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The Great Influenza
Published in Rae-Ellen W. Kavey, Allison B. Kavey, Viral Pandemics, 2020
Rae-Ellen W. Kavey, Allison B. Kavey
Meanwhile, the 2017–2018 US seasonal flu was more widespread and more severe than any year since the 2009 swine flu pandemic, with more hospitalizations than in the previous 5 years and 186 deaths in children, above the previous high reported during the 2012–2013 season. The 2018–2019 season was less severe with only 116 pediatric deaths.91 But already in 2019–2020, at least 250,000 Americans have been hospitalized and 14,000 people have died due to influenza, including 105 flu-related deaths among children, a higher total at this point of the year (February 2020) than any season in the past decade. This year’s vaccine effectiveness against any flu virus was 45%, better than any vaccine since 2015–2016, CDC data shows.92 But the next influenza season begins in 7 months and a lethal new influenza strain emerging in China is only a transpolar flight away …
Human Influenza Virus Infections
Published in Sunit K. Singh, Human Respiratory Viral Infections, 2014
Judith M. Fontana, Daniel P. Eiras, Mirella Salvatore
The current nomenclature system for influenza virus takes into consideration the following list of characteristics: (1) the antigenic type (A, B, or C) based on the sequence of conserved internal proteins; (2) the common name of the host of origin, if not human (e.g., swine, equine, chicken, duck, turkey); (3) the geographical origin; (4) the strain number; and (5) the year of isolation.7 Additionally, for influenza A viruses, a description of the antigenic nature of the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase viral proteins usually follows in parentheses (e.g., A/duck/USSR/695/1976 (H2N3) or human influenza virus A/Denver/1/1957 (H1N1)).7 Following the 2009 “swine flu” pandemic, the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus became the predominant circulating seasonal influenza virus strain, thus necessitating a revision of the nomenclature to distinguish circulating pandemic and nonpandemic strains of H1N1. In 2011, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the use of A(H1N1)pdm09 to minimize confusion regarding this issue.8
Organ transplantation
Published in Marc Stauch, Kay Wheat, Text, Cases and Materials on Medical Law and Ethics, 2018
The Nuffield Council of Bioethics, in its 1996 report, Animal to Human Transplants: The Ethics of Xenotransplantation, charted some of the obstacles in the way of carrying out such transplants on a wide scale: In 1997 a government inquiry, chaired by Professor Ian Kennedy, also took the view that, because of the unknown risks associated with infectious diseases passing from animal to human, clinical trials should be delayed. Subsequently the Government established the Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority to keep the situation under review, but this body was wound up in 2006 in favour of regulation by Department of Health guidance. The latter, while allowing the possibility of xenotransplantation as part of a controlled research project, stipulates strict conditions designed to minimise the attendant risks: Concerns in respect of animal–human infections have increased still further in the wake of the recent emergence of avian flu, not to mention the 2009 swine flu pandemic. In the light of this, it is unsurprising that at present there appear world-wide to be no clinical trials involving xenotransplantation.55 Indeed, it could be argued that, given the unquantifiable risks of proceeding, and the availability of reasonable alternatives, the time has now come for xenotransplantation trials to be prohibited. As Forvargue and Ost write: In a recent briefing paper, Taking Organ Transplantation to 2020: A UK Strategy,57 NHSBT stated its view that ‘Xenotransplantation is unlikely to have any impact within the next 20 years, because it will take time to address issues such as immunological and physiological differences and the potential for infection with Porcine Endogenous Retrovirus and other infections.’
Variant influenza: connecting the missing dots
Published in Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy, 2022
Vivek Chavda, Rajashri Bezbaruah, Tutumoni Kalita, Anupam Sarma, Juti Rani Devi, Ratnali Bania, Vasso Apostolopoulos
Since the 2009 H1N1 virus was communicated via airborne droplets among the human population rather than from pigs to humans, and as such, it was no longer considered zoonotic. The 2009 swine flu pandemic had an excessive impact on the young population compared to the older age groups [22]. For adults and the rest of the human population, clinical features for common influenza and severe pandemic H1N1 infection were reported to have similarities. During the 2009 outbreak, a higher number of patients reported indigestion and abdominal disturbances, and respiratory distress was the leading cause of fatality [23]. The other reasons for fatalities comprised excessive and uncontrollable dehydration resulting in electrolyte imbalance and renal failure, hyperthermia, and pneumonia [24]. The death rate was comparatively more in young children and elderly persons [20,25].
The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on cataract surgery: a surgeons’ perspective
Published in Clinical and Experimental Optometry, 2021
Argyrios Tzamalis, Kyriaki Karafotaki, Kalliopi Karipidi, Asterios Diafas, Asimina Mataftsi, Ioannis Tsinopoulos, Nikolaos Ziakas
Many healthcare workers will be called upon to provide their medical services in an unconventional risky environment, being aware of the high risk of infection and the probability that they and their families may be infected.22 Based on a meta-analysis, the possibility of healthcare professionals to be infected from Η1Ν1 virus, during 2009 swine flu pandemic, was twice as those from comparatively groups.23 Furthermore, in a cross-sectional survey referring to the same pandemic, 20.4% of healthcare professionals reported that at least one of their household members had disease-related symptoms.24 It is worth mentioning that there is also the fear of stigmatisation due to close contact doctors have with people who are ill.25 Another factor to consider explaining the longer duration of the surgery in our study could also be the increased caution adopted by surgeons fearing to get infected during the procedure.
Assessment of serum ferritin as a biomarker in COVID-19: bystander or participant? Insights by comparison with other infectious and non-infectious diseases
Published in Biomarkers, 2020
Kai Kappert, Amir Jahić, Rudolf Tauber
As for avian H5N1, also for swine H1N1, frequently termed ‘swine influenza’, only a few reports are available on serum ferritin values. The 2009 swine flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic that lasted from January 2009 to August 2010. About 18,500 deaths associated with laboratory-confirmed H1N1 occurred. While patients with severe H1N1 infection requiring intensive care displayed pathological changes in laboratory biomarkers including lower counts of lymphocytes and platelets, values of serum ferritin were not reported (Huo et al.2018). Moreover, while some inflammatory biomarkers, such as CRP, showed the clinical potential to distinguish between H1N1-survivor and non-survivor groups (Gao et al.2017), however, no such data are available for ferritin.