(If you want any of the links to open in a new window, hold down the shift key and then click on the link)
Please visit these threads for latest information from these regions or to add news
| No | Region Name | No | Region Name | No | Region Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA | 8 | East Africa | 15 | Arab Peninsula |
| 2 | Canada, Greenland and the Arctic Circle | 9 | Southern Africa and Madagascar | 16 | Central Asia |
| 3 | Central America and Caribbean | 10 | Northwest Europe and British Isles | 17 | Southern Asia |
| 4 | South America and Surrounding Islands | 11 | West and Southwest Europe | 18 | Mainland East Asia and Japan |
| 5 | Northern Africa | 12 | Central and Southeast Europe | 19 | Southeast Asia |
| 6 | West Africa | 13 | Eastern Europe and Baltic Region | 20 | Australasia Melanesia and Micronesia |
| 7 | Central Africa | 14 | Middle East and Caucasus Region | 21 | Pacific Islands and Antarctic |
(Please see the thread Volunteers Needed as Lookouts Worldwide if you want to help)
Separate forum threads for India, Indonesia and Nepal
link to Indonesia wiki page
(From WHO as at 31 Oct - latest update) Total human cases worldwide 256, deaths 152 (2006 – 109 with 74 deaths)
Thailand
Phillipines
China
Laos
Crimea(Ukraine)
Canada
Indonesia
General
Link to news thread for 12 November (link News Reports for November 12 )
(Usual disclaimer about may not have captured everything. Feel free to add your own where omissions have occurred.)
Please note that I copy the links directly from the thread so if they don’t work you may need to re-visit the Thread.
NEWS
JAKARTA, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) — “Indonesia recorded two other bird flu cases on Monday with one dead, bringing the total death to 56 out of 74 contracted people in the vast archipelago country, the Health Ministry said.
A twoandhalfyearold boy, who died on Monday morning after three days in hospital, and a 35-year woman, were confirmed by the country‘s laboratory tests positive of having avian influenza, said an official of the anti-bird flu center of the ministry.
Both of them have been treated in the Jakarta’s designed bird flu hospital of Sulianti Suroso, the official said.
“The results of their test is positive of bird flu, the boy died at six this morning,” she told Xinhua.
The boy, who was from Kerawang in West Java province, had history of contacts with fowls, but the woman, who was from Tanggerang in an outskirt of Jakarta, was still not clear, said the official…”
NEWS
Firms at risk of flu pandemic
Norfolk Now(UK)- “Thousands of East Anglian businesses are leaving themselves exposed to the devastating impact of a bird flu pandemic, industry leaders warned yesterday.
Their comments follow a report by business forum Survive urging companies to prepare emergency plans - claiming a pandemic would cost British business £95 billion and decimate workforces.
But yesterday it emerged that at least 19,000 small-to-medium sized businesses in the region do not appear to have made any preparations.
Chief executive of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce Caroline Williams and Breckland Council economic development manager Mark Stanton said they were not aware of any small business locally which had drawn up contingency proposals…”
http://tinyurl.com/te5dj
MaMa-
you’ve been doing an exellant job! it’s nice to see that your interested in helping AnnieB. I know she appreaciates it. keep up the good work.
Excerpt:
Re: Bush’s visit to Indonesia
http://tinyurl.com/y9asma
Seen from Bush’s agenda while his 10 visit hours in Indonesia, there were no crucial theme, that included terrorism and the military co-operation that were discussions with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY).
According to Minister for Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajudha, the problem of terrorism and the co-operation the military will not become the main agenda in this meeting.
Precisely that became the focus was discussions in the health field and the handling co-operation as well as the prevention of the bird flu pandemic and the increase in US investment in this country.
Was not discussed by him the agenda and the military co-operation of terrorism discussions because of Indonesia it was considered could handle this problem.
When visiting to Bali in 2003, Bush praised the Indonesian role in handling the problem of terrorism.
Australia: Canberra Nursing Home Battles Fatal Disease Outbreaks
Commonground – at 06:35 According to Minister for Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajudha, the problem of terrorism and the co-operation the military will not become the main agenda in this meeting. Precisely that became the focus was discussions in the health field and the handling co-operation as well as the prevention of the bird flu pandemic and the increase in US investment in this country.
