News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – A research team that analyzed the strain of H3N8 influenza linked to a baby seal die-off in New England last year found that it originated in birds and has adapted to mammals, signaling a possible threat to humans and animals alike.

(CIDRAP News) – A large-scale study suggests that antiviral treatment saved many lives during Mexico's 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic but also points to an irony: that the use of antivirals dropped sharply in the fall wave of cases.

(CIDRAP News) – Armed with lessons learned during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, government leaders in North America and Europe this week launched new guidance aimed at boosting preparedness for the next influenza pandemic.

(CIDRAP News) – Researchers who took a detailed look at 2009 H1N1 deaths in Mexico, where the virus was first detected, found that the new flu virus was more deadly than most seasonal flu epidemics and more lethal than in other countries, which confirms impressions early in the pandemic that the disease was worse in Mexico.

(CIDRAP News) – Few US states have addressed ethical issues surrounding pandemic flu preparedness in recent years, according to a new study in the American Journal of Public Health.

Also, the study authors found, states that have tackled the issues have focused rather narrowly, typically on allocating scarce hospital resources, while virtually ignoring such issues as community engagement surrounding isolation and quarantine plans.