DRC: Ebola virus is the cause of 31 deaths since May in the North East

 The Ebola outbreak raging in the Eastern Province of the DRC have killed 31 people, according to an update of the Congolese government. The WTO deplores a situation "out of control".

According to the latest report, published on 13 September by the Congolese Minister of Health, Dr. Felix Kabange Numbi, the Ebola epidemic raging in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo , could have caused the death of 31 people since May.

On August 17, the state was declared officially epidemic in the Eastern Province (northeast). Since that date, 11 cases have been identified, including 9 deaths were reported.

However, Dr. Kabange Numbi announced that retrospective research aimed at identifying the former case was conducted by the International Committee of technical and scientific coordination, which is responsible for the fight against Ebola in the affected area.

Since May 2012

The committee felt that the hemorrhagic fever began to rage in the month of May 2012, which significantly increases the death toll which it is responsible: 69 cases have indeed been identified. The Minister added that more than half of identified cases arose before the official declaration of the epidemic in mid-August.

In total, 31 deaths were recorded. The laboratory analyzes have been certified with Ebola is responsible for at least nine of them. The minister said that 159 people, may have been in contact with patients are monitored.

The World Health Organization (WHO), it also revised upward the number of infected people and evokes 41 confirmed cases, 28 suspected and 18 deaths in the Haut Uele district of Orientale Province. In total, the institution recognizes 69 confirmed, probable or suspected this district, which is the most affected, but not alone: ​​retrospective surveys revealed 27 cases in the areas of Isiro Viadana and other cities of the Province, WHO announced.

"Serious situation"

The institution indicated by the voice of his spokesman Fadela Chaib that "the situation is serious," adding that "the epidemic continues and we expect to discover new cases." In comments reported by Reuters, Eugene Kabambi, spokesman for the WHO in Kinshasa, painted a more black and stressed that "the epidemic is not under control. On the contrary, the situation is very, very serious. " If nothing is done now, the disease will win other areas and even cities will be threatened, "he said.

WHO, UNICEF, the International Federation of the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta have sent all of the doctors there to try an obstacle to the epidemic.

Ebola is highly contagious nature. Moreover, 18 cases identified affecting health workers. Because of this high risk of infection, suspected cases should be placed in isolation, and the people they attended must be identified in order to prevent the epidemic from spreading beyond the area already affected. In this context, five people were segregated  http://www.jeuneafrique.com/Article/ARTJAWEB20120914193444/sante-omc-rdc-virusrdc-le-virus-ebola-serait-a-l-origine-de-31-deces-depuis-mai-dans-le-nord-est.html 

Suspected Ebola Deaths Double in DRC

...The WHO says the figure has risen from 14 to 31 since September 5.  All of the cases are in Orientale Province in northeastern Congo.

WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic says the outbreak zones remain in the Haut-Uélé territory, in the towns of Isiro and Viadana.

In an interview with VOA on Thursday, Jasarevic described the outbreak as "very active."  However, he noted, most of the latest deaths involved people who were previously infected.

“We are seeing more cases," he said. "There are also some new cases.  But most of these cases of these additional deaths are no new alert cases but are those that have been traced and that have happened before.”...   http://www.voanews.com/content/drc-ebola-deaths/1507392.html? 

Five of the latest deaths involve health workers.

The World Health Organization is working with Congolese health workers to find active Ebola cases and trace people who may have had contact with an infected person.

Ebola outbreak in DRC risks spreading to towns - WHO

Thu Sep 13, 2012 2:19pm GMT

 

KINSHASA (Reuters) - An outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo risks spreading to major towns if not brought under control soon after the death toll doubled within a week, the World Health Organisation warned on Thursday.

The number of people killed by the contagious virus for which there is no known treatment has now risen to 31, including five health workers. Ebola causes massive bleeding and kills up to 90 percent of its victims.

"The epidemic is not under control. On the contrary the situation is very, very serious," Eugene Kabambi, a WHO spokesman in Congo's capital Kinshasa, told Reuters by phone.

"If nothing is done now, the disease will reach other places, and even major towns will be threatened," he said, adding that an estimated $2 million (1.2 million pounds) had to be urgently found to pay for measures to tackle the disease.

