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

SFgate ^ | 12-8-2003 | Daniel Yee

[blam]

The nation's health agency plans to closely watch flu complications among children, who have swamped hospitals in some states and surprised doctors with the severity of their illnesses.

A new concern is the rise of a common drug-resistant staph infection that is complicating efforts to treat children with the flu, an official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday.

[Ditter]

Oh dear suzy! I thought my m-i-l was difficult! She was a piece of cake compared to yours. My m-i-l was a hypocondriac & loved to go to the Doc. LOL God rest her soul. ha

[suzyq5558]

What amazes my husband and i is that she has lived with for two yr.s now and we havnt choked her yet!!lol

[kdono]

there is no cross immunity from the Panama strain to the Fujian strain

There is cross immunity between Panama and Fujian, which is why flu shots are still recommended. 75% of animals immunized with Panama had titers >40 against Fujian.

[kdono]

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

There is a swine bird connection throughout the world. Some of the mutations in Fujian have been seen in pigs in Colorado as well as teals in Germany.

The virus does not require a Visa to travel from country to country.

[kdono]

From tomorrow's MMWR"

For the weeks ending October 4–December 6, WHO and NREVSS collaborating laboratories in the United States tested 24,906 respiratory specimens for influenza viruses; 6,751(27.1%) were positive. During the same period, the weekly percentages of respiratory specimens testing positive for influenza viruses increased from 1.4% to 37.1%. During the 2000–01, 2001–02, and 2002–03 influenza seasons, the peak percentages of specimens testing positive for influenza ranged from 23.2% to 26.4%. During the 1999–00 influenza season, when influenza A (H3N2) viruses predominated, the peak weekly percentage of specimens testing positive was 30.9%(1; CDC, unpublished data, 2003). Of the 6,751 positive isolates, 6,716 (99.5%) were influ-enza A viruses, and 35 (0.5%) were influenza B viruses. Ofthe 6,716 influenza A viruses, 1,255 (18.7%) have been subtyped; 1,254 (99.9%) were influenza A (H3N2) viruses, and one (0.1%) was an influenza A (H1) virus. As of Decem-ber 6, a total of 47 states and all nine surveillance regions had reported laboratory-confirmed influenza. CDC has characterized antigenically 215 influenza viruses that were collected and submitted by U.S. laboratories since
October 1. Of these, 212 were influenza A (H3N2) viruses,
and one was an influenza A (H1) virus. Of the 212 influ-enza
A (H3N2) viruses, 54 (25%) were similar antigenically
to the vaccine strain A/Panama/2007/99 (H3N2), which is
contained in this season’s vaccine, whereas 158 (75%) were
similar antigenically to A/Fujian/411/2002, a drift variant
of A/Panama/2007/99.

[kdono]

CDC and HHS will have a live telebriefing at 1:45 PM today on the latest on the flu.

[Judith Anne]

Thanks to you two, it's my opinion that FReepers are among the best informed of these concerns, anywhere.

Sounds like Fujiian has a strong foot in the door...

[Judith Anne]

MMWR= Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

[kdono]

Tomorrow's MMWR is now available online at

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwr_wk.html

(also redefines SARS)

[Judith Anne]

Thanks.

Going there now.

[JFC]

http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/121103/loc_121103034.shtml


the above article was in our local paper today. Texas has been hit very very hard by this flu. The were prediciting it to be bad way back in September, so we got out flu shots in early Ocotber. WASH HANDS OFTEN! AND KEEP YOUR KIDS OR YOUSELF HOME WHEN YOUR SICK! LYSOL LYSOL LYSOL.

[kdono]

This report is based on data in tomorrow's MMWR

http://www.msnbc.com/news/1003288.asp?0cv=CA01

Dec. 11 — Federal officials said Thursday that the flu has hit hard in 24 states, nearly doubling the number since last week and including almost the entire Western half of the country.

[Judith Anne]

Okay, the case definition seems a lot more clear now, and I can appreciate the amount of work that went into straightening that out.

One thing that still bothers me is that confirmation of SARS in some cases of SARS-RUI (Report Under Investigation) is going to take finding the SARS antibodies >28 days after the initial report to the clinician. 28 days is a long time in an epidemic...

[Judith Anne]

Thanks--obviously, my comments in 173 are about the new CDC case definition of SARS. Sorry for any confusion.

[kdono]

Today's telebriefing has been rescheduled for 1:45. Here is info:

Influenza Update (Audio Webcast - Thursday, Dec 11 at 1 PM ET) In the "Join Event" box click on "audio streaming/replay." Conference number: 7928784;
Passcode: CDC MEDIA

https://www.mymeetings.com/

[kdono]

I suspect most will view SARS RUI as SARS until proven otherwise.

[Judith Anne]

Is it free?

[kdono]

Yes, only registration is required.

[Judith Anne]

(to 176) Good.

[Judith Anne]

I'll get on it at 1:45 then.