Media, M.D.
After almost two months of screaming newspaper headlines and wall-to-wall cable television coverage about the Ebola outbreak, a calm descended over the media in late October. On Oct. 30, the Washington Post's front page carried the headline, "New Cases of Ebola Declining, WHO Says." The next day, the same real estate carried stories about the war in Syria and the CEO of Apple, Inc. Over the same two days, Ebola was nowhere to be found on the front page of the New York Times. It was 23 days after the death of Thomas Eric Duncan, the first and only confirmed Ebola fatality in the United States.
Barring another victim arr...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - November 4, 2014 Category: Science Source Type: news
An Epidemic: Top 10 Outbreaks In U.S. History
Throughout the years, epidemics and plagues have shaken up societies and cultures around the world.
The latest outbreak that Americans seem to be concerned about is the Ebola epidemic occurring in the African countries of Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. With experts and doctors saying that the outbreak has the potential to become a full-blown pandemic that will become increasingly more difficult to control, the general public is scared.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continuously keep an eye on public health and any immediate health dangers, the American public still worries about how muc...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - August 7, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: cbskapost Tags: Health Africa avian flu Ebola Guinea Health Scare History Measles Nigeria Source Type: news
New analysis of 'swine flu' pandemic conflicts with accepted views on how diseases spread
(University of Cambridge) New analysis of the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic in the US shows that the pandemic wave was surprisingly slow, and that its spread was likely accelerated by school-age children. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - July 1, 2014 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
RNA Extraction from Swine Samples and Detection of Influenza A Virus in Swine by Real-Time RT-PCR
Real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR) assays are currently the method of choice in many laboratories for the detection and subtyping of influenza A virus (IAV) in swine. Traditionally, nasal swabs and lung tissues (sometimes broncho-alveolar lavage and tracheal tissues) are the primary specimens for IAV testing. However, oral fluids are becoming more common for IAV prognostic profiling. In this chapter, we describe (1) procedures of RNA extraction from the common clinical specimens, (2) two rRT-PCR assays for detection of IAV in swine, and (3) an rRT-PCR assay for subtyping swine IAV. RNA extraction procedures include a magnetic bead...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Infectious Diseases - June 6, 2014 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
Hemagglutinin Inhibition Assay with Swine Sera
Hemagglutination is based on the ability of viruses such as influenza A virus to agglutinate red blood cells (RBCs) of specific animal species by formation of cross-linking lattices between RBCs. Antibodies that have the ability to inhibit the hemagglutination property of influenza A viruses are correlated with protection from infection. The hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test is a serological assay that measures the titer of specific antibodies in the sera and is the most common serological assay used to detect anti-influenza antibodies in swine sera. (Source: Springer protocols feed by Infectious Diseases)
Source: Springer protocols feed by Infectious Diseases - June 6, 2014 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Detection of Serum or Mucosal Isotype-Specific IgG and IgA Whole-Virus Antibody to Influenza A Virus in Swine
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays can be used to detect isotype-specific anti-influenza antibodies in biological samples to characterize the porcine immune response to influenza A virus. The isotype antibody assay is based on an indirect ELISA using whole influenza virus as antigen and detection antibodies directed against porcine IgG and IgA. Samples such as serum, nasal wash, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid allow for evaluation of systemic, upper, and lower respiratory tract mucosal antibody responses, respectively. The isotype ELISA assay is performed in a 96-well format using anti-swine detection antibodies conjugate...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Infectious Diseases - June 6, 2014 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
A Brief Introduction to Influenza A Virus in Swine
Influenza A viruses (IAV) of the Orthomyxoviridae virus family cause one of the most important respiratory diseases in pigs as well as humans. Repeated outbreaks and rapid spread of genetically and antigenically distinct IAVs represent a considerable challenge for animal production and public health. This overlap between human and animal health is a prime example of the “One Health” concept. Although only subtypes of H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2 are endemic in swine around the world, considerable diversity can be found not only in the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes, but in the other 6 genes as well. Hu...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Infectious Diseases - June 6, 2014 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
Sample Types, Collection, and Transport for Influenza A Viruses of Swine
