Respiratory illness - adenovirus 14 -hits remote Alaska island - FluTrackers

[Snowy Owl]

Re: Respiratory illness hits remote Alaska island

Commentary

Respiratory Illness On Prince of Wales Island Alaska
Recombinomics Commentary 23:17
October 3, 2008

The State Health Department and U.S. Centers for Disease Control are investigating an outbreak of a respiratory illness on Prince of Whales Island.

Health department officials are reporting 26 suspected or confirmed cases of the unknown illness in communities like Craig and Klawock.

Officials say seven people have been hospitalized.

Symptoms of the illness include a severe dry cough and a fever above 101 degrees.

The above comments describe an outbreak of respiratory disease on Prince of Wales Island. The involvement of the CDC as well as the location of the island in southeastern Alaska under a major migratory bird route is cause for concern.

Earlier this year there were major outbreaks of H5N1 in South Korea, northern Japan, and southeastern Russia. All outbreaks involved a reassorted Fujian strain of H5N1 (HA is clade 2.3.2 and the other seven genes were clade 2.3.4). The dead whooper swan signaled spread to the north over the summer, including regions of Alaska. Birds in Alaska are now migrating south, increasing concerns regarding respiratory disease in regions frequented by waterfowl, such as Prince of Wales Island.

The lack of a diagnosis remains a cause for concern. More information on these patients and testing, including influenza A, would be useful.

Media Links

Recombinomics Presentations

Recombinomics Publications

Recombinomics Paper at Nature Precedings

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/10030801/PoW_Alert.html

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Respiratory illness hits remote Alaska island

Stories about martians in Alaska wouldn't surprise me. We've been getting the most insane MSM stories about our state ever since our governor was tapped for a national race. Either MSM reporters are incredibly ignorant or there is intentional biased reporting.

Unless we hear verifiable stories about transportation closures, communication blackouts, etc., I won't be convinced of any BF cases.

.

[HenryN]

Re: Respiratory illness hits remote Alaska island

Stories about martians in Alaska wouldn't surprise me. We've been getting the most insane MSM stories about our state ever since our governor was tapped for a national race. Either MSM reporters are incredibly ignorant or there is intentional biased reporting.

Unless we hear verifiable stories about transportation closures, communication blackouts, etc., I won't be convinced of any BF cases.

.

The original story on this outbreak is from the local (Alaskan) media.

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Respiratory illness hits remote Alaska island

The original story on this outbreak is from the local (Alaskan) media.

I'm not doubting the original story - just saying that I wouldn't be surprised by stories about Martians.

Information about diagnosis may not be forthcoming simply because they're a small town and oblivious to the far-reaching interest.

.

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Respiratory illness hits remote Alaska island

We could add initial pulmonary TB infections to list of possibilities. Symptoms can be fever and dry cough.

Latest report on TB in Alaska at http://www.epi.alaska.gov/pubs/webtb/TBReport2007.pdf

.

[sharon sanders]

Re: Respiratory illness hits remote Alaska island

.....

Unless we hear verifiable stories about transportation closures, communication blackouts, etc., I won't be convinced of any BF cases.

.

Yesterday I called the ferry service that serves the island and was told that the ferry is operating currently and would be operating today (Saturday).

Also, I called the state epidemiologist's office and was told that:

No tests back yet,

No diagnosis,

No deaths,

A couple of patients are very ill,

Some only coughing and sent home,

All adults,

No quarantine in the hospital,

No hemorrhagic features.


And I called a local pharmacy where an employee told me that there was no quarantine on the island but that there was an upper respiratory illness in a few adults.


There is no communication blackout. I was able to easily contact these offices.

[Giuseppe]

Re: Respiratory illness hits remote Alaska island

What's the actual reason for these level of alarm at FT?

[HenryN]

Re: Respiratory illness hits remote Alaska island

Yesterday I called the ferry service that serves the island and was told that the ferry is operating currently and would be operating today (Saturday).

Also, I called the state epidemiologist's office and was told that:

No tests back yet,

No diagnosis,

No deaths,

A couple of patients are very ill,

Some only coughing and sent home,

All adults,

No quarantine in the hospital,

No hemorrhagic features.


And I called a local pharmacy where an employee told me that there was no quarantine on the island but that there was an upper respiratory illness in a few adults.


There is no communication blackout. I was able to easily contact these offices.

I would expect the communication blackout to be in the form of delaying or withholding the diagnosis on the "confirmed" cases.
A quarantine of the whole island would be reported by all major wire services in a heart beat (unless all phone and internet access were cut and I have firts hand knowledge that thepnones are working and internet access is normal).
I think the definition of a "communication blackout" needs a reality check.

