Articles: pandemics.
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Clin. Vaccine Immunol. · Aug 2011
ReviewSeroprevalence to influenza A(H1N1) 2009 virus--where are we?
Age-specific seroprevalences for influenza virus make important contributions to estimating the burden of infection and determining the vulnerable populations. It is especially difficult to know the true clinical attack rates of the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic; however, we can estimate infection rates through analyses of seroprevalences based on national studies from different continents and countries with different demographics. After the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic, seroprevalence studies found 5 to 60% of populations across different continents and age groups having antibodies against the A(H1N1) 2009 virus. ⋯ Preexisting cross-reactive antibodies against the virus were present mostly in sera of older people (born before 1950) who could have encountered viruses descended from the 1918 pandemic viruses. Experience with the 2009 pandemic indicates how essential early and timely serology data against the emerging virus can be for informing decisions on use of antivirals and vaccination campaigns, especially in regard to risk groups. The objectives of this review were to summarize the current data available on seroprevalence before and after the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic and the lessons learned for future pandemic preparedness.
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To describe the clinical manifestations of patients affected with a novel influenza A (H1N1 2009) during the pandemic. ⋯ Younger people were more likely to be infected with influenza A H1N1 2009. The clinical manifestations were similar to the seasonal influenza. However, the mortality rate was much higher, particularly in patients who developed pneumonia. In this study, all patients who died had existing underlying medical conditions.
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Influenza Other Respi Viruses · Jul 2011
Clinical epidemiology comparison of H1N1 RT-PCR-positive and RT-PCR-negative pneumonia during the 2009-2010 pandemic in Mansoura University hospitals, Egypt.
Worldwide, the infectivity and disease burden of the H1N1 pandemic were overestimated because of limited clinical experience concerning patient presentation and outcome of those infected with the novel H1N1 virus. ⋯ Sore throat, dyspnea, and presence of GIT complaints increase the suspicion of H1N1 positivity in pneumonia acquired during an H1N1 pandemic. However, H1N1 did not worsen the disease burden of pneumonia.
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Should a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, such as the H5N1 virus type currently circulating in birds, become transmissible among humans, an effective vaccine, rapidly available in vast quantities, would be the best tool to prevent high case-fatalities and the breakdown of health and social services. The number of vaccine doses that could be produced on demand has risen sharply over the last few years; however, it is still alarmingly short of the 13 billion doses that would be needed if two doses were required to protect fully the world's population. Most developing countries would be last in the queue to benefit from a pandemic vaccine. ⋯ To this end, the influenza vaccine technology transfer initiative was launched in 2007 and, to date, vaccine manufacturers in 11 developing countries have received grants to acquire the capacity to produce inactivated or live attenuated influenza vaccine for their populations. In addition, a centralized 'hub' has been established to facilitate training in the new technologies for scientists and regulators in the countries. This supplement of Vaccine is devoted to showcasing the interim results of the WHO initiative and the impressive progress made by the developing country manufacturers.