The Communications Initiative will feature CARE Vietnam's approaches to AI community mobilization and surveillance in the next installment of its e-magazine The Drum Beat, which has more than 40,000 monthly subscribers.
From The Drum Beat:
"This report describes and evaluates the strategies shaping a community-based
surveillance initiative developed by CARE Vietnam in an effort to improve the
detection and reporting of avian influenza (AI). Mobilising and building the
capacity of volunteers are hallmarks of this public health approach. As part of
Targeting the Risk of Avian Influenza Now (TRAIN), local partners at the
administrative levels closest to communities - village, commune, and district -
take the lead in implementing surveillance activities."
The Communications Initiative is a network of wide-ranging partnerships to foster information sharing "between the people and organisations engaged in or supporting communication as a fundamental strategy for economic and social development and change"
You can read The Communications Initiative coverage of the CARE Vietnam program here:
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/273362/293
You can access the full report on CARE Vietnam's Community-Based Surveillance model here: http://www.comminit.com/redirect.cgi?m=d3dd6c72b7130140b7fce7e32d8bdb3a
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Indonesia: Cluster of 6 Suspected Human H5N1 Cases Under Control
In Bandung, West Java over the weekend, six people, ranging in age from 14 months to 65 years, were admitted to the Hasan Sadikin Hospital after presenting with flu-like symptoms three days after contact with poultry confirmed to have H5N1.
A family of five reportedly cooked and consumed the sick poultry, which was owned by their neighbor. Animal health officials noted that the sick poultry was "dead around the neighborhood" and confirmed to have H5N1.
All six patients are recovering. Four patients are receiving Tamiflu treatment at home. The remaining two patients (25-year old father and 14-month-old child) are still being treated and held for observation at the hospital. They reportedly had the most severe symptoms and closest interaction with the sick poultry.
While cultures and blood samples were collected from all suspected H5N1 cases yesterday, no results have been released by officials.
For more information see:
http://birdflucorner.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/bandung-west-java-more-bird-flu-suspects/
http://birdflucorner.wordpress.com/2009/04/06/bandung-west-java-patients-recover/
http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/
A family of five reportedly cooked and consumed the sick poultry, which was owned by their neighbor. Animal health officials noted that the sick poultry was "dead around the neighborhood" and confirmed to have H5N1.
All six patients are recovering. Four patients are receiving Tamiflu treatment at home. The remaining two patients (25-year old father and 14-month-old child) are still being treated and held for observation at the hospital. They reportedly had the most severe symptoms and closest interaction with the sick poultry.
While cultures and blood samples were collected from all suspected H5N1 cases yesterday, no results have been released by officials.
For more information see:
http://birdflucorner.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/bandung-west-java-more-bird-flu-suspects/
http://birdflucorner.wordpress.com/2009/04/06/bandung-west-java-patients-recover/
http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/
Friday, April 3, 2009
Egypt: Upswing in Human H5N1 Cases
With 61 reported human H5N1 cases and 23 fatalities, Egypt has the highest number of reported cases of any country outside of Asia. Six new human H5N1 infections in the past month, mostly in young children in northern rural areas, have spurred WHO to request an investigation into the seeming susceptibility of young children to contracting the virus in rural areas. This susceptibility seems to be explained by greater involvement of young girls and women in poultry raising activities in rural areas, a practice similar to other countries experiencing ongoing spread of H5N1.
Despite a rising number of new infections, the case-fatality rate remains relatively low compared to other countries with reported human H5N1 cases. Quicker treatment of possible cases and the use of oseltamivir have been credited for the lower rate.
For more information, see:
http://www.ennaharonline.com/en/international/744.html
http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/
Despite a rising number of new infections, the case-fatality rate remains relatively low compared to other countries with reported human H5N1 cases. Quicker treatment of possible cases and the use of oseltamivir have been credited for the lower rate.
For more information, see:
http://www.ennaharonline.com/en/international/744.html
http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
H5N1 virus my be adapting to pigs
An excerpt from CIDRAP:
"Scientists report that H5N1 avian influenza viruses may be adapting to pigs, as evidenced by the finding that H5N1 viruses isolated from pigs in Indonesia were less harmful to mice than were H5N1 viruses from chickens.