The outbreak, which is believed to have been caused by tainted bush meat hunted by local villagers, has so far struck in the towns of Isiro and Viadana in the north-eastern province of Orientale...

http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFBRE88C0OE20120913

U.S. aid disease research and transmission of influenza in Vietnam

Last updated at 18:19, Thursday, 09/13/2012 (GMT +7)

Nhan Dan Online - Today, in Hanoi, the Veterinary Department (CTY) Vietnam under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (NNPTNN) has officially become the new partner of the Influenza Research Program and infectious diseases between and animal (AHI / IP) of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Vietnam.

Under the framework of the cooperation program, in fiscal year 2012, CTY will receive research grants worth 400 thousand dollars. This is part of the proposed program lasts five years with a total value of $ 2 million.

Speaking before the new partner's cooperative funding program, the director of CTY, Dr. Hoang Van Nam said: "This funding is very important, CTY support in the implementation of a series of epidemiological studies to better understand the swine flu, bird flu, and human flu. This will help identify prevention and control methods suitable for both animals and humans. In addition, the research methods and results can be achieved will be applied to any disease transmitted from animals to humans and some other basic diseases in animals. We look forward to continuing to partner with the CDC program in research and monitoring activities in order to control and prevent the flu and other diseases transmitted from animals to humans. "

Cooperation program funded partners desire to further understand the flu and other diseases transmitted from animals to humans by gathering the data necessary to prove to the recommendations on strengthening monitoring and efforts to control the epidemic in Vietnam, in the region, and the world.

With the information obtained from partners, scientists will be able to keep track of individual animals and the infected person to study the risk factors can lead to critical changes in viral gene influenza, or the transmission of viruses between species. This will be able to provide veterinary staff and medical staff information to identify preventive measures can be implemented, the more effective vaccines and better treatment options for both medical economic and animal health.

This cooperation program will follow the co-operation between the CDC and the Vietnamese Ministry of Health (MOH) and the NNPTNN, including the signing of Intent Letter in 2010 to promote activities related to influenza, signed the agreement in 2011 to improve cooperation between health and animal health, and a number of research and monitoring activities AHI / IP in the period 2009-2012 through two cooperative program funded with the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, MOH.

Vietnam is one of the countries affected by influenza A (H5N1) virus with an outbreak of bird flu outbreaks and 123 cases of the virus in humans, including 61 deaths since the disease began to be reported in Vietnam in December 2003. Vietnam is among the countries affected by avian influenza A/H1N1 2009.Although the government has helped to control bird flu, there are still many concerns about the possibility of the virus can evolve and transmit the disease to other species. New funding partnership to strengthen the ability of CTY in addressing these concerns, and review with focus on the veterinary public health.

So far, the United States is the country's largest bilateral aid to Vietnam in flu-related activities, with more than $ 70 million since 2005. http://www.nhandan.com.vn/cmlink/nhandandientu/thoisu/suc-khoe/m-tr-giup-nghien-c-u-cac-b-nh-v-cum-va-lay-truy-n-t-i-vi-t-nam-1.367353

INFLUENZA (86): SWINE H1N2, VIRULENCE AND TRANSMISSIBILITY IN FERRETS

Date: Tue 11 Sep 2012
Source: CIDRAP (Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy) News [summ., edited]
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/swineflu/news/sep1112ferrets.html


Ferret study underlines persistent threat of swine flu viruses
--------------------------------------------------------------
A Korean-US research team has identified an H1N2 strain of swine influenza capable of killing ferrets and spreading among them by respiratory droplets, underlining the continuing threat of swine flu to humans amid a wave of swine-origin flu cases in Americans exposed to pigs at agricultural fairs. The researchers exposed groups of ferrets, which are considered the best animal models for human flu, to 4 swine flu viruses isolated in Korea -- 2 H1N2 and 2 H3N2. One of the H1N2 isolates caused severe or fatal illness in the animals and spread to other ferrets housed nearby without direct contact, according to the 

Mexico releases final count of birds culled to prevent bird flu 22.3 million

Mexico releases final count of birds culled to prevent bird flu

Poultry farmers in Mexico have culled nearly 22.3 million birds between June and August 2012 and immunized 140 million birds, in order to control the outbreak of avian flu, according to National Food Health, Safety and Quality Service, or Senasica.

Senasica noted that it has completed the final count of birds culled to prevent the spread of the AH7N3 avian influenza virus.

