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http://www.recombinomics.com/News/12031 ... O_PCR.html

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LOCUS JQ070760 1387 bp cRNA linear VRL 03-DEC-2011
DEFINITION Influenza A virus (A/Iowa/07/2011(H3N2)) segment 4 hemagglutinin
(HA) gene, partial cds.
ACCESSION JQ070760
VERSION JQ070760.1 GI:358257190
KEYWORDS .
SOURCE Influenza A virus (A/Iowa/07/2011(H3N2))
ORGANISM Influenza A virus (A/Iowa/07/2011(H3N2))
Viruses; ssRNA negative-strand viruses; Orthomyxoviridae;
Influenzavirus A.
REFERENCE 1 (bases 1 to 1387)
AUTHORS Garten,R.
TITLE Direct Submission
JOURNAL Submitted (24-NOV-2011) WHO Collaborating Center for Surveillance,
Epidemiology and Control of Influenza, Influenza Division, Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, N.E.,
Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
COMMENT ##GISAID_EpiFlu(TM)Data-START##
Isolate :: A/Iowa/07/2011
Subtype :: H3N2
Segment_name :: HA
Host_gender :: F
Host_age :: 3
Passage_history :: Original
Adamantane_resistance :: unknown
Zanamivir_resistance :: unknown
Oseltamivir_resistance :: unknown
Peramivir_resistance :: unknown
Other_resistance :: unknown
Country :: United States
State/Province :: Iowa
Collection_day :: 14
Collection_month :: 11
Collection_year :: 2011
Isolate_note :: comment: Human case of H3N2 SOIV - with
an M gene from 2009 H1N1 Pandemic virus;
Originating Laboratory: Iowa State
Hygenic Laboratory, UI Research Park,
52242, Iowa City, United States
EPI_accession :: EPI342688
##GISAID_EpiFlu(TM)Data-END##
FEATURES Location/Qualifiers
source 1..1387
/organism="Influenza A virus (A/Iowa/07/2011(H3N2))"
/mol_type="viral cRNA"
/strain="A/Iowa/07/2011"
/serotype="H3N2"
/host="Homo sapiens; gender F; age 3"
/db_xref="taxon:1118016"
/segment="4"
/country="USA"
/collection_date="14-Nov-2011"
gene 1..>1387
/gene="HA"
CDS 1..>1387
/gene="HA"
/codon_start=1
/product="hemagglutinin"
/protein_id="AEU04983.1"
/db_xref="GI:358257191"
/translation="MKTIIAFSCILCLIFAQKLPGSDNSMATLCLGHHAVPNGTLVKT
ITDDQIEVTNATELVQSSSTGRICNSPHQILDGKNCTLIDALLGDPHCDDFQNKEWDL
FVERSTAYSNCYPYYVPDYATLRSLVASSGNLEFTQESFNWTGVAQDGSSYACRRGSV
NSFFSRLNWLYNLNYKYPEQNVTMPNNDKFDKLYIWGVHHPGTDKDQTNLYVQASGRV
IVSTKRSQQTVIPNIGSRPWVRGVSSIISIYWTIVKPGDILLINSTGNLIAPRGYFKI
QSGKSSIMRSDAHIDECNSECITPNGSIPNDKPFQNVNKITYGACPRYVKQNTLKLAT
GMRNVPEKQTRGIFGAIAGFIENGWEGMVDGWYGFRHQNSEGTGQAADLKSTQAAINQ
ITGKLNRVIKKTNEKFHQIEKEFSEVEGRIQDLEKYVEDTKIDLWSYNAELLVALENQ
HTIDLTDSEMSK"
ORIGIN
1 atgaagacta tcattgcttt tagctgcatt ttatgtctga ttttcgctca aaaacttccc
61 ggaagtgaca acagcatggc aacgctgtgc ctgggacacc atgcagtgcc aaacggaaca
121 ttagtgaaaa caatcacgga tgaccaaatt gaagtgacta atgctactga gctggtccag
181 agttcctcaa caggtagaat atgcaacagt cctcaccaaa tccttgatgg gaaaaattgc
241 acactgatag atgctctatt gggggaccct cattgtgatg acttccaaaa caaggaatgg
301 gacctttttg ttgaacgaag cacagcctac agcaactgtt acccttatta tgtgccagat
361 tatgccaccc ttaggtcact agttgcctca tctggcaacc tggaatttac ccaagaaagc
421 ttcaattgga ctggagttgc tcaagacgga tcaagctatg cctgcagaag gggatctgtt
481 aacagtttct ttagtagatt gaattggttg tataacttga attacaagta tccagagcag
541 aacgtaacta tgccaaacaa tgacaagttt gacaaattgt acatttgggg ggttcaccac
601 ccgggtacgg acaaggacca aaccaaccta tatgtccaag catcagggag agttatagtc
661 tctaccaaaa gaagccaaca aactgtaatc ccgaatatcg gatctagacc ctgggtaagg
721 ggtgtctcca gcataataag catctattgg acgatagtaa aaccgggaga catacttttg
781 attaacagca cagggaatct aattgcccct cggggttact tcaaaataca aagtgggaaa
841 agctcaataa tgagatcaga tgcacacatt gatgaatgca attctgaatg cattactcca
901 aatggaagca ttcccaatga caaacctttt caaaatgtaa acaagatcac atatggagcc
961 tgtcccagat atgttaagca aaacaccctg aaattggcaa caggaatgcg gaatgtacca
1021 gagaaacaaa ctagaggcat attcggcgca attgcaggtt tcatagaaaa tggttgggag
1081 ggaatggtag acggttggta cggtttcagg catcagaatt ctgaaggcac aggacaagca
1141 gcagatctta aaagcactca agcagcaatc aaccaaatca ccgggaaact aaatagagta
1201 atcaagaaaa cgaacgagaa attccatcaa atcgaaaaag aattctcaga agtagaaggg
1261 agaattcagg acctagagaa atacgttgaa gacactaaaa tagatctctg gtcttacaac
1321 gctgagcttc ttgttgccct ggagaaccaa catacaattg atttaaccga ctcagagatg
1381 agcaaac

