Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections

[Shiloh]

Source: http://momento24.com/en/2009/07/01/...-deaths-associated-with-swine-flu-infections/

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Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections
Posted on 01 July 2009 at 11:47

The National Government despite the alarming figures, refused to declare a national health emergency.

So far 16 provinces including Buenos Aires took their own healthcare decisions individually, to extend the winter break to about a month.

Schools which serve meals will have them available for pupils to pick them up and take them home every day during the emergency.

Parents are advised not to let their children go to crowded public places.

So far, 38 were killed by H1N1 virus, and world agencies believe the number of deaths is unusually large considering the total number of infections (1,587).

It is believed that the actual number of infections reaches 15,000 with 43 deaths.
The deceased by province are:
Province of Buenos Aires : 29
Buenos Aires City: 6
Santa Fe: 5
Corrientes: 2
Misiones: 1
? ? ? ? ? ? ?.
Total: 43

These figures suggest the official information does not entirely reflect the actual situation of the pandemic in the country.

All this leads to misinformation as well as fear in most of the population, while some are not aware of the real situation and consider it common seasonal flu.

Unfortunately, some authorities reacted a little late regarding preventive measures, declaring that the strain of H1N1 virus circulating in our country was a ?weakened? version of the illness, while figures seem to indicate it is a very aggressive and dangerous strain.

Health centers, collapsed, and when a patient arrived with flu symptoms, was sent him home and told to return only if 48 hours later the symptoms persisted. Despite the cold, parents had to take their children with a fever of 38 ?C or more out in the cold and wait in a crowded hospital lobby for long hours among hundreds of patients affected by all kind of diseases. This when the WHO said treatment with antiviral drugs such as, Tamiflu is most effective within the first 48 hours of infection.

Meanwhile, Chief of Cabinet Sergio Massa, said that from now on health authorities will change their current procedures and provide treatment right away to every patient suspected of being infected.

According to Massa, the government has a stock of two million treatments of Tamiflu, so he would be prepared for a resurgence of the epidemic, which according to many experts, could take place in the next two weeks.

Schools are closed but Dr. Carlos Bergallo, Chief of the Infectious Diseases of ?Cordoba? Hospital and ?Allende? Sanatorium said: ?They did not close the malls or movie theaters or places of that kind, so if the kids get together in leisure centers rather than in a classroom, this measures are useless. ?

The infectologist was concerned over the increase in cases of pneumonia treated at his hospital, and warned of the possibility that the H1N1 virus mixed with that of seasonal influenza.

?The virus may have mutated, and we do not know it. Small genetic changes can make it more aggressive.?

According to the doctor, the seriousness of swine flu, is that, unlike the seasonal version which mainly affecting young children and the elderly, this new disease attacks with particular virulence young adults, and develops unusually quickly.

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections

[SIZE=+1]Arsenic concentration in water and bovine milk in Cordoba, Argentina. Preliminary results[/SIZE]

<hr><table align="top" border="0" width="95%"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td>Alejo P?rez-Carrera ^a1 and Alicia Fern?ndez-Cirelli ^a1^c1
^a1 Centro de Estudios Transdisciplinarios del Agua, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. Chorroar?n N? 280 C1427CWO, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

</td><td align="right" bgcolor="#ddddff" valign="top"><table><tbody><tr><td align="right">Article author query</td></tr> <tr><td align="right" nowrap="nowrap">perez-carrera a [PubMed] [Google Scholar] </td></tr> <tr><td align="right" nowrap="nowrap">fernandez-cirelli a [PubMed] [Google Scholar] </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>The Chaco Pampean Plain of central Argentina constitutes one of the largest regions of high arsenic (As) groundwaters known, covering around 1?10⁶ km² (Smedley & Kinniburg, 2002; Far?as et al. 2004).
(Received January 5 2004)
(Accepted July 17 2004)

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections

hat tip Emily from May 22 -

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=105774


http://www.mbl.edu/news/press_releas..._pr_05_18.html
Scientists Link Influenza A (H1N1) Susceptibility to Common Levels of Arsenic Exposure

MBL, WOODS HOLE, MA—"The ability to mount an immune response to influenza A (H1N1) infection is significantly compromised by a low level of arsenic exposure that commonly occurs through drinking contaminated well water, scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) and Dartmouth Medical School have found.

