Norway - H1N1 "Mutation" Announced by Health Department

[Treyfish]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Norwegian mutated H1N1 virus does not lead to Finland
20.11.2009, 15.55 (updated 17.29)

Norway revealed swine influenza virus variant does not cause changes in the Finnish vaccination program or a disease. Research Professor Ilkka Julkunen Health and Welfare Department to confirm that the virus is converted, but very minimally.

- Biotransformation of less than one percent of the original virus.

Finnish vaccination plans in Norway Found variant at least not at this stage have no effect. The current vaccine is produced in the first autumn, followed by a virus update.

Julkunen points out that in Finland there are two sikainfluenssaan power to open the medicine. Tamiflu is in stock and 1.9 million treatment course for viral influenza treatment Relenza 800 000 Curia.

According to newspaper Aftenposten, the Norwegian scientists have found a variant of swine influenza virus. In laboratory studies, muuntunutta virus were found in five patients, of whom two have died, and three in intensive care.

Although the virus has mutated, no reason to panic, the Norwegian Public Health Institute, no.

According to the researchers mutated virus will strike the lower respiratory tract than previously known strain of the virus, but less is transmitted.:tiphat:http://plaza.fi/ulkomaat/norjan-muuntunut-h1n1-virus-ei-aiheuta-toimia-suomessa

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Norway - Change or Variant in Virus? - "no reason for panic"

Re: Norway - Change or Variant in Virus? - "no reason for panic"

This is my summary from norwegian radio and TV.
The change is serious- but not new. – will be investigated further. It has been found in two patients who died and in one patient with serious sickness from the flu.

This mutation is likely to help the virus to go deeper in the lungs, and therefore cause more serious diseases. Also probably more likely to get pneumonia with the mutated virus.

The mutation doesn’t seem to circulate, but this shows the virus is unstable.
The public health expect that most people will get the mild type. The public health will investigate if this mutation can explain why some people get very serious sickness.
Tamiflu still works, and also most likely the vaccine.

The only thing that has changed is that we now know about this, we already knew this virus is very serious for some.

We have known in the US and many other places for months that there can be a deep lung characterization of the disease progression. Sometimes this leads to death and organ failure. This was evidenced as early as the original infections in Mexico.

Critically Ill Patients With 2009 Influenza A(H1N1) in Mexico

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?p=314050


So unless there is a significantly higher cfr associated with the infections in Norway then this would appear to be what we have been seeing for months.

 

[Toaster2]

Re: Change in virus in Norway- no reason for panic

Re: Change in virus in Norway- no reason for panic

These isolates in Genbank have D225G (includes Brazil/Japan/China/USA)

gb|GU189649.1| Influenza A virus (A/Zhejiang/DTID-ZJU03/2009(... 34.2 3.0
gb|GU112090.1| Influenza A virus (A/Zhejiang/DTID-ZJU02/2009(... 34.2 3.0
gb|GU108486.1| Influenza A virus (A/Zhejiang-Yiwu/11/2009(H1N... 34.2 3.0
gb|CY047074.1| Influenza A virus (A/Catalonia/NS1706/2009(H1N... 34.2 3.0
gb|GU014750.1| Influenza A virus (A/Hiroshima/201/2009(H1N1))... 34.2 3.0
gb|GQ915018.1| Influenza A virus (A/Sao Paulo/53225/2009(H1N1... 34.2 3.0
gb|GQ915017.1| Influenza A virus (A/Sao Paulo/53206/2009(H1N1... 34.2 3.0
gb|GQ457487.1| Influenza A virus (A/Texas/05/2009(H1N1)) segm... 34.2 3.0
gb|GQ379822.1| Influenza A virus (A/Mexico/InDRE4114/2009(H1N... 34.2 3.0
gb|GQ374893.1| Influenza A virus (A/reassortant/IDCDC-RG18(Te... 34.2 3.0
gb|GQ280121.1| Influenza A virus (A/reassortant/NIBRG-121(Cal... 34.2 3.0
gb|GQ232076.1| Influenza A virus (A/Texas/11/2009(H1N1)) segm... 34.2 3.0
gb|GQ200237.1| Influenza A virus (A/Georgia/01/2009(H1N1)) se... 34.2 3.0
gb|GQ162194.1| Influenza A virus (A/Mexico/3955/2009(H1N1)) s... 34.2 3.0
gb|GQ160568.1| Influenza A virus (A/New York/04/2009(H1N1)) s... 34.2 3.0
gb|GQ132145.1| Influenza A virus (A/Mexico/InDRE4114/2009(H1N... 34.2 3.0


------

Florida1,

Norway released three isolates into Genbank on September 22nd from May/June.