Senasica director Enrique Sanchez said that no new avian flu cases have been reported over the past three weeks and affected farms are being restored with flocks of between 4.5 million and 5 million birds each month.

The restocking of farms is likely to boost egg production to about 2,700 tons every day, with output rising gradually as new hens are added, Sanchez said.

In June, the authorities detected the virus in cities of Tepatitlan and Acatic in Mexico's largest chicken farming state Jalisco, where 11% of the country's poultry meat and 50% of its eggs are produced.

In order to prevent the outbreak of the disease to other parts of Mexico or other states, the country initiated a national emergency plan. The government ordered vaccinations from Asia and is developing its own vaccines to fight the flu. Strict controls were also been put in place on the transportation of poultry, poultry products and other animals  http://confectionary.food-business-review.com/news/mexico-releases-final-count-of-birds-culled-to-prevent-bird-flu-130912?

Ebola infected woman gives birth-First time

...There are a total of 31 deaths, of which nine were confirmed as due to Ebola by laboratory tests, and 159 people who had contact with patients are being followed, he said. In addition, 5 patients in isolation, "including a confirmed Ebola" a woman seven months pregnant and a half birth to a boy alive.
 

In the DRC, "from epidemics of 1976, this is the first time we have a woman whose pregnancy has been preserved and gives birth. Ebola Because in reality and pregnancy are almost incompatible. And also at Isiro, we have had three cases of abortion, "said Dr. Kabange Numbi.

http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2012/09/13/97001-20120913FILWWW00622-rd-congo-ebola-tue-31-personnes.php

Ebola death toll doubles to 31 in Congo - WHO

Thu Sep 13, 2012 12:13pm GMT

 

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KINSHASA, Sept 13 (Reuters) - An outbreak of Ebola in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo was not under control and the number of people killed by the disease has more than doubled to 31 in the past week, the World Health Organisation said on Thursday.

"The epidemic is not under control ... On the contrary the situation is very, very serious," Eugene Kabambi, a spokesman for WHO in Kinshasa told Reuters by telephone.

The disease has stricken people in the towns of Isiro and Viadana in Orientale province.  http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL5E8KDAM420120913

DRC: Ebola left 31 dead, according to WHO

Thursday, September 13, 2012  by BBC 

The World Health Organization has declared an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed more than 30 lives.

The UN agency also said that 70 people were infected.

Gregory Hartl, an official of the World Health Organization said that the situation is very alarming place.

Communities Isiro and Viadana in the north of the country are most affected by this epidemic.

The authorities officially declared an epidemic in mid-August in the Eastern Province where nine deaths were recorded, almost all in the city of Isiro of 11 reported cases.

There is occasionally a resurgence of the disease in countries of Central Africa.

People who have contracted the virus, diarrhea, and fever, often fatal if they are not taken care of in time  http://www.afriscoop.net/journal/spip.php?article6154

31 suspected Ebola deaths in DR Congo since May: minister

Report

—

Agence France-Presse

09/13/2012 13:22 GMT
KINSHASA, Sept 13, 2012 (AFP) - An outbreak of Ebola haemorrhagic fever has claimed possibly as many as 31 lives in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo since May, Health Minister Felix Kabange Numbi said Thurday.
An epidemic was officially declared on August 17 in Orientale Province, when nine deaths were reported, almost all in the town of Isiro.
But Numbi said an international committee for technical and scientific coordination in the fight against Ebola had carried out retrospective research to find previous cases, which raised the death toll.
The committee estimates that the epidemic probably began in May, and that so far 69 cases had been registered, including among health personnel, Numbi added.
Out of the 31 deaths, nine were confirmed in laboratory tests to be due to Ebola, he said.
The disease, named after a small river in DR Congo, is fatal in about 50 to 90 percent of cases, with victims bleeding from body orifices before dying in the most severe instances.

http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/31-suspected-ebola-deaths-dr-congo-may-minister

Ebola outbreak out of control in Congo: WHO

Thu Sep 13, 2012 9:20am EDT

(Reuters) - An Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo risks spreading to major towns if not brought under control soon, the World Health Organisation said on Thursday.

The death toll has more than doubled since last week to 31, including five health workers dying from the contagious virus for which there is no known treatment. Ebola causes massive bleeding and kills up to 90 percent of its victims.

"The epidemic is not under control. On the contrary the situation is very, very serious," Eugene Kabambi, a WHO spokesman in Congo's capital Kinshasa told Reuters by telephone.

