prepare for emergencies, up to and including a pandemic, the following sites should be of assistance.

 

FEMA http://www.fema.gov/index.shtm

READY.GOV http://www.ready.gov/

AMERICAN RED CROSS http://www.redcross.org/

A New Flu Comes Up To Bat

 

UPDATED:  Helen Branswell has a report on this story HERE, and you’ll find another report by Virginia Gewin  on Nature.com HERE.

 

Photo Credit- Wikipedia

 

# 6177

 

A fascinating story today coming from the journal PNAS, that is eerily reminiscent of fictional MEV-1 virus from the movie Contagion. 

 

Researchers report the discovery of never before seen influenza virus, that surprisingly, was detected in bats. Specifically, from little yellow-shouldered bats (Sturnira lilium) captured at two locations in Guatemala.

 

Scientists have previously identified 16 different hemagglutinin (HA) proteins, and 9 different neuraminidase proteins.

 

And while birds are the natural host for influenza viruses, they’ve never been isolated in bats before.

 

This new influenza is described as deviating from the 16 known HAs and is designated as H17. The neuraminidase (NA), and internal genes, are also highly divergent from previously known influenzas.

 

Despite all of these differences, the authors state this bat virus appears to be genetically compatible with human and avian influenza viruses, and the potential for reassortment exists.

 

Unfortunately, the entire report is behind a pay wall, but according to an AP report by Mike Stobbe, there remains some questions over exactly what these researchers have uncovered.

 

One scientist - Richard Fulton of Michigan State University - pointed out that the authors have not been able to grow the virus in cell cultures or egg embryos, and that they only have isolated fragments of the virus.

 

More research will be needed to determine what, if any, implications this new found pathogen will have to public health. Meanwhile, researchers are already looking for it, and similar viruses, in other hosts and bat colonies.

 

 

A distinct lineage of influenza A virus from bats

Suxiang Tong, Yan Li, Pierre Rivailler, Christina Conrardy, Danilo A. Alvarez Castillo, Li-Mei Chen,Sergio Recuenco, James A. Ellison, Charles T. Davis, Ian A. York, Amy S. Turmelle, David Moran, Shannon Rogers, Mang Shi, Ying Tao, Michael R. Weil, Kevin Tang, Lori A. Rowe, Scott Sammons, Xiyan Xu, Michael Frace, Kim A. Lindblade, Nancy J. Cox, Larry J. Anderson, Charles E. Rupprecht, and Ruben O. Donis

Abstract

Influenza A virus reservoirs in animals have provided novel genetic elements leading to the emergence of global pandemics in humans. Most influenza A viruses circulate in waterfowl, but those that infect mammalian hosts are thought to pose the greatest risk for zoonotic spread to humans and the generation of pandemic or panzootic viruses.

 

We have identified an influenza A virus from little yellow-shouldered bats captured at two locations in Guatemala. It is significantly divergent from known influenza A viruses. The HA of the bat virus was estimated to have diverged at roughly the same time as the known subtypes of HA and was designated as H17. The neuraminidase (NA) gene is highly divergent from all known influenza NAs, and the internal genes from the bat virus diverged from those of known influenza A viruses before the estimated divergence of the known influenza A internal gene lineages.

 

Attempts to propagate this virus in cell cultures and chicken embryos were unsuccessful, suggesting distinct requirements compared with known influenza viruses. Despite its divergence from known influenza A viruses, the bat virus is compatible for genetic exchange with human influenza viruses in human cells, suggesting the potential capability for reassortment and contributions to new pandemic or panzootic influenza A viruses.

Preparing For An Unwanted Arrival

 

 

 

# 6177

 

 

PAHO, the Pan American Health Organization, in partnership with the CDC, have put together a 161-page guide for preparing for the arrival of Chikungunya to the Americas.

 

Chikungunya is a mosquito borne alphavirus (similar to Australia’s Ross River Virus, and EEE), of East African origin, that typically produces a fever, severe muscle and joint pain, and headaches.

 

They symptoms usually go away after a few weeks, but some patients can retain permanent disability.

 

First described in the early 1950s in Tanganyika, it was only sporadically seen over the years in eastern and central Africa. That is, until 2005, when Chikungunya made a jump to the Indian Ocean island of Réunion.

 

In the seven years since that time, Chik has migrated to India, Indonesia, and much of south-east Asia.   It has even been imported into Italy.

 

I told the story several years ago in It's A Smaller World After All, but the short version is that a traveler, returning from India, brought the virus to Italy in 2007 which led to more than 290 cases reported in the province of Ravenna, which is in northeast Italy.

 

 

Many infectious disease specialists have expressed concerns that Florida – which has recently seen a return of Dengue fever after more than 5 decades – could one day face the establishment of chikungunya as well.

 

The two primary mosquito vectors of Chikungunya are the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, both of which can be found across many regions of the Americas.

 

Aedes albopictus (Asian Tiger) Mosquito

Dark blue: Native range
Dark green: introduced (as of December 2007)

 

 

Credit – PAHO

 

For more on all of this, excerpts from the press release from PAHO, and a link to the PDF.

 

PAHO, CDC publish guide on preparing for chikungunya virus Introduction in the Americas

 

The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has published new guidelines on chikungunya, a mosquito-transmitted virus transmitted that causes fever and severe joint pain.  The Guidelines for Preparedness and Response for Chikungunya Virus Introduction in the Americas aims to help countries throughout the Americas improve their ability to detect the virus and be prepared to monitor, prevent, and control the disease, should it appear.

 

Hundreds of people who have traveled from the Americas to Asia and Africa in the past five years have become infected with the chikungunya virus. While the virus has not spread locally in the Western Hemisphere, experts say there is a clear risk of its introduction into local mosquito populations. Local transmission could occur if mosquito populations in the United States or elsewhere in the Americas became infected with the virus and began spreading it to people in that area.

(Continue . . . )

 

To download the guide, Preparedness and Response for Chikungunya Virus Introduction in the Americas select this link.