Are these all serious cases ? What is the known CFR for cases with this mutation. Important questions we need to find the answers to.

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Thank you Toaster2. I agree.

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

It looks to me that in the GISAID data base the Norwegian patients survived. No deaths reported. Someone please correct me if I am wrong. I have only had access to this data base for 24 hours.

 

[Toaster2]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Thank you Toaster2. I agree.

- Norway 2/70 deaths confirmed with mutation, 3 others have it with severe disease (so 40% of the people with mutation died)
- Ukraine 10 sequences, 4 who had the mutation died, the others didn't and did not die (100% of people with mutation died)


Other countries with D225G :
China
Japan
Australia
USA
Brazil
MExico

Can we sticky this and let people who find out stuff add this to the list so we can get an overview ?

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Sure. A separate thread for 225?

 

[gsgs]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

is D225G the reason for many/most deaths in Argentina,Mexico,USA...
but they failed to find it or kept it secret

or does D225G for some reason happen more likely now in Europe
than it did before in America,Asia,Australia

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Svinfluensan mutation
The virus can reach further into the lungs
Swine influenza virus has mutated.
2009-11-20
The new variant, which appeared in both Sweden and Norway, can reach deeper into the lungs and be more serious for the patient.

But Norwegian and Swedish health authorities say there is no reason to panic.

Norway has been more affected by the new influenza A/H1N1 than Sweden and so far 23 people have died in the impact of the virus and at least 700 000 have fallen ill.

The Norwegian institute of health (FHI) is monitoring the situation closely and have done extensive testing of the virus from both diseased and deceased patients, writes VG.

"After further down into the lungs"
Today at a press conference revealed FHI that Norway seems to have suffered a more aggressive virus than many other countries.

They found evidence that the swine flu virus has mutated into at least three cases, and that it takes longer into the lungs than in normal swine influenza. The results have been presented to the World Health Organization.

- The mutant virus causes a mild illness in most, but can be serious for a few. This variant can reach further into the lungs than the original version, "said Director Geir Stene-Larsen on the National Public Health Institute in a press conference on Friday, according to VG.

Even in Sweden
The same variant of swine influenza virus detected in Norway has also been found in Sweden, in both seriously ill, mildly ill and in people who are not sick at all, writes TT. But neither the Swedish Institute of Infectious Disease Control (SMI) or the WHO has so far found no evidence of changes in the circulating strains that make the new flu more aggressive.

The signs are that the vaccine and Tamiflu works the same way against the new, mutated virus. And the Norwegian Health Organization says there are no indications that more will be affected by the mutated H1N1 virus.

Since, as we have seen so far, only occurred in patients who remained hospitalized for so experts expect that it is less contagious.

- For those of us who are now seeing the disease around us, and for those who become sick in the future, so might not mean this so much. We expect that most will have a mild form of the disease, says health director Bj?rn-Inge Larsen to NRK. :tiphat:http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article6160420.ab

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Discovered in Norway a very serious H1N1 mutation
The Public Health Institute has found in two dead, but believes that it is expanding
E. OF B. - Madrid - 20/11/2009

Public Health Institute in Norway today reported it has identified a mutation of H1N1 is associated with a more severe form of the disease. The virus has been isolated from samples taken from three patients, two who have died and one that has been very serious. This variant, however, has not been located then in the following deceased (the country had informed the European Center for Disease Control, ECDC, on 18 November that there were 21 deaths associated with the new flu), which is a good news.

Researchers believe that as no virus found circulating with the same characteristics it is likely that the mutation that causes the disease spreading deeper into the respiratory system occurred in the subjects. Of course that would not explain the similarity, with what the other options being considered is to have a mutation and a relationship between patients, although the Norwegian Institute for Health does not provide that information. :tiphat:http://www.elpais.com/articulo/soci...grave/H1N1/elpepusoc/20091120elpepusoc_21/Tes

 

[gsgs]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Norway : 1M infected , 20 dead

that's particularly mild


Australia : 2-4M infected , 200 dead

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Norway reported a dangerous mutation of swine influenza virus
17:25 | Dnes


Oslo - in Norway, probably appeared dangerous mutation swine influenza H1N1. According to local doctors are more dangerous than hitherto known virus and spreads rapidly through the air.

This virus has mutated in Norway two people killed, another man was in critical condition.

Of the seventy people infected with swine flu in Norway, to date this mutation occurred in three, said the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

"From what we know so far, so this mutation has nekoluje between population, was a spontaneous change, which took place in three patients," said Institute.

