1. Clues to a universal flu vaccine found - New York Daily News -

   New York Daily News

   Clues to a universal flu vaccine found New York Daily News Canadian researchers have found more clues that may help lead to the creation of a universal vaccine against the seasonal flu, according to a study published on Tuesday. Researchers discovered that the vaccine given against "swine flu," or the 2009 ... Swine flu vaccine may fight other virusesVancouver Sun Swine flu vaccine may fight lethal strains, BC researchers findMontreal Gazette Universal flu shot imminent?Toronto Star news Stories -CANOE all 98 news articles »

2. Mumbai college blames swine flu for admission fiasco - IBNLive.com -

   IBNLive.com

   Mumbai college blames swine flu for admission fiasco IBNLive.com The court snubbed the institute's justification that it admitted the 28-year-old afterward since it could not get any candidates within the deadline set by the board due to the swine flu panic. According to Dr Sardar Mukhtar Tabish's petition, ...

3. Inovio makes steps towards a universal flu vax - FierceVaccines -

   Inovio makes steps towards a universal flu vax FierceVaccines In flu research, the universal flu shot is the holy grail--something that will swat swine flu, slay seasonal flu, and bludgeon bird flu. Inovio Pharmaceuticals ($INO) thinks it is a step closer to the prize with a universal avian flu vax. and more »

4. Health workers to get swine flu vaccine soon - Times of India -

   RedOrbit

   Health workers to get swine flu vaccine soon Times of India HYDERABAD: Following the recent swine flu outbreak in the state, the government is all set to launch swine flu vaccination drive for healthcare workers for the second time after 2010. The state has received 50000 doses of swine flu vaccine from the ... New clues for a universal flu vaccineSydney Morning Herald Canada researchers find clues to a universal flu vaccineStraits Times H1N1 Discovery Paves Way For Universal Flu VaccineRedOrbit all 27 news articles »

5. 'Pink slime' label echoes 'swine flu' misnomer, notes economist - CattleNetwork.com -

   'Pink slime' label echoes 'swine flu' misnomer, notes economist CattleNetwork.com Just as the "swine flu" misnomer for the H1N1 virus had an economic impact on the swine industry, the pejorative "pink slime" is causing notable impact on the beef industry, said a University of Missouri Extension economist. The correct term is "lean ... and more »

6. Swine flu vax could offer universal flu protection - FierceVaccines -

   Daily Mail

   Swine flu vax could offer universal flu protection FierceVaccines Flu comes in many forms, from the mild bout of a seasonal bug that can just knock you flat for a week, to the 2009 H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic that killed thousands of people worldwide, to mutations of the H5N1 (bird flu) virus that could be weapons of ... Researchers are closer to a universal flu vaccine that can fight any version ...Daily Mail BC research brings possibility of end to seasonal flu shots with universal vaccineYahoo! News Canada (blog) all 4 news articles »

7. Bel Marra Health Supports Recent Research by the Centers for Disease Control ... - PR Web (press release) -

   Bel Marra Health Supports Recent Research by the Centers for Disease Control ... PR Web (press release) Spokesperson for Bel Marra Health, Dr. Victor Marchione says, “A vaccine that aims to improve the T-cell response will help to provide lasting immunity against multiple strains of influenza, including the seasonal flu, avian flu and swine flu. and more »

8. Free flu shot program missing for children under six - Hamilton Spectator -

   Free flu shot program missing for children under six Hamilton Spectator Dr. Allison McGeer Dr. Allison McGeer, head of infection control at Mount Sinai Hospital and an expert on swine flu, photographed in the bacteriology lab. Doctors are taking a stand when their medical advice is being ignored, says president of ... and more »

9. 132 swine flu cases reported in AP this year - IBNLive.com -

   TopNews Arab Emirates

   132 swine flu cases reported in AP this year IBNLive.com HYDERABAD: After one-year lull, the swine flu has made a come back to the state with number of victims is on the rise this year. Just four months of the year passing, the state has reported 132 cases of swine flu. The health officials say it is ... Swine Flu Stages a ComebackTopNews Arab Emirates all 2 news articles »

10. NY1 At 20: 2009 Report Re-Visits H1N1 Outbreak In NYC - NY1 -

    NY1

    NY1 At 20: 2009 Report Re-Visits H1N1 Outbreak In NYC NY1 NY1 VIDEO: In May of 2009, concerns about H1N1 - also known as swine flu - were sweeping the city. As we mark 20 years of New York 1, we take a look back at Molly Kroon's report on the outbreak from May 18, 2009. NY1 FOLLOW-UP: According to an April ... and more »

Swine Flu Virus Pandemic

1. Risk of Confirmed Guillain-Barre Syndrome Following Receipt of Monovalent Inactivated Influenza A (H1N1) and Seasonal Influenza Vaccines in the Vaccine Safety Datalink Project, 2009-2010. - Authors: Greene SK, Rett M, Weintraub ES, Li L, Yin R, Amato AA, Ho DT, Sheikh SI, Fireman BH, Daley MF, Belongia EA, Jacobsen SJ, Baxter R, Lieu TA, Kulldorff M, Vellozzi C, Lee GM Abstract An increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) following administration of the 1976 swine influenza vaccine led to a heightened focus on GBS when monovalent vaccines against a novel influenza A (H1N1) virus of swine origin were introduced in 2009. GBS cases following receipt of monovalent inactivated (MIV) and seasonal trivalent inactivated (TIV) influenza vaccines in the Vaccine Safety Datalink Project in 2009-2010 were identified in electronic data and confirmed by medical record review. Within 1-42 days following vaccination, 9 cases were confirmed in MIV recipients (1.48 million doses)...

   MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

2. Invited Commentary: Influenza Vaccine and Guillain-Barre Syndrome--Is There a Risk? - Authors: Nelson KE Abstract After a new reassortant swine influenza A H1N1 virus caused outbreaks in Mexico and the United States in 2009, a vaccine was prepared from this virus to immunize the entire US population. Surveillance for Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) after receipt of this vaccine was carried out in 3 populations: the Vaccine Safety Datalink Project, the 10 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Emerging Infections Program sites, and a network of large insurance companies. These studies found a small increase of approximately 1 case of GBS per million vaccinees above the baseline rate, which is similar to that observed after administration of seasonal influenza vaccines over the past several years. Enhanced surveillance for GBS was conducted in 2009-2010 because of ...
3. Nature publishes details of bird flu strain that could spread among people - Publication of bird flu study was delayed after warnings that the information could be exploited by terroristsControversial research on a hybrid strain of bird flu that could potentially spread between humans was published on Wednesday in Nature after security restrictions on the work were lifted.Scientists created the virus by merging a mutated strain of bird flu with the "swine flu" virus that sparked a human pandemic in 2009. The hybrid strain spread easily between ferrets – the best proxy that flu researchers have for people – but was not lethal and could be controlled with antiviral drugs and bird flu vaccines.The work by Yoshihiro Kawaoka at the University of Wisconsin-Madison was submitted last year to the journal, but was delayed after the US government's biosecurity advisers s...
4. [A(H1N1)v cases of the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 influenza seasons in the Medical and Health Sciences Centre of Debrecen University]. - Conclusion: It is an important task to protect oncohematological and organ transplant patients. Orv. Hetil., 2012, 153, 649-654. PMID: 22543220 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Orvosi Hetilap)
5. Human Infections with Novel Reassortant Influenza A(H3N2)v Viruses, United States, 2011. - Authors: Lindstrom S, Garten R, Balish A, Shu B, Emery S, Berman L, Barnes N, Sleeman K, Gubareva L, Villanueva J, Klimov A Abstract During July-December 2011, a variant virus, influenza A(H3N2)v, caused 12 human cases of influenza. The virus contained genes originating from swine, avian, and human viruses, including the M gene from influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus. Influenza A(H3N2)v viruses were antigenically distinct from seasonal influenza viruses and similar to proposed vaccine virus A/Minnesota/11/2010. PMID: 22516540 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases)
6. Differentiated swine airway epithelial cell cultures for the investigation of influenza A virus infection and replication - Conclusions  Retinoic acid promoted ciliogenesis, whereas epidermal growth factor controlled the thickness of the pseudoepithelium. The optimal concentrations for differentiated swine cell cultures were 1·5 ng/ml epidermal growth factor and 100 nm retinoic acid. Influenza A viruses infected and productively replicated in these cultures in the absence of exogenous trypsin, suggesting that the cultures express a protease capable of activating influenza virus hemagglutinin. Differences in virus infection and replication characteristics found previously in pigs in vivo were recapitulated in the swine cultures. This system could be a useful tool for a range of applications, including investigating influenza virus species specificity, defining cell tropism of influenza viruses in the swin...

