The detection of an H1N1 virus in turkeys in Chile raises concern that poultry farms elsewhere in the world could also become infected with the pandemic flu virus currently circulating in humans, FAO said today.
Chilean authorities reported on 20 August that the pandemic H1N1/2009 virus was present in turkeys in two farms near the seaport of Valparaiso, Chile. The flu strain found in the poultry flocks is identical to the H1N1/2009 pandemic strain currently circulating among human populations around the world.
No threat to humans
However, the discovery of the virus in turkeys does not pose any immediate threat to human health and turkey meat can still be sold commercially following veterinary inspection and hygienic processing.
"The reaction of the Chilean authorities to the discovery of H1N1 in turkeys -- namely prompt reporting to international organizations, establishing a temporary quarantine, and the decision to allow infected birds to recover rather than culling them -- is scientifically sound," said FAO's interim Chief Veterinary Officer, Juan Lubroth.
"Once the sick birds have recovered, safe production and processing can continue. They do not pose a threat to the food chain," said Lubroth.
Disease monitoring
The current H1N1 virus strain is a mixture of human, pig and bird genes and has proved to be very contagious but no more deadly than common seasonal flu viruses. However, it could theoretically become more dangerous if it adds virulence by combining with H5N1, commonly known as avian flu, which is far more deadly but harder to pass along among humans.
"Chile does not have H5N1 flu. In South-East Asia where there is a lot of the virus circulating in poultry, the introduction of H1N1 in these populations would be of a greater concern," said Lubroth.
This is one reason why FAO encourages improved monitoring of health among animals and ensuring that hygienic and good farming practice guidelines are followed, including protecting farm workers if animals are sick and not allowing sick workers near animals.
"We must monitor the situation in animals more closely and strengthen veterinary services in poor and in-transition countries. They need adequate diagnostic capability and competent and suitably resourced field teams that can respond to emergency needs," Lubroth said.
This phenomenon is called genetic reassortment or recombination -- which may happen in case of simultaneous viral infections of any of the hosts.
This is now the fourth country that is investigating the spill-over of H1N1/2009 virus from farm workers showing flu-like illness to animals, with swine becoming infected in Canada, Argentina and, most recently, Australia.
Even though the clinical infections in pigs and turkeys so far observed have been generally mild, it is important to bear in mind that the establishment of pandemic H1N1 virus in pig and poultry farms has the potential to bring about negative economic consequences such as trade related restrictions and misguided perceptions of the quality and safety of meat products, according to FAO.
The emergence of new influenza virus strains capable of affecting humans and domestic animals remains a broader, more general concern that is being closely monitored by FAO, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization
воскресенье, 3 июля 2011 г.
суббота, 2 июля 2011 г.
Twelfth Confirmed Human Case Of Bird Flu, China
China's Ministry of Health has confirmed that a 20 year old woman had bird flu infection, the H5N1 strain - the most lethal one. This brings the total number to twelve human cases of bird flu infection in the country.
The woman developed bird flu symptoms on 27th January and was hospitalised with severe pneumonia. She died on February 4th.
She became ill just after the poultry in her household had been culled.
Of the twelve cases of human infection in China, eight have died.
Written by:
The woman developed bird flu symptoms on 27th January and was hospitalised with severe pneumonia. She died on February 4th.
She became ill just after the poultry in her household had been culled.
Of the twelve cases of human infection in China, eight have died.
Written by:
пятница, 1 июля 2011 г.
Vietnam last on vaccine list
Contact: Claire Bowles
claire.bowlesrbi
44-207-331-2751
New Scientist
DRUG company contracts and intellectual property rights are impeding efforts to ensure an outbreak of bird flu in Vietnam does not result in a deadly human pandemic.
All the victims so far got the disease from poultry, but the big fear is that the virus could turn into a form capable of spreading from person to person.
A flu vaccine that might help prevent this will soon become available, but instead of going to Vietnam it will be sent to rich countries to fulfil existing contracts.
And researchers who have created vaccines that might save us if the bird flu does start spreading between people are unsure how to proceed without falling foul of patent rights.
Doctors have been warning for years that another flu pandemic as deadly as the 1918 one is inevitable, and many worry it could be about to happen.
After an outbreak of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in poultry, Vietnam has reported 18 suspected human cases, 15 of whom have died. The World Health Organization has so far confirmed that five of the cases were caused by the H5N1 strain.
Unlike previous H5N1 outbreaks, the victims are mostly children. So far there is no sign of the bird virus spreading between people. But if someone is infected by H5N1 and a normal human flu virus at the same time, the viruses could recombine.
