Exposed medicos to participate in H1N1 antibodies survey

[Ronan Kelly]

Press Trust Of India
Pune, November 14, 2009
First Published: 10:40 IST(14/11/2009)
Last Updated: 10:41 IST(14/11/2009)

A serological survey on Swine Flu antibodies is currently underway to determine the prospects of Pune developing "herd immunity" to the dreaded H1N1 virus.

As it continues to reel under the pandemic that has claimed 102 lives in the last three months so far, the city would be looking eagerly at the findings of the survey being jointly undertaken by National Institute of Virology (NIV) and Indian Medical Association (IMA) here on November 27/28.

In fact, the exercise would mark the second phase of the experiment in which one thousand doctors drawn from a segment having greater exposure to H1N1 infected patients ---are to be covered with extraction of 3ml blood to test presence of antibodies of the virus, Dr Dilip Sarda, Chairman of Pune chapter of IMA told PTI.
He said an initial survey conducted on similar lines about two and a half months back, had indicated a marginal ---10-12 per cent--- presence of H1N1 antibodies in the blood samples of the subjects having sub-clinical infection.

The survey which aims at ascertaining the percentage of population which has over a period of time developed H1N1 antibodies assumes significance in the context of "herd immunity" that can arrest the pandemic in the city which has emerged as the focal point of Swine flu casualties, registering the first fatality in the country on August 3.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-...n-H1N1-antibodies-survey/Article1-476232.aspx

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Exposed medicos to participate in H1N1 antibodies survey

H1N1 cracks tough nuts!


Despite being in close contact with the virus, doctors have not developed immunity against it, a survey has found. This means you are at a greater risk and need to take better precaution

By Dipti Barve
Posted On Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 11:53:27 PM

As the second wave of the H1N1 virus strikes the city, efforts at prevention of swine flu are still wanting. While the National Institute of Virology (NIV) has embarked on a survey to check the immunity level of citizens, there is bad news from the medical fraternity.

More doctors are falling prey to the virus now. A survey in August found that 14.1 per cent doctors dealing with swine flu had caught the virus.

When the survey was conducted again in November, the percentage had doubled to 28.2 per cent. This simply means you just might catch the virus from a doctor now, because doctors are not developing resistance despite being in closest contact with the flu.

The survey was jointly undertaken by NIV and the Indian Medical Association (IMA). A 3 ml blood sample was taken to test for antibodies.

Dr Dilip Sarda, president of IMA?s city chapter, said, ?The latest survey has unfortunately found that the level of immunity has not increased.

In fact, positive cases have doubled. Blood samples of 207 doctors were checked in August, of which 29 doctors were H1N1 positive.

The percentage was 14.1 in August. It has doubled to 28.2 per cent in the latest survey conducted in November.

In this serological survey, 25 samples were positive out of 91 samples.? Dr Sarda said that the increase in cases among doctors is indicative of the fact that more people may be infected among the general public.

As common sense goes, immunity level of doctors should have gone up since the flu was first detected.This means you should now take greater precaution against the flu.

?The term herd immunity is used when 50 to 70 per cent of the population is estimated to have developed antibodies against a virus, denoting natural resistance,? Dr Sarda explained.

http://punemirror.in/index.aspx?pag...d=20091224200912242353277156cdb84eb&sectxslt=

Ro's comment: the Pune Mirror is somewhat sensationalist and tabloidy, but the only source so far for results of the survey.