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Increase in respiratory illness reported in southeast Alabama: 10 hospitalizations, 2 deaths - multiple pathogens detected, including influenza A/H1N1, influenza A/H3, and rhinovirus
Posted: Wed 3:44 PM, May 22, 2013
Reporter: Associated Press
Updated: Wed 6:53 PM, May 22, 2013 Update in Mystery Illness Deaths Expected Thursday
[snip]
Further information from the CDC is expected on Thursday morning. McIntyre says obesity can complicate serious respiratory illnesses.
"...there’s an obvious contest that’s happening between different sectors of the colonial ruling class in this country. And they would, if they could, lump us into their beef, their struggle." ---- Omali Yeshitela, African People’s Socialist Party
(My posts are not intended as advice or professional assessments of any kind.) Never forget Excalibur.
Re: Increase in respiratory illness reported in southeast Alabama (Health Dept., May 21 2013): 7 hospitalizations, 2 deaths - one fatal case positive for influenza A/H1N1, one hospitalized case for influenza A/H3
A mystery illness has sickened seven people in southeastern Alabama, killing two of them, according to the state Health Department, but it's not clear whether the patients – or their symptoms – are connected.
Alabama Mystery Illness Could Be Coincidence
A mystery illness has sickened seven people in southeastern Alabama, killing two of them, according to the state Health Department, but it's not clear whether the patients ? or their symptoms ? are connected.
"At this time, there is no epidemiological link between these patients," an Alabama health department document states in bold type.
The patients' ages range from their mid-20s to their late 80s, Dr. Mary McIntyre, who is leading the investigation, told ABCNews.com in an email. Location aside, McIntyre said the patients had no commonalities other than that the "majority" of them had "co-morbidities like smoking, COPD, morbid obesity."
"Temporal clustering can make something look like an outbreak," said Dr. Richard Besser, chief health and medical editor for ABC News. "Good science will tell you whether it is."
Re: Increase in respiratory illness reported in southeast Alabama (Health Dept., May 21 2013): 7 hospitalizations, 2 deaths - one fatal case positive for influenza A/H1N1, one hospitalized case for influenza A/H3
This suggests that the two confirmed cases are actually both the fatal ones:
Re: Increase in respiratory illness reported in southeast Alabama (Health Dept., May 21 2013): 7 hospitalizations, 2 deaths - one fatal case positive for influenza A/H1N1, one hospitalized case for influenza A/H3
Is this a reporting error, or has there been a third influenza positive?
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (Reuters) - U.S. and state health authorities are investigating an unidentified respiratory illness that has killed two of 10 people hospitalized with it in Alabama since last week.
Preliminary tests do not indicate the bird flu, nor a new mutation of any known influenza virus, said Dr. Mary McIntyre, an assistant state health officer at the Alabama Department of Public Health. Two patients did test positive for the H1N1 strain of the flu.
Bacteria such as MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) remains a possibility, especially as a secondary infection, McIntyre said on Wednesday. However, one patient tested for MRSA by a physician had negative results.
"At this point, it could be anything. We are testing for everything," McIntyre said.
State health officials believe it is unlikely the patients are suffering from the new coronavirus that surfaced in the Middle East last year, because none had traveled, she said.
Laboratory samples were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta for evaluation, and the agency is expected to issue a report within 24 hours, she said.
[snip]
------------
[The reports are not consistent on who has tested positive for which virus. We know one person has tested positive for H1N1 and died. Another person has tested positive for (seasonal?) H3. Some reports indicate this person is the other fatality; others indicate they are still hospitalized, and the other fatal case is undiagnosed.
Now this article suggests two confirmed H1N1 cases, meaning the second one is still alive (as if both fatalities were confirmed H1N1, the article would say that). So it is possible that three cases have been confirmed due to influenza, inclduing at least one, if not both, deaths.
I also have to question the wording of this article. How can they know the influenza virus has not "mutated" if they have not sequenced it yet?] - alert
Re: Increase in respiratory illness reported in southeast Alabama: 10 hospitalizations, 2 deaths - one fatal case positive for influenza A/H1N1, one hospitalized case for influenza A/H3
Re: Increase in respiratory illness reported in southeast Alabama: 10 hospitalizations, 2 deaths - one fatal case positive for influenza A/H1N1, one hospitalized case for influenza A/H3
Looks like multiple causes. It would be nice to know what, besides influenza, has been detected. Adenovirus? Rhinovirus? RSV?
By MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer
Published 10:22 am, Thursday, May 23, 2013
Officials investigating a cluster of mysterious illnesses in Alabama have so far found only cold and flu viruses.
In tests on seven of the nine patients, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found no sign that the illnesses were caused by any single germ, CDC spokeswoman Sharon Hoskins said in an email.
Meanwhile, Alabama officials said they had added two more cases to the cluster, which included two earlier deaths.
Seven of the cases were reported last week, including the deaths. The two new illnesses were reported this week.
Most of the nine were treated at Southeast Alabama Medical Center in Dothan, but one was seen at a hospital in Crenshaw County.
Re: Increase in respiratory illness reported in southeast Alabama: 10 hospitalizations, 2 deaths - one fatal case positive for influenza A/H1N1, one hospitalized case for influenza A/H3
Press Conference indicates rhinoviruses, associated "typical" bacterial co-infections and a few cases of influenza.
Nothing strikingly unusual per the Alabama Health Department.
Re: Increase in respiratory illness reported in southeast Alabama: 10 hospitalizations, 2 deaths - one fatal case positive for influenza A/H1N1, one hospitalized case for influenza A/H3
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) and the Houston County Health Department have determined that the cause of a respiratory illness cluster in southeast Alabama was a combination of influenza A, rhinovirus, the virus associated with the common cold, and bacterial pneumonia.
?This is good news. Testing has ruled out avian flu and novel coronavirus,? said State Health Officer Dr. Don Williamson.
Earlier this month, seven patients were admitted to the hospital with fever, cough and shortness of breath with no known cause for their illness. Public health officials began an epidemiological investigation to interview the families of the patients about travel and exposure.
Specimens were requested and submitted to the ADPH Bureau of Clinical Laboratories in Montgomery.
Of the seven patients whose specimens were submitted, six were found to be positive for either influenza A, rhinovirus or a combination of the two, and three patients were found to have bacterial pneumonia. Two of the seven patients eventually died.
Dr. Mary McIntyre, assistant state health officer for disease control and prevention, said, ?While enhanced surveillance associated with this cluster is no longer necessary, health care providers are encouraged to continue routine year-round influenza surveillance activities and submit specimens to the state laboratory for testing.?
Health care providers should always use standard precautions when dealing with patients with respiratory illness.
If you or your family members have respiratory symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath, please contact your health care provider to be evaluated.
In addition, everyone should take steps to prevent transmission of disease and are reminded to follow these precautions:
Cover your cough or sneeze with a sleeve or tissue.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcoholbased hand sanitizers are also effective.
Avoid touching your mouth, eyes and nose with your hands. Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
If you get sick, stay home and limit contact with others to avoid infecting them.
Re: CDC investigates SE Alabama "cluster" with flu-like symptoms
..The Alabama Health Officer said Thursday there appears to be no link between several recent cases of illness that left two people dead. Five others were hospitalized with flu-type symptoms. He said tests show the illnesses were combination of influenza A, rhinovirus, the virus associated with the common cold, and bacterial pneumonia.http://dothanfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=274362
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