"If nothing is done now, the disease will reach other places, and even major towns will be threatened," he said....

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/13/us-congo-democratic-ebola-idUSBRE88C0LS20120913

Vietnam -Mobilize resources to prevent bird flu

Updated: Wednesday, 12/09/2012 | 10:54:49 AM

At the outbreak of A/H5N1 flu The Hoa (Liangshan), the control measures were strictly. (HBDT) - Translate the province is avian influenza outbreak complicated. This is an acute infectious disease caused by virus type A (H5N1) highly pathogenic, killing up to 100% of infected poultry.Particularly dangerous because from infected poultry, the virus can infect humans, causing acute respiratory failure, the mortality rate to 60 - 90% if not timely rescue.

A/H5N1 flu outbreak in 2 Hoa Son, Hop Hoa (Liangshan), including one village of Hoa Son is old outbreak (happened at the end of 2006). These are two of the communes of concentrated poultry production areas of the province, as well as an area with many farms, family farms. According to statistics, poultry raising in Luong Son district's population is about 400,000 children. To ensure that the response to the epidemic, vaccination is expected to need 250,000 doses of vaccine in 10/18 communes and towns at risk of epidemic spread at a high level including the town of Liangshan Receive Trach, Cu Yen, Tan Vinh, high RAM, Son Lam Son Square, Lien, Hoa Son, Hop Hoa. However, to date, the province has not source translation vaccines. Pham Vinh Xuong, Department of Deputy SDAH concern: This is major outbreaks, if no vaccine supply, can not against translation, stamping. In fact, the most difficult is the Department of Animal Health has written request of the provinces A/H5N1 flu initiative and control by the local budget. Department has advised, PPC proposals for funding support is still pending. In addition there are many ideas debated the validity of vaccines, as soon as the ministerial level also still confused about race in the treatment and control of avian influenza. Through testing, the virulence of A/H5N1 flu vaccine this time different from the disease in 2006. Therefore, the Department selected the solution to the situation is for the direction of injection of the vaccine Veterinary Department and the Regional Animal Health 1. Besides not being met by the power of vaccines and supplies anti-drug services such as disinfection, sterilization is also seriously lacking.At the time of the service, veterinary unit used all resources for priority areas. Now need 4,000 liters of chemical disinfection, worth more than $ 500 million.   In the implementation and control in Luong Son, together with the establishment of checkpoints, ban movement of poultry, the district is implementing measures to selective destruction, not the destruction of the whole. Ie in a radius of 1 km, choose selectively destroyed to avoid wasting budget that maintained the herd breeding areas. Expected, in this outbreak, the number of poultry destroyed about 20,000. If good translation that anti-poultry will reduce 30% of death. Poultry farms in the area are to comply with quarantine measures at the highest level, namely conducting banned camp, limited to organizations disinfection spray 4-6 times / days and apply a number of     measures of care, nutrition, hygiene and disease prevention seriously. The other notable issue is the prevention of bird flu in people almost failed because there is no vaccine. The reason is that if you know the source of vaccination, she could not know that vaccines have similar antigens. While some vaccines such as blue ear only two pathogenic strains should be the identification easier, there are more than 20 strains of influenza A disease should not know any similar vaccine antigens (immune). Pham Vinh Xuong, Deputy Department of Animal Health said: A/H5N1 flu mutate constantly. Province adjacent to many local services such as Ninh Binh, Ha Nam, Kim Boi district special note of, Lac Thuy Yen Shui, Leshan, where the Ho Chi Minh Highway. To prevent disease, livestock farmers need to apply safe from grazing chickens, ducks, geese run free, periodic cleaning, disinfection around cages, monitoring poultry if there is object illness, death must be reported promptly destroy disease, not selling to prevent epidemic spread.  http://www.baohoabinh.com.vn/12/73498/Huy_dong_cac_nguon_luc_ngan_chan_dich_cum_gia_cam.htm

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome – Yosemite National Park, United States of America – update

12 SEPTEMBER 2012 - As of 7 Sept 2012, The National Park Service (NPS) has reported eight cases of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) among visitors who stayed at Yosemite National Park in California since June 2012. Of these, three were fatal and five cases are recovering.