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7. Biosecurity aspects and pathogen inactivation in acidified high risk animal by-products. - Authors: Vinnerås B, Samuelson A, Emmoth E, Nyberg KA, Albihn A Abstract The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of formic acid addition to ground high risk animal by-products (ABP 1) in terms of stabilization and pathogen inactivation and to evaluate the biosecurity risk connected with the ABP 1 based combustion fuel Biomal. Laboratory studies were performed on the persistence of Salmonella Typhimurium, Bacillus cereus spores, porcine herpes virus, avian influenza virus, bovine viral diarrhea virus, equine rhinitis A virus and porcine parvovirus in Biomal at different storage times. It was shown that Salmonella and enveloped viruses were inactivated within 1 day (24 h). Bacillus cereus spores were not reduced during 147 days and the non-enveloped virus porcine parvovi...
8. Antibodies Cross-Reactive to Influenza A (H3N2) Variant Virus and Impact of 2010-11 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine on Cross-Reactive Antibodies - United States. - Authors: Abstract Since August 2011, a total of 12 human infections with influenza A (H3N2) variant viruses with genes from avian, swine, and human viruses (i.e., A [H3N2]v) that had acquired the M gene from influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 virus have been reported to CDC. Eleven of the cases occurred in children aged <10 years. In six cases, no history of recent exposure to swine was noted, suggesting that human-to-human transmission had occurred. This new gene constellation for A (H3N2)v viruses and its temporal association with an increase in human cases of A (H3N2)v highlight the need to better understand the risk for human infection with these viruses and the extent to which current seasonal vaccines might elicit cross-reactive antibodies to them. CDC conducted a preliminary analy...
9. Avian influenza A virus PB2 promotes interferon type I inducing properties of a swine strain in porcine dendritic cells. - Authors: Ocaña-Macchi M, Ricklin ME, Python S, Monika GA, Stech J, Stech O, Summerfield A Abstract The 2009 influenza A virus (IAV) pandemic resulted from reassortment of avian, human and swine strains probably in pigs. To elucidate the role of viral genes in host adaptation regarding innate immune responses, we focussed on the effect of genes from an avian H5N1 and a porcine H1N1 IAV on infectivity and activation of porcine GM-CSF-induced dendritic cells (DC). The highest interferon type I responses were achieved by the porcine virus reassortant containing the avian polymerase gene PB2. This finding was not due to differential tropism since all viruses infected DC equally. All viruses equally induced MHC class II, but porcine H1N1 expressing the avian viral PB2 induced more promi...
10. Identification of three H1N1 influenza virus groups with natural recombinant genes circulating from 1918 to 2009. - In this study, we identify a recombinant pb1 gene, a recombinant MP segment and a recombinant PA segment. The pb1 gene is recombined from two Eurasia swine H1N1 influenza virus lineages. It belongs to a H1N1 swine clade circulating in Europe and Asia from 1999 to 2009. The mosaic MP segment descends from H7 avian and H1N1 human virus lineages and pertains to a large human H1N1 virus family circulating in Asia, Europe and America from 1918 to 2007. The recombinant PA segment originated from two swine H1N1 lineages is found in a swine H1N1 group prevailing in Asia and Europe from 1999 to 2003. These results collectively falsify the hypothesis that influenza virus do not evolve by homologous recombination. Since recombination not only leads to virus genome diversity but also can alter its hos...
11. Serological evidence of swine influenza in Brazil - This study indicates that swine influenza is disseminated throughout Minas Gerais state, Brazil. (Source: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses)

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12. Influenza H1N1 (swine flu) vaccination: a safety surveillance feasibility study using self‐reporting of serious adverse events and pregnancy outcomes - CONCLUSIONSOverall, no significant safety issues were identified. The methodology and use of modern technologies to collect safety data from large numbers of patients was successful and could be used again in similar safety studies. (Source: British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology)
13. Study Identifies Genetic Regulators Hijacked By Avian And Swine Flu Viruses - 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. The discovery, published in the Journal of Virology, could reveal new targets for broad-spectrum antivirals to combat current - and perhaps future - strains of influenza A viruses... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
14. Narcolepsy after swine flu jab studied - In this study, researchers found that 75% of the children analysed had been vaccinated against swine flu. There were 67 confirmed cases of narcolepsy, of which 46 vaccinated and seven unvaccinated cases were included in the primary analysis. This second study looked at cases of narcolepsy within “person years”. A person year represents one person exposed for a year and is a way of correcting for the various lengths of time the children were in the study before they were vaccinated or after vaccination. For example, one child studied for 18 months and another studied for six months would provide two person years of data altogether. The incidence of narcolepsy among the vaccinated children was 9.0 cases per 100,000 person years, compared with 0.7 cases per 100,000 person years in unvacci...
15. Phylodynamic inference of infectious diseases caused by HIV, enterovirus 71 and the 2009 swine-origin human influenza virus - Future Virology , April 2012, Vol. 7, No. 4, Pages 403-412. (Source: Future Virology)

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Syndicated from http://www.www.pandemicflu.gov – Swine Flu Virus Pandemic.