Joshua Hamilton, the MBL's Chief Academic and Scientific Officer and a senior scientist in the MBL's Bay Paul Center; graduate student Courtney Kozul of Dartmouth Medical School, where the work was conducted; and their colleagues report their findings this week in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

"When a normal person or mouse is infected with the flu, they immediately develop an immune response," says Hamilton, in which immune cells rush to the lungs and produce chemicals that help fight the infection. However, in mice that had ingested 100 ppb (parts per billion) arsenic in their drinking water for five weeks, the immune response to H1N1 infection was initially feeble, and when a response finally did kick in days later, it was "too robust and too late," Hamilton says. "There was a massive infiltration of immune cells to the lungs and a massive inflammatory response, which led to bleeding and damage in the lung." Morbidity over the course of the infection was significantly higher for the arsenic-exposed animals than the normal animals.

Respiratory infections with influenza A virus are a worldwide health concern and are responsible for 36,000 deaths annually. The recent outbreak of the influenza A H1N1 substrain ("swine flu")--which is the same virus that Hamilton and his colleagues used in their arsenic study--to date has killed 72 people in Mexico and 6 in the United States.

"One thing that did strike us, when we heard about the recent H1N1 outbreak, is Mexico has large areas of very high arsenic in their well water, including the areas where the flu first cropped up. We don't know that the Mexicans who got the flu were drinking high levels of arsenic, but it's an intriguing notion that this may have contributed," Hamilton says."
----------------------------------------------

Whole article here:
http://www.mbl.edu/news/press_releas...n1_arsenic.pdf

 

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections

This answers one pressing question but opens the door for others. What did two of three of the highest concentration of flu fatalities have in common. Is there a high concentration of naturally occurring arsenic in the water in Manitoba? I will have to check on that one. Perhaps there are two (or more) scenarios resulting in very high CFR's,
one is the relatively high arsenic level,
the second is lowered immunity in indigenous populations,
the third is low vitamin D levels.

The other question is why does a small increase in arsenic result in a significantly higher CFR?

 

[St Michael]

Re: Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections

in mice that had ingested 100 ppb (parts per billion) arsenic in their drinking water for five weeks, the immune response to H1N1 infection was initially feeble, and when a response finally did kick in days later, it was "too robust and too late," Hamilton says. "There was a massive infiltration of immune cells to the lungs and a massive inflammatory response, which led to bleeding and damage in the lung." Morbidity over the course of the infection was significantly higher for the arsenic-exposed animals than the normal animals.

The Chaco Pampean Plain of central Argentina constitutes one of the largest regions of high arsenic (As) groundwaters known

This is truly fascinating, and an incredible piece of scientific detective work!

I wonder if common water filters such as the Big Berkey remove arsenic from drinking water?

Google search "arsenic+water+filter"

 

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections

Here is an interesting article on influenza susceptibility and arsenic.

http://www.ehponline.org/members/2009/0900911/0900911.pdf

 

[St Michael]

Re: Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections

This answers one pressing question but opens the door for others. What did two of three of the highest concentration of flu fatalities have in common. Is there a high concentration of naturally occurring arsenic in the water in Manitoba? I will have to check on that one. Perhaps there are two (or more) scenarios resulting in very high CFR's,
one is the relatively high arsenic level,
the second is lowered immunity in indigenous populations,
the third is low vitamin D levels.

The other question is why does a small increase in arsenic result in a significantly higher CFR?

I think you're onto something here:

Fiziol Zh Im I M Sechenova. 1994 Jul;80(7):88-98.Links
[The metabolism of heavy metals depends on the vitamin-D status of the body]
[Article in Russian]

Babarykin DA, Bauman VK.

Latvian Medical Academy, Riga.

