Published Date: 24 August 2009
A research centre in Sheffield is to help spearhead the Government's attempt to understand the swine flu pandemic.
Fourteen scientific projects into swine flu are being fast-tracked to help understand the pandemic.
The work will be led by research centres in Sheffield, Leicester, Nottingham, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Manchester and London.
?2.25 million, will launch around the UK this week, with results available by the end of the year.
The announcement comes after Canadian research found that people may reject the swine flu vaccine over fears about its safety. A small survey of 216 GPs in the UK also found that 29% would not have the vaccine this winter.
The 14 projects announced will look at issues such as whether closing schools is effective in preventing spread of the virus and if health workers should wear face masks. Experts will also look at managing swine flu in pregnant women to protect them and their unborn babies, and will identify priorities for looking after critical care patients.
One of the studies, led by Professor Steve Goodacre of the University of Sheffield, will look at data that can be recorded in A&E to evaluate whether somebody with swine flu needs to be admitted to hospital.
Another project will estimate how long somebody is contagious for and advise on a "safe distance" for people wishing to avoid swine flu.
Professor Jonathan Nguyen Van-Tam of the University of Nottingham and the Health Protection Agency, will lead this study. His team will take daily nose swabs from swine flu patients for a week and will measure how much virus is in the nose and how long it remains there for.
Professor Nguyen Van-Tam said: "Very little is currently known about the H1N1 virus which makes it very hard to predict the numbers of people likely to catch it and how best to treat them."
http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/l...nt-fasttracking-swine-flu-research.5582438.jp
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Here is a detailed list of all 14 projects.
http://www.netscc.ac.uk/pandemicflu/projects.htm
The following projects have been commissioned to date. Click on title for further details.
Evaluation of droplet dispersion during non-invasive ventilation, oxygen therapy and nebulised drug delivery in clinical practice. Ref: 09/84/06.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Predictive clinico-pathological features derived from systematic autopsy examination of patients who die with A/H1N1 (pandemic flu) infection. Ref: 09/84/18.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Evaluation and development of triage methods used to select patients with suspected pandemic influenza for hospital admission. Ref: 09/84/66.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Vaccine effectiveness In Pandemic influenza - primary carE Reporting - VIPER. Ref: 09/84/90.
Research Type: Primary Research.
A randomised, partially observer-blind, multi-centre, head-to-head comparison of a two dose regimen of Baxter and GSK H1N1 pandemic vaccines, administered 21 days apart. Ref: 09/93/01.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Head-to-head comparison of two H1N1 swine influenza vaccines in children aged 6 months to 12 years. Ref: 09/94/01.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Observational survey to investigate vertically acquired passive immunity in babies of mothers vaccinated against H1N1v (swine influenza) during pregnancy. Ref: 09/84/136 .
Research Type: Primary Research.
Measuring the impact of school closure and illness on social contact patterns. Ref: 09/84/157.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Exploring the needs, concerns and behaviours of people with existing respiratory conditions in relation to the H1N1 'swine influenza' pandemic. Ref: 09/84/23.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Influenza A/H1N1v in pregnancy: An investigation of the characteristics and management of affected women and the relationship to pregnancy outcomes for mother and infant. Ref: 09/84/47
Research Type: Primary Research.
Public responses to swine flu communications: a longitudinal analysis. Ref: 09/84/98.
Research Type: Primary Research.
The SWIne Flu Triage (SWIFT) study: Development and ongoing refinement of a triage tool to provide regular information to guide immediate policy and practice for the use of critical care services during the H1N1 swine influenza pandemic. Ref: 09/86/01.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Assessment of baseline age-specific antibody prevalence and incidence of infection to novel influenza A (H1N1)v. Ref: 09/95/01.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Virus shedding and environmental deposition of novel A(H1N1) pandemic influenza virus. Ref: 09/85/01 .
Research Type: Primary Research.
Updated Cochrane Review:Interventions for the interruption or reduction of the spread of respiratory viruses
Updated Cochrane Review: Neuraminidase inhibitors for preventing and treating influenza in healthy adults
Updated Cochrane Review: Influenza vaccination for healthcare workers who work with the elderly
A research centre in Sheffield is to help spearhead the Government's attempt to understand the swine flu pandemic.