Detection of influenza A virus (IAV), viral antigen, nucleic acid, or antibodies in swine is dependent upon the collection of the appropriate sample type, the quality of the sample, and the proper storage and handling of the sample. The diagnostic tests to be performed should be considered prior to sample collection. Sera are acceptable samples for ELISA or hemagglutination inhibition tests, but not for real-time RT-PCR. Likewise, swabs and/or tissues are acceptable for real-time RT-PCR and virus isolation. The sample type will also depend on the age of swine that are being tested; oral fluids can be successfully collected...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Infectious Diseases - June 6, 2014 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
Isolation of Swine Influenza Virus in Cell Cultures and Embryonated Chicken Eggs
Influenza virus isolation is a procedure to obtain a live and infectious virus that can be used for antigenic characterization, pathogenesis investigation, and vaccine production. Embryonated chicken egg inoculation is traditionally considered the “gold standard” method for influenza virus isolation and propagation. However, many primary cells and continuous cell lines have also been examined or developed for influenza virus isolation and replication. Specifically, swine influenza virus (SIV) isolation and propagation have been attempted and compared in embryonated chicken eggs, some primary porcine cells, and ...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Infectious Diseases - June 6, 2014 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
Avian Influenza Virus Isolation, Propagation, and Titration in Embryonated Chicken Eggs
Avian influenza virus and some mammalian influenza A viruses are usually isolated, propagated, and titrated in embryonated chicken eggs (ECE). Most any sample type can be accommodated for culture with appropriate processing. Isolation may also be accomplished in cell culture particularly if mammalian lineage isolates are suspected, for example, swine influenza in turkey specimens. Culture is highly sensitive, but is not specific for influenza A, which may be an advantage because a sample may be screened for several agents at once. Once an agent is isolated in culture, the presence of influenza viruses is confirmed with any...
Source: Springer protocols feed by Infectious Diseases - June 6, 2014 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
Tamiflu: drugs given for swine flu 'were waste of £500m'
Drug Tamiflu does nothing to halt the spread of influenza and Government wasted nearly £500?million stockpiling it over swine flu pandemic, study finds (Source: The Telegraph : Swine Flu A H1N1)
Source: The Telegraph : Swine Flu A H1N1 - May 13, 2014 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: influenza drugs pandemic tamiflu swine flu Source Type: news
Solving the Mystery Flu That Killed 50 Million People
MoreCalifornia Bill Banning ‘Affluenza’ Defense Is Nixed7 Ebola Patients in Guinea Fight Off the Disease4 Diseases Making a Comeback Thanks to Anti-VaxxersYears ago the environmental historian Alfred Crosby was at Washington State University, where he was teaching at the time, when on a whim he decided to pick up an old almanac from 1917. (This is apparently the kind of thing historians like to do in their spare time.) He looked up the U.S. life expectancy in that year—it was about 51 years. He turned to the 1919 almanac, and found about the same figure. Then Crosby picked up the almanac from 1918. The U.S. l...
Source: TIME: Top Science and Health Stories - April 29, 2014 Category: Science Authors: Bryan Walsh Tags: Uncategorized 1918 pandemic avian flu bird flu death rates H1N1 H5N1 H7N9 health immune system influenza Spanish flu Source Type: news
Effectiveness of Tamiflu and Relenza questioned
ConclusionThis major review is particularly significant for its use of unpublished, previously confidential data from both the drug manufacturers and regulators, to verify the information in published trials. As the researchers point out, much of the trial data is unreliable for various reasons, which makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions.While it appears that these drugs have a modest benefit, there is no solid evidence that either drug can protect people from the more serious complications of influenza. Paracetamol or ibuprofen would seem to be a far more cost-effective method of relieving the symptoms of influenza...
Source: NHS News Feed - April 10, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medication Swine flu Source Type: news
Three-quarters of people with flu have no symptoms
ConclusionThis large, community-based study found that most people with influenza in England don’t have symptoms, and even if they do, only a small proportion go to a doctor.Approximately 20% of people had an increase in antibodies against influenza in their blood after an influenza “season”. However, about three-quarters of infections were symptom-free, or so mild they weren't identified through weekly questioning about whether participants had a cough, cold, sore throat, or a “flu-like illness”.People who reported being ill were asked to take a nasal swab to test for the influenza virus. Among those with illnes...
Source: NHS News Feed - March 17, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Swine flu Medical practice Source Type: news
Strategies for developing new antiviral flu drugs
New analysis of the influenza A virus by scientists at the University of Hertfordshire shows potential for developing new anti-viral drugs which are more likely to be universally effective against the flu virus originating from avian, swine or human virus strains. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - March 3, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Flu / Cold / SARS Source Type: news