The effect of vitamin D3 and its two metabolites 1,25(OH)2D3 and 24,25(OH)2D3 on the metabolism of heavy metals--Sr, Pb and Cd was studied. The experiments were carried out on chickens, the heavy metals were added to the chicken's ration. The results obtained demonstrated that vitamin D3 caused accumulation of those metals in tissues and their toxicity in organisms. When increasing the vitamin dose from 200 to 500 IU on 1 kg of ration that tendency was being heightened. On the three steroids which had been studied the metabolite 1,25(OH)2D3 displayed the greatest activity in accumulating metals in tissues, Pb in particular. The effect of 24,25(OH)2D3 on the indices being studied was comparable with that of vitamin D3.

Does vitamin D explain the role of vaccines, mercury, and heavy metals?

Vitamin D's role in increasing glutathione levels may explain the link between mercury and other heavy metals, oxidative stress, and autism. For example, activated vitamin D lessens heavy metal induced oxidative injuries in rat brain. The primary route for brain toxicity of most heavy metals is through depletion of glutathione. Besides its function as a master antioxidant, glutathione acts as a chelating (binding) agent to remove heavy metals such as mercury. Autistic individuals have difficulty excreting heavy metals like mercury. If brain levels of activated vitamin D are too low to employ glutathione properly, and thus unable to remove heavy metals, they may be damaged by heavy metal loads normal children easily excrete. That is, the mercury in Thiomerosol vaccines may have injured vitamin D deficient children while normal children would have easily bound the mercury and excreted it. These studies offer further hope that sun-exposure or vitamin D supplements may help autistic children by increasing glutathione and removing heavy metals. Not only do we have more clues that vitamin D is involved in autism, the vitamin D theory just did something else: it explained two other theories of autism, the mercury accumulation theory and the oxidative stress theory. Lin AM, Chen KB, Chao PL. Antioxidative effect of vitamin D3 on zinc-induced oxidative stress in CNS. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2005 Aug;1053:319?29. Valko M, Morris H, Cronin MT. Metals, toxicity and oxidative stress. Curr Med Chem. 2005;12(10):1161?208. Kern JK, Jones AM. Evidence of toxicity, oxidative stress, and neuronal insult in autism. J Toxicol Environ Health B Crit Rev. 2006 Nov?Dec;9(6):485?99.

It bears repeating that the amount of activated vitamin D in the brain directly depends on the amount of vitamin D made in the skin, or ingested orally.

Arsenic
Arsenic is the most common cause of acute heavy metal poisoning in adults and is number 1 on the ATSDR's "Top 20 List." Arsenic is released into the environment by the smelting process of copper, zinc, and lead, as well as by the manufacturing of chemicals and glasses. Arsine gas is a common byproduct produced by the manufacturing of pesticides that contain arsenic. Arsenic may be also be found in water supplies worldwide, leading to exposure of shellfish, cod, and haddock. Other sources are paints, rat poisoning, fungicides, and wood preservatives. Target organs are the blood, kidneys, and central nervous, digestive, and skin systems (Roberts 1999; ATSDR ToxFAQs for Arsenic).

 

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections

http://www.preparedplanet.com/Berkey-Water-Filters.html

Apparently, you have to add a component to a Big Berkey to lower but not eliminate arsenic.

 

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections

If arsenic plays an active role in CFR rates then it seems to me that people living in other areas with relatively high concentrations of arsenic in the water will be the first to have exploding death rates. To prevent that people need to find out now what their arsenic levels are and, to start a chelation process if they are elevated.

 

[St Michael]

Re: Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections

-EPA review of the various treatment technologies for arsenic removal from water http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw000/ars/treat.html
-EPA - ARSENIC IN DRINKING WATER Treatment Technologies for Arsenic Decision Tree, Variances and Exemptions. http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw000/ars/trtmt.html
-A table of the basic types of treatment for arsenic and their effectiveness - http://www.dainichi-consul.co.jp/english/arsenic/treat.htm
-Finland compares carbon, ion exchange, and alumina for arsenic removal. http://www.gsf.fi/info/tr141abse.html
-State of Maine, Arsenic in well water information sheet. http://mainegov-images.informe.org/dhhs/eohp/wells/documents/ASBROCH3.pdf
-New Hampshire Dept. of Enviro. Services - "Arsenic in Drinking Water" Lists source, treatment, health effects, oriented toward well owners. http://www.des.state.nh.us/ws-3-2.htm

 

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections

More on what the effect of arsenic and immune response and chelation.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...serid=10&md5=b855b6a77878dfcc75c84bde751075fb

Arsenic induced blood and brain oxidative stress and its response to some thiol chelators in rats <!-- articleText -->


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References and further reading may be available for this article. To view references and further reading you must purchase this article.


