H1N1 NEWS SCAN: First serious Aussie case, uptick in Louisiana, vaccine reimbursement, x-ray findings

H1N1 2009 Pandemic Influenza

Mar 23, 2010

Australia logs its first serious case of year
Australia's Influenza Complications Alert Network (FluCAN) picked up the nation's first pandemic H1N1 case this year requiring hospitalization, a woman of childbearing age with an underlying illness, according to an Australian Associated Press (AAP) story today. The woman, described as of "child-bearing years but not pregnant," was the first case since Dec 11 reported by 13 major hospitals that are part of FluCAN. An official used the occasion to remind Australians to get a flu shot.
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/swine-flu-new-case-in-wa/story-e6frg13u-1225844445681
Mar 23 AAP story

Louisiana flu clinics target rise in flu activity
Reports from clinics and hospitals of rising flu-like illnesses over the past few weeks prompted Louisiana health officials to launch walk-in pandemic H1N1 flu vaccine clinics throughout the state this week. Louisiana's state health officer warned in a press release that another wave of infections could occur and urged residents to get vaccinated. The department also noted that other southern states, including the border states of Arkansas and Texas, were seeing rises in flu activity.
http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/news.asp?Detail=1594
Mar 22 Louisiana health department release

France to reimburse vaccine makers $65 million
France will pay three H1N1 vaccine manufacturers a 16% reimbursement fee of $65 million for doses it cancelled, Reuters reported today, citing the newspaper Le Figaro. The government will pay Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, and Sanofi Pasteur for cancelling 50 million vaccine doses. A French health ministry spokesperson declined to comment on the article, which did not name a source for the information. When France ordered its vaccine, it assumed two doses would be needed instead of one.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE62M0T520100323
Mar 23 Reuters report

Scientists show 3D view of H1N1 binding
Researchers from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) influenza division have used x-ray crystallography, which allows a 3D view of structure and function, to analyze changes in the hemagglutinin of the pandemic H1N1 virus. Reporting in Public Library of Science (PLoS) Currents, they said the protein's receptor binding shows a strict preference for human-type receptors and noted that their research technique can help develop better interventions.
http://knol.google.com/k/hua-yang/structure-and-receptor-binding/250q41vwql45q/3#
Mar 22 PLoS Currents study

X-ray findings may predict serious flu outcomes
Findings on chest radiographs may help predict outcome in patients with pandemic H1N1 infections, but normal findings can't exclude serious outcomes, researchers reported in Radiology. They based their findings on x-ray reviews of 179 patients who were hospitalized from May through September. Thirty-nine patients (40%) had abnormal findings. Extensive involvement of both lungs and bilateral peripheral opacities were linked to adverse outcomes.
http://radiology.rsna.org/content/255/1/252.abstract?rss
Apr Radiology 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. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. Moderna pulls licensing submission for combo flu-COVID vaccine

    Moderna's combination vaccine was intended for adults 50 and older. 

    Stephanie Soucheray

  7. Mpox activity escalates in Sierra Leone

    Responding to the surge is a major focus, partly to prevent the spread to other West African countries. 

    Lisa Schnirring
    mpox virus

  8. FDA vaccine advisers recommend sticking with JN.1 strain for next COVID vaccines

    The group weighed considerations about newer variants and raised concerns that a strain recommendation might interface with the FDA's new proposed COVID vaccine framework.

    Lisa Schnirring
    woman vaccinated

  9. Viewpoint: Making key COVID vaccine decisions without input, transparency is a public disservice

    Newly announced rules that limit the use of COVID vaccines suggest that federal officials are opposed to open discussion and transparency.

    Vaccine Integrity Project Staff and Advisers
    COVID vaccine vial and syringe

  10. 'A national scandal': US excess deaths rose even after pandemic, far outpacing peer countries

    The United States has been in a "protracted health crisis" for decades, the researchers say.

    Mary Van Beusekom
    Grave markers with flowers

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