Meanwhile under Norwegian doctors can not say whether the mutant virus resistant to vaccines for swine flu, which are currently distributed in Europe:tiphat:http://aktualne.centrum.cz/zahranici/evropa/clanek.phtml?id=653624

 

[alert]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

I'm not sure if D225G is what this thread is referring to or not (perhaps they are just talking about severe cases without a specific mutation). D225G is clearly not something new - there are cases from months ago that had it. The question is whether it is causing more severe disease, and how widespread it is. It seems to have already been fairly widespread over the summer.

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Hazardous Mutation of the swine flu virus surfaced in Norway
Friday 20 November 2009
Leipzig. In Norway, two patients who died, a mutated virus of swine influenza H1N1 has been detected. A third, seriously ill patient was also affected.




According to information from the Washington Post is on standard tests in Norway, for the two deaths so far only the swine flu in Norway, a mutated version of the virus has been discovered. Preliminary assessment of the situation is, however, to spontaneous mutations that are not in the population in circulation. The mutated virus, according to the Norwegian Health Institute to penetrate deeper into the respiratory tract and cause such severe disease outcomes. Initial studies suggest that the mutation reduces the effectiveness of a non-vaccination.:tiphat:http://www.romandie.com/infos/ats/display.asp?page=20091120172631111111111111111.xml

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Norwegian scientists raise concerns about mutated form of swine flu



<TABLE style="FLOAT: right; CLEAR: both" id=content_column_table cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=238 sizset="146" sizcache="0"><TBODY sizset="146" sizcache="0"><TR sizset="146" sizcache="0"><TD width=10></TD><TD width=228 sizset="146" sizcache="0"><SCRIPT src="http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/article/js/storyPageTools.js"></SCRIPT>



<SCRIPT type=text/javascript src="http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/ad/quigo/article_inner.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT type=text/javascript>adsonar_placementId=1484178;adsonar_pid=1909769;adsonar_ps=-1;adsonar_zw=228;adsonar_zh=215;adsonar_jv="ads.adsonar.com";</SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="http://js.adsonar.com/js/adsonar.js"></SCRIPT>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>By Rob Stein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, November 20, 2009; 10:51 AM

Scientists in Norway have identified a mutated form of the swine flu virus that is raising concern because it was found in two patients who died of the flu and a third who was severely ill with the disease, officials announced Friday.
In a statement, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health said the mutation "could possibly make the virus more prone to infect deeper in the airways and thus cause more severe disease."
Scientists have analyzed about 70 viruses from confirmed Norwegian swine flu cases and found the mutation in only those three patients, Geir Stene-Larsen, the institute's director general, said in the statement.
"Based on what we know so far, it seems that the mutated virus does not circulate in the population, but might be a result of spontaneous changes which have occurred in these three patients," the statement said.
The institute has been analyzing H1N1 virus from "a number of patients as part of the surveillance of the pandemic flu virus," the statement said. "The viruses have many similarities, but some mutations have been observed."
While the existence of mutations is normal, and most "will probably have little or no importance," the statement said, "one mutation has caught special interest." :tiphat:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/20/AR2009112001820.html

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

MUTATION DU VIRUS H1N1 EN NORVEGE : 2 MORTS
OSLO (BNO NEWS) -- The Norwegian Institute of Public Health on Friday said it discovered a mutated version of the H1N1 swine flu virus.

The institute analyzed samples from a number of patients as part of its surveillance of the influenza A(H1N1) virus, it said in a statement. The viruses have many similarities, according to the institute, but some mutations have been observed. "This is normal and most of these mutations will probably have little or no importance," it said.

However, the scientists say, one mutation of the virus caught a special interest. "It has been found in two patients who died from the new influenza A(H1N1) and in one patient with severe influenza disease," it said. "These were the two first patients who died from the new influenza in Norway. Some of those who died later have been examined without finding the same mutated virus."

The institute says the mutation could possibly make the virus more prone to infect deeper in the airways and thus cause more severe illness.

"We have analyzed approximately 70 viruses from confirmed Norwegian cases and found the mutation in only these three patients," said Norwegian Institute of Public Health Director General Geir Stene-Larsen. "Based on what we know so far, it seems that the mutated virus does not circulate in the population, but might be a result of spontaneous changes which have occurred in these three patients."

Stene-Larsen says there is no indication that the mutation has any importance for the effect of the H1N1 vaccine or the effect of antiviral treatment.

