FLU NEWS SCAN: H5N1 in Kathmandu, H1N1 in health workers

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
H1N1 2009 Pandemic Influenza

Dec 1, 2011

Nepal reports another avian flu outbreak
Officials in Nepal have culled hundreds of chickens and domestic ducks after an outbreak of H5N1 avian flu killed 90 chickens on a farm in Kathmandu, the first avian flu outbreak in the nation's capital, according to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) story today. "Over 500 chickens and ducks have been slaughtered in the last three days. We also destroyed dozens of eggs and several kilos of poultry feed," Nepalese health official Narayan Prasad Ghimire said. He added that a rapid response team was operating on the outskirts of the city to prevent disease spread and that poultry production has been halted in the affected area. H5N1 was confirmed in the dead chickens by a UK lab, the story said. Earlier this week more than 500 birds were culled in nearby Bhaktapur district after 35 farm chickens died from avian flu. The country experienced its first avian flu outbreak in January 2009.
Dec 1 AFP story

Not wearing masks, respirators may have led to health worker pH1N1 cases
Not wearing masks or respirators may have put health care personnel (HCP) at risk of 2009 H1N1 influenza (pH1N1) during the earliest weeks of the 2009 pandemic, according to scientists from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and California. In the study, published in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the team tracked 63 southern California HCP who had contact with six of the country's first eight cases of pH1N1 flu. Of these, 9 (14%) were seropositive for pH1N1, 6 (67%) of whom showed no symptoms. The highest attack rates occurred among outpatient HCP (6/19 [32%]) and technicians (8/33 [24%]). The researchers found that mask or N-95 respirator use was associated with remaining seronegative (P = .047). The authors conclude, "pH1N1 transmission likely occurred in healthcare settings early in the pandemic associated with inadequate PPE use." "The study also suggests that greater attention to infection control and preparedness, particularly among outpatient workers, is needed," said lead author Jenifer Jaeger, MD, MPH, of Massachusetts General Hospital in a press release from the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), which publishes the journal.
December Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol abstract
Nov 30 SHEA press release

This week's top reads

  1. USDA suspends southern border livestock imports over New World screwworm threat

    As cattle detections track northward, Mexico recently reported its first human case.

    Lisa Schnirring
    screwworm larva

  2. Meta-analysis: Zika-infected pregnant moms 4 times more likely to have babies with microcephaly

    Five of 22 studies noted that over 50% of newborns had microcephaly, and the same number of studies observed that over 5% had congenital Zika syndrome. 

    Mary Van Beusekom

  3. Woman dies of Creutzfeldt-Jakob almost 50 years after taking prion-contaminated growth hormone

    The patient, who presented with gait imbalance and tremors, wasn't diagnosed until she was in a coma, shortly before she died.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    Woman in hospital bed

  4. Data suggest COVID-19 reinfections less likely to cause long COVID

    The risk of long COVID was two to three times higher after the initial infection (14.8%) than after first (5.8%) or second (5.3%) reinfections.

    Stephanie Soucheray
    LONG COID

  5. HHS expected to discontinue COVID vaccine recommendations for some groups

    When CDC advisers widened their recommendation in 2023, most members were swayed by data, including those for long COVID, showing that no group is at low risk for the virus.

    Lisa Schnirring

  6. Texas announces more measles cases, including first in Dallas area

    Two cases near the Dallas area are now included in the large outbreak, which now totals 717 cases.

    Lisa Schnirring

  7. WHO advisers say current strains OK for COVID vaccine production

    Current vaccine strains show high neutralization against the latest variants, but the LP.8.1 antigen may provide similar or moderately higher cross-reactive antibody response.

    Lisa Schnirring
    senior vaccination

  8. Saudi Arabia confirms 9 MERS cases, including hospital cluster

    Since 2023, the country has ramped up MERS-CoV testing as part of sentinel surveillance.

    Lisa Schnirring
    hospital isolation

  9. Long COVID tied to substantial loss in work productivity

    Participants with ongoing long-COVID symptoms were more likely to report any productivity loss in the preceding 3 months than those without ongoing long-COVID symptoms.

    Stephanie Soucheray

  10. Flu vaccine efficacy 41% overall and 26% in older adults, per 2023-24 estimates

    Estimated effectiveness was 68% against influenza B and 32% against type A.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    Flu shot going into arm

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