Park authorities have begun to notify and advise park visitors and those who stayed overnight at "Signature Tent Cabins” at Yosemite's Curry Village or "High Sierra Camps" between 10 June and 24 August 2012 to seek immediate medical attention if they exhibit any symptoms of HPS.

Person-to-person transmission of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome has not been reported in the United States.

Investigations carried out by NPS revealed that seven of the eight reported cases of HPS have been linked to the "Signature Tent Cabins" in Curry Village in Yosemite Valley, and one case stayed in multiple "High Sierra Camps" in Yosemite (a different area of the park than Curry Village) in July.

There is no specific treatment or cure for Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome infection. Early recognition and treatment of infected individuals can reduce disease progression. Early symptoms include fatigue, fever, chills, and muscle aches. Fifty percent of the patients can experience headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and abdominal pain. The disease progresses rapidly (4-10 days after initial symptoms) to include coughing, shortness of breath and severe difficulty breathing.

Early medical attention greatly increases the chance of survival in cases of HPS. It is recommended that if a recent visitor to Yosemite National Park has any of the symptoms listed above, that they seek medical attention immediately and advise their health care professional of the potential exposure to Hantavirus.

NPS continues to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the California Department of Public Health, and other state departments of health to detect additional cases and to heighten public health awareness of Hantavirus and HPS.

A non-emergency phone line is still open with NPS for questions and concerns related to Hantavirus in Yosemite +1 209 372-0822. In addition, CDC has a hotline as well (877-232-3322 and 404-639-1510).

Additional information and updated information about HPS in Yosemite can be found via links on the right to this page.  http://www.who.int/csr/don/2012_09_12/en/index.html

Tuyen Quang: appearance of avian influenza in 11 communes

4:55 PM, 12/09/2012(Chinhphu.vn) - Avian flu has appeared in 10 communes and towns of Son Duong district and impressive (Tuyen Quang TP), Tuyen Quang. Whole poultry must be destroyed more than 17,000 children.Shortly after the discovery of bird flu, Tuyen Quang province has established Steering Committee animal disease prevention, poultry supply, guidance and direction in conducting destroy the whole disease in poultry regulations; sanitation and disinfection, disinfection of infected areas; inform the neighboring district to actively prevent.
Mr. Nguyen Van Cong, director of the provincial veterinary Tuyen Quang province, said: "Currently we are implementing urgent and drastic measures in response to the epidemic, organized destruction of all infected poultry and poultry around households if farming is empty, prohibit purchase, sale, transport, slaughter and eat sick poultry, mobilize people captive birds in cages, implement strict hygiene and disinfection disinfection. For where outbreaks have occurred disinfected every day. "
According to the Department of Animal Health (MARD), in addition to Tuyen Quang, the country was six provinces with avian influenza within 21 days of Ha Tinh, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Bac Kan, Quang Ngai and Peace.
Of the disease in poultry, cattle in general across the country in five provinces: Dak Lak, Nghe An, Cao Bang, Bac Can and Can Tho have PRRS less than 21 days.
* Before the diseases of cattle, poultry complicated, Hanoi has actively planning prevention; while additional funding over 11.5 billion for prevention and control of animal disease and poultry.Accordingly, nearly 2.65 billion to buy vaccines blue ear disease in pigs, 2.7 billion to buy vaccines and swine cholera, nearly 1.1 billion purchase H5N1 vaccine ...   http://baodientu.chinhphu.vn/Home/Tuyen-Quang-xuat-hien-dich-cum-gia-cam-tai-11-xa/20129/148616.vgp

Congo (DRC) continues the work of MSF to fight Ebola

Emergency team of Doctors Without Borders continues to fight the epidemic of Ebola in the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where 14 people have already lost their lives

11/09/2012

Two people were admitted to hospital in Isiro, in the Eastern province of the DRC, the epicenter of the epidemic. The fact that they were confirmed new cases of Ebola in the last week suggests that the epidemic is far from being resolved.

"The last confirmed case was admitted to the treatment center on September 2," says Olimpia de la Rosa, MSF emergency coordinator. A zone can not be officially declared cured dall'Ebola until 42 days have elapsed from the last confirmed case. An MSF team of 80 people is working with the Congolese Ministry of Health and other organizations to take care of patients, to prevent the spread of the disease and carry out activities to promote health.