(Romandie.com / 20 novembre 2009 17:26) :tiphat:http://www.romandie.com/infos/ats/display.asp?page=20091120172631111111111111111.xml

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Has been found mutated influenza virus


Health authorities do not believe that the mutated variant of the virus has spread to other parts of the population and ensuring that it does not turn out the vaccine. Photo: Scanpix
FaktaOppdaterte numbers

■ Estimates suggest that about 680,000 people may have been sick with a new influenza A (H1N1) in Norway for now.

■ 23 people have died from the disease in Norway. 20 of these had underlying illnesses. None of the dead were vaccinated.

■ As of today, 20 percent of the population vaccinated. Total 1.2 million doses of vaccine have been sent out.

■ Most of the risk groups are now vaccinated. Furthermore, the youngest in the population a priority, as well as pregnant women and persons who have contact with infants.

■ From next week, Norway will have sent 500,000 doses of vaccine a week. Of Public Health expects to have vaccinated most Norwegians before Christmas.

■ Health authorities now recommend that people with flu can go back to work and school 24 hours after symptoms have given up. For health professionals are still the recommendation to stay at home for 7 days after becoming sick

Source: NIPH / Pandemi.no

(? NTB)
OSLO: of Public Health have discovered a new variant of H1N1 in Norway. The mutated virus can cause serious illness for some, but health authorities fear the non-proliferation.


Health authorities do not believe that the mutated variant of the virus has spread to other parts of the population and ensuring that it does not turn out the vaccine that is now put in 20 percent of the Norwegian population's arms.

- It is a mutation in the genetic material of the virus that makes us think it's easier transmitted further down the airways. But it turns out at grave only a few, at most, this will only cause a mild disease, said director Geir Stene-Larsen of Public Health at a press conference Friday.

Laboratory tests from 70 patients are examined for the mutated variant. The virus has been detected in two of those who have died as a result of the H1N1 virus, and a third person who has had a serious illness.

Do not fear the spread
Stene-Larsen told NTB that it is not certain whether the variant at all contagious from human to human.

- It is demonstrated in three individual patients who have been infected in July and August, and there is currently nothing to suggest that the virus is spreading in the population. We expect no more dead or infected in Norway as a result of this mutation, but will map many more tests to see if it is in circulation.

The mutated virus has been detected in Norway are also found in other countries. Norwegian health authorities have discussed the matter with the World Health Organization (WHO), but this has not led to any change in vaccination practices.

- All indications are that both the pandemic vaccine and Tamiflu helps against mutation. So far we know not of the virus anywhere in the world has mutated so that the vaccine does not help, "said Stene Larsen told NTB.

You think the top is reached
Health authorities believe that just under 700,000 people have been svineinfluensasmitten in Norway. After a record-breaking 45 weeks, the infection is now on the way down in South and Central Norway. They estimate that the infection has peaked in this country.

- We can never be sure, but on the basis of the experience we have from previous epidemics, see it now so that the curves are coming down again. The figures are substantially lower now than last week, "said Public Health Director to NTB.

Of Public Health estimates that about 25 percent of the population will be infected, but stressed that both the number of deaths and the number who are admitted to hospital have been far lower than previously feared.

Vaccines to eggallergikere
Health Minister Anne-Grete Str?m-Erichsen took the opportunity on Friday's news conference to praise the country's municipalities for vaccination management.

- In Bergen, they have such organized mass vaccination as a large, communal voluntary work. It has been started on a very good way, and after this week are most at risk vaccinated. Now we will have better predictability to come, since we know that we get 500,000 vaccines delivered in the week, "said Str?m-Erichsen told NTB.

Friday morning there was also a positive message from Austria. Over the next week, Norway will receive the 1000 alternative vaccines to eggallergikere, who can not stand the vaccine type Pandemrix.
(? NTB)

Published Friday 20 November 2009 :tiphat:http://tb.no/article/20091120/NYHETER/398280709/1297/NYHETER

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

I'm not sure if D225G is what this thread is referring to or not (perhaps they are just talking about severe cases without a specific mutation). D225G is clearly not something new - there are cases from months ago that had it. The question is whether it is causing more severe disease, and how widespread it is. It seems to have already been fairly widespread over the summer.

Yes. We have no idea what "mutation/variant" they are talking about. 225 is not the only position to look at.

