Editorial maps out Australia's flu lessons
In an editorial exploring the lessons Australia learned during the H1N1 pandemic, Dr Peter Collignon, director of infectious diseases at Canberra Hospital, wrote that the outbreak stretched the health system even though disease severity was mild to moderate. In the Apr 5 Medical Journal of Australia, he said quicker assessment of virulence and clearer messages about oseltamivir (Tamiflu) use to focus on high-risk groups could have eased the pandemic response.
http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/192_07_050410/col10154_fm.html
Apr 5 Med J Aust editorial
New Zealand reports vaccine shortage
Higher-than-expected demand for the flu vaccine in advance of New Zealand's flu season, in which the pandemic virus is expected to dominate, is leading to vaccine shortages, The Medical News Web site reported today. The health ministry said about 20,000 to 30,000 vaccine doses have been administered daily. In late December Sanofi, New Zealand's main vaccine provider, announced a delay in vaccine delivery, which prompted the ministry to order about 450,000 doses from other companies.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20100405/Flu-vaccine-shortage-in-New-Zealand.aspx
Apr 5 The Medical News story
Study: School profile may influence flu spread
An analysis in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases of schools that had H1N1 flu cases last spring suggests that public schools with younger, more affluent students may have been sentinels and played a role in flu spread. Using a news database, the authors matched 32 schools reporting cases with controls in the same counties. Compared with controls, schools with H1N1 cases had fewer low-income students and had younger student populations.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2009.11.034
Apr 2 Int J Infect Dis abstract
Some afebrile patients shed viable H1N1 virus
Researchers who studied H1N1 in 47 Quebec City households determined that between 8% and 13% of patients were still shedding viable virus 8 days into their illness, but none were still shedding on day 11. Among 47 patients who tested positive by PCR within the first 7 days of illness, 22 of 35 afebrile patients tested positive by viral culture. The authors write that self-isolation only until fever abates seems inadequate to limit spread and that self-isolation for 1 week may be more effective.
http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/16/5/pdfs/09-1894.pdf
Apr 2 Emerg Infect Dis report