Comment
I think this is all about carrots and sticks. I suspect Bush is saying, “Hey Indonesia, U.S. industry knows you love our investment in your country, and, gee, we’d love to encourage more such investment. But, you know, you gotta do something about this bird flu thing---or we’re going to yank the rug out from under you.”
The fact that we are sending GWB to do the work of diplomats speaks to how utterly tenuous the situation is in Indonesia both from a diplomatic and public health perspective. Can’t say this gives me warm fuzzies.
This virus is scaring me more and more everyday
Edna Mode @07:44
Don’t be too surprised if the situation in Idonesia suddenly clears up after Bush’s visit. BF, and any other disease will have vanished, and “it’s a beautiful morning….”
Hi cottontop. Mama’s news gathering skills are legendary. For a very long time (until she had to take time off to him family businessY she was the news thread
Nice to see you again MaMa
Whoops, until she had to “take time off to help with her family business…”
Non-caffinated fingers are working as well as my proofreading skills this am. :-)
Am I the only one that thinks its not the smartest idea to send our commander in chief into an area that is potentially biologically hazardous? It just dosn’t make sense to me that Bush is going-but then I admit I don’t know that much about international influenza protocol. This situation just seems very odd to me.
MCOT News
BANGKOK, Nov 13 (TNA) - “Thailand and five neighbouring Southeast Asian countries met in Bangkok Monday to find ways to contain the spread of contagious animal diseases and producing more effective animal vaccines after being hit by a series of deadly diseases including avian influenza (bird flu) in recent years.
Senior officials from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam attended the three-day meeting jointly presided over by Thailand’s Department of Livestock Development director general Yukol Limlamthong and Mikiharu Sato, representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Thailand.
Major issues which were discussed at the meeting include the success of joint cooperation between the six Southeast Asian countries in battling against animal diseases in the region during the first phase of the program in the past five years and their intention to carry on with the second phase for the coming three years.
Other significant issues are monitoring animal diseases, establishing improved control over moving animals in the region and the manufacture of animal vaccines.” - excerpt
Halo Newsie-
I’m fairly new to the wiki, since school started, and I’ve been impressed. I’ve lurked in some other sites, but the wiki just has “something” the others don’t. The newshounds continue to impress me, and I’ve almost given up on scouting for news, ;-), (not really). I laugh at myself when I find something, and I think, bet MaMa, or the others haven’t found this. But that is a dilusional dream. They always beat me to it. It’s comforting to know that the people here are on their toes, have their heads up, and are committed to this. Hubby has deemed you folks, my “flu crew”! God love him. Have a great day.
- some additional details
Monday, Nov 13, 2006
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - A young Indonesian boy died from bird flu on Monday, bringing the country’s death toll to 56, while a woman infected with the virus was being treated in hospital, the health ministry said.
The two patients lived in different towns on the outskirts of the capital Jakarta and had not been in contact with each other, according to the Health Ministry’s bird flu information centre. Indonesia has logged more deaths from bird flu than any other country. The sprawling island country has been accused of doing too little to fight the disease since it first appeared in poultry stocks and backyard chickens three years ago. The 2 1/2-year-old boy who died Monday was admitted to Jakarta’s infectious diseases hospital a day earlier, said an official with the Health Ministry who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing ministry rules.
She said initial reports suggested the boy and the 35-year-old woman caught the H5N1 virus from infected birds.
The World Health Organization has not yet confirmed the latest cases.” - excerpt
Green Mom: The best evidence is that there are only limited H to H clusters and these occur when people are in close proximity to each other. Since thousands of tourists, businesspeople and others travel daily to these countries, we would know pretty soon if something was amiss with “normal” contacts. Also, I assume top leaders have access to medicines and precautions that we would not. It is a matter of weighing risk. The risk for President Bush is pretty low - as it would be even for a tourist going to Bali. All of this could change in a few days if the virus “jumped” but so far there is no sign that it has made the final few adjustments needed, even if it is getting there.
- some additional details
Monday, Nov 13, 2006
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - “A young Indonesian boy died from bird flu on Monday, bringing the country’s death toll to 56, while a woman infected with the virus was being treated in hospital, the health ministry said.