1. FDA Approves First Quadrivalent Vaccine to Prevent Seasonal Influenza - FluMist Quadrivalent, a vaccine to prevent seasonal influenza in people ages 2 years through 49 years, has been approved today by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FluMist Quadrivalent is the first influenza vaccine to contain four strains of the influenza virus, two influenza A strains and two influenza B strains.
2. First U.S. Cell-based Flu Vaccine Plant Set for Dedication - The first U.S. facility to use a faster and more flexible technology to make influenza vaccine was dedicated today, as part of an initiative that could provide vaccine supplies sooner in an influenza pandemic. The plant in Holly Springs, N.C., can create vaccine using cultured animal cells instead of the conventional process of using fertilized eggs.
3. CDC Confirms Two Human Infections with Novel Influenza Viruses - CDC has confirmed two cases of human infection with two different novel influenza A viruses in different states. Both patients have fully recovered.
4. FDA Updated Communication on Use of Jet Injectors with Inactivated Influenza Vaccines - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recommending that health care professionals use a sterile needle and syringe to administer inactivated influenza vaccines.
5. CDC Issues Initial 2011-2012 Seasonal “FluView” Report: Current Activity is Low; Outlook for Vaccine is Good - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the initial “FluView” report for the U.S. 2011–2012 flu season with the message that flu activity is currently low, making this the perfect time to get vaccinated. There should be lots of vaccine available, because the supply is projected to set a U.S. record.
6. Priming with DNA vaccine makes avian flu vaccine work better - The immune response to an H5N1 avian influenza vaccine was greatly enhanced in healthy adults if they were first primed with a DNA vaccine expressing a gene for a key H5N1 protein, researchers say. Their report describes results from two clinical studies conducted by researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.
7. FDA Clears First Single Use Face Mask for Children - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared the Kimberly-Clark Pediatric/Child Face Mask, designed to be worn in hospitals and health care facilities to help reduce the spread of airborne respiratory tract bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.
8. NIH Scientists Find Earliest Known Evidence of 1918 Influenza Pandemic - 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.
9. CDC Reports Details Influenza Prevention and Treatment for Children and Teens - Although children and teenagers rarely die from flu–related causes, many of the deaths could have been prevented if the children had been vaccinated against the flu, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
10. FDA Approves Vaccines for the 2011-2012 Influenza Season - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that it has approved the 2011-2012 influenza vaccine formulation for all six manufacturers licensed to produce and distribute influenza vaccine for the United States.
11. WHO Landmark Global Agreement on Flu Virus Sharing Improves Global Preparedness for Influenza Pandemics - After a week of negotiations continued through Friday night and into Saturday morning, an open-ended working-group meeting of Member States successfully agreed upon a framework to ensure that in a pandemic, influenza virus samples will be shared with partners who need the information to take steps to protect public health.
12. U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)Funds Advanced Development of New Influenza Antiviral - A contract has been awarded to develop a long-acting single-dose antiviral drug for use in the United States, the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) announced today.
13. New Consumer-Focused Immunization Website, www.vaccines.gov - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today unveiled an innovative new website to help parents and other consumers learn about the most effective way to protect themselves and their children from infectious diseases and learn about immunization.
14. Guidance for the Prevention and Control of Influenza in the Peri- and Postpartum Settings - Guidance for the Prevention and Control of Influenza in the Peri- and Postpartum Settings
15. Research Shows Single Change in H1N1 Virus Makes the Virus Bind More Easily to Human Cells and Transmits the Virus More Efficiently in Ferrets - The 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus continues to circulate among the human population as the predominant H1N1 subtype.

Syndicated from http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/ – Swine Flu Virus Pandemic.

1. Press Briefing Transcript: Dr. Thomas Frieden's Remarks at the 2010 Influenza Workshop for Journalists - Transcript from Dr. Thomas Frieden's remarks at the 2010 Influenza Workshop for Journalists held Monday, August 23, 2010.
2. HHS News Release: WHO Declares End to 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic - Health and Human Services (HHS) press release outlines implications for United States of WHO declaration that the 2009 H1N1 pandemic has ended.
3. WHO Statement on H1N1 in post-pandemic period - Director-General's opening statement at virtual press conference; August 10, 2010
4. UPDATE: 2009 H1N1 Flu International Situation Update - This report provides an update to the international flu situation using data collected through August 1, 2010, and reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) on August 6.
5. UPDATE: 2009 H1N1 Flu International Situation Update - This report provides an update to the international flu situation using data collected through July 25, 2010, and reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) on July 30.
6. MMWR: Regional Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccination Campaign -- Skokie, Illinois, October 16--December 31, 2009 - Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)July 30, 2010 / 59(29);909-913
7. UPDATE: 2009 H1N1 Flu International Situation Update - This report provides an update to the international flu situation using data collected through July 18, 2010, and reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) on July 23.
8. NEW: QUESTIONS & ANSWERS - About the Central Vaccine Recovery Program - This Q&A document provides information for providers who signed a Provider Agreement to administer 2009 H1N1 about the Central Vaccine Recovery Program regarding the recovery of unused and expired 2009 H1N1 vaccine.
9. UPDATE: 2009 H1N1 Flu International Situation Update - This report provides an update to the international flu situation using data collected through June 27, 2010, and reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) on July 2.
10. UPDATE: 2009 H1N1 Flu International Situation Update - This report provides an update to the international flu situation using data collected through June 20, 2010, and reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) on June 25.
11. NEW: Advance Notice of Termination of Emergency Use Authorization - The FDA-issued Emergency Use Authorization of certain medical products allowed for use to diagnose, prevent and treat 2009 H1N1 influenza virus will terminate on June 23, 2010.
12. New CDC test to detect human infections with the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus authorized for use by FDA - This document announces a new influenza diagnostic test developed by CDC that was FDA authorized today for use in detecting human infections with the 2009 H1N1 virus.
13. NEW: Questions and Answers about Updating Guidance on Infection Control Measures for Influenza in Healthcare Settings - Proposed updated guidance for seasonal influenza and the Interim Guidance on Infection Control Measures for 2009 H1N1 Influenza in Healthcare Settings, Including Protection of Healthcare Personnel has been published in the Federal Register, along with a Request for Comments. The comment period began on June 22, and will end on July 22. All comments received during the comment period will be considered, following which final guidance will posted on the CDC web site.
14. Questions and Answers: Average and Median Ages of 2009 H1N1-Related Deaths in the United States, Spring and Fall 2009 - This document provides information about the average and median ages of 2009 H1N1-related deaths that occurred in the United States in the spring and fall of 2009.
15. NEW: The 2009 H1N1 Pandemic: Summary Highlights of CDC's Response, April 2009-April 2010 - This document summarizes key events of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and CDC's response activities for historical purposes.

