Influenssaepidemian ehkäisy ja torjunta terveydenhuollon laitoksissa : kokemuksia keväältä 2006

Riskiryhmille annettava influenssarokote vähentää tehokkaasti sairastuvuutta ja kuolleisuutta, mutta laitospotilailla teho voi jäädä keskimääräistä huonommaksi. Henkilökunnan rokottaminen vähentää sairauslomia, ja sen on osoitettu vähentävän myös potilaiden influenssakuolleisuutta. Influenssaepidemiaa epäiltäessä terveydenhuollon laitoksessa torjuntatoimet tulee käynnistää ripeästi. Oireiset potilaat hoidetaan omassa kohortissaan, käsihygieniaa tehostetaan ja suojaudutaan hengitystie-eritteiltä. Oireiset hoitohenkilökunnan jäsenet siirretään pois hoitotyöstä ja vierailuja ja kokoontumisia rajoitetaan. Altistumisen jälkeen suositellaan oseltamiviiriestolääkitystä kaikille potilaille rokotuksesta riippumatta ja kaikille rokottamattomille henkilökunnan jäsenille.http://www.laakarilehti.fi/tieteessa/katsausartikkeli/influenssaepidemian-ehkaisy-ja-torjunta-terveydenhuollon-laitoksissa-kokemuksia-kevaalta-2006

65 years of influenza surveillance by a World Health Organization-coordinated global network

The 1918 devastating influenza pandemic left a lasting impact on influenza experts and the public, and the importance of global influenza surveillance was soon recognized. The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN) was founded in 1952 and renamed to Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System in 2011 upon the adoption by the World Health Assembly, of the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework for the Sharing of Influenza Viruses and Access to Vaccines and Other Benefits (PIP Framework). The importance of influenza surveillance had been recognized and promoted by experts prior to the years leading up to the establishment of WHO. In the 65years of its existence, the Network has grown to comprise 143 National Influenza Centers recognized by WHO, 6 WHO Collaborating Centers, 4 Essential Regulatory Laboratories, and 13 H5 Reference Laboratories. The Network has proven its excellence throughout these 65years, providing detailed information on circulating seasonal influenza viruses, as well as immediate response to the influenza pandemics in 1957, 1968, and 2009, and to threats caused by animal influenza viruses and by zoonotic transmission of coronaviruses. For its central role in global public health, the Network has been highly recognized by its many partners and by international bodies. Several generations of world-renowned influenza scientists have brought the Network to where it is now and they will take it forward to the future, as influenza will remain a preeminent threat to humans and to animals

Minor Changes in the Hemagglutinin of Influenza A(H1N1)2009 Virus Alter Its Antigenic Properties

BACKGROUND: The influenza A(H1N1)2009 virus has been the dominant type of influenza A virus in Finland during the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 epidemic seasons. We analyzed the antigenic characteristics of several influenza A(H1N1)2009 viruses isolated during the two influenza seasons by analyzing the amino acid sequences of the hemagglutinin (HA), modeling the amino acid changes in the HA structure and measuring antibody responses induced by natural infection or influenza vaccination. METHODS/RESULTS: Based on the HA sequences of influenza A(H1N1)2009 viruses we selected 13 different strains for antigenic characterization. The analysis included the vaccine virus, A/California/07/2009 and multiple California-like isolates from 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 epidemic seasons. These viruses had two to five amino acid changes in their HA1 molecule. The mutation(s) were located in antigenic sites Sa, Ca1, Ca2 and Cb region. Analysis of the antibody levels by hemagglutination inhibition test (HI) indicated that vaccinated individuals and people who had experienced a natural influenza A(H1N1)2009 virus infection showed good immune responses against the vaccine virus and most of the wild-type viruses. However, one to two amino acid changes in the antigenic site Sa dramatically affected the ability of antibodies to recognize these viruses. In contrast, the tested viruses were indistinguishable in regard to antibody recognition by the sera from elderly individuals who had been exposed to the Spanish influenza or its descendant viruses during the early 20(th) century. CONCLUSIONS: According to our results, one to two amino acid changes (N125D and/or N156K) in the major antigenic sites of the hemagglutinin of influenza A(H1N1)2009 virus may lead to significant reduction in the ability of patient and vaccine sera to recognize A(H1N1)2009 viruses

Influenssavirusinfektioiden seurantakäsikirja

Tämän vanhan painoksen korvaa uusi, muutettu painos osoitteessa: http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-302-967-5</a

Specific Viruses Detected in Nigerian Children in Association with Acute Respiratory Disease

Occurrence of different viruses in acute respiratory tract infections of Nigerian children was examined. Respiratory swabs were collected from 246 children referred to hospital clinics because of acute respiratory symptoms from February through May 2009. Validated real-time RT-PCR techniques revealed nucleic acids of at least one virus group in 189 specimens (77%). Human rhinoviruses and parainfluenza viruses were present each in one third of the children. Adenoviruses, enteroviruses, human metapneumovirus, human bocavirus, and influenza C virus were also relatively common. Possibly due to their seasonal occurrence, influenza A and B virus, and respiratory syncytial virus were detected rarely. We conclude that all major groups of respiratory tract viruses are causing illness in Nigerian children