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

Re: Norway - Virus has changed "slightly"

<LI class="dateStamp first"><SMALL>Norway Reports Mutated H1N1 Virus</SMALL><LI class="dateStamp first"><SMALL>NOVEMBER 20, 2009, 11:44 A.M. ET</SMALL><!-- ID: SB125873506353457595 --><!-- TYPE: Health --><!-- DISPLAY-NAME: --><!-- PUBLICATION: The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition --><!-- DATE: 2009-11-20 11:40 --><!-- COPYRIGHT: Dow Jones & Company, Inc. --><!-- ORIGINAL-ID: --><!-- article start --><!--CODE=DJII-REGION SYMBOL=norwCODE=DJII-COMPANY SYMBOL=nwipheCODE=DJII-REGION SYMBOL=eurzCODE=DJII-REGION SYMBOL=nordzCODE=DJII-REGION SYMBOL=scandzCODE=DJII-REGION SYMBOL=weurzCODE=SUBJECT SYMBOL=OEUNCODE=SUBJECT SYMBOL=OWONCODE=SUBJECT SYMBOL=OUSBCODE=STATISTIC SYMBOL=FREECODE=INDUSTRY SYMBOL=4500CODE=INDUSTRY SYMBOL=4530CODE=INDUSTRY SYMBOL=DHCCODE=INDUSTRY SYMBOL=4000--> The Norwegian Institute of Public Health said Friday it has identified a mutated form of the H1N1 flu virus in two patients who died, and a third who developed a severe form of the disease
.
In a statement posted Friday on its Web site, the institute said the mutation appeared to make the virus cause infection deeper in the respiratory system, thereby causing more severe disease. The two patients who died were the country's first confirmed fatalities.
Flu viruses are notoriously fickle and mutate frequently, producing new strains every year to cause seasonal flu.

Scientists and public health officials from around the world have been watching closely for possible mutations of the new flu virus, particularly for changes that might make the disease more severe or a vaccine currently being manufactured less effective, but hadn't identified any major changes.
Director General Geir Stene-Larsen said the mutation had been found in only three of 70 viruses from cases in Norway examined by scientists, and doesn't appear to have spread.
"Based on what we know so far, it seems that the mutated virus does not circulate in the population, but might be a result of spontaneous changes which have occurred in these three patients," Dr. Stene-Larsen.
The change does not appear to make the vaccine or antiviral treatment less effective, Dr. Stene-Larsen said. "There is no indication that this change in the virus is of any importance for the effect of the vaccine or the effect of antiviral treatment."
Officials at the World Health Organization couldn't be reached for comment. A spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the mutation would be discussed at a noon news conference.
:tiphat:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125873506353457595.html

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Norway - Has Virus has changed "slightly"?

Re: Norway - Has Virus has changed "slightly"?

Mutated virus found in a quarter of the dead so far
Health authorities have so far only been studied 8 of the 23 swine flu died.


(Dagbladet): Health authorities revealed today that a new and more dangerous variant of swine influenza virus H1N1 has been detected among the three infected in Norway. The mutated virus is found among 2 of the total of 23 persons have died of swine flu.

But health authorities do not know if many of the dead had the mutated virus.

- So far we have only received the final answer to the samples from eight of the dead people. So we do not know if it is about the two or whether there are as many as a quarter of all, "says director Geir Stene-Larsen in the NIPH to Dagbladet.

Deaths in summer
Only about two to three weeks they will have answers to the samples from the other characters.

- This is time-consuming investigations. For those people who was added late in the disease course, it is also difficult to get good samples, "said Stene-Larsen.

The two deaths are from this summer.

- Two of them died in July, before they were hospitalized. The third was seriously ill. The person was admitted to a university hospital in August, and survived. All three belonged to risk groups. One was infected abroad, while the two others were infected in Norway, said health director Bj?rn Inge Larsen told newspaper Dagbladet.

The mutation is more dangerous because it infects far down in the lungs, and not high up, as the normal virus. There will be more likely to give pneumonia, while common virus generally cause symptoms in the neck and throat.

Public Health has so far not found signs that the virus is contagious among humans.

The vaccine works on the mutated virus
Public Health says those who have already been sick with swine flu will be immune also against the new variant. The vaccine will also work, and those who become ill can be treated with Tamiflu.

- There are certain parts of the genetic material that stimulates the immune system. This mutation is not in the parts that are sensitive to Tamiflu or vaccine.

- How dangerous is actually such a mutation? Muterer not flu all the time?

- It is an unstable virus, which we still can see some mutations. But until now there has been quite stable. We have seen some mutations, but there have been irrelevant. This is the first time we see a mutation that makes it more dangerous.

The mutation was first found in Norway. It is also found in some other countries.

- But this is the first time it is described by three people, "said Stene-Larsen.

Health authorities have already urged the people to vaccinate themselves.

- The situation that may arise as a result of this mutation is one of the reasons that we have purchased the vaccine to the entire population, "said Stene-Larsen. :tiphat:http://www.dagbladet.no/2009/11/20/...luensa/epidemi/folkehelseinstituttet/9137752/