The finding suggests that in growing in pigs, the virus may have become less harmful to mammals in general, the authors report. That sounds reassuring, but the authors say it may mean the virus is one step closer to turning into a human pandemic strain. "
.....
:The authors offer this interpretation of their findings: "Since our swine strains were isolated from pigs with no apparent influenza-like symptoms, the decrease of pathogenicity in mice suggests that the H5N1 viruses may have lost their pathogenicity in mammals during replication in pigs. Given that for the H5N1 viruses to cause a pandemic, they would likely become attenuated in humans, becoming attenuated in mammals may be a prelude to the generation of a pandemic strain."
They add that because H5N1 infections in swine increase the risk that a pandemic strain could emerge, the findings point up the need for "continuous surveillance and management of H5N1 viruses in pigs."
A good public reminder that surveillance is key to predicting and preventing a pandemic.
For the full article: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/avianflu/news/mar3109swine-jw.html
"Scientists report that H5N1 avian influenza viruses may be adapting to pigs, as evidenced by the finding that H5N1 viruses isolated from pigs in Indonesia were less harmful to mice than were H5N1 viruses from chickens.
The finding suggests that in growing in pigs, the virus may have become less harmful to mammals in general, the authors report. That sounds reassuring, but the authors say it may mean the virus is one step closer to turning into a human pandemic strain. "
.....
:The authors offer this interpretation of their findings: "Since our swine strains were isolated from pigs with no apparent influenza-like symptoms, the decrease of pathogenicity in mice suggests that the H5N1 viruses may have lost their pathogenicity in mammals during replication in pigs. Given that for the H5N1 viruses to cause a pandemic, they would likely become attenuated in humans, becoming attenuated in mammals may be a prelude to the generation of a pandemic strain."
They add that because H5N1 infections in swine increase the risk that a pandemic strain could emerge, the findings point up the need for "continuous surveillance and management of H5N1 viruses in pigs."
A good public reminder that surveillance is key to predicting and preventing a pandemic.
For the full article: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/avianflu/news/mar3109swine-jw.html
Great Arcticle on Preventing the Next Pandemic
Scientific American did a great arcticle on preventing the next pandemic. It's a must read. A quick summary of the points:
"1. Most human infectious diseases originated in animals.
2. Historically, epidemiologists have focused on domestic animals as the source of these scourges. But wild animals, too, have transmitted many diseases to us, including HIV.
3. To address the threat posed by wild animals, researchers are studying the microbes of these creatures and the people who come into frequent contact with them.
4. Such monitoring may enable scientists to spot emerging infectious diseases early enough to prevent them from becoming pandemics. "
And an interesting excerpt....
"Today HIV is so pervasive that it is hard to imagine the world without it. But a global pandemic was not inevitable. If scientists had been looking for signs of new kinds of infections in Africans back in the 1960s and 1970s, they could have known about it long before it had afflicted millions of people. With a head start like that, epidemiologists might well have been able to intervene and mitigate the virus's spread. HIV is not alone in having emerged from an animal reservoir. More than half of human infectious diseases, past and present, originated in animals, including influenza, SARS, dengue and Ebola, to name a few. And today the vast interconnectedness of human populations, linked so extensively by road and air travel, allows new diseases to become pandemic more quickly, whether they come directly from wild animals, as did HIV, or indirectly, by passing from wild animals to domestic ones and then to us, as in the case of Japanese encephalitis virus and some strains of influenza. In response to these threats, my colleagues and I recently developed a bold new plan to monitor wild animals and the people who come into frequent contact with them for signs of new microorganisms or changes in the bugs' activity. We believe such eavesdropping may provide the early warning needed to stop pandemics before they start."
To read the full article (highly recommended) visit: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=preventing-next-pandemic
"1. Most human infectious diseases originated in animals.
2. Historically, epidemiologists have focused on domestic animals as the source of these scourges. But wild animals, too, have transmitted many diseases to us, including HIV.
