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Egypt has plan to battle Bird flu

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:13:00 GMT

CAIRO: The Egyptian health ministry said this week that the country is moving ahead with efforts to stall the spread of the deadly avian influenza, or the H5N1 virus, after a surge in reported cases were reported in recent weeks. The ministry hopes that their efforts can curtail the virus from causing a widespread epidemic in the country, or mutating with the swine flu virus to cause what health have feared would be a super virus. The sale of poultry between any of Egypt’s 29 governorates...

Low Reactor G158E In 2010 Swine Pandemic H1N1

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:06:00 GMT

Recombinomics Commentary 12:50March 11, 2010Recently released sequences by the US National Veterinary Labs in Ames, IA included two sequences from MN swine, A/swine/MN/8762-1/2010 and A/swine/MN/8762-2/2010, which have G158E.Both sequences have a collection date of February 26, 2010, which represents the most current public 2010 pandemic H1N1 sequence and the first examples of G158E in swine pandemci H1N1. This polymorphism has been linked to a “low reactor” designation by Mill...

H1N1 Greek and Russian D225G Sequences Identical

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:30:00 GMT

Recombinomics Commentary 18:50March 10, 2010Recent sequences from the National Influenza Centre for northern Greece include 9 sequences from 2010, of which 3 had D225G. Three more November isolates had D225G, including A/Thessaloniki/2812/2009. Three of the isolates had D225G as the only recent change, but the other three has polymorphisms found in three different sub-clades. The above sequence was an exact match (see list here...

Mum tells how she survived horror swine flu ordeal

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:17:00 GMT

A MUM has told how she fought back from the brink of death after catching swine flu. Victoria Fleming's family feared she would die after she suffered multiple organ failure. The 40-year-old - who has no underlying health problems - was put into a coma and flown to England for vital life support. She spent weeks in intensive care and had to use a walking frame after finally being able to get out of bed. Victoria, from Carluke, Lanarkshire, said: "I am lucky to be alive. " I was as ill as I...

H1N1 Low Reactor G158E In Athens Greece

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:34:00 GMT

Dr Henry Niman Recombinomics Commentary 11:13March 10, 2010Recently released sequences from Mill Hill at GISAID included a sequence, A/Athens/16606/2009, from Greece collected on December 26, 2009. The sequence contained G158E, which was found in low reactors designated by Mill Hill and the CDC. Although only a partial sequence was released, it contained E377K, which was also in the Hyogo/1597/2009 isolate from Japan, indicating G158E was transmitting. Similarly, four of the G158E...

H1N1 Tamiflu Resistance and D225G In 2010 Greek Case

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:32:00 GMT

Recombinomics Commentary 9:44March 10, 2010Recently released HA sequences from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki at Genbank in a report entitled “Molecular and phylogenetic analysis of the haemagglutinin gene of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009 viruses associated with severe and fatal infections” includes 9 sequences from 2010 and 3 have D225G. One (8F) of the three, A/Thessaloniki/225/2010, was also Tamiflu resistant (H274Y). Although the clinical status of each patient...

G158E H1N1 Low Reactor In South Korea

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:39:00 GMT

Recombinomics has the story Recombinomics Commentary 23:54March 9, 2010Recently released NIID sequences at GISAID include A/GYEONGGI/4478/2009, which has G158E and was collected on 9/11. When G158E was reported in sequences from Germany, the CDC and Mill Hill independently determined that the isolates were low reactors, which was linked to G158E since it was the only non-synonymous HA change. NIID also released a series of more recently collected isolates in Japan which also had G158E,...

Low Reactor Tamiflu Resistant H1N1 Recombinant In Japan

Tue, 9 Mar 2010 20:44:00 GMT

Recombinomics Commentary 18:44March 9, 2010NIID has released a series of sequences from Japan at GISAID. Most of these sequences are from December collections, including A/FUKUI/159/2009. Many, like the Fukui sequence, have G158E as a clean signal or as mixtures with wild type. The Fukui sequence also has H274Y and is on the same branch as several other isolates with G158E, including Yamagata/752, Iwate/1093, and Ishikawa/566. These other sequences with G158E also have A200T. However, only...

Circulation of human influenza viruses and emergence of Oseltamivir-resistant A(H1N1) viruses in Cameroon, Central Africa

Tue, 9 Mar 2010 13:00:00 GMT

While influenza surveillance has increased in most developing countries in the last few years, little influenza surveillance has been carried out in sub-Saharan Africa and no information is available in Central Africa. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of influenza viruses circulating in Yaounde, Cameroon and determine their antigenic and genetic characteristics. Methods: Throat and/or nasal swabs were collected from November 2007 to October 2008 from outpatients with influenza-like...

H1N1 Low Reactor G158E D225N Recombinant In Japan

Tue, 9 Mar 2010 09:40:00 GMT

Recombinomics Commentary 07:44March 9, 2010The recently released sequence, A/Yamagata/721/2009, represents a new recombinant with the low reactor polymorphism G158E and D225N. This sequence follows release of recombinant sequences with G158E and D225G in Russia and Italy. A Ukraine sequence with D225G has also been designated a low reactor by Mill Hill, which when recombined with G158E raises concerns of serious vaccine failure.D225G has been found to be strongly associated with severe...

