As fast as Influenza A
adapts and changes (not sure of the proper terms) the world sure does seem to lag behind in publishing sequences...
It's like, as soon as a sequence is released, people like you point out things such as Tamiflu Resistance, and then I am suddenly reminded about a case a couple of weeks beforehand, that appeared to be Tamiflu resistant.
Or... you publish something about a polymorphism that attacks Type II alveolar cells, and I'm thinking back two weeks prior to a patient who fit that exact case scenario
That leads me to think that somebody somewhere isn't releasing information fast enough to make any kind of difference (except to help explain stuff that I'm already seeing clinically.)
That's why when you mention ONE or Two sequences that show "this,that, or the other" I pay attention, because a "few" samples historically seem to be precursors for eventual wide-spread phenomenon throughout both hemispheres.
If you ran the World Health Organization, Dr. Niman, What would you do differently? What NEEDS to happen to integrate the art of sample drawing and test analysis, with interpretation, publication, and preparation?
Who is dropping the Ball (pun intended), and what can be done to make a difference in communication? Because, it all seems to fall back on Communication between the Health Care Team.
I consider Virologists an integral part of the Health Care Team, but they were ALL on the sidelines... even Outside the stadium during 2009 Pandemic (when their knowledge could've been invaluable). Everyday in critical care, we round as a
team with Medical Doctors, Pharmacy Doctors, Nutritionists, Nurses, etc. When samples are collected, the Pharm. D's are the ones who follow up on them. First, and foremost, the sample collection is left up to nurses, who all have their own methond for collection (as varied as one can get). NONE of the nurses I know even used a viral culture tube to swab a patient for flu... Instead, they used a standard bacterial culturette. (viral culture tubes are designed to discourage bacterial growth. These patients had collection vessels that encouraged the growth of bacteria. Go figure.
If Virologists were a part of the Hospital team (on influenza-like illness cases) during a Pandemic, they could see first hand patients who were presenting with different symptoms than normal, they would be linking sequences to clincial scenarios, and finally linking their findings to a particular patient. Seeing a particular polymorphism manifest itself clinically, might provide insight into what to look for next.
The medical profession has become SO disjointed, and SO estranged that we've crippled ourselves in our own progress.
Sorry my question ended up as a rant. That's just me.
NOBODY communicates.