MSF staff is training Congolese health workers to detect signs of Ebola and begin to provide psychosocial support to help patients and their families. 
Ebola is a hemorrhagic fever that does not have a specific cure or a vaccine, with a mortality rate ranging from 25 to 80%, depending on the strain of infection.

At the end of July, it was announced an outbreak of a different strain of Ebola in western Uganda. Emergency response by MSF together with the Minister of Health in Uganda Kibaale district has been successful and is about to end, as there is no new cases reported since August 4.  http://www.medicisenzafrontiere.it/msfinforma/news.asp?id=2995&ref=listaHomepage

Ebola - 3 People In Hospital Isolation Isiro

An emergency team from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) continues to fight against the Ebola epidemic raging in the Eastern Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has already been 15 victims. In a press release received yesterday Monday, September 10 at the newspaper Le Phare, the leaders of this humanitarian organization emphasize that three people are still in hospital isolation Isiro in the Eastern Province, which is the epicenter of the epidemic. "The last confirmed case was admitted to the treatment center on September 2," said Olimpia de la Rosa, MSF emergency coordinator.

The fact that there has been no new confirmed cases of Ebola virus last week suggests that the epidemic is far from over. Indeed, an area may be declared officially free of Ebola than 42 days after the last case was confirmed. 
An MSF team of 80 people working in collaboration with the Congolese Ministry of Health and other organizations to take patient care, to the active case finding and contact tracing, preventing the spread of the disease and conduct activities to promote health...

http://www.lecongolais.cd/ebola-3-personnes-en-isolation-a-lhopital-disiro/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ebola-3-personnes-en-isolation-a-lhopital-disiro

Bird flu spreads in Vietnam

Tuesday, 09/11/2012 06:24

Department of Animal Health (MARD) on 10.9 said, adding a new bird flu outbreak in Luong Son district, Hoa Binh province, the disease caused 1,140 birds and 848 dead birds.

Thus, the avian flu is present in six provinces: Ha Tinh, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Bac Quang Ngai and Peace. According to the Department of Animal Health, the epidemic is spreading rapidly, while the number of vaccine reserves were used up should be conducted with the minimum number of vaccine reserves are about 1 million doses  http://laodong.com.vn/Xa-hoi/Dich-cum-gia-cam-lay-lan-rong/83039.bld

Minnesota boy recovers from swine flu; fourth case linked to State Fair

09/10/2012 06:10:20 PM CDT

A fourth flu illness has been linked to pig exposure at the Minnesota State Fair, health officials said Monday, Sept. 10.

The teenage boy from greater Minnesota was exhibiting swine at the Fair on Aug. 24-26 and came down with flu symptoms two days later, said Buddy Ferguson, a health department spokesman.

The boy was not hospitalized and is recovering, Ferguson said.

Preliminary test results show the boy was sickened with H1N2 variant, a form of flu found in pigs that previously sickened three others who had prolonged pig exposure during the Fair.

"There was at least one pig (at the Fair) who was positive for H1N2v," Ferguson said. "Genetically, it was a match for the strain we were seeing in human patients."

Infection with H1N2 is not considered unusual in pigs, but it is rare in humans. The strain is distinct from the H3N2 variant strain that has caused more than 200 illnesses in humans this year and prompted stepped up surveillance and prevention efforts across the country.

Later this week, health officials expect final confirmation on the viral strain in the fourth flu case from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_21510106/minnesota-boy-recovers-from-swine-flu-fourth-case

New swine flu virus could infect people

Strains in Korean pigs potentially transmissible to humans

By Tina Hesman Saey

Web edition : 5:11 pm

  Text Size

Just a few genetic tweaks could turn an influenza virus found in pigs into the next pandemic threat in people.
At least one virus isolated from pigs in Korea may already have potential to cause disease in people, researchers report online September 10 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The virus caused severe flu in ferrets, a favored proxy for humans in flu research, and grew in human lung tissue in the lab.
“That makes it a bit scary,” says study coauthor Robert Webster, a virologist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. So far, the virus has not been found in people, but “if it is in the pig, beware,” he says.
Pigs are known to be genetic mixing vessels where influenza viruses from birds, humans and pigs swap genes. The resulting viruses, called triple reassortants, are a concern because adaptations arising in pigs may help the viruses spread in humans. A triple reassortant virus that originated in pigs caused the 2009 H1N1 pandemic (SN Online: 4/27/09).
Similar triple reassortant viruses have been found among Korean pig herds, so Webster and colleagues studied several strains for their pandemic potential. Only one, known as A/Swine/Korea/1204/2009 or Sw/1204 (H1N2), made ferrets sick. That virus carries mutations in genes that help flu viruses break into and slip out of host cells. One of the mutations alters a spiky protein on the virus’s surface known as hemagglutinin. The protein helps flu viruses grab onto and invade cells in the digestive tract of birds and the respiratory system in pigs and people.
The other mutation changes a flu virus p..  http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/344748/title/New_swine_flu_virus_could_infect_people