WHO – World Health Organization

Syndicated from http://www.who.int – Swine Flu Virus Pandemic.

1. Influenza update - 03 June 2011
2. Influenza update - 20 May 2011
3. Influenza update - 06 May 2011
4. Influenza update - 21 April 2011
5. Influenza update - 08 April 2011
6. Influenza update - 25 March 2011
7. Influenza update - 11 March 2011
8. Influenza update - 25 February 2011
9. Influenza update - 11 February 2011
10. - FluID is a global platform for data sharing that will link regional influenza epidemiological data into a single global database.
    The platform provides connections between existing databases and can also be used to directly enter data through a web-based interface, if desired.
    It complements the existing virological data collection tool FluNet.

1. Clues to a universal flu vaccine found - New York Daily News -

   New York Daily News

   Clues to a universal flu vaccine found New York Daily News Canadian researchers have found more clues that may help lead to the creation of a universal vaccine against the seasonal flu, according to a study published on Tuesday. Researchers discovered that the vaccine given against "swine flu," or the 2009 ... Swine flu vaccine may fight other virusesVancouver Sun Swine flu vaccine may fight lethal strains, BC researchers findMontreal Gazette Universal flu shot imminent?Toronto Star news Stories -CANOE all 98 news articles »

2. Mumbai college blames swine flu for admission fiasco - IBNLive.com -

   IBNLive.com

   Mumbai college blames swine flu for admission fiasco IBNLive.com The court snubbed the institute's justification that it admitted the 28-year-old afterward since it could not get any candidates within the deadline set by the board due to the swine flu panic. According to Dr Sardar Mukhtar Tabish's petition, ...

3. Inovio makes steps towards a universal flu vax - FierceVaccines -

   Inovio makes steps towards a universal flu vax FierceVaccines In flu research, the universal flu shot is the holy grail--something that will swat swine flu, slay seasonal flu, and bludgeon bird flu. Inovio Pharmaceuticals ($INO) thinks it is a step closer to the prize with a universal avian flu vax. and more »

4. Health workers to get swine flu vaccine soon - Times of India -

   RedOrbit

   Health workers to get swine flu vaccine soon Times of India HYDERABAD: Following the recent swine flu outbreak in the state, the government is all set to launch swine flu vaccination drive for healthcare workers for the second time after 2010. The state has received 50000 doses of swine flu vaccine from the ... New clues for a universal flu vaccineSydney Morning Herald Canada researchers find clues to a universal flu vaccineStraits Times H1N1 Discovery Paves Way For Universal Flu VaccineRedOrbit all 27 news articles »

5. 'Pink slime' label echoes 'swine flu' misnomer, notes economist - CattleNetwork.com -

   'Pink slime' label echoes 'swine flu' misnomer, notes economist CattleNetwork.com Just as the "swine flu" misnomer for the H1N1 virus had an economic impact on the swine industry, the pejorative "pink slime" is causing notable impact on the beef industry, said a University of Missouri Extension economist. The correct term is "lean ... and more »

6. Swine flu vax could offer universal flu protection - FierceVaccines -

   Daily Mail

   Swine flu vax could offer universal flu protection FierceVaccines Flu comes in many forms, from the mild bout of a seasonal bug that can just knock you flat for a week, to the 2009 H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic that killed thousands of people worldwide, to mutations of the H5N1 (bird flu) virus that could be weapons of ... Researchers are closer to a universal flu vaccine that can fight any version ...Daily Mail BC research brings possibility of end to seasonal flu shots with universal vaccineYahoo! News Canada (blog) all 4 news articles »

7. Bel Marra Health Supports Recent Research by the Centers for Disease Control ... - PR Web (press release) -

   Bel Marra Health Supports Recent Research by the Centers for Disease Control ... PR Web (press release) Spokesperson for Bel Marra Health, Dr. Victor Marchione says, “A vaccine that aims to improve the T-cell response will help to provide lasting immunity against multiple strains of influenza, including the seasonal flu, avian flu and swine flu. and more »

8. Free flu shot program missing for children under six - Hamilton Spectator -

   Free flu shot program missing for children under six Hamilton Spectator Dr. Allison McGeer Dr. Allison McGeer, head of infection control at Mount Sinai Hospital and an expert on swine flu, photographed in the bacteriology lab. Doctors are taking a stand when their medical advice is being ignored, says president of ... and more »

