Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2016/08/flu-scan-aug-01-2016
Flu Scan for Aug 01, 2016
1918 pandemic flu and lifespan; H5N1 in Cote d'Ivoire
Filed Under:
Pandemic Influenza; Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
[h=3]Study: 1918 pandemic flu survivors led average-length lives[/h] Contrary to some hypotheses, 1918 pandemic flu did not shorten the lifespan of survivors, at least in male soldiers, New Zealand researchers reported today in Epidemiology and Infection.
The investigators analyzed individual military files of 1,107 soldiers on a troop transport vessel that had experienced an outbreak of pandemic flu in 1918 and compared them with 1,108 randomly selected personnel from two other troop ships that did not have an outbreak.
They found no statistically significant difference in the lifespans of the outbreak cohort, which was 71.5 years, and the comparison cohort, which was 71.0. In fact, the outbreak cohort was slightly more likely to survive past 1950 and to participate in World War II (comparisons just passed statistical significance for those two measures, at P = 0.036 and 0.043, respectively).
Aug 1 Epidemiol Infect abstract
[h=3]Cote d'Ivoire reports 10 H5N1 outbreaks affecting 33,000 poultry[/h] Cote d'Ivoire in West Africa last week reported 10 outbreaks of H5N1 avian flu to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) affecting flocks in the central, eastern, and southern parts of the country and more than 33,000 domestic birds.
Onset dates of the outbreak vary from Mar 12 to Jul 4, and flock sizes range from 11 in a backyard flock to a farm of 27,453 chickens. A cockerel sampled as part of surveillance of live-bird markets also tested positive back in March.
All told, 4,253 poultry fell ill, and all but 5 of them died. The combined flocks totaled 33,348 birds. Animal health officials have enacted steps such as disinfection of the premises and surveillance zones around each affected flock.
Cote d'Ivoire is one of several countries highlighted a couple weeks ago when the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) called for more surveillance and other steps to address Africa's ongoing problem with highly pathogenic H5N1 avian flu.
Jul 27 OIE report
Jul 14 CIDRAP News story "FAO calls for more surveillance after African H5N1 outbreaks"
Flu Scan for Aug 01, 2016
1918 pandemic flu and lifespan; H5N1 in Cote d'Ivoire
Filed Under:
Pandemic Influenza; Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
[h=3]Study: 1918 pandemic flu survivors led average-length lives[/h] Contrary to some hypotheses, 1918 pandemic flu did not shorten the lifespan of survivors, at least in male soldiers, New Zealand researchers reported today in Epidemiology and Infection.
The investigators analyzed individual military files of 1,107 soldiers on a troop transport vessel that had experienced an outbreak of pandemic flu in 1918 and compared them with 1,108 randomly selected personnel from two other troop ships that did not have an outbreak.
They found no statistically significant difference in the lifespans of the outbreak cohort, which was 71.5 years, and the comparison cohort, which was 71.0. In fact, the outbreak cohort was slightly more likely to survive past 1950 and to participate in World War II (comparisons just passed statistical significance for those two measures, at P = 0.036 and 0.043, respectively).
Aug 1 Epidemiol Infect abstract
[h=3]Cote d'Ivoire reports 10 H5N1 outbreaks affecting 33,000 poultry[/h] Cote d'Ivoire in West Africa last week reported 10 outbreaks of H5N1 avian flu to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) affecting flocks in the central, eastern, and southern parts of the country and more than 33,000 domestic birds.
Onset dates of the outbreak vary from Mar 12 to Jul 4, and flock sizes range from 11 in a backyard flock to a farm of 27,453 chickens. A cockerel sampled as part of surveillance of live-bird markets also tested positive back in March.
All told, 4,253 poultry fell ill, and all but 5 of them died. The combined flocks totaled 33,348 birds. Animal health officials have enacted steps such as disinfection of the premises and surveillance zones around each affected flock.
Cote d'Ivoire is one of several countries highlighted a couple weeks ago when the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) called for more surveillance and other steps to address Africa's ongoing problem with highly pathogenic H5N1 avian flu.
Jul 27 OIE report
Jul 14 CIDRAP News story "FAO calls for more surveillance after African H5N1 outbreaks"