CDC To Monitor Children's Flu Complications: Drug-Resistant Staph A New Wrinkle

SFgate ^ | 12-8-2003 | Daniel Yee

[torstars]

Flu arrives early in Ohio, claims life of child, 1
Death reported in Pickaway; cases increase from this time last year
By Tracy Wheeler
Beacon Journal medical writer

It's only the second week of December and the flu has already arrived in Northeast Ohio and statewide, showing signs of settling in for a long winter.

The Ohio Department of Health reported Wednesday that flu activity statewide has increased from sporadic to regional, meaning that outbreaks of influenza or influenzalike disease are evident in numerous -- but fewer than half of -- Ohio counties.

Statewide, there have been 1,038 cases of flu or flulike illness reported, compared with 826 at the same time last year.

The state Health Department also reported the state's firstinfluenza-related death Wednesday, a 1-year-old from Pickaway County. Before anyone panics, though, health officials want to offer some perspective.

http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/7463254.htm

[Sally'sConcerns]

I looked and it shows my little county as being surrounded by those that are either on watch or on warning status. Nothing for us yet.

http://www.fluwatch.com

Shows some interesting stats.

[torstars]

Yesterday, 2,921 people received flu shots at an Oakland clinic that the Health Department set up to manage the huge demand. Cole said only 1,000 doses will be given today at the clinic, 3333 Forbes Ave., Oakland, and he expects the clinic to run out.

[Free Trapper]

Thanks,I was trying it just before you posted it.

My poor old puter says it's not a gonna do it.Anything interesting on that site?

[Sally'sConcerns]

It has different maps where you can look up what status your county and the surrounding couties are at. You can also check by zip code.

It has several interesting news reports. I also read about a new swab they can do locally which means quicker reporting to the national level about what's going on locally. Faster than what the CDC uses. It was worth the time I spent there and I bookmarked it for future reference.

[Free Trapper]

Ardmore TV started their news talking about that site.

Was it a government site?

[null and void]

Here's a report suggesting the outbreak is now beginning to take off in Northern California.

My daughter was diagnosed with it today. My son merely has strep...

[torstars]

I think the swab is for neuraminidase, which doesn't give the H subtype (or if it is Fujian), so you know if you have the flu, but not if you have Fujian.

[torstars]

I was confused by your private e-mail. Who is Henry?

[Judith Anne]

Thanks, that confirms what I was thinking. To me, it means we won't know what kind of flu we're dealing with when it hits the hospitals here. I'm off this week, but there weren't any flu cases on my unit when I went home last Sunday night.

I'm going to check that fluwatch.com site now.

[walden]

" I am well aware of the technical aspects of cultivation of the virus for vaccine production and have been well versed in virology."

Then maybe you can answer my question: I got the flu shot a month ago, and now have a mild case of the flu-- that I understand. But, at the same time I got the flu shot, I also got a pneumonia shot. What kind or kinds of pneumonia will that protect me against? I tend to be susceptible to pneumonia, and am worried that my chest congestion might go that way.

[vetvetdoug]

I have had time to think about the current vaccines' shortcomings toward the Fujian strain. If one were to be vaccinated against the Panama strain and within a couple of weeks of the vaccination contract the Fujian strain, the severity of the Fujian influenza could be more severe than normal. Immunity would be tied up making antibody toward the Panama strain and would be slow and inefficient to make immunity toward the Fujian strain. This scenario could be right if: there is no cross immunity from the Panama strain to the Fujian strain or the body's inability to recognize an alternate strain until disease is full blown. Are these assumptions plausible?

[Judith Anne]

I know you weren't asking me, but I think that the body can defend itself and make antibodies against more than one virus at a time. If I remember correctly, the CDC was saying that there MAY be some assist against the Fujiian strain from the Panama vaccine. Of course, they could be wrong, too...

[vetvetdoug]

The "Pneumonia" vaccination is formulated to protect against the Streptococcus agent that causes a very nasty and fatal pneumonia that is severe in the elderly and immunocompromized. It is specific against pneumococcal pneumonia and doesn't protect against Staphylococcal or any other viral or fungal types of pneumonia. I understand that the pneumococcal vaccination has some good immunity that lasts for up to five years.

[walden]

Thanks! I'll be sure and get to the doctor if my temperature trends up or I feel worse.

[vetvetdoug]

Sometimes in an antigenic drift situation, the immunological response makes immunity toward the disease first encountered and cannot recognize the new infection. If the Panama/Fujian situation is such, then we are in deep...well you know. The body can make antibody toward several diseases at the same time, only if it recognizes them.

[Judith Anne]

True. But cowpox protects against smallpox, both are viruses.

[OldBlondBabe]

"Since you seem to be quite knowledgeable about this, any idea why these flu strains seem to originate in China most of the time?"

Seems to me that I'd heard many of these viruses originate with chickens (?) and that many in China are allowing these animals to live in their homes thus spreading the virus from animal to human. Anyone knowledgeable enough to elaborate on this?

[Judith Anne]

There's a waterfowl-swine connection in China. iirc, the viruses originate with the waterfowl, spread to the swine, thence to humans in China.

But I could be mistaken.

[OldBlondBabe]

You could be right. I do remember it was stressed that people are sharing unsanitary living conditions with animals, encouraging the spread of the viruses.