9. 132 swine flu cases reported in AP this year - IBNLive.com -

   TopNews Arab Emirates

   132 swine flu cases reported in AP this year IBNLive.com HYDERABAD: After one-year lull, the swine flu has made a come back to the state with number of victims is on the rise this year. Just four months of the year passing, the state has reported 132 cases of swine flu. The health officials say it is ... Swine Flu Stages a ComebackTopNews Arab Emirates all 2 news articles »

10. NY1 At 20: 2009 Report Re-Visits H1N1 Outbreak In NYC - NY1 -

    NY1

    NY1 At 20: 2009 Report Re-Visits H1N1 Outbreak In NYC NY1 NY1 VIDEO: In May of 2009, concerns about H1N1 - also known as swine flu - were sweeping the city. As we mark 20 years of New York 1, we take a look back at Molly Kroon's report on the outbreak from May 18, 2009. NY1 FOLLOW-UP: According to an April ... and more »

Swine Flu Virus Pandemic

1. Risk of Confirmed Guillain-Barre Syndrome Following Receipt of Monovalent Inactivated Influenza A (H1N1) and Seasonal Influenza Vaccines in the Vaccine Safety Datalink Project, 2009-2010. - Authors: Greene SK, Rett M, Weintraub ES, Li L, Yin R, Amato AA, Ho DT, Sheikh SI, Fireman BH, Daley MF, Belongia EA, Jacobsen SJ, Baxter R, Lieu TA, Kulldorff M, Vellozzi C, Lee GM Abstract An increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) following administration of the 1976 swine influenza vaccine led to a heightened focus on GBS when monovalent vaccines against a novel influenza A (H1N1) virus of swine origin were introduced in 2009. GBS cases following receipt of monovalent inactivated (MIV) and seasonal trivalent inactivated (TIV) influenza vaccines in the Vaccine Safety Datalink Project in 2009-2010 were identified in electronic data and confirmed by medical record review. Within 1-42 days following vaccination, 9 cases were confirmed in MIV recipients (1.48 million doses)...

   MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

2. Invited Commentary: Influenza Vaccine and Guillain-Barre Syndrome--Is There a Risk? - Authors: Nelson KE Abstract After a new reassortant swine influenza A H1N1 virus caused outbreaks in Mexico and the United States in 2009, a vaccine was prepared from this virus to immunize the entire US population. Surveillance for Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) after receipt of this vaccine was carried out in 3 populations: the Vaccine Safety Datalink Project, the 10 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Emerging Infections Program sites, and a network of large insurance companies. These studies found a small increase of approximately 1 case of GBS per million vaccinees above the baseline rate, which is similar to that observed after administration of seasonal influenza vaccines over the past several years. Enhanced surveillance for GBS was conducted in 2009-2010 because of ...
3. Nature publishes details of bird flu strain that could spread among people - Publication of bird flu study was delayed after warnings that the information could be exploited by terroristsControversial research on a hybrid strain of bird flu that could potentially spread between humans was published on Wednesday in Nature after security restrictions on the work were lifted.Scientists created the virus by merging a mutated strain of bird flu with the "swine flu" virus that sparked a human pandemic in 2009. The hybrid strain spread easily between ferrets – the best proxy that flu researchers have for people – but was not lethal and could be controlled with antiviral drugs and bird flu vaccines.The work by Yoshihiro Kawaoka at the University of Wisconsin-Madison was submitted last year to the journal, but was delayed after the US government's biosecurity advisers s...
4. [A(H1N1)v cases of the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 influenza seasons in the Medical and Health Sciences Centre of Debrecen University]. - Conclusion: It is an important task to protect oncohematological and organ transplant patients. Orv. Hetil., 2012, 153, 649-654. PMID: 22543220 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Orvosi Hetilap)
5. Human Infections with Novel Reassortant Influenza A(H3N2)v Viruses, United States, 2011. - Authors: Lindstrom S, Garten R, Balish A, Shu B, Emery S, Berman L, Barnes N, Sleeman K, Gubareva L, Villanueva J, Klimov A Abstract During July-December 2011, a variant virus, influenza A(H3N2)v, caused 12 human cases of influenza. The virus contained genes originating from swine, avian, and human viruses, including the M gene from influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus. Influenza A(H3N2)v viruses were antigenically distinct from seasonal influenza viruses and similar to proposed vaccine virus A/Minnesota/11/2010. PMID: 22516540 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases)
6. Differentiated swine airway epithelial cell cultures for the investigation of influenza A virus infection and replication - Conclusions  Retinoic acid promoted ciliogenesis, whereas epidermal growth factor controlled the thickness of the pseudoepithelium. The optimal concentrations for differentiated swine cell cultures were 1·5 ng/ml epidermal growth factor and 100 nm retinoic acid. Influenza A viruses infected and productively replicated in these cultures in the absence of exogenous trypsin, suggesting that the cultures express a protease capable of activating influenza virus hemagglutinin. Differences in virus infection and replication characteristics found previously in pigs in vivo were recapitulated in the swine cultures. This system could be a useful tool for a range of applications, including investigating influenza virus species specificity, defining cell tropism of influenza viruses in the swin...