The two patients lived in different towns on the outskirts of the capital Jakarta and had not been in contact with each other, according to the Health Ministry’s bird flu information centre. Indonesia has logged more deaths from bird flu than any other country. The sprawling island country has been accused of doing too little to fight the disease since it first appeared in poultry stocks and backyard chickens three years ago. The 2 1/2-year-old boy who died Monday was admitted to Jakarta’s infectious diseases hospital a day earlier, said an official with the Health Ministry who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing ministry rules.
She said initial reports suggested the boy and the 35-year-old woman caught the H5N1 virus from infected birds.
The World Health Organization has not yet confirmed the latest cases.” - excerpt
Green Mom – at 08:45 Am I the only one that thinks its not the smartest idea to send our commander in chief into an area that is potentially biologically hazardous?
I, personally, think it’s a great idea. ;)
Seriously though, that’s my point, Green Mom. They are sending in the president of the U.S. to do a job that WHO staff and U.S. diplomats should be doing. That, to me, tells a grim story in terms of the gravity of the avian influenza situation in Indonesia and the Indonesian government’s lack of competency and cooperation dealing with the international public health community.
I hope the MSM follows him there, and I hope they, for once, get the story right.
COMMENT
Somewhere I read recently what Bush was going to be doing while in Indonesia. If I remember correctly his stay there is very brief, in hours, and he is going to be meeting with multiple “heads” of state and will be discussing a wide range of topics. His trip to Indonesia is not solely to discuss “Avian Flu”, and the time constraints that will be on this trip, would not allow a really indepth discussion into the topic, as I read it. I think Indonesia will simply want to know how much money the U.S. is going to give them. I will see if I can find the link, but I read it 5–7 days ago.
I can’t find the same article I read the other day, but this confirms the very brief visit planned.
Indonesia is the world’s most populus Muslim nation. The president is to stop there for a few hours on his way back from an international economic summit next week in Vietnam. The White House hasn’t announced a date for the stop, but Indonesian officials say Bush will meet with Indonesia’s president November 20th at a palace in the town of Bogor. http://tinyurl.com/y785j8
and this also describes the visit.
But don’t forget, Bush’s brief stay here is reciprocal. It is a courtesy visit, because President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited the White House last year, months after the latter won the presidential election in 2004. http://tinyurl.com/y8hzpb
(Come after breakfast, bring your own lunch, and leave before suppertime)
At this point, there is no reason for POTUS not to visit Indo, esp. for so short a trip.
Believe me, his people would have zero problem canceling the visit if they thought there was a danger to the president.
These zip in zip out trips are hard on the president and his staff. He is in the region and he does “owe” them more than flying overhead and tipping the wings of AFO. Nobody should be reading into this that the visit is intended to be all about avian influenza. There are several items we have mutual interest in. There is no substitute for renewing face to face relationships. It also helps the gov of Indo look good that POTUS has come to meet w/ them.
P.S. Cottontop, I love “flu crew.”. :-)
NEWS - WHO - Just appeared on the WHO site - http://preview.tinyurl.com/ymwzjk
Avian influenza – situation in Indonesia – update 37
13 November 2006
The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has confirmed an additional two cases of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.
The first newly-confirmed case is a 35-year-old female from Tangerang in Banten Province. She developed symptoms on 7 November and was hospitalized on 10 November. She remains hospitalized. Her source of exposure is currently under investigation.
The second case occurred in a 30-month-old male from Karawang in West Java Province. He developed symptoms on 5 November, was hospitalized on 10 November, and died on 13 November. An initial investigation of his exposure source found reports of chicken deaths near his home in the days prior to symptom onset.
Of the 74 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 56 have been fatal.
NEWS - WHO - and they have also updated their table - http://preview.tinyurl.com/yk2r4q
So, once WHO updates their table, we need to update ours and Europeans need to update theirs.
All three tables have their value: official, with comments about recent cases, sorted by dates. A nice mess. :-)
Thought this was kind of interesting. Are they getting some kind of emergency notification in place.
SpectraRep’s AlertManager is a complete system for composing and issuing all EAS, Amber Alerts, weather and other event notices to broadcasters, government sites, campuses, cell phones, mobile data, and email. The AlertManager system enables the origination, transmission and receipt of Common Alerting Protocol messages, audio, video and multiple file attachments. The system provides distribution of emergency information via satellite, DTV datacast and web-based platforms
The current state of health care is in trouble now without a bad flu season. See this article from the Boston Globe.