Fourteen scientific projects into swine flu are being fast-tracked to help understand the pandemic.
The work will be led by research centres in Sheffield, Leicester, Nottingham, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Manchester and London.
?2.25 million, will launch around the UK this week, with results available by the end of the year.
The announcement comes after Canadian research found that people may reject the swine flu vaccine over fears about its safety. A small survey of 216 GPs in the UK also found that 29% would not have the vaccine this winter.
The 14 projects announced will look at issues such as whether closing schools is effective in preventing spread of the virus and if health workers should wear face masks. Experts will also look at managing swine flu in pregnant women to protect them and their unborn babies, and will identify priorities for looking after critical care patients.
One of the studies, led by Professor Steve Goodacre of the University of Sheffield, will look at data that can be recorded in A&E to evaluate whether somebody with swine flu needs to be admitted to hospital.
Another project will estimate how long somebody is contagious for and advise on a "safe distance" for people wishing to avoid swine flu.
Professor Jonathan Nguyen Van-Tam of the University of Nottingham and the Health Protection Agency, will lead this study. His team will take daily nose swabs from swine flu patients for a week and will measure how much virus is in the nose and how long it remains there for.
Professor Nguyen Van-Tam said: "Very little is currently known about the H1N1 virus which makes it very hard to predict the numbers of people likely to catch it and how best to treat them."
http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/l...nt-fasttracking-swine-flu-research.5582438.jp
-------------------------------------------------------------
Here is a detailed list of all 14 projects.
http://www.netscc.ac.uk/pandemicflu/projects.htm
The following projects have been commissioned to date. Click on title for further details.
Evaluation of droplet dispersion during non-invasive ventilation, oxygen therapy and nebulised drug delivery in clinical practice. Ref: 09/84/06.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Predictive clinico-pathological features derived from systematic autopsy examination of patients who die with A/H1N1 (pandemic flu) infection. Ref: 09/84/18.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Evaluation and development of triage methods used to select patients with suspected pandemic influenza for hospital admission. Ref: 09/84/66.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Vaccine effectiveness In Pandemic influenza - primary carE Reporting - VIPER. Ref: 09/84/90.
Research Type: Primary Research.
A randomised, partially observer-blind, multi-centre, head-to-head comparison of a two dose regimen of Baxter and GSK H1N1 pandemic vaccines, administered 21 days apart. Ref: 09/93/01.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Head-to-head comparison of two H1N1 swine influenza vaccines in children aged 6 months to 12 years. Ref: 09/94/01.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Observational survey to investigate vertically acquired passive immunity in babies of mothers vaccinated against H1N1v (swine influenza) during pregnancy. Ref: 09/84/136 .
Research Type: Primary Research.
Measuring the impact of school closure and illness on social contact patterns. Ref: 09/84/157.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Exploring the needs, concerns and behaviours of people with existing respiratory conditions in relation to the H1N1 'swine influenza' pandemic. Ref: 09/84/23.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Influenza A/H1N1v in pregnancy: An investigation of the characteristics and management of affected women and the relationship to pregnancy outcomes for mother and infant. Ref: 09/84/47
Research Type: Primary Research.
Public responses to swine flu communications: a longitudinal analysis. Ref: 09/84/98.
Research Type: Primary Research.
The SWIne Flu Triage (SWIFT) study: Development and ongoing refinement of a triage tool to provide regular information to guide immediate policy and practice for the use of critical care services during the H1N1 swine influenza pandemic. Ref: 09/86/01.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Assessment of baseline age-specific antibody prevalence and incidence of infection to novel influenza A (H1N1)v. Ref: 09/95/01.
Research Type: Primary Research.
Virus shedding and environmental deposition of novel A(H1N1) pandemic influenza virus. Ref: 09/85/01 .
Research Type: Primary Research.
Updated Cochrane Review:Interventions for the interruption or reduction of the spread of respiratory viruses
Updated Cochrane Review: Neuraminidase inhibitors for preventing and treating influenza in healthy adults
Updated Cochrane Review: Influenza vaccination for healthcare workers who work with the elderly