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7. Biosecurity aspects and pathogen inactivation in acidified high risk animal by-products. - Authors: Vinnerås B, Samuelson A, Emmoth E, Nyberg KA, Albihn A Abstract The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of formic acid addition to ground high risk animal by-products (ABP 1) in terms of stabilization and pathogen inactivation and to evaluate the biosecurity risk connected with the ABP 1 based combustion fuel Biomal. Laboratory studies were performed on the persistence of Salmonella Typhimurium, Bacillus cereus spores, porcine herpes virus, avian influenza virus, bovine viral diarrhea virus, equine rhinitis A virus and porcine parvovirus in Biomal at different storage times. It was shown that Salmonella and enveloped viruses were inactivated within 1 day (24 h). Bacillus cereus spores were not reduced during 147 days and the non-enveloped virus porcine parvovi...
8. Antibodies Cross-Reactive to Influenza A (H3N2) Variant Virus and Impact of 2010-11 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine on Cross-Reactive Antibodies - United States. - Authors: Abstract Since August 2011, a total of 12 human infections with influenza A (H3N2) variant viruses with genes from avian, swine, and human viruses (i.e., A [H3N2]v) that had acquired the M gene from influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 virus have been reported to CDC. Eleven of the cases occurred in children aged <10 years. In six cases, no history of recent exposure to swine was noted, suggesting that human-to-human transmission had occurred. This new gene constellation for A (H3N2)v viruses and its temporal association with an increase in human cases of A (H3N2)v highlight the need to better understand the risk for human infection with these viruses and the extent to which current seasonal vaccines might elicit cross-reactive antibodies to them. CDC conducted a preliminary analy...
9. Avian influenza A virus PB2 promotes interferon type I inducing properties of a swine strain in porcine dendritic cells. - Authors: Ocaña-Macchi M, Ricklin ME, Python S, Monika GA, Stech J, Stech O, Summerfield A Abstract The 2009 influenza A virus (IAV) pandemic resulted from reassortment of avian, human and swine strains probably in pigs. To elucidate the role of viral genes in host adaptation regarding innate immune responses, we focussed on the effect of genes from an avian H5N1 and a porcine H1N1 IAV on infectivity and activation of porcine GM-CSF-induced dendritic cells (DC). The highest interferon type I responses were achieved by the porcine virus reassortant containing the avian polymerase gene PB2. This finding was not due to differential tropism since all viruses infected DC equally. All viruses equally induced MHC class II, but porcine H1N1 expressing the avian viral PB2 induced more promi...
10. Identification of three H1N1 influenza virus groups with natural recombinant genes circulating from 1918 to 2009. - In this study, we identify a recombinant pb1 gene, a recombinant MP segment and a recombinant PA segment. The pb1 gene is recombined from two Eurasia swine H1N1 influenza virus lineages. It belongs to a H1N1 swine clade circulating in Europe and Asia from 1999 to 2009. The mosaic MP segment descends from H7 avian and H1N1 human virus lineages and pertains to a large human H1N1 virus family circulating in Asia, Europe and America from 1918 to 2007. The recombinant PA segment originated from two swine H1N1 lineages is found in a swine H1N1 group prevailing in Asia and Europe from 1999 to 2003. These results collectively falsify the hypothesis that influenza virus do not evolve by homologous recombination. Since recombination not only leads to virus genome diversity but also can alter its hos...
11. Serological evidence of swine influenza in Brazil - This study indicates that swine influenza is disseminated throughout Minas Gerais state, Brazil. (Source: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses)

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12. Influenza H1N1 (swine flu) vaccination: a safety surveillance feasibility study using self‐reporting of serious adverse events and pregnancy outcomes - CONCLUSIONSOverall, no significant safety issues were identified. The methodology and use of modern technologies to collect safety data from large numbers of patients was successful and could be used again in similar safety studies. (Source: British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology)
13. Study Identifies Genetic Regulators Hijacked By Avian And Swine Flu Viruses - 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. The discovery, published in the Journal of Virology, could reveal new targets for broad-spectrum antivirals to combat current - and perhaps future - strains of influenza A viruses... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
14. Narcolepsy after swine flu jab studied - In this study, researchers found that 75% of the children analysed had been vaccinated against swine flu. There were 67 confirmed cases of narcolepsy, of which 46 vaccinated and seven unvaccinated cases were included in the primary analysis. This second study looked at cases of narcolepsy within “person years”. A person year represents one person exposed for a year and is a way of correcting for the various lengths of time the children were in the study before they were vaccinated or after vaccination. For example, one child studied for 18 months and another studied for six months would provide two person years of data altogether. The incidence of narcolepsy among the vaccinated children was 9.0 cases per 100,000 person years, compared with 0.7 cases per 100,000 person years in unvacci...
15. Phylodynamic inference of infectious diseases caused by HIV, enterovirus 71 and the 2009 swine-origin human influenza virus - Future Virology , April 2012, Vol. 7, No. 4, Pages 403-412. (Source: Future Virology)

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29 April 2009 — The situation continues to evolve rapidly. As of 18:00 GMT, 29 April 2009, nine countries have officially reported 148 cases of swine influenza A/H1N1 infection. The United States Government has reported 91 laboratory confirmed human cases, with one death. Mexico has reported 26 confirmed human cases of infection including seven deaths.

