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Report details H3N2 flu outbreak in highly vaccinated crew

In February a US Navy minesweeper moored in San Diego harbor experienced an influenza-like illness (ILI) outbreak that affected a quarter of the crew—much of it attributed to H3N2 flu—even though almost all of them had received influenza vaccine, according to a report today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

Avian flu strikes second backyard flock in Washington state

Avian flu has struck a second backyard poultry flock in Benton County, Washington, according to a story in the area's Tri-City Herald yesterday.

Flu activity up in most of Northern Hemisphere, with H3N2 dominating

Not surprisingly, the entire Northern Hemisphere is seeing increasing influenza activity, with H3N2 most common, but unfortunately in an antigenically drifted strain not well matched to the strain in this year's vaccine, according to an update yesterday from the World Health Organization (WHO).

CDC: 19 flu-related deaths in children reported last week

Some measures of influenza activity in the United States decreased last week, but 19 flu-related deaths in children were reported, far higher than any previous week of the season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in today's weekly update.

Canada officials cite GSK flu vaccine plant

Canada's only flu vaccine plant, owned by London-based GSK, must respond within 30 days to unspecified problems identified by Health Canada inspectors at the Quebec City facility, according to a Canadian Press report yesterday.

Health Canada requested a plan and timeline for resolving the issues noted in the inspection report, which it presented to GSK on Jul 3.

Northeastern US sees late-season flu spike

Flu activity in the United States continued to decline last week, but some indicators were up slightly, reflecting a late-season uptick in the Northeast, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Declining global flu activity marked by uptick in B-positives

Flu activity in Northern Hemisphere countries is headed toward interseasonal levels despite a late-season rise in influenza B activity in many areas, including Asia, the Middle East, and North America, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today in its latest global flu update. Though each flu season is different, flu experts say it's not unusual to see a late-season rise in influenza B activity.

US flu season winding down with influenza B wave

Most flu markers in the United States declined last week, but the Northeast is still in the grip of a wave of influenza B activity, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its latest FluView report.

China reports new H7N9 case

Health officials in Anhui province reported a new H7N9 avian flu case in a 55-year-old man, according to a health department notice translated and posted yesterday by FluTrackers, an infectious disease message board.

HHS stops research on long-acting antiviral laninamivir

The Department of Health and Human (HHS) has ordered Biota Pharmaceuticals to stop research on the experimental flu antiviral drug laninamivir, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported yesterday.

Study: Flu symptoms less severe in vaccinated elderly people

Health officials have been heard to say that even though influenza vaccine doesn't provide complete protection against flu, it may reduce symptoms if you do get sick. Now a study out of Wisconsin offers some evidence in support of that view.

China detects first known human H5N6 infection

Chinese health officials have confirmed what appears to be the first known H5N6 avian influenza infection in a human, a farmer from Sichuan province who had severe pneumonia and died, according to a post yesterday from ProMED-mail, the online reporting system of the International Society for Infectious Diseases.

WHO reports increasing flu activity in South America, southern Africa

Influenza activity is up "considerably" in South America and southern Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported today, while other scattered regions are also seeing some increase.

2009 H1N1 flu virus continues circulating globally

Influenza activity increased in several areas of the Southern Hemisphere and was dominated by the 2009 pandemic H1N1 strain over the 2-week period from Jul 7 through Jul 20, according to World Health Organization (WHO) updates.

Yale report calls on UN to compensate Haiti for cholera epidemic

A report from the Yale University Law School says the United Nations is legally and morally obligated to compensate Haiti for the cholera epidemic caused by UN peacekeepers.

China confirms second H10N8 avian flu case

A second case of H10N8 avian flu has been confirmed in the same province as the world's first case, which was reported last month, Chinese health officials told Xinhua, the nation's state-run newspaper.

Study: Ferrets given seasonal flu shot had worse H1N1 illness

In a study designed to shed light on a phenomenon seen in Canada of increased risk of pandemic 2009 H1N1 flu in those who received a flu vaccine the year before, ferrets given a seasonal flu shot had worse H1N1 disease than those who had not received the vaccine.

CDC outlines steps for emergency use of IV zanamivir

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday released information detailing how clinicians can get investigational intravenous (IV) zanamivir (Relenza) for severely ill flu patients. The drug is in phase 3 clinical trials and can only be obtained by enrolling patients in ongoing clinical trials or an emergency investigational new drug request.

Vietnam, China report H5N1 cases

Vietnam and China have each confirmed a case of H5N1 avian flu in recent days, with Vietnam's case proving fatal.

In Vietnam, a 60-year-old woman in Dong Thap province in the Mekong Delta died of the deadly virus on Jan 27, Than Nien News reported yesterday. The woman developed a fever and other symptoms on Jan 22, authorities said. She was hospitalized on Jan 23 in neighboring An Gian province on Jan 23, where she died.

Cambodia reports H5N1 in 5-year-old boy

Cambodia—which had by far the most H5N1 avian flu cases in 2013—has confirmed its first case of 2014, in a 5-year-old boy, the country's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported today.

Study of Hajj group found flu cases, but no MERS-CoV

Most of a group of French pilgrims who traveled to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj last fall had respiratory symptoms during their journey, and some had influenza, but none tested positive for the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), according to a report in Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Young Cambodian siblings die of H5N1

A 7-year-old Cambodian boy and his 3-year-old sister died from H5N1 avian flu late last week, a health official said today, but only the boy was tested, according to Xinhua, China's state news agency.

Report: R&D funding for TB dropped almost 5% last year

Global funding for the research and development (R&D) of new tuberculosis (TB) drugs, vaccines, and rapid diagnostic tests dropped 4.6% in 2012, to $627.4 million, after rising every year since 2005, according to a report from the New York–based Treatment Action Group (TAG), which focuses on AIDS and TB.

Google Flu Trends adjusts how it tracks data

Google Flu Trends has adjusted the modeling it uses so that it can more accurately predict US activity after it overemphasized flu severity last season, Google engineer Christian Stefansen said in a blog post yesterday.

CDC sees little movement in US flu indicators

US flu activity increased only slightly last week, though markers stayed well below thresholds, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its weekly update.

The number of respiratory samples that tested positive for flu edged up slightly, from 3.8% to 4.5%, and the percentage of clinic visits for flu remained at the 1.2% seen the previous week.