29,000 possibly exposed to hantavirus

29,000 possibly exposed to virus

Written by Alexander MacLean, The Union Democrat September 10, 2012 08:36 am

The most recent person killed by the rare hantavirus pulmonary syndrome was part of a growing group of Yosemite National Park visitors all believed to have been infected around the same time in June while staying in a specific style of cabin in a popular lodging area, park officials confirmed Friday. Additionally, Yosemite officials are now saying that about 29,000 visitors since the beginning of June could have been exposed to the virus. The victim, a tourist from Kanawha County, West Virginia, stayed in a “signature tent cabin” in Curry Village sometime in mid-June like those in all but one of the eight other hantavirus cases linked to the park this summer, according to Yosemite spokeswoman Kari Cobb. She said the West Virginia victim died in late-July, but the death wasn’t officially confirmed as hantavirus and linked to the park until Thursday morning. “That person died but they weren’t sure why, so they went back and did testing and confirmed it as hantavirus. That’s why we found out about it so late,” Cobb said. The two other fatal cases, a 36-year-old Alameda County man who died July 31 and a 45-year-old man from Pennsylvania who died Aug. 12, are both linked to stays in Curry Village’s signature tent cabins sometime in June as well. Officials are withholding the age, gender and date of death of the third victim at the request of family members.  The names of all eight people infected this summer have also not been released.  Symptoms of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome begin with fever and aches similar to the flu, but can move on to respiratory problems that can result in.. http://www.uniondemocrat.com/News/Local-News/29000-possibly-exposed-to-virus

Vietnam News in brief on 11.9

According to the DPC Na Ri (Bac), these days the poultry in areas Khuoi America, Huu Waterfall ruffled feathers, diarrhea, then many children died very quickly, suspected H5N1 infection, local government destroyed the entire 400 birds, take samples for testing, localized outbreaks, chemical spray disinfection cages and surrounding areas.  http://www.nhandan.com.vn/cmlink/nhandandientu/thoisu/doi-song/i-s-ng-tin-chung/kh-n-tr-ng-kh-c-ph-c-h-u-qu-m-a-l-n-nh-i-s-ng-va-s-n-xu-t-cho-ng-i-dan-1.366947

* Department of Animal Health (MARD) confirmed bird flu recurrence in Hoa Binh province, nearly 2,000 children get sick and die; services are in Ha Tinh, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Bac Kan, Quang Ngai and Peace.  http://www.thanhnien.com.vn/pages/20120911/tin-van-ngay-11-9.aspx

Researchers find powerful swine flu strain in Korea

September 10, 2012 

While unlikely to spread to humans, scientists call for close global surveillance of pigs

.A new report shows that a deadly swine flu virus can infect ferrets, highlighting the importance of continuous surveillance of emerging flu strains.

Scientists in South Korea, working closely with researchers in the United States, found that a particular flu strain, common among pigs and known as Sw/1204, caused death within 10 days of inoculation in ferrets. The virus is also transmittable by respiratory droplets, through coughing or sneezing, making it potentially highly contagious. Ferrets are considered the best animal model for studying the flu because they're susceptible to the same virus strains as are humans and show similar symptoms.
 Should people start to worry?
 "This is not a run-for-the-hills situation," explained study co-author Richard Webby, director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Studies on the Ecology of Influenza in Animals and Birds at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, in Memphis. "The study adds value to our surveillance and helps us better prioritize our control measures." Swine flu, endemic among pigs worldwide, can be transferred between pigs, birds and humans. Pigs are considered "genetic mixing vessels," which means they're great at brewing new and potentially dangerous viruses. The study authors say the findings show the pandemic potential of the TRSw influenza viruses that the researchers isolated from Korean pig slaughterhouses. TRSw viruses are Korean "triple-reassortant swine" H1N2 and H3N2, genetically related to strains seen in North America. "Triple" viruses, first detected in 1998 in the United States, were found to have genetic segments from swine, human and bird viruses. Sw/1204 is one of these "triple" viruses....