The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths – Austria (1), Canada (13), Germany (3), Israel (2), New Zealand (3), Spain (4) and the United Kingdom (5).

Further information on the situation will be available on the WHO website on a regular basis.

WHO advises no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders. It is considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention, in line with guidance from national authorities.

There is also no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products. Individuals are advised to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and should seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness.

(CNN) — Seventy-three cases of swine flu have been confirmed worldwide, the World Health Organization said Monday.

Forty of those cases are in the United States, 26 in Mexico, six in Canada and one in Spain, a WHO representative said.

Later Monday, health officials in Scotland said two cases of swine flu had been confirmed there.

Hundreds more cases are suspected, especially in Mexico, where as many as 103 deaths are thought to have been caused by the virus, the country’s health minister said. More than 2,000 cases have been reported but not confirmed in the country.

Federal officials confirmed 20 new U.S. cases on Monday.

A federal official said they were at the same school in New York in which eight U.S. cases were confirmed earlier. More than 100 students at the school were out with flu-like symptoms last week.

The outbreak is a particular concern because of who it is hitting hard, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday.

“We are concerned that in Mexico, most of those who died were young and healthy adults,” he said.

California Department of Public Health confirms a seventh case of swine flu in the state — and it’s the third in Imperial County.

A 35 year old woman was hospitalized April 4, she recovered and was later released.

At least two cases of the human swine influenza were also confirmed in Kansas Saturday, bringing the U.S. total to 12.

At least eight more are suspected in students at a New York City high school, but health officials say they don’t know whether they have the same virus that has killed scores of people in Mexico.

A strain of the flu has killed as many as 68 people and sickened more than 1,000 across Mexico. The World Health Organization chief says the strain has “pandemic potential” and it may be too late to contain a sudden outbreak.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta says besides the two confirmed cases in Kansas, there are nine in California and Texas.

To date, four cases of swine flu have been reported in San Diego County.

• A 7-year-old male (Friday)
• A 54-year-old male and his 16-year-old daughter (Thursday)
• A 10-year-old male (Tuesday)

All have recovered. Officials say none were exposed to pigs, which is the typical way swine flu is transmitted.

“We have heightened our surveillance and put area healthcare providers on alert. This will most likely generate additional cases of human infection with swine influenza,” Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County Public Health Officer said Saturday.

The public is being advised to follow typical precautions, as they should during a regular flu season.

“If you are sick, do not go to work, school or travel. Cover your mouth when coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose, and wash your hands frequently,” Wooten said.

In Mexico, authorities have closed schools, museums, libraries and theaters in the capital to try to contain an outbreak that has spurred concerns of a global flu epidemic.

A hot line fielded 2,366 calls in its first hours from frightened city residents who suspected they might have the disease. Soldiers and health workers handed out masks at subway stops, and hospitals dealt with crowds of people seeking help.

This virus is a mix of human, pig and bird strains that prompted WHO to meet Saturday to consider declaring an international public health emergency — a step that could lead to travel advisories, trade restrictions and border closures. Spokesman Gregory Hartl said a decision would not be made Saturday.

The CDC and Canadian health officials were studying samples sent from Mexico, and airports around the world were screening passengers from Mexico for symptoms of the new flu strain, saying they may quarantine passengers.

But CDC officials dismissed the idea of trying that in the United States, and some experts said it’s too late to try to contain spread of the virus.

They noted there had been no direct contact between the cases in the San Diego and San Antonio areas, suggesting the virus had already spread from one geographic area through other undiagnosed people.

Testing indicates some mainstream antiviral medications seem to work against the virus. The CDC is checking people who have been in contact with the confirmed cases, who all became ill between late March and mid-April.

Health experts say the last recorded death from swine flu in the U.S. was in 1976 and what is significant to the cases here is not the severity, but the strain.

“This is the very first time that it has been detected,” Wooten, M.D., M.P.H said.  And with all the attention, she says it’s unlikely this is the last of it.  “We definitely expect to find more because we’re asking doctors to test.”

Doctors say symptoms of this flu include fever, sore throat, coughing and nausea.

The CDC says two flu drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, seem effective against the new strain. Roche, the maker of Tamiflu, said the company is prepared to immediately deploy a stockpile of the drug if requested. Both drugs must be taken early, within a few days of the onset of symptoms, to be most effective.

Get more information about swine flu on the San Diego County “Swine Flu and You” Web page.