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A specialist in infectious dieases, Lo Wing-lok, has urged chronically ill people to get flu shots.
Dr Lo says a variant of the 2009 swineflu - which has been detected in the United States - appears to be spreading among humans.

There've so far been no deaths from the H3N2 virus, but Dr Lo said with the flu season beginning next month, Hong Kong should remain vigilant.

He said there'd been 10 reported cases in the US this year and the patients were all below the age of 18. Although they have all recovered Dr Lo says the government should keep monitoring for H3N2.

http://rthk.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/20 ... 803107.htm

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SALT LAKE CITY -- A new flu strain that has infected ten people in four states is catching the attention of health workers. So far, the cases have been pretty mild, but Utah health officials are watching the virus carefully.

This new H3N2 flu virus has affected nine children, all under age ten, in Maine, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and recently in Iowa. In addition, a 58-year-old man also took ill.

The illness is not widespread yet, but health workers are able to be proactive in planning for this flu strain, rather than reactive, like they were with the H1N1 pandemic in 2009.

"This is the season of giving. But don't give away the flu virus. You don't want to be sharing that," said Valoree Vernon, an epidemiologist with the Utah department of Health.

Warnings like that are ubiquitous this time of year. But with this latest strain of H3N2, health workers are just playing the waiting game.

"We don't know what it's going to do, how it's going to behave. If it's going to be worse. If it's going to spread further," Vernon said.


H3N2 facts
•the 'H' and 'N' refer to the types of proteins on the surface of the virus, hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. There are 144 variations on the two proteins. Both swine, avian and human flu can have 144 varieties each.
•This version contains genetic material from human flu, swine flu and avian flu subtypes.
•A kind of H3N2 caused a category 3 pandemic in 1968.
H3N2 doesn't show signs of becoming a pandemic yet, but the strain has some elements of the 2009 H1N1 flu virus. That is why the Centers for Disease Control have a vaccine on stand-by.

"It's what's called a ‘vaccine candidate.' And CDC has released that to manufacturers in the event that they need to produce it quickly," Vernon said. "The H3N2 that they have made into a vaccine does offer some protection. So, it's not an exact match but it will offer protection against this particular strain."

The Centers for Disease Control report this particular strain has been around in some form since the early nineties. So some of us have already been exposed - which may be why children seem more susceptible now. But the strain has mutated again, which is typical of influenza.

So far, it hasn't reached us here in Utah.

We are watching it. We're aware of it. We do test for the specific types of influenza in Utah. So we do have a monitoring system to be able to catch that," Vernon said

Vernon says to watch for symptoms like a typical flu: Fever, chill, and body ache. This season's flu vaccine will not keep you from getting the H3N2 virus, so she still urges the public to be hyper-vigilante about fighting the flu. "Cover your mouth. Wash your hands. Stay away from big crowds if you are sick," Vernon said.