<!-- refMsg -->Swaran J.S. Flora<SUP>a</SUP><SUP>, </SUP><SUP></SUP><SUP>, </SUP><SUP></SUP>, Smrati Bhadauria<SUP>a</SUP>, Satish C. Pant<SUP>a</SUP> and Ram K. Dhaked<SUP>b</SUP>

<!-- authorsNoEnt --><SUP>a</SUP>Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Jhansi Road, Gwalior-474 002, India
<SUP>b</SUP>Division of Biotechnology, Defence Research and Development, Establishment, Jhansi Road, Gwalior-474 002, India

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Received 25 November 2004;
<!-- articleText -->accepted 6 April 2005.
<!-- articleText -->Available online 16 June 2005.
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<!-- articleText -->Abstract

Chronic arsenic toxicity is a widespread problem, not only in India and Bangladesh but also in various other regions of the world. Exposure to arsenic may occur from natural or industrial sources. The treatment that is in use at present employs administration of thiol chelators, such as meso 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) and sodium 2,3-dimercaptopropane 1-sulfonate (DMPS), which facilitate its excretion from the body. However, these chelating agents are compromised with number of limitations due to their lipophobic nature, particularly for their use in cases of chronic poisoning. During chronic exposure, arsenic gains access into the cell and it becomes mandatory for a drug to cross cell membrane to chelate intracellular arsenic. To address this problem, analogs of DMSA having lipophilic character, were examined against chronic arsenic poisoning in experimental animals. In the present study, therapeutic efficacy of meso 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), sodium 2,3-dimercaptopropane 1-sulfonate (DMPS), monoisoamyl DMSA (MiADMSA) were compared in terms of reducing arsenic burden, as well as recovery in the altered biochemical variables particularly suggestive of oxidative stress. Adult male Wistar rats were given 100-ppm arsenic for 10 weeks followed by chelation therapy with the above chelating agents at a dose of 50 mg/Kg (orally) once daily for 5 consecutive days. Arsenic exposure resulted in marked elevation in reactive oxygen species (ROS) in blood, inhibition of ALAD activity and depletion of GSH. These changes were accompanied by significant decline in blood hemoglobin level. MiADMSA was the most effective chelator in reducing ROS in red blood cells, and in restoring blood ALAD compared to two other chelators. Brain superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) decreased, while ROS and TBARS increased significantly following arsenic exposure. There was a significant increase in the activity of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) with a corresponding decline in its substrate i.e. glutathione. Among all the three chelators, MiADMSA showed maximum reduction in the level of ROS in brain. Additionally, administration of MiADMSA was most effective in counteracting arsenic induced inhibition in brain ALAD, SOD and GPx activity. Based on these results and in particular higher metal decorporation from blood and brain, we suggest MiADMSA to be a potential drug of choice for the treatment of chronic arsenic poisoning. However, further studies are required for the choice of appropriate dose, duration of treatment and possible effects on other major organs.

<!-- articleText -->Keywords: Arsenic poisoning; Oxidative stress; Arsenic concentration; DNA damage; Biochemical recovery

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<DL><DT>Introduction <DT>Materials and methods <DL><DT>Chemicals <DT>Animals and treatments</DT></DL><DT>Biochemical assay <DL><DT>Blood and brain δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) <DT>Brain δ-aminolevulinic acid synthase (ALAS) <DT>Blood glutathione (GSH) <DT>Brain glutathione (GSH) <DT>Brain superoxide dismutase (SOD)</DT></DL><DT>Clinical hematological variables <DL><DT>Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) <DT>Brain glutathione peroxidase (GPx) <DT>Brain glutathione-S-transferase (GST) <DT>Reactive oxygen species (ROS)</DT></DL><DT>DNA damage studies <DT>Arsenic estimation <DT>Statistical analysis <DT>Results <DT>Discussion <DT>Acknowledgements <DT>References</DT></DL>
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Fig. 1. Denaturing poly acrylamide gel electrophoresis of total DNA isolated from brain of chronic arsenic exposed rats with and without chelation therapy (Lane 1—normal rat brain, lane 2—arsenic exposed, lane 3—arsenic exposed rats treated with DMSA, lane 4—arsenic exposed rats treated with DMPS and lane 5—arsenic exposed rats treated with MiADMSA).

