Rhiza Labs FluTracker Forum

Week 51 report includes pediatric death, 3 samples described as unsubtypable, spike in hospitalizations (9) and % positive (47%), and above baseline doctor visits

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/se ... 490&mode=2

Influenza (flu) activity was Regional during week 51 — increase in influenza-like illness (ILI) and lab confirmed influenza in at least two regions of the state.
3.5% of all outpatient Visits to doctors reported by sentinel physicians were for flu-like illnesses (IILI), more than double what was reported the previous week and, for the first time season, this is above the state baseline (2.4%).
Emergency Department (ED) visits for flu were elevated in the NE and SE regions of the state.
174 flu cases were reported; more than double what was reported the previous week. Most of the recent flu cases were reported in the NE and SE regions of the state.
Influenza type A continues to be the most reported type of flu accounting for 90% of flu viruses reported during week 51, flu type B accounted to 18(10%) of flu reported.
Influenza was detected in 38 (47%) of respiratory specimens submitted for confirmatory testing at the state lab, a threefold increase from 14% reported the previous week.
Influenza A/H3N2 continues to be the dominant strain, though flu type B is also on the increase. Of the 36 flu viruses subtyped at the state lab during week 51, 28 (78%) were seasonal A/H3N2, 3(8%) were unsutypeable, 3 (8%)flu type B and 2 (6%) the 2009 A/H1N1.
Nine flu hospitalizations were reported, up from 3 reported the previous week. Three of the recent hospitalizations were in children under 18 years of age. Most of the children who are hospitalized with influenza are over 6 months old, an age group for which the 2011 flu vaccine is indicated.
One flu death in a child was reported during week 51. This is the pediatric first flu death in Pennsylvania this season. Four other flu deaths have been reported in adults.
The recent pediatric flu death reminds us that influenza can cause severe illness and death in children. Flu vaccines are very effective at preventing influenza in children. There is still time to get a flu vaccine. The flu vaccine is good for anyone above 6 months of age and older. For information on influenza vaccination go to, www.flufreepa.com

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Unsubtypable cases in 2010 are unusual. Last year there were samples that were influenza A positive but unsubtypable because they were swine H1N1 and subtyping was done with reagents directed against human H1 and human H3. The swine cases were subsequently identified with reagents that targeted the swine H1.

Pennsylvania has reported trH3N2 previously, but the trH3N2's have a human H3 from the mid-1990's. It is possible that the human H3 sub-typing reagents would fail to recognize trH3N2, because it continues to evolve away from seasonal H3.

If there really are 3 trH3N2 cases in PA, it would be the highest number of novel influenza in a given state since pandemic H1N1 was identified in California (other than the subsequent pandemic H1N1 isolates identified after the California cases).

There have already been four trH3n2 cases identified in 2010, including the one in Pennsylvania, A/Pennsylvania/14/2010.

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Note that the county with the most confirmed cases is Lehigh, which has at least two confirmed H1N1 deaths in young adults, and at least one H1N1 outbreak.

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Northhamptom is adjacent to Lehigh and Lancaster is also close. They have the highest for the season, as well as the highest for week 51 and are likely to be domentated by H1N1 cases.

Location of the confirmed trH3N2 case was not reported by the CDC.

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Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/12291 ... pable.html

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