H1N1 G158E Low Reactors In Japan Raise Vaccine Concerns

Tue, 9 Mar 2010 09:38:00 GMT

Recombinomics Commentary 06:58March 9, 2010NIID released a small series of sequences at GISAID, including two from Japan. Both had G158E, the polymorphism found in two isolates from Germany, which were designated low reactors by the CDC and Mill Hill. A/YAMAGATA/721/2009 was collected Dec 8 and had a mixed signal at position G158E. The other was A/IWATE/1093/2009 and collected Oct 27.The presence of G158E in both sequences from Japan raises concerns that low reactors are becoming more prevalent. ...

CDC Comments Raise H1N1 D225G/N Surveillance Concerns

Mon, 8 Mar 2010 18:18:00 GMT

Recombinomics Commentary 15:46March 8, 2010Referring to the Norwegian report, she commented, "It's intriguing, and there could be some association, but it's certainly not as clear as they've painted it." "I think additional work needs to be done before we conclude that there is a causal relationship," she said. The above comments by the CDC on the significant correlation between D225G and D225N with severe and fatal cases in Norway reflects the current position of CDC and WHO, even after overwhelming...

More Bird Flu cases in Egypt

Mon, 8 Mar 2010 09:41:00 GMT

CAIRO: The Egyptian Ministry of Health announced five new cases of human H5N1 avian influenza infection. The first case is a 53-year-old male from Shobra Elkhima district, Qaliobia Governorate. According to the ministry, the man developed symptoms on February 27 and was hospitalized the same day, where he received oseltamivir treatment. He is currently in a critical condition. The second case is a one-year-old boy from Banha district of the Qalyubia Governorate. He experienced symptoms on February...

CDC In Denial On H1N1 D225G/N Significance

Mon, 8 Mar 2010 07:16:00 GMT

Recombinomics Commentary 23:16March 7, 2010However, Dr. Nancy Cox, director of the Influenza Division at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said global H1N1 data so far do not show a clear association between the mutation and severe illness. The above comments are by an agency in denial. The association between D225G and D225N with severe and fatal H1N1 infections is overwhelming. The recent report from Norway indicated that 9/27 (33%) of fatal cases in Norway had...

CDC Reliance on Negative D225G/N Data Raises H1N1 Concerns

Sun, 7 Mar 2010 23:11:00 GMT

Recombinomics Commentary 19:32March 7, 2010Some countries have reported the D222G mutation only in mild cases, while others have seen it as statistically linked with severe illness, but the latter didn't rule out possible confounders, Cox said. She reported that the CDC has found the mutation in a total of eight cases, of which five were nonfatal. Some of the nonfatal cases were mild.The above CDC comments, in response to the Norway study showing strong linkage between D225G and severe (3) and fatal...

CDC On D225G In Egg Isolates Raises H1N1 Vaccine Concerns

Sun, 7 Mar 2010 17:32:00 GMT

Recombinomics Commentary 14:58March 7, 2010Some countries have reported the D222G mutation only in mild cases, while others have seen it as statistically linked with severe illness, but the latter didn't rule out possible confounders, Cox said. She reported that the CDC has found the mutation in a total of eight cases, of which five were nonfatal. Some of the nonfatal cases were mild.a study done by the WHO Collaborating Centres for Reference and Research on Influenza (WHOCC) in Atlanta located...

Jump In H1N1 Low Reactors In United States Raises Concerns

Sat, 6 Mar 2010 10:03:00 GMT

Recombinomics Commentary 20:58March 5, 2010Five viruses (0.3%) tested showed reduced titers with antiserum produced against A/California/07/2009.The above comment from today’s CDC week 8 report indicates the number of low reactors reported by the CDC has jumped from 2 to 5 in a week that reflected an all time low in H1N1 testing. The per cent positive is on the rise and is at the highest level in 2010, and as high as it has been since mid-December (week 50), so the number of positive...

Norway H1N1 D225G/N Publication Refutes WHO Position

Fri, 5 Mar 2010 18:16:00 GMT

Recombinomics Commentary 16:24March 4, 2010Here we report the occurrence of an amino acid substitution, aspartic acid to glycine in position 222 (D222G) in the HA1 subunit of the viral haemagglutinin, in clinical specimens from 11 out of 61 cases analysed in Norway with severe outcome. Such mutants were not observed in any of 205 mild cases investigated (Table), thus the frequency of this mutation was significantly higher in severe (including fatal) cases (p<0.001, Fisher’s exact test,...

Association of D225G/N With Severe H1N1 Cases In Norway

Fri, 5 Mar 2010 10:17:00 GMT

Recombinomics Commentary 21:54March 4, 2010Here we report the occurrence of an amino acid substitution, aspartic acid to glycine in position 222 (D222G) in the HA1 subunit of the viral haemagglutinin, in clinical specimens from 11 out of 61 cases analysed in Norway with severe outcome. Such mutants were not observed in any of 205 mild cases investigated (Table), thus the frequency of this mutation was significantly higher in severe (including fatal) cases (p<0.001, Fisher’s exact test,...

Observed association between the HA1 mutation D222G in the 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus and severe clinical outcome, Norway 2009-2010

Fri, 5 Mar 2010 00:48:00 GMT

Infection with the recently emerged pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus causes mild disease in the vast majority of cases, but sporadically also very severe disease. A specific mutation in the viral haemagglutinin (D222G) was found with considerable frequency in fatal and severe cases in Norway, but was virtually absent among clinically mild cases. This difference was statistically significant and our data are consistent with a possible causal relationship between this mutation and the clinical outcome.The...