3. To address the threat posed by wild animals, researchers are studying the microbes of these creatures and the people who come into frequent contact with them.
4. Such monitoring may enable scientists to spot emerging infectious diseases early enough to prevent them from becoming pandemics. "
And an interesting excerpt....
"Today HIV is so pervasive that it is hard to imagine the world without it. But a global pandemic was not inevitable. If scientists had been looking for signs of new kinds of infections in Africans back in the 1960s and 1970s, they could have known about it long before it had afflicted millions of people. With a head start like that, epidemiologists might well have been able to intervene and mitigate the virus's spread. HIV is not alone in having emerged from an animal reservoir. More than half of human infectious diseases, past and present, originated in animals, including influenza, SARS, dengue and Ebola, to name a few. And today the vast interconnectedness of human populations, linked so extensively by road and air travel, allows new diseases to become pandemic more quickly, whether they come directly from wild animals, as did HIV, or indirectly, by passing from wild animals to domestic ones and then to us, as in the case of Japanese encephalitis virus and some strains of influenza. In response to these threats, my colleagues and I recently developed a bold new plan to monitor wild animals and the people who come into frequent contact with them for signs of new microorganisms or changes in the bugs' activity. We believe such eavesdropping may provide the early warning needed to stop pandemics before they start."
To read the full article (highly recommended) visit: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=preventing-next-pandemic
Monday, March 23, 2009
Lancet Conferences: Influenza in the Asia-Pacific
Following its conference in 2006, The Lancet & The Lancet Infectious Diseases are hosting a conference (*Preparing for Influenza: From Strategy to Operation*) in Qingdao, China from 21-23 August 2009 to explore the latest research and debate the most effective steps for seasonal and pandemic influenza preparedness in the Asia-Pacific region. This is a great opportunity to discover new developments and strategies for influenza prevention specific to the Asia-Pacific context.
Major issues to be discussed include:
The impact of virus strain evolution and pandemic preparedness;
Up-to-date scientific insight into the influenza virus;
Updates on multimodal strategies to prevent and treat pandemic influenza;
Perspectives and discussion on the future of seasonal influenza control;
Public health and operation strategies to bring about change within the Asia-Pacific region
REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE:
To take advantage of discounted early bird registration rates, you must register by May 31, 2009. Early bird registration fees range from USD150 to USD450. For more information and links to registration, please visit:
http://www.asiaflu.thelancetconferences.com/
Major issues to be discussed include:
The impact of virus strain evolution and pandemic preparedness;
Up-to-date scientific insight into the influenza virus;
Updates on multimodal strategies to prevent and treat pandemic influenza;
Perspectives and discussion on the future of seasonal influenza control;
Public health and operation strategies to bring about change within the Asia-Pacific region
REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE:
To take advantage of discounted early bird registration rates, you must register by May 31, 2009. Early bird registration fees range from USD150 to USD450. For more information and links to registration, please visit:
http://www.asiaflu.thelancetconferences.com/
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Vietnam: Quiet(er) on the Front
After a flurry of avian influenza activity in 2009, Vietnam is experiencing a moment of calm.
Three weeks without new bird cases have led to the removal of three provinces from the list of Vietnamese provinces with active H5N1 infection.
With a recent surge of H5N1 infections appearing in 8 provinces, this present lull is good news for the Vietnamese Ministry of Health. Health officials plan to use this time to generate new strategies to control animal disease outbreaks. Five new working groups have been established just this week to specifically focus on containing H5N1 outbreaks and foot-and-mouth disease.
For more information, go to DNI Daily Digest.
Three weeks without new bird cases have led to the removal of three provinces from the list of Vietnamese provinces with active H5N1 infection.
With a recent surge of H5N1 infections appearing in 8 provinces, this present lull is good news for the Vietnamese Ministry of Health. Health officials plan to use this time to generate new strategies to control animal disease outbreaks. Five new working groups have been established just this week to specifically focus on containing H5N1 outbreaks and foot-and-mouth disease.
For more information, go to DNI Daily Digest.
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