Cuba: Questionable report of 4 fatal pediatric H1N2 cases in Palma Soriano

[alert]

Hat-tip Tonka. There is no ciruclating H1N2 virus, so unless they mean a variant swine flu virus (which would be huge news), they could mean H1N1 or H3N2:

http://www.cubanet.org/otros/gripe-h...palma-soriano/

H1N2 Flu kills four children in Palma Soriano
Wednesday, September 25, 2013 | By CubaNet

MIAMI , Florida , writing, September 25, 2013 , www.cubanet.org.- We reported Carlos Rios , from Palma Soriano , Santiago de Cuba province , there are numerous cases of children sick with the H1N2 virus , which is contagious strain of influenza A virus , has spread to the city of Santiago de Cuba and San Luis .

So far infected children being referred to the hospital in Palma Soriano , at La Colonia in Santiago de Cuba , and the Ambrosio Grillo , in the town of El Cobre.

Turquino Tele and Radio Revolution , local stations, were giving a statement warning the public that those who have difficulty breathing , pain in the back " lungs " to travel to the nearest health post . Not mentioned the H1N2 virus , but a very strong flu before he had to take precautions.

Health authorities are concerned , because the H1N2 virus , is expanding rapidly . And have recognized the epidemic and health alert broadcast on television and local radio . The TV channel Tele Turquino , which usually ends are transmitted only week all week has offered epidemic alert . Also a truck with loudspeakers through the streets of Palma Soriano alerting the population .

Fusté Alicia Rodriguez, spokeswoman UNPACU in Palma Soriano , informs us that , in the past two months , four children have died from the virus. H1N2 . He adds that the girl died Thursday a year. And come one child died eight months , who was buried on Saturday .

Add UNPACU activist who , during the week, only in the hospital in Palma Soriano , there were more than 80 plates lungs , radiological tests for months that they were not doing, according to medical authorities for lack of the necessary materials.

[DrCat]

Re: Cuba: Questionable report of 4 fatal pediatric H1N2 cases in Palma Soriano

While there may be no reports of H1N2 circulating, 3 cases of H1N2 were reported in Minnesota last year.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/spotlights/h1n2v-cases-mn.htm

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Re: Cuba: Questionable report of 4 fatal pediatric H1N2 cases in Palma Soriano

While there may be no reports of H1N2 circulating, 3 cases of H1N2 were reported in Minnesota last year.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/spotlights/h1n2v-cases-mn.htm

Yes, those are the variant swine flu cases I was referring to in my above comment. None of them were fatal, and the severity of them was comparable to seasonal flu. That virus seems unlikely to be responsible for this outbreak, IMO. It is also possible to make an H1N2 virus by reassorting the circulating H1N1 and H3N2 strains, but that would also be huge news.

I think it is more likely the strain of flu here is misreported.

[sharon sanders]

Re: Cuba: Questionable report of 4 fatal pediatric H1N2 cases in Palma Soriano

While there may be no reports of H1N2 circulating, 3 cases of H1N2 were reported in Minnesota last year.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/spotlights/h1n2v-cases-mn.htm

Yes. We will have to watch this situation.

[Giuseppe]

Re: Cuba: Questionable report of 4 fatal pediatric H1N2 cases in Palma Soriano

In general, human/swine H1 & N2 reassortants isolated so far had little pandemic potential because they share common antigenic sites with their seasonal counterparts.

A part people with little immunity to H1 & N2 components immunity, ie very Young children, these viruses may pose health threats only in the case they would be of other animal origins, like of entirely avian source.

Different situation would be an emergent H2 strain, since the herd immunity against this subtype has longer waned in the general population. No H2 viruses circulated in human since the 1957 pandemic.

[alert]

Re: Cuba: Questionable report of 4 fatal pediatric H1N2 cases in Palma Soriano

In general, human/swine H1 & N2 reassortants isolated so far had little pandemic potential because they share common antigenic sites with their seasonal counterparts.

A part people with little immunity to H1 & N2 components immunity, ie very Young children, these viruses may pose health threats only in the case they would be of other animal origins, like of entirely avian source.

Different situation would be an emergent H2 strain, since the herd immunity against this subtype has longer waned in the general population. No H2 viruses circulated in human since the 1957 pandemic.

Not that I really think this is an H1N2, but...

The above comments only apply to an H1 that is derived from a recently ciruclating flu, such as the 2009 H1N1 virus or the previous seasonal H1N1 virus. There were a couple reports from around the world in the past year (including one from China, I believe) of human infections with a purely avian H1N1 virus. It is possible to reassort that virus with avian H5N2 or H9N2 to proudce an H1N2 virus with no genes from previous human flu viruses. Such a virus could indeed be a pandemic candidate. Remember, the H1 of the 2009 virus was distinct enough from the circulating H1 to fail to subtype (and to cause a pandemic).

But there's little evidence any of that is going on here.