FLU NEWS SCAN: H1N1 alert for Americas, flu in pregnant women

H1N1 2009 Pandemic Influenza
Influenza, General
Pandemic Influenza

Apr 21, 2011

PAHO warns of H1N1 spread in Americas region
So far this year some countries in the Americas region have reported 2009 H1N1 outbreaks that, though limited in scope, have placed a demand on local health services, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said yesterday in an epidemiological alert. Though the outbreaks aren't surprising, because the virus is now considered a seasonal strain, countries should still keep their guard up, the agency added. Outbreaks of the 2009 H1N1 influenza this year have been reported in Ecuador, Mexico, and Venezuela, and over the past 3 weeks detections have increased in the Dominican Republic. PAHO said that, during the pandemic phase, the spread of the virus varied across the region. For example, circulation was intense in countries in the southernmost part of South America, with few detections over the winter of 2010. In some areas the proportion of the population that is still susceptible to the disease is high, which could lead to geographically limited sporadic outbreaks, the group said.
Apr 20 PAHO epidemiological alert

Study: 31% of young women hospitalized for H1N1 flu were pregnant
Close to a third of all reproductive-age (15 to 44 years) US women who were hospitalized for treatment of 2009 pandemic influenza were pregnant, according to estimates in a study in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG). Using population-based data from the Emerging Infections Program in 10 states, researchers examined the characteristics of hospitalized reproductive-age women during the 2009 pandemic and the four flu seasons from 2005-06 through 2008-09. They found that pregnant women made up 31.0% (489 of 1,577) of the reproductive-age women hospitalized for pandemic flu and 23.5% (150 of 639) of those hospitalized with seasonal flu. In both pregnant and nonpregnant women, antiviral treatment was significantly more common for pandemic flu than for seasonal flu (86.5% vs 24.0% for pregnant women, 82.0% vs 55.2% for nonpregnant women). Also, in both seasonal and pandemic flu cases, nonpregnant women were more likely to have an underlying condition other than pregnancy. The authors say their findings underscore the importance of flu vaccination during pregnancy.
Apr 20 AJOG abstract

This week's top reads

  1. FDA significantly limits COVID-19 vaccine recommendations

    Critics said today’s announcement is more evidence of the current administration’s willingness to undermine public trust in vaccines.

    Stephanie Soucheray
    FDA building

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  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. 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

  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. 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

  9. US measles outbreak grows to 1,024 cases

    Texas remains the country's hot spot, with 718 cases. 

    Chris Dall
    Doctor treating child with measles

  10. 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

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