This might give rise to a new virus able to spread among people as easily as human flu but far more deadly, partly because it would bear the bird flu's H5 and N1 surface proteins, which human immune systems have not been primed to recognise.
To prevent this, the WHO wants to give the normal flu vaccine to everyone who might come into contact with sick poultry, as has been done in past outbreaks of bird flu.
The Belgian-based company Solvay, a major flu vaccine producer, is supplying the WHO with the vaccine used in the northern hemisphere this winter. But research published last week by the US Centers for Disease Control shows that this vaccine will not prevent most infections, because it is not effective against the Fujian strain now circulating.
The vaccine for the next southern hemisphere winter, which will be available in February, will protect against Fujian. But Solvay and Glaxo SmithKline have both told New Scientist that they must first supply the vaccine to contracted customers in countries like Australia, and are unlikely to have any left for Vietnam.
If the H5N1 does start spreading between humans, a specific vaccine against it will be needed. Two labs, the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) in the UK and St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, have each made an H5N1 vaccine virus in cell cultures which could be used to mass produce a vaccine.
Neither have been tested yet against the specific H5N1 strain found in Vietnam but both protect animals against similar strains. Standard production methods do not work for H5N1 vaccines, partly because the virus kills the chick embryos normally used to grow flu vaccine.
Instead, the labs used a technique called 'reverse engineering', which involves using genetic sequences called plasmids. The reverse engineering patent, however, is held by the biotech company Medimmune of Gaithersburg, Maryland, and the plasmids used are patented by various companies, all of whom will be entitled to payment if their property is used to make a commercial product.
Wood says he doesn't know how the experimental vaccine can possibly be put into production quickly when there are complicated patent issues involved.
'You can't sort these things out when there's a pandemic sweeping the world.'
'If people felt we were facing a pandemic situation, we would waive intellectual property rights,' says Jamie Lacey of Medimmune, but it is not clear whether the other patent holders would do the same.
Of course, if a serious pandemic took hold, worries about patents would be swept aside. But delays in vaccine production caused by the initial uncertainty could cost many lives.
Wood says there should be a clearly defined 'trigger' point at which health authorities will be allowed to press ahead with plans for producing a vaccine without fear of violating patent laws.
New Scientist issue: 24th January 2004
PLEASE MENTION NEW SCIENTIST AS THE SOURCE OF THIS STORY AND, IF PUBLISHING ONLINE, PLEASE CARRY A HYPERLINK TO: newscientist.
'These articles are posted on this site to give advance access to other authorised media who may wish to quote extracts as part of fair dealing with this copyrighted material. Full attribution is required, and if publishing online a link to newscientist is also required. Advance permission is required before any and every reproduction of each article in full - please contact celia.thomasrbi. Please note that all material is copyright of Reed Business Information Limited and we reserve the right to take such action as we consider appropriate to protect such copyright.'
Written by Debora MacKenzie
UK CONTACT - Claire Bowles, New Scientist
Press Office, London:
Tel: 44-0-20-7331-2751 or email claire.bowlesrbi
claire.bowlesrbi
44-207-331-2751
New Scientist
DRUG company contracts and intellectual property rights are impeding efforts to ensure an outbreak of bird flu in Vietnam does not result in a deadly human pandemic.
All the victims so far got the disease from poultry, but the big fear is that the virus could turn into a form capable of spreading from person to person.
A flu vaccine that might help prevent this will soon become available, but instead of going to Vietnam it will be sent to rich countries to fulfil existing contracts.
And researchers who have created vaccines that might save us if the bird flu does start spreading between people are unsure how to proceed without falling foul of patent rights.
Doctors have been warning for years that another flu pandemic as deadly as the 1918 one is inevitable, and many worry it could be about to happen.
After an outbreak of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in poultry, Vietnam has reported 18 suspected human cases, 15 of whom have died. The World Health Organization has so far confirmed that five of the cases were caused by the H5N1 strain.
Unlike previous H5N1 outbreaks, the victims are mostly children. So far there is no sign of the bird virus spreading between people. But if someone is infected by H5N1 and a normal human flu virus at the same time, the viruses could recombine.
This might give rise to a new virus able to spread among people as easily as human flu but far more deadly, partly because it would bear the bird flu's H5 and N1 surface proteins, which human immune systems have not been primed to recognise.
To prevent this, the WHO wants to give the normal flu vaccine to everyone who might come into contact with sick poultry, as has been done in past outbreaks of bird flu.