Something to look forward to is that the CDC will likely include a vaccine for the H3N2 strain in next year's flu shot batch. It takes roughly six months to make that vaccine available once a new strain of influenza virus like the H3N2 is identified and isolated.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=18386797

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The Health Ministry’s Preventive Health Department has requested institutes for hygiene and epidemiology and Pasteur institutes nationwide to take active measures to prevent a new swine flu strain from penetrating Vietnam.

The request was made after three more people in the US were found to have contracted S-OtrH3N2, a new flu strain that combines parts of a rare influenza virus – H3N2 – circulating in North American pigs, and the H1N1 virus from the 2009 worldwide flu outbreak.

Nine US children and a 58-year-old man have been sickened by the new swine flu strain since July, and seven of the patients have a history of living near or directly contacting pigs, the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported.

New flu strains develop when flu viruses combine in new ways. They can pose health risks because people have not yet developed immunity to these previously unseen strands, the CDC said.

In order to prevent the new flu strain from spreading to Vietnam, the Preventive Health Department has asked all hygiene and epidemiology and Pasteur institutes to strengthen health quarantines at all border gates and pay due attention to people who develop fever and other flu symptoms.

All health facilities must monitor patients with serious pneumonia, especially cases suspected to be caused by flu viruses, to detect and identify the flu virus strain and thereby take measures to cope with it effectively and efficiently.

The situation of flu patient treatment must be updated to facilitate the prevention and control of the disease, the Department said.

Currently, Vietnam only has vaccines against the common seasonal flu caused by type A flu strains, including H3N1, H3N2 and H1N1, but people should still be vaccinated, since if a vaccinated person still contracts the flu, their condition usually remains better than someone who has not been vaccinated.

The 2009 A/H1N1 flu epidemic first broke out in North America, specifically in Mexico, and then spread to Europe and Asia, including Vietnam.

Since May 2009, more than 10,000 people in Vietnam have been infected with A/H1N1, of whom over 50 have died, the Department said.

http://www.tuoitrenews.vn/cmlink/tuoitr ... in-1.53913

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Published Date: 2011-12-08 17:27:33
Subject: PRO/EDR> Influenza (75): USA update
Archive Number: 20111208.3553

INFLUENZA (75): USA UPDATE
**************************

A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
Date: Fri 9 Dec 2011Source: MMWR Weekly, 2011 / 60(48);1646-1649 [abbreviated, edited]

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtm ... ovdelivery



Update: influenza activity -- United States, 2 Oct to 26 Nov 2011
-------------------------------------------
During the period 2 Oct to 26 Dec 2011, influenza activity remained
low in the United States. Thus far, influenza A viruses have
predominated, and the majority are antigenically related to the
2011-12 influenza vaccine strains for the Northern Hemisphere. This
report summarizes US influenza activity* since 2 Oct 2011 and updates
the previous summary (1).

Viral surveillance
------------------
During the period 2 Oct to 26 Dec 2011, the World Health Organization
(WHO) and the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance
System collaborating laboratories in the United States tested 24 027
respiratory specimens for influenza viruses; 266 (1.1 per cent) were
positive. Of these, 191 (71.8 per cent) were influenza A viruses, and
75 (28.2 per cent) were influenza B viruses. Of the 191 influenza A
viruses, 87 (45.5 per cent) were subtyped; 79 (90.8 per cent) were
influenza A (H3) viruses, and 8 (9.1 per cent) were 2009 influenza A
(H1) viruses. Influenza viruses have been reported from 30 states in
all 10 US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regions. Of
the 266 influenza-positive specimens reported to CDC so far this
season, 131 [49.2 per cent]) have been reported from the south eastern
United States.

Antigenic characterization
--------------------------
WHO collaborating laboratories in the United States are requested to
submit a subset of their influenza-positive specimens to CDC for
further antigenic characterization. CDC has antigenically
characterized 21 influenza viruses collected and submitted by US
laboratories since 1 Oct 2011, including one 2009 influenza A (H1N1),
16 influenza A (H3N2), and 4 influenza B viruses. The one 2009
influenza A (H1N1) virus was characterized as
A/California/7/2009-like, the influenza A (H1N1) component of the
2011-12 influenza vaccine for the Northern Hemisphere. All 16
influenza A (H3N2) viruses were antigenically related to the
A/Perth/16/2009, the influenza A (H3N2) component included in the
2011-12 influenza vaccine for the Northern Hemisphere. Three of the 4
influenza B viruses tested belong to the B/Victoria lineage and were
characterized as B/Brisbane/60/2008-like, the influenza B component of
the 2011-12 influenza vaccine for the Northern Hemisphere; one of the
4 B viruses tested belongs to the B/Yamagata lineage of viruses.

