Institute for Disease Control warns of flu epidemic
Published: kl 18:14 , Radio Sweden Comment 3 gillar Share
The Swedish Institute for Communicable Disease Control is warning that flu could be a serious problem this year.
"We have seen an increase that indicates an epidemic is on the way," state epidemiologist Annika Linde tells TT.
Cases of the virus took off after Christmas and have risen significantly because of the cold weather. Last week, 40 new cases were reported.
...
Contents
Influenza in Sweden
After a few weeks of relatively low activity, the flu started to increase again. For three weeks reported 47 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza compared with 13 cases Week 2. 34 of these were seasonal influenza A and those that have been characterized as expected, were of subtype A (H3). Cases have been reported from laboratories in Sk?ne, V?stra G?taland, Uppsala, Falun, ?stersund and Ume?, and probably is the virus throughout the country. It is mainly young children and adults who have so far received influenza diagnosis verified. Often, usually older suffer slightly later than younger people, who have more contacts.
We have also received reports of four cases of influenza B in week 3. Although this virus seems to get lost sporadic throughout the country. The pandemic flu A (H1N1) pdm09 has been verified in 1 patient from Stockholm.
The increased activity is not yet visible in reporting of influenza-like illness from sentinel physicians, but in web searches and ill report has curves that indicate flu activity turned upward, and even phone calls to 1177 related to fever in children has increased.
Most are talking to the spread of seasonal influenza A which we have long talked about now begun in earnest across the country, but we do not yet know when the peak is reached and the extent of the spread becomes. Once again, we urge those in risk groups for vaccination - and now is the time!
Characterization for vaccine similarity and antiviral resistance
As of week 40, a total of 29 A/H1 (2009), 62 A/H3, 2 B / Yam and a B / Vic sub / linjetypats at the SMI, Gothenburg and Ume?. (Table 4). Of these, 8 A/H1 (2009), 27 A/H3, 2 B / Yamagata and a B / Victoria characterized regarding, among other vaccine similarity and resistance to antiviral agents.
Both influenza A/H1N1 (2009) and A/H3N2 has in recent years developed a number of different subgroups (clades; 8 for H1 and 10 for H3). They all have large antigenic similarity with the current vaccine strains, A/California/7/2009 (H1N1) and A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2). The influenza A strains that SMI has characterized this season belong to different genotypes circulating even last season. No one is quite different from any of the vaccine strains, and all are sensitive to both neuraminidase inhibitors (Tamiflu and Relenza).
The vaccine also includes B/Brisbane/60/2008 belonging B/Victoria/2/1987-linjen. The two influenza B strains SMI has characterized is B/Yamagata/16/1988-linjetyp, and thus does not give the vaccine strain protection. One of the strains have been characterized with respect to sensitivity to neuraminidase inhibitors, and it was sensitive to both.
...
In-depth statistics
Table 1. Number of laboratory confirmed influenza cases in Sweden, Week 3, and cumulatively since week 40/2011.
Influensatyp Current week // Cumulative number of
A (H1N1) pdm09 6 // 34
Seasonal Influenza A 40 // 140
Seasonal influenza B 1 // 13
A total of 47 // 187
Figure 1 and 2. Weekly incidence of laboratory-confirmed cases by county.
Figure 1. Weekly incidence of all laboratory-confirmed cases by county, A (H1N1) pdm09, seasonal influenza A and B.
...
Published: kl 18:14 , Radio Sweden Comment 3 gillar Share
The Swedish Institute for Communicable Disease Control is warning that flu could be a serious problem this year.
"We have seen an increase that indicates an epidemic is on the way," state epidemiologist Annika Linde tells TT.
Cases of the virus took off after Christmas and have risen significantly because of the cold weather. Last week, 40 new cases were reported.
...
Contents
Influenza in Sweden
After a few weeks of relatively low activity, the flu started to increase again. For three weeks reported 47 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza compared with 13 cases Week 2. 34 of these were seasonal influenza A and those that have been characterized as expected, were of subtype A (H3). Cases have been reported from laboratories in Sk?ne, V?stra G?taland, Uppsala, Falun, ?stersund and Ume?, and probably is the virus throughout the country. It is mainly young children and adults who have so far received influenza diagnosis verified. Often, usually older suffer slightly later than younger people, who have more contacts.
We have also received reports of four cases of influenza B in week 3. Although this virus seems to get lost sporadic throughout the country. The pandemic flu A (H1N1) pdm09 has been verified in 1 patient from Stockholm.
The increased activity is not yet visible in reporting of influenza-like illness from sentinel physicians, but in web searches and ill report has curves that indicate flu activity turned upward, and even phone calls to 1177 related to fever in children has increased.
Most are talking to the spread of seasonal influenza A which we have long talked about now begun in earnest across the country, but we do not yet know when the peak is reached and the extent of the spread becomes. Once again, we urge those in risk groups for vaccination - and now is the time!
Characterization for vaccine similarity and antiviral resistance
As of week 40, a total of 29 A/H1 (2009), 62 A/H3, 2 B / Yam and a B / Vic sub / linjetypats at the SMI, Gothenburg and Ume?. (Table 4). Of these, 8 A/H1 (2009), 27 A/H3, 2 B / Yamagata and a B / Victoria characterized regarding, among other vaccine similarity and resistance to antiviral agents.
Both influenza A/H1N1 (2009) and A/H3N2 has in recent years developed a number of different subgroups (clades; 8 for H1 and 10 for H3). They all have large antigenic similarity with the current vaccine strains, A/California/7/2009 (H1N1) and A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2). The influenza A strains that SMI has characterized this season belong to different genotypes circulating even last season. No one is quite different from any of the vaccine strains, and all are sensitive to both neuraminidase inhibitors (Tamiflu and Relenza).
The vaccine also includes B/Brisbane/60/2008 belonging B/Victoria/2/1987-linjen. The two influenza B strains SMI has characterized is B/Yamagata/16/1988-linjetyp, and thus does not give the vaccine strain protection. One of the strains have been characterized with respect to sensitivity to neuraminidase inhibitors, and it was sensitive to both.
...
In-depth statistics
Table 1. Number of laboratory confirmed influenza cases in Sweden, Week 3, and cumulatively since week 40/2011.
Influensatyp Current week // Cumulative number of
A (H1N1) pdm09 6 // 34
Seasonal Influenza A 40 // 140
Seasonal influenza B 1 // 13
A total of 47 // 187
Figure 1 and 2. Weekly incidence of laboratory-confirmed cases by county.
Figure 1. Weekly incidence of all laboratory-confirmed cases by county, A (H1N1) pdm09, seasonal influenza A and B.
...
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