Archive Number 20100712.2335
Published Date 12-JUL-2010
Subject PRO/EDR> Undiagnosed pneumonia - Ukraine: (KH)
UNDIAGNOSED PNEUMONIA - UKRAINE: (KIROVOGRAD)
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A ProMED-mail post
<http: www.promedmail.org="">
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http: www.isid.org="">
[1]
Date: Sun 11 Jul 2010
Source: FluTrackers.com, ex Newru.us [machine trans., abbreviated, edited]
<http: rus.newsru.ua="" ukraine="" 11jul2010="" virusaka.html="">
According to unconfirmed reports, there has been an outbreak of an
unknown disease in the Kirovograd region caused by a new animal
virus, possibly influenza (H1N1) virus. Chairman of the Verkhovna
Rada Committee on National Security and Defense, Anatoliy Gritsenko,
requested the Ministry of Health to verify this information.
According to a press report, the Committee were said that information
had been received that, in the Archangel district of the Kirovograd
region, there has been a sharp increase in the number of cases of an
illness, which in terms of symptoms resembled an atypical pneumonia
or influenza, possibly caused by a animal virus such as influenza A
(H1N1) virus. Given the importance of the issue and the high
potential level of threat, Gritsenko appealed to the Ministry of
Health to urgently confirm the accuracy of the reports and to
formulate its response.
The Ministry of Health announced that it had already responded to the
member of parliament who had drawn attention to the situation in the
Kirovograd region and was acting accordingly. It was noted that
recently there had been an outbreak of swine flu in Cambodia [An
outbreak of avian influenza (H5N1) virus infection in humans in
Cambodia was reported in May 2010). - Mod.CP].
Influenza A/H1N1 virus was discovered in late March 2009 in Mexico,
the U.S. and Canada, where the 1st cases were reported with fatal
outcome. According to WHO, worldwide there have been more than 18 000
cases of infection with swine influenza [i.e. influenza pandemic
(H1N1)] virus infection deaths, and more than 200 countries have been
found infected.
--
Communicated by:
Andrew S
Concerned Lay Observer
Philadelphia, PA USA
<mathleteowl@aol.com>
******
[2]
Date: Mon 12 Jul 2010
Source: Press Service of Health of Ukraine via FluTrackers.com
[machine trans., edited]
<http: www.flutrackers.com="" forum="" showthread.php?t="149099">
The Ministry of Health of Ukraine, in response to the request of the
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on National Security and
Defense Anatoliy regarding an increase in the number of diseases in
Novoarkhangelsk district of Kirovograd region, issued following statement:
According to the state health service of the Kirovograd region, with
operational data from the beginning of May 2010 in District
Novoarkhangelsk, there was a marked increase in the number of
hospitalized patients diagnosed with pneumonia. Increasing incidence
of acute respiratory viral infections and flu in the region in
general, and in that area over the past months, had not been
observed. Regional rates of acute respiratory infections matched the
season. Due to the increasing number of reported cases of pneumonia
in May 2010, daily monitoring was introduced.
In order to study the situation in the Novoarkhangelsk area, in May
2010 a working committee was constituted that included key experts of
the regional health administration and regional sanitary and
epidemiologic station. The investigation of cases found that the
disease had been recorded in different locations and was unrelated to
any [specific] factor. Most adult patients suffering from pneumonia
had sudden onset of illness without development of inflammatory
processes in the upper respiratory tract and signs of acute
respiratory infections, a moderately severe course of disease, and
positive responses to conventional treatments and antibacterial
drugs. In most cases, rapid and complete recovery of patients was
observed. As a result, the commission was unable to establish causal links.
The commission instituted a virologic survey of hospitalized
patients. A study of nasal washings of these patients in the regional
Virology Laboratory failed to detect antigens of influenza viruses
and other acute respiratory viral infections.
In an examination of paired sera of patients with pneumonia in the
Novoarkhangelsk area, only one case was found to have an increase in
antibody titres for influenza virus A (H1N1) California.
A similar situation was observed in May this year [2010] in other districts.
The situation regarding the incidence of pneumonia remains under the
control of the Health Department of the Kirovohrad regional state
administration and the supervision of the public health service area.
Background: The Department of Health Kirovohrad regional state
administration carried out a comparative analysis of the incidence of
pneumonia in 2008. By 2009, it recorded 5568 pneumonia cases, 11.2
percent more than in 2008. In terms of age groups, the incidence of
pneumonia in 2009 compared to 2008 among the teenage population has
grown to 73.8 percent, among children 0-14 years to 18.2 percent, and
among adults to 7.7 percent.
The total for May and June 2010 in the Novoarkhangelsk area was 143
patients with pneumonia.
According to preliminary data for the 6 months of 2010, 4983 cases of
pneumonia were recorded, equivalent to 98 percent of the number
recorded during the same period of 2009 and twice the number recorded
during the same period of 2008. The incidence rate of pneumonia for 6
months of the year 2010 is 47.8 per 10 000 population, representing
87.5 percent of the annual rate in 2009 and 97.3 percent in 2008. For
the 2nd quarter of this year [2010], the incidence rate of pneumonia
in comparison with the [1st] quarter grew by 21.3 percent.
--
Communicated by:
FluTrackers <flutrackers@earthlink.net>
[Part [1] appears to confuse the 2 forms of influenza currently
afflicting the human population: i.e. influenza pandemic (H1N1) virus
infection and avian influenza (H5N1) virus infection, either of which
may be associated with atypical pneumonia in a proportion of cases.
Previously in Ukraine, there was considerable confusion in
recognizing the presence of influenza pandemic (H1N1) virus
infection; see ProMED-mail references below.
However, the statements in part [2] appear to exclude influenza virus
as a cause of the pneumonia, and it is possible that this outbreak in
the Kirovograd region may have a different cause. Positive response
to antibiotic treatment suggests bacterial infection. ProMED-mail
thanks Andre S. and FluTrackers for drawing attention to this
situation, and we would welcome further information and clarification.
A map of the regions of Ukraine showing the location of the
Kirovograd region in the centre of the country can be accessed at:
<http: www.ukrainianangels.org="" regions="" regions.php="">. - Mod.CP]
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,83632