Hospital doctors shut doors to new patients Many are forced to go to health centers
There is a huge crisis in primary care right now,” said Dr. Sherry Haydock, medical director of Internal Medicine Associates, a primary care practice at Mass. General. “If you have a family member already cared for at the hospital, you have a much higher likelihood that a doctor will take you. But as our [practices] have gotten to 150 percent the size they should be, a lot of us realize we have to say no even to family members.
cottontop and Newsie, thanks!
NEWS
Egypt: Winter May Bring More Bird Flu, Health Ministry Says
All-Africa.com- “…In Egypt, as in the rest of the world, although we have all the necessary precautions well in place, there might be a new surge,” Sayyid al-Abbasi Egyptian health ministry official, said.
He added that the danger was renewed with each season of migration for birds, and as Egypt is on a major migratory route, it is particularly affected…”
…”While a ban on the practice in urban areas was imposed soon after the virus was first detected, domestic breeding in the rural areas has remained rife as the government did not feel it would be productive to impose a similar ban there.
“A ban would lead many to conceal their birds, heightening the danger rather than quelling it,” Abdel Rahman Shahine, health ministry spokesperson, said.
Instead, the authorities tried to focus on raising awareness across the country as well as training health and social workers on how to deal with bird flu…”
http://tinyurl.com/ya2ty5
NEWS
Romanians visit Delaware to learn from bird flu experts
Dealwareonline(USA)- “Fifteen senior policymakers from Romania are visiting Delaware this week to participate in a nine-day training program on managing avian influenza outbreaks.
The Romanian group, which includes representatives from the government, poultry industry and academia, will spend most of its time with avian flu experts from the University of Delaware and Delaware Technical & Community College campuses in Georgetown.
In May, Romanian veterinarian authorities confirmed more than 80 outbreaks of the H5N1 virus infection in domestic fowl in 12 districts of the country, according to the World Health Organization. So far, no human cases have been confirmed, but Romanian officials are requesting assistance in controlling the disease…”
http://tinyurl.com/yearsx
NEWS - EGYPT - Reuters Alertnet from IRIN - http://preview.tinyurl.com/y37onm
- EGYPT: Winter may bring more bird flu, health ministry says - 13 Nov 2006 14:58:56 GMT
CAIRO, 13 November (IRIN) - With the onset of winter, there may be an increase in cases of the potentially lethal avian flu virus H5N1 among fowl and humans in Egypt, according to health ministry officials.
NEWS
Six Southeast Asian countries confer on animal contagion
MassCommunicationOfThailand- “ Thailand and five neighbouring Southeast Asian countries met in Bangkok Monday to find ways to contain the spread of contagious animal diseases and producing more effective animal vaccines after being hit by a series of deadly diseases including avian influenza (bird flu) in recent years.
Senior officials from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam attended the three-day meeting jointly presided over by Thailand’s Department of Livestock Development director general Yukol Limlamthong and Mikiharu Sato, representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Thailand.
Major issues which were discussed at the meeting include the success of joint cooperation between the six Southeast Asian countries in battling against animal diseases in the region during the first phase of the program in the past five years and their intention to carry on with the second phase for the coming three years.
Other significant issues are monitoring animal diseases, establishing improved control over moving animals in the region and the manufacture of animal vaccines…”
more… http://tinyurl.com/yauycq
Newsie – at 10:24 These zip in zip out trips are hard on the president and his staff….
Precisely. And Bush isn’t exactly prone to drive-by visits just to press the flesh, is he?
Nobody should be reading into this that the visit is intended to be all about avian influenza.
I don’t think anyone said it was. If my message implied that, my bad. However, I think it is naive to imply that the visit is about much else, other than…
There are several items we have mutual interest in.
The economic stakes, which is the other (and probably main) item we share a mutual interest in with Indonesia. High stakes for both sides. If there were a wiki fly on the wall during the stop over (and who’s to say there wasn’t), it would likely report there was a veneer of civility during the exchange under which a tight-lipped, terse message about the connection between economics and AI was delivered.
Tamiflu may get ‘abnormal behavior’ label
WASHINGTON - Doctors and parents should watch for signs of bizarre behavior in children treated with the flu drug Tamiflu, federal health officials suggested Monday in citing an increasing number of such cases from overseas.
