Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2016/04/flu-scan-apr-28-2016
Flu Scan for Apr 28, 2016
Tropical flu patterns; H5N1 in Vietnam
Filed Under:
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu); Influenza, General; Influenza Vaccines
[h=3]Flu season analysis may help vaccination policies in tropical countries[/h] An analysis of flu activity in tropical regions found eight zones that had similar patterns, which might be helpful for guiding flu vaccination timing and formulation, a team led by World Health Organization (WHO) experts reported yesterday in the Public Library of Science (PLoS) One.
The semiannual timing of the annual flu vaccine strain selection seems to work well for countries in the Northern and Southern hemispheres, but experts aren't sure how applicable the system is for tropical and subtropical regions.
Using FluNet and national surveillance data from 138 countries in the tropics and subtropics, they looked for annual peaks in flu cases. They found patterns for 70 of them, often consisting of one or two distinct annual peaks. Countries closest to the equator often experienced year-round flu activity.
Of the eight zones that had similar patterns, two were in the Americas, two were in Asia, and four were in the Middle East. The main flu season in South America and Asia started between April and June, but the season's start varied widely in Africa.
One drawback of the analysis is that it wasn't able to tease out different patterns within countries, the authors noted.
They concluded that once the timing of vaccination is determined by local seasonality, countries should use the most recent WHO flu vaccine recommendation, regardless of where the country is located.
Apr 27 PLoS One report
Apr 27 PLoS press release
[h=3]H5N1 strikes backyard poultry in southern Vietnam[/h] Vietnam's agriculture ministry yesterday reported a highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in backyard poultry in Can Tho province in the southern part of the country, according to a report yesterday to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
The outbreak began on Apr 23 and killed 140 of 395 susceptible birds. Response measures including culling the remaining poultry, surveillance and poultry vaccination in the protective zone, and disinfecting the affected area. Investigators haven't determined the source of the outbreak.
The outbreak is Vietnam's third involving H5N1 so far this year.
Apr 27 OIE report
Flu Scan for Apr 28, 2016
Tropical flu patterns; H5N1 in Vietnam
Filed Under:
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu); Influenza, General; Influenza Vaccines
[h=3]Flu season analysis may help vaccination policies in tropical countries[/h] An analysis of flu activity in tropical regions found eight zones that had similar patterns, which might be helpful for guiding flu vaccination timing and formulation, a team led by World Health Organization (WHO) experts reported yesterday in the Public Library of Science (PLoS) One.
The semiannual timing of the annual flu vaccine strain selection seems to work well for countries in the Northern and Southern hemispheres, but experts aren't sure how applicable the system is for tropical and subtropical regions.
Using FluNet and national surveillance data from 138 countries in the tropics and subtropics, they looked for annual peaks in flu cases. They found patterns for 70 of them, often consisting of one or two distinct annual peaks. Countries closest to the equator often experienced year-round flu activity.
Of the eight zones that had similar patterns, two were in the Americas, two were in Asia, and four were in the Middle East. The main flu season in South America and Asia started between April and June, but the season's start varied widely in Africa.
One drawback of the analysis is that it wasn't able to tease out different patterns within countries, the authors noted.
They concluded that once the timing of vaccination is determined by local seasonality, countries should use the most recent WHO flu vaccine recommendation, regardless of where the country is located.
Apr 27 PLoS One report
Apr 27 PLoS press release
[h=3]H5N1 strikes backyard poultry in southern Vietnam[/h] Vietnam's agriculture ministry yesterday reported a highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in backyard poultry in Can Tho province in the southern part of the country, according to a report yesterday to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
The outbreak began on Apr 23 and killed 140 of 395 susceptible birds. Response measures including culling the remaining poultry, surveillance and poultry vaccination in the protective zone, and disinfecting the affected area. Investigators haven't determined the source of the outbreak.
The outbreak is Vietnam's third involving H5N1 so far this year.
Apr 27 OIE report