Antiviral resistance of influenza virus isolates
------------------------------------------------
CDC conducts surveillance for resistance of circulating influenza
viruses to influenza antiviral medications. Since 1 Oct 2011, a total
of 31 influenza viruses (5 2009 influenza A (H1N1), 24 influenza A
(H3N2), and 2 influenza B viruses) have been tested for antiviral
resistance. None of the tested viruses were found to be resistant to
either oseltamivir or zanamivir.

Novel influenza A viruses
-------------------------
Since the last influenza activity update (1), 6 cases of human
infection with a novel influenza A virus were reported: 2 from Maine
and one from Indiana in October 2011 (2), as well as 3 from Iowa in
November 2011. All 6 patients were infected with novel influenza A
(H3N2) viruses with genes from swine, human, and avian lineages. The 2
cases in Maine occurred in children, and the case in Indiana occurred
in an adult male; all patients had exposure to swine in the period
immediately preceding their illness. All 3 cases in Iowa occurred in
children with no known recent exposure to swine. The investigation in
Iowa revealed evidence of limited human-to-human transmission (2). All
patients recovered fully.

State-specific activity levels
------------------------------
For the week ending 26 Nov 2011, the geographic spread of influenza
was reported as local by one state (Massachusetts). Sporadic influenza
activity was reported by the District of Columbia (DC), Guam, and 28
states. The US Virgin Islands and 21 states reported no influenza
activity. Puerto Rico did not report. No states have reported
geographically regional or widespread influenza activity to date for
the 2011-12 influenza season.

Outpatient influenza-like illness
---------------------------------
Since 2 Oct 2011, the weekly percentage of outpatient visits for
influenza-like illness (ILI) reported each week by the approximately
1500 US Outpatient Influenza-Like Illness Surveillance Network
(ILINet) reporters in 50 states, New York City, Chicago, and DC has
remained below the national baseline of 2.4 per cent. None of the
regions have been above their region-specific baselines. Data
collected in ILINet also are used to produce a measure of ILI activity
by state. During the week ending 26 Nov 2011, all 50 states and New
York City experienced minimal ILI activity. Data were insufficient to
calculate an ILI activity level from DC.

Pneumonia- and influenza-related mortality
------------------------------------------
For the week ending 26 Nov 2011, pneumonia and influenza (P&I) was
reported as an underlying or contributing cause of death for 6.4 per
cent of all deaths reported to the 122 Cities Mortality Reporting
System. This percentage is below the epidemic threshold of 7.1 per
cent for that week. Since 2 Oct 2011, the weekly percentage of deaths
attributed to pneumonia and influenza ranged from 5.9 per cent to 6.4
per cent, remaining below the epidemic threshold.

Influenza-related pediatric mortality
-------------------------------------
No influenza-related pediatric deaths have been reported through the
Influenza Associated Pediatric Mortality Surveillance System for the
2011-12 influenza season.

MMWR editorial note
-------------------
Since 2 Oct 2011, surveillance data have indicated that influenza is
circulating at low levels in the United States; low activity typically
is noted in this early portion of the influenza season. Antigenic
characterization of the viral isolates that have been submitted
demonstrated that the majority of these isolates are antigenically
similar to the influenza virus strains in the Northern Hemisphere
2011-12 vaccine.

Influenza vaccination is the best method for preventing influenza and
its associated complications. Influenza vaccination currently is
recommended for all persons aged 6 months and over (3). Vaccine
manufacturers had distributed approximately 129.2 million doses of
influenza vaccine in the United States as of 25 Nov 2011 (4).
Influenza vaccination should continue to be offered by health-care
providers throughout the influenza season for all persons without
contraindications to vaccination to provide protection for as many
persons as possible. Multiple influenza vaccines are approved for use
and are being distributed during the 2011-12 season, including
trivalent inactivated vaccine (TIV) for persons aged 6 months or
older; live, attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) for nonpregnant,
otherwise healthy persons aged 2-49 years; a high-dose inactivated
vaccine for persons aged 65 years and older; and a new, intradermally
administered vaccine, which was licensed by the Food and Drug
Administration on 10 May 2011, for adults aged 18-64 years (3).
Children aged 6 months to 8 years who did not receive 2 doses of the
2010-11 seasonal influenza vaccine should receive 2 doses
(administered at least 4 weeks apart) of the 2011-12 seasonal
influenza vaccine (3).