ADVERTISEMENT
Food and Drug Administration officials still don’t know if the more than 100 new cases, including three deaths from falls, are linked to the drug or to the flu virus — or a combination of both. Most of the reported cases involved children.
Still, FDA staff suggested updating Tamiflu’s label to recommend that all patients, especially children, be closely monitored while on the drug. They also acknowledged that stopping treatment with Tamiflu could actually harm influenza patients if the virus is the cause of the delirium, hallucinations and other abnormal behavior.
<snip>
The meeting comes a year after the same panel of outside experts rejected linking Tamiflu to reports of 12 deaths in Japanese children since 2000 and voted against changing the drug’s label to suggest any such concern. At that time, however, the committee did recommend that the FDA continue to monitor the drug’s safety and return a year later with an update.
The panel’s decision after reviewing the new update is likely to be closely watched, since Tamiflu could play an important role in an outbreak of bird flu. The drug doesn’t prevent flu but can reduce the length and severity of its symptoms.
Most of the 103 new cases of bizarre behavior are from Japan, where the number of Tamiflu prescriptions is about 10 times that in the United States, with more than twice the population.
<snip>
The Japanese Tamiflu label now warns that disturbances in consciousness, abnormal behavior, delirium, hallucination, delusion and convulsion may occur. It also recommends patients be carefully monitored and the drug stopped if any abnormality is observed.
<snip>
FDA staff called the proposed changes “prudent,” since U.S. Tamiflu use could jump to Japanese levels. The current U.S. label mentions only “seizure and confusion” seen in some patients.
Little comment on some news in Ivory Coast - http://preview.tinyurl.com/y8u46v
(In French). The Prime Minister celebrated his birthday in bed with flu. Forteen members of the Government came to celebrate with him, to enquire about his health and to bring him their support… - (1) even the powerful can catch flu; (2) hopefully, they won’t set an example and do this if it were “avian influenza”…
The “Advertisement” in the above cut-and-paste is a goof. I forgot to delete if from where I was copying it from Yahoo News. My apologies.
Comment:
However, I think this is a very significant issue. For those families that have stocked Tamiflu they need to be aware of the possible side effects that are specific to children.
I usually don’t post news, so sorry if I’ve done this wrong.
CNN Alert-MASSACHUSETTS
<SNIP>
“Here in Massachusetts, in particular, our state health department has started early in the season talking about pandemic preparedness and being prepared for any flu season,” he said. “I think that’s raised people’s awareness about the utility of the flu shot.”
<SNIP>
While the H5N1 virus, or bird flu, has not yet infected Americans, health officials have monitored its possibility as a pandemic strain of the flu which could be easily transferred from person to person.
<SNIP>
“So far that hasn’t happened,” said Biddinger. “We’ve accumulated a little more data that suggests this virus may not become a pandemic virus, but we don’t know. http://tinyurl.com/uh5o4
COMMENT: More data that suggests this virus MAY NOT become a pandemic virus?????
APEC works to combat global pandemics
Mon Nov 13, 6:42 AM ET (link http://tinyurl.com/yz4csh)
HANOI (AFP) - APEC, known primarily as an Asia-Pacific economic forum, is also working to shore up the world’s defenses against bird flu and other deadly diseases, according to delegates at the regional summit. “The progress that we have made so far within APEC has made a good contribution to the world effort in preparing for pandemics,” a member of the US delegation told AFP.
A Chinese official added: “Within APEC we largely focus on economic issues, but pandemics have emerged as one of those issues that have an impact on economic growth prospects.” “That’s why we do think APEC has a contribution to make here,” he added.
They were speaking after delegates to the annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, a sprawling club of nations with an ever-broadening agenda, discussed anti-pandemic efforts within the region.
The discussions came in the build-up to this weekend’s summit, to be attended by leaders from the 21 APEC member economies including US President George W. Bush and China’s Hu Jintao.
Officials reviewed an exercise carried out in June to test regional readiness for a deadly outbreak, according to David Spencer, Australia’s ambassador to APEC. “We’re going to follow it up next year by trying to develop greater cooperation, greater capacity building, greater logistical cooperation” between disaster management agencies in APEC member states and territories, he said. The June exercise had exposed unspecified holes in some countries’ plans to handle potential pandemic outbreaks, according to an evaluation published by APEC. “The purpose of exercises is to show where there are some things that need work. I’d be surprised if we had an exercise with absolutely no gaps,” said the US delegate.