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<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD width="10%">

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Fig. 2. Arsenic concentration in blood and brain of rats exposed to arsenic and treated with thiol chelators. One unit corresponds to arsenic concentration nanograms 100 ml<SUP>− 1</SUP> for blood and micrograms per gram for brain tissue. Values are mean ± S.E.; n = 5; *<SUP>,†,‡,§</SUP>Differences between values with matching symbol notation within each figure are not statistically significant at 5% level of probability.

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Table 1. Efficacy of some thiol chelators on biochemical variables indicative of oxidative stress and altered heme biosynthesis in rats

Units: ALAD-δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase as nanomole per minute per milliliter erythrocytes; GSH—glutathione as milligrams per milliliter; Hb—hemoglobin as grams per deciliter; ROS—total reactive oxygen species nanomoles of DCF formed per minute per milliliter of RBC.
Values are mean ± S.E.; n = 5; *<SUP>,†,‡</SUP>Differences between values with matching symbol notation within each row are not statistically significant at the 5% level of probability.

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Table 2. Effects of arsenic on some hematological parameters and their response to administration of some thiol chelators in exposed rats

Abbreviation and units: WBC—white blood cells as 10<SUP>3</SUP> μl<SUP>− 1</SUP>; RBC—red blood cells as 10<SUP>6</SUP> μl<SUP>− 1</SUP>; Hct—hematocrit as percent; MCV—mean cell volume as FL; MCH—mean cell hemoglobin as picogram and MCHC—mean cell hemoglobin concentration as grams per deciliter.
Values are mean ± S.E.; n = 5; *<SUP>,†,§</SUP>Differences between values with matching symbol notation within each row are not statistically significant at the 5% level of probability.

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Table 3. Effect of thiol chelators on arsenic induced brain oxidative stress in rats

Abbreviation and units: ROS—reactive oxygen species as nanomoles of DCF formed per minute per milligram protein; TBARS—thiobarbituric acid reactive substances as micrograms per gram and SOD—superoxide dismutase as units per milligram protein.
Values are mean ± S.E.; n = 5; *<SUP>,†,‡</SUP>Differences between values with matching symbol notation within each row are not statistically significant at the 5% level of probability.

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Table 4. Effect of some thiol chelators on biochemical variables indicative of oxidative stress (GSH metabolism) and alteration in heme biosynthetic pathway in whole brain of arsenic exposed rats

Abbreviation and units: ALAD-δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase as nanomoles per minute per milligram protein; ALAS-δ-aminolevulinic acid synthatase as nanomoles per minute per milligram protein; GSH—glutathione as milligrams per gram tissue; GPx—micrograms per minute per milligram protein; GST—glutathione-S-transferase as nanomole conjugate per minute per milligram protein and SOD—superoxide dismutase as units per minute per milligram protein.
Values are mean ± S.E.; n = 5; *<SUP>,†</SUP>Differences between values with matching symbol notations within each row are not statistically significant at the 5% level of probability.

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<SUP></SUP>Corresponding author. Tel.: +91 751 2341848x365; fax: +91 751 2341148.
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[St Michael]

Re: Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections

I wonder if the arsenic might account for the high rates of renal failure being seen in severe Mexican and Argentinian cases?

eMedicine Specialties
Toxicity, Arsenic

Pathophysiology

Arsenic exists in metalloid, arsenite (trivalent), and arsenate (pentavalent) valences and in arsine gas. The inorganic (trivalent) compound is absorbed more readily than the organic (pentavalent) forms because of its high lipid solubility. Absorption primarily occurs through the gastrointestinal tract; however, some absorption occurs through the skin. Once arsenic is in the body, it binds to hemoglobin, plasma proteins, and leukocytes and is redistributed to the liver, kidney, lung, spleen, and intestines. Over a period of weeks, deposits may be found in skin, hair, nails, bone, muscle, and even nervous tissue.