Read more at: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-powerful-swine-flu-strain-korea.html#jCp

New Swine Flu Virus Shows Lethal Signs

Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer

Date: 10 September 2012 Time: 03:00 PM 

ETAn influenza virus isolated from Korean pigs is deadly and transmissible by air in ferrets, which are used as stand-ins for humans when studying the disease.

This particular virus is likely not a grave threat to humans, said study researcher Richard Webby, a virologist at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. However, the findings do highlight the need to understand more about theviruses circulating among pigs, Webby said.

"We've identified a couple of mutations that seem to be important for swine viruses and potentially increase their risk to humans," Webby told LiveScience. "The more of those type markers we can find, the better our surveillance and the more informative our surveillance can be." Virulent flu

Pigs can be infected by swine flu, human flu and avian flu, making them a perfect mixing pot for different versions of the virus to swap genes and potentially become transmissible across species. In 2009, an outbreak of swine flu caused by the H1N1 virus led to a pandemic, killing between 151,700 and 575,400 people across the globe in a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About half of these deaths occurred in Southeast Asia and Africa.

Webby and his colleagues collaborated with Korean researchers to assess the public health risk from pigs there. They isolated swine flu viruses from swine abattoirs and infected ferrets with the viruses. Ferrets are used to test flu transmissibility because they're about as susceptible to the disease as humans and have similar immune responses and respiratory systems, Webby said.   

Three of the viruses found in the dead swine caused disease, the researchers report online this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Only one, however, was highly lethal and transmissible by respiratory droplet, meaning that other ferrets could contract the disease just by contacting airborne fluids coughed or sneezed by an infected ferret.

This virulent strain, H1N2, caused classic flu symptoms in the ferrets, from sneezing and labored breathing to weight loss and high fever. All three ferrets inoculated with the disease died or were euthanized humanely within 10 days. Three more ferrets were exposed to the sick animals (before they died); two of them contracted the flu. One died, and the other had to be euthanized because its illness was so severe.

"This one particular virus was a little bit unexpected," Webby said. "It actually caused quite severe disease and actually transmitted quite freely."

Monitoring viruses

An investigation of the lethal H1N2 strain revealed changes in two proteins, HA225G and NA315N, which seemed linked to the increased virulence. The proteins are involved in binding the virus to its target cells and in releasing it from the ....hanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writerhttp://www.livescience.com/23061-new-swine-flu-virus-lethal.html

Date: 10 September 2012 Time: 03:00 PM ET

HOW SWINE FLU CAN BECOME PANDEMIC

Scientists learn how a random mutation could transform the virus into an infecting machine.

By Emily Sohn 

Mon Sep 10, 2012 03:00 PM ET

A new influenza virus that can spread from pigs to people has put some public health officials and state-fair goers on edge this season, even though the virus so far has not posed a major threat.

The fear is that a random mutation could turn the virus into an infecting machine, leading to another swine flu pandemic, like the 2009 H1N1 outbreak that may have killed more than half a million people around the world in its first year of circulation.

A new study illustrates one way that the next flu pandemic might begin. Focusing on a variant of swine flu circulating in Korea, researchers discovered a gene mutation that makes the virus especially virulent.

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It's not this particular virus that should cause concern at this point. Instead, the research represents an incremental step towards understanding what it is that turns a mild virus into a devastating one. By compiling a more complete library of such mutations, the hope is to better predict which animal viruses we should be most worried about and better prevent major outbreaks.

"This is not: Oh my gosh, we've got to run for the hills, this virus is coming," said Richard Webby, an influenza virologist at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, and one of the new study's authors. "We really want to be able to try to assign some sort of risk to viruses we find in animal populations, and to know which out of a huge diversity of viruses we in human health should be concerned about. It's very hard to do that at this stage."

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Influenza viruses are constantly moving targets, said Daniel Perez, a virologist who works with influenza at the University of Maryland, College Park. Regularly and without warning, this group of viruses acquire new mutations that affect how they behave.

To better understand what makes s... 

http://news.discovery.com/human/swine-flu-pandemic-mutation-120910.html