“We’ve worked very closely with the World Health Organization and with all other international organizations on this issue as well as with our domestic agencies,” he said. In September, the WHO said the Asia-Pacific region - especially hard hit by bird flu - was still not prepared to handle the threat from emerging infectious diseases.
(Guernsey, UK) Flu plan set to be tested by Gemma Hockey
GUERNSEY must hold its first influenza pandemic emergency exercise by February. “The UK Department of Health recommends each local area has completed an exercise by February. We are going to observe an exercise in the UK, which we plan to do before the end of the year – it could be anywhere in the south-west. We are looking at conducting our own early next year,” said Home Department emergency planning officer Malcolm Parker. Mr Parker said he was not sure whether the exercise would be undertaken in practice or theory.
“The cost of the exercise depends how we do it – you don’t have to do it using people as patients. We could tabletop the exercise, where we are sat around a table and work through the scenario. It doesn’t cost anything but time that way. If you go practical, there are costs included. We have a pending meeting with the flu pandemic team to discuss our next move,” he said.
It is estimated that 25% of the UK’s population will be affected by a pandemic, with a proportion dying as a result of the illness. More at http://tinyurl.com/yaudce
HHS panflu report # 3 is out—at pandemicflu.gov
Add the Tamiflu risks to children, and the fact that Plavix a common drug neutralizes the effects of Tamiflu, the picture on this drug is troubling.
Leo7: agree 100%. Even if I had some, I would only give it to my kids if a PF situation and I relatively certain they had something life threatening. With the exception of the very young, very old and immuno-supressed, I would hesitate giving antivirals like Tamiflu to most anyone. Yes, it sucks being sick, but in the vast majority of cases all turns out well without the need for medication. Seems often the “cure” is worse than the illness.
Recombinomics Commentary November 13, 2006
The death of casualties was named ES (35) from Tangerang, Banten and A (2,5) from Karawang, West Java, fulfilled the number of bird flu casualties in the homeland to 74 people.
The head of the Centre of Department of Health Communication of the Public of the Bird Flu Command Post, Lily S Sulistyowati, told how this incident started from the citizen’s ES of Taman Adiyaksa, Tangerang, from felt was sick (onset) on November 7 2006.
“The above translation indicates both recently confirmed bird flu H5N1 in suburban Jakarta have died. Most of the human cases in Indonesia have been from western Java and most have died. H5N1 isolated from these patients has a novel cleavage site that does not match the vast majority of H5N1 birds isolates. Additional birds samples sent to Australia fro sequencing have failed to identify the source of the human infections in Jakarta
Although the isolates have picked up sequences from the Qinghai strain as well as additional polymorphisms from China and southeast Asia, the local reservoir of human H5N1 has not been identified. Although there have been 74 confirmed cases, the number of matches with H5N1 from poultry in the area of the victims remains at zero.
Wild bird surveillance remains poor worldwide. Only one Qinghai isolate has been reported for eastern China, although Qinghai sequences are readily detected in the H5N1 isolates throughout Asia.
H5N1 continues to evolve and the source of human infections in Indonesia remains unlikely to be directly linked to poultry. - excerpt
More on FDA Tamiflu recommendations:
FDA: Tamiflu patients need monitoring (AP)
WASHINGTON - Patients who take Tamiflu should be closely monitored for signs of abnormal behavior, health officials said Monday in ordering an updated label for the flu drug.
The new precaution comes after reports of more than 100 new cases of delirium, hallucinations and other unusual psychiatric behavior in children treated with the drug. Most were Japanese children.
The Food and Drug Administration said the relationship between the drug and the behavior had not been established and that the updated label was “intended to mitigate a potential risk associated with Tamiflu.”
FDA said it approved the update after receiving more than 100 reports, mostly from Japan, of self-injury and delirium in flu patients treated with Tamiflu. The changes bring the U.S. label more in line with the Japanese one.
Tamiflu is made by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche Holding AG. Roche spokesman Terence Hurley said there was no evidence the drug caused the rarely occurring adverse events.