[sharon sanders]

Re: Respiratory illness hits remote Alaska island

What's the actual reason for these level of alarm at FT?

There is no level of alarm. I call many people on a daily basis. Yesterday a question was raised about this news report so I made a few phone calls. I daily exchange emails and phone calls with people from all over the world.

[Giuseppe]

Re: Respiratory illness hits remote Alaska island

I modestly cast some doubts that an outbreak of avian influenza in humans is happening in this area of Alaska.

It may be the case, perhaps.

But what are the facts that are addressing this supposition?

The only fact that this Alaskan's island is on the path of migratory birds alone cannot be enough to draw a picture different from an usual outbreak of influenza-like illness sustained by common pathogens in cold weather region.

In other regions of norther hemisphere wild birds have started their migration. An increasing acute respiratory illness activity is currently ongoing even in Italy - where some rare wild birds were spotted some days ago (Ibis).

I need more informations for feel something strange in this case.

[HenryN]

Re: Respiratory illness hits remote Alaska island

What's the actual reason for these level of alarm at FT?

I think the delayed diagnosis is causing some concern by some. The original media report was dated Oct 1 and it described "confirmed" and "suspect" cases (and the involvement of the CDC). However, the reports from health regulatory agencies or the hospital indicates there is no diagnosis, which really makes little sense, because a diagnosis is required for a "confirmation" of a disease.

[HenryN]

Re: Respiratory illness hits remote Alaska island

I modestly cast some doubts that an outbreak of avian influenza in humans is happening in this area of Alaska.

It may be the case, perhaps.

But what are the facts that are addressing this supposition?

The only fact that this Alaskan's island is on the path of migratory birds alone cannot be enough to draw a picture different from an usual outbreak of influenza-like illness sustained by common pathogens in cold weather region.

In other regions of norther hemisphere wild birds have started their migration. An increasing acute respiratory illness activity is currently ongoing even in Italy - where some rare wild birds were spotted some days ago (Ibis).

I need more informations for feel something strange in this case.

The actual diagnosis remains open, but the failure to disclose a diagnosis while patients are being classified as "confirmed" or "suspect" is not common for a common pathogen.

[Giuseppe]

Re: Respiratory illness hits remote Alaska island

Confirmed cases of something... But something likes that kind of ailment?

Avian influenza?

There is the need of more clear picture for this thread.

Non-FT members' readers start to don't understand nothing.

[HenryN]

Re: Respiratory illness hits remote Alaska island

Confirmed cases of something... But something likes that kind of ailment?

Avian influenza?

There is the need of more clear picture for this thread.

Non-FT members' readers start to don't understand nothing.

Yes, ProMED issued an RFI. I have e-mailed the reporter on the story twice, with no reply. I also have a contact on Prince of Wales Island, and am waiting for an update.

[HenryN]

Re: Respiratory illness hits remote Alaska island

Confirmed cases of something... But something likes that kind of ailment?

Avian influenza?

There is the need of more clear picture for this thread.

Non-FT members' readers start to don't understand nothing.

Speaking of clarification, I think it is worth a review what a communication blackout for a confirmed bird flu case would look like.

Some seem to think that calling the hospital or public health in the area and being told that there was no diagnosis on patients that have been characrerized as "confirmed" cases in a media report is an indication that there is no news blackout, but I think exactly the opposite is indicated.

The original story mentioned the word quarantine, which some interpreted as a quarantine of the entire island. Although the physical implementation would be relatively easy for an island, keeping an imposed quarantine out of the news would be virtually impossible if phone and internet communication were intact.

Those who were visiting the island for a day trip would be upset when they tried to return and were told they were under quarantine. This would also apply to many who were leaving the island for business or pleasure and would create considerable alarm. This alarm would be heightened by a lack of media coverage, and those impacted would try to get information from or give information to contacts not on the island, including media. A quarantine would be known to all (on or off the island) in minutes.

Clearly there has been no such quarantine, but a news blackout would be most effective if applied to the origin, which are the agencies claiming there has been no diagnosis. A "no diagnosis" would not create alarm and would buy time to confirm and more fully assess the situation and future actions.

Examples of this type of control with regard to human bird flu cases are not new. One of the best examples is the cluster in Pakistan, which now appears to involve at least 5 brothers, including 2 who died. Although the cluster represents the longest lab confirmed H5N1 transmisson chain reported to date, the asymptomatic case was just reported as confirmed this week, almost a year after the start of the outbreak, and WHO has yet to add the case, even though it meets their case definition. Similarly, the story broke in December, 2007, even though the index case was infected in October. No news leaked out until two brothers were dead and the H2H nature of the cluster was obvious.

Thus, news blackouts are controled at the source and not via a shutdown of communications to an entire island (in the United States no less).