Transmission of swine-origin influenza A viruses to humans is rare and
usually occurs among persons in direct contact with swine or among
persons who have visited places where swine are present (e.g.,
agricultural fairs, farms, and petting zoos). Clinicians should
consider swine-origin influenza A virus infection as well as seasonal
influenza virus infections in the differential diagnosis of patients
with febrile respiratory illness who have been near swine (8).
Clinicians who suspect influenza virus infection in patients with
recent exposure to swine should obtain a nasopharyngeal swab from the
patient, place the swab in a viral transport medium, and contact their
state or local health department to facilitate transport and timely
diagnosis at a state public health laboratory. Public health
laboratories are requested to submit any suspected swine-origin
influenza A samples to CDC for further testing. Early identification
and prompt investigation of novel influenza A cases are critical to
evaluating the extent of outbreaks and possible human-to-human
transmission.

References
----------
[1] CDC. Update: influenza activity--United States, 22 May-3 Sep 2011.
MMWR 2011;60:1239-42.
[2] CDC. Limited human-to-human transmission of novel influenza A
(H3N2) virus--Iowa, November 2011. MMWR 60:1615-7.
[3] CDC. Prevention and control of influenza with vaccines:
recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
(ACIP), 2011. MMWR 2011;60:1128-32.
[4] CDC. Seasonal influenza vaccine--total doses distributed. Atlanta,
GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2011. Available
at
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/va ... supply.htm.
Accessed 2 Dec 2011.
[5] CDC. Antiviral agents for the treatment and chemoprophylaxis of
influenza--recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices (ACIP). MMWR 2011;60(No.RR-1).
[6] Siston AM, Rasmussen SA, Honein MA, et al. Pandemic 2009 influenza
A (H1N1) virus illness among pregnant women in the United States. JAMA
2010;303:1517-25.
[7] Yu H, Feng Z, Uyeki T, et al. Risk factors for severe illness with
2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in China. Clin Infect
Dis 2011; 52:457-65.
[8] CDC. Swine-origin influenza A (H3N2) virus infection in two
children--Indiana and Pennsylvania, July-August 2011. MMWR
2011;60:1213-5.

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail

[The United States has continued to experience low levels of influenza
activity, and influenza A (H3N2), 2009 influenza A (H1N1), and
influenza B viruses have been identified sporadically. The influenza
viruses currently circulating are a good match with the influenza
vaccine. Vaccination remains the best method for preventing influenza
and its associated complications, and influenza vaccination is
recommended in all persons aged 6 months or older.

Interested readers should consult the original version via the source
URL to view the complete text and the accompanying figures. - Mod.CP]


See Also

Influenza (74): swine-origin H3N2 reassortant, vaccine candidate
20111203.3526
Influenza (73): WHO update 20111202.3519
Influenza (72): Europe, swine-origin H3N2 reassortant, risk assessment
20111130.3494
Influenza (71): USA (IA) swine-origin H3N2 reassortant, WHO
20111125.3448
Influenza (70): USA (IA) swine-origin H3N2 reassortant 20111124.3438
Influenza (69): USA (IA) swine-origin H3N2 reassortant 20111123.3430
Influenza (67): WHO update 20111118.3403]
.................................................cp/msp/sh

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Date: Friday Dec. 9, 2011 2:32 PM ET



The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is reporting two new human infections with flu viruses that originated in swine.

The cases, in West Virginia and Minnesota, were caused by two different swine-origin flu viruses.

Both cases were in young children, under five years of age.

The CDC says neither child had contact with pigs, suggesting the viruses passed to them from another person.

The case in West Virginia involved infection with a swine H3N2 virus that has caused 10 other cases in five states since July.

The CDC says it seems like there is some spread of this virus among people, though most of the cases have been in rural areas, potentially closer to pig populations.



Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Health/201112 ... z1g4a0w2fN

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The geographic spread of human infections with a new swine influenza virus has widened, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control revealed Friday as it announced a new case, this time in West Virginia.

The agency actually announced two human cases with swine-origin flu viruses on Friday. One was an infection with the H3N2 virus that has been popping up over the past few months, and a second was with a new virus, a swine-origin H1N2. That case was spotted in Minnesota.

Both cases were in children under five years old, and neither child had known contact with swine, Lyn Finelli of the CDC's influenza division said in an interview.

