Flu outbreak hits Conn. veterans home- it's H3N2

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www2.wsls.com/news/2012/apr/1...me-ar-1846872/

APNewsBreak: Flu outbreak hits Conn. veterans home
By: SUSAN HAIGH | Associated Press
Published: April 16, 2012 Updated: April 16, 2012 - 5:23 PM

HARTFORD, Conn. --

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) An outbreak of influenza at the state veterans' home in Rocky Hill has sent 18 veterans to the hospital, with six being diagnosed with a special strain of flu...

...Schwartz said the veterans had previously been inoculated against influenza, but not this strain. State public health officials believe this is a case of delayed seasonal influenza.

[Shiloh]

Re: Flu outbreak hits Conn. veterans home

Source: http://www.courant.com/health/connec...,5195515.story

...By Monday afternoon, veterans and staff were given doses of Tamiflu, a drug used to treat flu symptoms, as a precautionary measure. Schwartz said they will have to take two doses every day for two weeks. To prevent the flu from spreading, many group and communal activities have been canceled and visits are being limited.

"We were lucky that we identified it," said Schwartz, who has been the commissioner for nine years. "We're doing everything we can, and our biggest concern is the people in the health care facility who already have respiratory problems. This is not going to be helpful..."

[sharon sanders]

Re: Flu outbreak hits Conn. veterans home

So what strain of seasonal flu is this that is not included in the trivalent flu shot?

[Giuseppe]

Re: Flu outbreak hits Conn. veterans home

According the most recent WHO Virological Surveillance Report (http://www.who.int/influenza/gisrs_l.../en/index.html and http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=185561 ):

Characterization of recent A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses has shown that these are still similar to the vaccine A/California/7/2009 virus.

Antigenic and genetic analysis of the A(H3N2) viruses on the other hand has revealed significant drift from the A/Perth/16/2009 vaccine virus.

The recent viruses are more closely related to the A/Victoria/361/2011-like virus, the recommended A(H3N2) virus component for the 2012-2013 northern hemisphere influenza vaccine.

With regard to the B viruses reported world-wide, some countries detected a higher percentage of viruses from the B/Victoria/2/87 lineage while in others, a greater number of viruses from the B/Yamagata/16/88 lineage were reported.

[Shiloh]

Re: Flu outbreak hits Conn. veterans home

Source: http://www2.wsls.com/lifestyles/2012...me-ar-1849338/

More flu cases confirmed at Conn. veterans home
By: | Associated Press
Published: April 17, 2012

...State Veterans Affairs Commissioner Linda Schwartz told The Associated Press on Tuesday that a total of 22 veterans have been sent to area hospitals since Monday. One veteran has returned to the home, which includes a health care center and a residential facility.

Schwartz said public health officials have taken nasal swabs of residents reporting flu-like symptoms to determine if this is an identified flu strain. Schwartz said the outbreak is unusual because the veterans had received flu shots. Also, it is late in the flu season...

[Shiloh]

Re: Flu outbreak hits Conn. veterans home

Source: http://www.courant.com/health/connec...,4806902.story

State Tests For Cause Of Veterans' Home Flu Outbreak
As Of Tuesday, 22 Residents Hospitalized

BY WILLIAM WEIR, bweir@courant.com The Hartford Courant

6:46 p.m. EDT, April 17, 2012

State public health workers tested patients at the Connecticut State Veterans Home in Rocky Hill Tuesday to determine the cause of an outbreak of the flu...

...Lynn Sosa, deputy state epidemiologist, said both scenarios are possible. Sosa said health officials know that the patients from the veterans' home have influenza A, but they won't know what subtype for at least a few days while testing is done at the state laboratory. The vaccine that was given for this season protects against influenza B and h1n1 and h3n2, both subtypes of influenza A.

Robert Lyons, an infectious disease physician at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, said the flu season usually peaks in December and is over by February. Since it's been six months since the vaccine was first administered, he said, it's very possible that it has lost its effectiveness, "especially for the elderly..."

[Shiloh]

Re: Flu outbreak hits Conn. veterans home

Source: http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/hartfor...ans-home-to-23

Flu spreads at veterans home to 23

Updated: Wednesday, 18 Apr 2012, 12:37 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 18 Apr 2012, 12:09 PM EDT

* Jeff Valin

ROCKY HILL, Conn. (WTNH) -- 23 veterans living at the state veteran's home in Rocky Hill have been hospitalized with the flu.

The home has been open for more than 70 years, but administrators say, "We've never seen anything like this here."..

[Shiloh]

Re: Flu outbreak hits Conn. veterans home- it's H3N2

Source: http://www.courant.com/health/connec...,3043335.story

State Officials ID Strain Of Flu That Caused Outbreak At Rocky Hill Vets Home
H3N2, A Strain Targeted By This Season's Vaccine, Is The Culprit

BY WILLIAM WEIR, bweir@courant.com The Hartford Courant

4:00 p.m. EDT, April 19, 2012

The strain of flu that sent 24 veterans living at a Rocky Hill residential home to the hospital has been identified as one that was targeted by this year's influenza vaccine.

Linda Schwartz, commissioner of the state Department of Veterans' Affairs, said Thursday that state health officials have informed her that it was the H3N2 strain that caused several veterans at the Connecticut State Veterans Home to get sick. The vaccine that was given for this season protects against influenza B and H1N1 and H3N2, two subtypes of influenza A...