Arsenic produces cellular damage through a variety of mechanisms. Arsenic binds to enzyme sulfhydryl groups and forms a stable ring, which deactivates the enzyme. The process of deactivating the enzyme causes widespread endothelial cell damage, vasodilation, and leakage of plasma. Massive transudation of fluid into the bowel lumen, mucosal vesicle formation, and tissue sloughing may result in large gastrointestinal fluid losses. Arsenic binds to dihydrolipoic acid, a pyruvate dehydrogenase cofactor, blocking the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl coenzyme A and inhibiting gluconeogenesis. Arsenic competes with phosphates for adenosine triphosphate, forming adenosine diphosphate monoarsine, causing the loss of high-energy bonds.

In some forms, arsenic is caustic, exerting a direct toxic effect on blood vessels and large organs. Long-term exposure results in nerve damage and may lead to lung, skin, or liver cancer. Once inhaled, arsine gas combines with hemoglobin in RBCs, causing severe hemolysis and anemia. Patients develop hemoglobinuria and hematuria within several hours of exposure.
Frequency
United States

Approximately 1000 cases of arsenic exposure are reported annually. Many more cases of chronic arsenic exposure probably go unreported.
International

Thousands of people are exposed to arsenic in the form of contaminated drinking water, foodstuffs, and industrial pollution.
Mortality/Morbidity

* Acute arsenic intoxication resulting in a fatality is rare. Survivors may have severe disabilities secondary to organ damage.
* Chronic exposure, from weeks to months, can have devastating effects. Patients may develop encephalopathy, painful paresthesias, myocarditis, pericarditis, peripheral vascular disease (ie, blackfoot disease), lung cancer, renal failure, anemia, brittle nails exhibiting Mees lines, or hyperpigmentation (especially of the eyelids, neck, axillae, and groin).

 

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections

I wouldn't be one bit surprised St. Michael. Beginning to feel like an 'aha' moment. The renal failure is now explained.

http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/trace/pubs/gw_v38n4/GW_vol38no4.pdf

The foregoing link gives a general description of high levels of naturally occurring arsenic in well water.

 

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections

Add to this discussion here.

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=113569

 

[zimagail]

Re: Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=113556


Two comments regarding arsenic and increased death rates.
1. Chaco may have a high arsenic level but that is not where the deaths are concentrated. Last I checked there were only 3 cases in Chaco.
2. Chile and Argentina both are mined heavily for gold, silver and copper, all extracted with arsenic.[/quote]

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: Argentina has the world?s highest rate of deaths associated with swine flu infections

I am not completely persuaded about the statement points Argentina as the country with the higher case-fatality rate.

Argentina 1587 - 26 / 99 - 3 [CFR=16,38 x 1,000]
Australia 4090 - 7 / 52 - 0 [CFR=1,71]
Brazil 680 - 1 / 228 - 1 [CFR=1,47]
Canada 7983 - 25 / 208 - 4 [CFR=3,13]
Chile 6211 - 12 / 1025 - 5 [CFR=1,93]
Colombia 93 - 2 / 5 - 0 [CFR=21,5]
Costa Rica 279 - 2 / 24 - 1 [CFR=7,16]
Dominican Republic 108 - 2 / 0 - 0 [CFR=18,51]
Mexico 8680 - 116 / 401 - 0 [CFR=13,36]
Philippines 861 - 1 / 0 - 0 [CFR=1,16]
Spain 717 - 1 / 176 - 1 [CFR=1,39]
Thailand 1414 - 3 / 640 - 3 [CFR=2,12]
United Kingdom 6538 - 3 / 2288 - 2 [CFR=0,45]
Uruguay 195 - 1 / 0 - 1 [CFR=5,12]

From Latest WHO case count update http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_07_01a/en/index.html


There should be several biases in epidemiological surveillance.

What's about recent dengue hemorrhagic fever outbreaks in south America?

Are there data about incidence of dengue in regions currently badly hit by H1N1?