The widening geographic spread of the H3N2 cases has the CDC thinking these swine origin viruses may be transmitting at low levels among people, suggested Finelli, who is chief of surveillance and outbreak response in the influenza division.

"It does make us take it pretty seriously," she said of the evidence of infections in five different states — Maine, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Iowa and now West Virginia.

The virus is an influenza A virus of the H3N2 subtype. It's a distant cousin of the human H3N2 viruses that circulate every year. But it is sufficiently different, genetically, from the human virus that experts say the H3N2 component of the seasonal flu shot is unlikely to offer any protection against it.

That said, it is believed most people over the age of 20 or so would have been exposed to similar viruses in the past and would probably have some protection against this virus were it to continue to spread in people. All but one of the 11 cases spotted so far have been children under 10; the exception was a 58-year-old.

Most of the cases have experienced only mild infection though three were hospitalized. The three all had other health problems which may have contributed to the severity of their symptoms.

The swine H3N2 virus has picked up a gene from the H1N1 virus that caused the 2009 pandemic. That gene — the M gene — has been shown in animal studies to make flu viruses more transmissible.

The virus was first spotted in July and initial cases occurred in people who had contact with pigs or contact with people who had contact with pigs.

The most recent cases — the West Virginia case and a cluster of three children in Iowa a few weeks back — seem almost certainly to have been the result of viruses passing from person to person, not from pigs to people.

"We're not exactly sure how many generations these viruses are away from pigs. But it looks at least like those transmissions are person to person," Finelli said.

"(But) we haven't seen any cases in densely populated areas like in big cities in the U.S. And that makes us think there's not that many degrees of separation between pigs and people since these are all rural areas."

The Public Health Agency of Canada said Friday that it has not seen human cases with either of these swine viruses. And Finelli said the CDC has not heard of any other country spotting these viruses either.

The Minnesota case, with the unrelated virus, is still under investigation, Finelli said. The child had no contact with pigs, but may have been in contact with a sick child a day or two before becoming ill.

The rising number of infections with the H3N2 viruses poses a quandary for public health officials. Because of the mercurial nature of influenza, the situation must be watched closely. But authorities know the public largely wrote off the 2009 pandemic as a false alarm and don't want to ring alarm bells if there is no need.

"The important question for humans is whether this particular clade (group of viruses) has potential to become successful, and the answer to that is we don't know," said Dr. Allison McGeer, a flu expert at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital.

McGeer said it's likely that more cases of human infection with swine origin viruses are being spotted because surveillance for new flu strains has been enhanced since bird flu — the H5N1 avian flu virus — hit the global radar in 2004.

Finelli said improved surveillance may be playing a role. But she noted the flu situation in pigs is very dynamic these days, with the variety of flu viruses infecting pigs having proliferated greatly over the past decade.

"We only used to see one or two reports a year. Now we see many more than that," she said of human infections with swine influenza viruses.

"It's many, many more than we would expect, even given the previous few years with good surveillance in place."

She said the CDC feels rapid investigation of all cases and their contacts is needed to get a better picture of what is going on. The agency is trying to figure out what are the risk factors for infection, the probability of transmission probability and the severity of the virus.

"If we see an acceleration of cases, all of these things will help us figure out the appropriate public health responses," she said.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breaki ... 34578.html

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced two cases of flu caused by two new viruses associated with swine. The illnesses affected children in West Virginia and Minnesota, who both eventually recovered.

The virus found in West Virginia, known as H3N2, has a mixture of genes from swine, human and bird flu viruses. There have been 10 other cases of infection with this virus across the country in previous years.

The child in Minnesota became ill with a form of the virus called H1N2, also found in swine. It’s only the second known case of infection with this virus in the U.S.

In both current cases, there was no contact with any swine, meaning the virus was transmitted from person to person. The virus has not spread to other humans, CDC reported.

The number of humans infected by viruses previously found only in swine has increased over the past couple of years, and the agency says that could be due to better identification of virus strains, more monitoring of flu cases, or an actual increase in the number of cases either from direct or close contact with swine or as a result of person-to-person transmission.

While CDC does recommend that people get a flu shot, the shot will not protect against viruses found in swine. There are two antivirals — oseltamivir and zanamivir — that are effective against illnesses caused by these viruses. In addition, people should not eat pork products that are not properly cooked or handled.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2011 ... flu-virus/

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More evidence for H2H and media myth on today's cases being unrelated. The trH1N2 and trH3N2 cases were VERY closely related to each other and H3N2pdm11.

_________________
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