Both Roche and the FDA also said that severe cases of the flu can spark the abnormal behavior flagged in the updated label.
NEWS
Gene chip test identifies bird flu strains
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - …”Now, people suspected of having an H5N1 infection get a rapid flu test that tells only whether they are infected with an influenza A strain. A sample must be sent to a designated WHO laboratory that then tests for H5N1 genetic material — a process that can take two weeks…”
“Our tests show the MChip can determine the type and subtype of human flu influenza in less than seven hours, in contrast to current methods to identify the type and subtype of flu that require several days,” Colorado University’s Robert Kuchta said in a statement.
Discussions are under way to commercialize the MChip, which costs less than $10 to make, said chemistry professor Kathy Rowlen, who led the study, funded by the National Institutes of Health.
“One of our goals has been to address the needs of developing nations by providing an inexpensive field-portable test kit for the World Health Organization for global screening of respiratory illnesses,” Rowlen said.
The gene chip test lights up with a series of fluorescent spots. To automate recognition of the patterns and reduce the risk of human error the researchers developed an artificial neural network trained to recognize the distinctive pattern indicative of H5N1.”
more… http://tinyurl.com/yzeeq7
FDA: Tamiflu Patients Need Monitoring
Just saw this - some strange side effects with taking Tamiflu, maybe something else to watch for?
Multi-Drug Resistant TB This article is long, but it is very informative. It helps to explain why some healthcare workers may not be as worried about pandemic influenza as they are about some other diseases, especially when the “worst case” scenario for a pandemic has been presented as only 2% CFR. The article also tells us why we do not want to risk weakening ourself with malnutrition or other immune system stressors. It looks like we have another “time bomb” disease on our hands.
SNIP Such slipshod treatment has led not only to new infections but, more terrifyingly, to the emergence of multidrug-resistant TB strains, or MDR-TB, which a recent Harvard study called “Ebola with wings,” and is now found in the United States and more than 100 other countries.
Several other events have acted to reignite the old problem known as phthisis, consumption, or the white plague (named for the pallor it causes). Just as public-health spending on TB was declining, immigration from areas where the disease has never been much beaten back — from Asia, Africa, and especially from Russia — steadily rose. Despite a decade-long effort mounted by the World Health Organization, the global rate of TB continues to climb about 3 percent a year. Currently, then, 8 million people worldwide fall ill with the disease each year and, because only a quarter receive effective treatment, 3 million die. Furthermore, a third of the world’s population — another 2 billion people — carry latent infection, each of whom has about a 10 percent chance of it activating in their lifetime. When TB does activate, it does so insidiously, often simply as a persistent but infectious cough, and on average, an active case will infect 20 other people before it is identified and treated.
Unless Americans are willing to adopt suffocatingly draconian immigration policies, the likelihood is that with globalization TB will again become epidemic here, in the same way that HIV moved from Africa to take root throughout the world. Suffering does not localize. When we engage with the world, we engage, inescapably and absolutely, with the world’s infections. And the most devastating infection in the world is not Ebola or Lyme disease, West Nile virus or even HIV, but tuberculosis.
SNIP
Comment bgw in MT – at 21:19
But notice there is a shot for tuberculosis (BCG=bacille Calmette-Guérin)it is just not done often in the US.
There is a report on a TB study in Mexico at: www.thedoctorslounge.net/infections/articles/tb_dots/index.htm It describes using standard best practice techniques on drug resistant and multiple drug resistant TB with a joint Stanford-Mexican medical group. Within a year, the incidence of drug resistant TB had been reduced from 27% to 7% and multiple drug resistant strains had been eliminated. I do not know if the new multiple drug strain is different, but often if we apply what we knew and know, a great deal can be accomplished.
Hungary
From RSOE (in Hungarian) 60 infected at Kutvolgyi Hospital in Budapest, but I don’t know what they have. Or if it’s on another thread, because there are so many threads now.
http://visz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?id=8356&cat=dis&lang=eng
==DennisC – at 21:32…Comment bgw in MT – at 21:19..But notice there is a shot for tuberculosis (BCG=bacille Calmette-Guérin)it is just not done often in the US.==
Dennis, the article said there were 16,000 different identified strains. Does the shot protect against all of them? If it does, I want one soon.