The Belgian-based company Solvay, a major flu vaccine producer, is supplying the WHO with the vaccine used in the northern hemisphere this winter. But research published last week by the US Centers for Disease Control shows that this vaccine will not prevent most infections, because it is not effective against the Fujian strain now circulating.
The vaccine for the next southern hemisphere winter, which will be available in February, will protect against Fujian. But Solvay and Glaxo SmithKline have both told New Scientist that they must first supply the vaccine to contracted customers in countries like Australia, and are unlikely to have any left for Vietnam.
If the H5N1 does start spreading between humans, a specific vaccine against it will be needed. Two labs, the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) in the UK and St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, have each made an H5N1 vaccine virus in cell cultures which could be used to mass produce a vaccine.
Neither have been tested yet against the specific H5N1 strain found in Vietnam but both protect animals against similar strains. Standard production methods do not work for H5N1 vaccines, partly because the virus kills the chick embryos normally used to grow flu vaccine.
Instead, the labs used a technique called 'reverse engineering', which involves using genetic sequences called plasmids. The reverse engineering patent, however, is held by the biotech company Medimmune of Gaithersburg, Maryland, and the plasmids used are patented by various companies, all of whom will be entitled to payment if their property is used to make a commercial product.
Wood says he doesn't know how the experimental vaccine can possibly be put into production quickly when there are complicated patent issues involved.
'You can't sort these things out when there's a pandemic sweeping the world.'
'If people felt we were facing a pandemic situation, we would waive intellectual property rights,' says Jamie Lacey of Medimmune, but it is not clear whether the other patent holders would do the same.
Of course, if a serious pandemic took hold, worries about patents would be swept aside. But delays in vaccine production caused by the initial uncertainty could cost many lives.
Wood says there should be a clearly defined 'trigger' point at which health authorities will be allowed to press ahead with plans for producing a vaccine without fear of violating patent laws.
New Scientist issue: 24th January 2004
PLEASE MENTION NEW SCIENTIST AS THE SOURCE OF THIS STORY AND, IF PUBLISHING ONLINE, PLEASE CARRY A HYPERLINK TO: newscientist.
'These articles are posted on this site to give advance access to other authorised media who may wish to quote extracts as part of fair dealing with this copyrighted material. Full attribution is required, and if publishing online a link to newscientist is also required. Advance permission is required before any and every reproduction of each article in full - please contact celia.thomasrbi. Please note that all material is copyright of Reed Business Information Limited and we reserve the right to take such action as we consider appropriate to protect such copyright.'
Written by Debora MacKenzie
UK CONTACT - Claire Bowles, New Scientist
Press Office, London:
Tel: 44-0-20-7331-2751 or email claire.bowlesrbi
четверг, 30 июня 2011 г.
UK Authorities Do Not Recommend Poultry Housing Requirement
Despite H5N1 being confirmed in Scotland, Scottish and UK Chief Veterinary Officers have concluded that a national poultry housing requirement would be disproportionate.
In a joint statement, they said that Scottish and UK officials are undertaking an urgent veterinary risk assessment and are liaising with ornithological experts to determine the level of any risk it may pose to livestock (poultry) and other kept birds.
Apart from measures already taking place in the Protection and Surveillance Zones (a radius of 10km around where the dead bird was found), authorities are still considering whether there is a need for any additional regional measures. Defra said that as soon as the full veterinary assessment is complete further advice will be available.
(Defra = Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The two Chief Veterinary Officers stressed that Bird Flu (Avian Influenza) is a disease of birds and there is no reason for public health concern. For humans to become infected extremely close contact with infected birds, especially faeces, is required.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Written by:
In a joint statement, they said that Scottish and UK officials are undertaking an urgent veterinary risk assessment and are liaising with ornithological experts to determine the level of any risk it may pose to livestock (poultry) and other kept birds.
Apart from measures already taking place in the Protection and Surveillance Zones (a radius of 10km around where the dead bird was found), authorities are still considering whether there is a need for any additional regional measures. Defra said that as soon as the full veterinary assessment is complete further advice will be available.
(Defra = Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The two Chief Veterinary Officers stressed that Bird Flu (Avian Influenza) is a disease of birds and there is no reason for public health concern. For humans to become infected extremely close contact with infected birds, especially faeces, is required.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Written by:
среда, 29 июня 2011 г.
Novartis Obtains CHMP Positive Opinion For Its Investigational Pre-pandemic Influenza Vaccine Aflunov® To Help Protect Against (H5N1)
Novartis announced that the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has issued a positive opinion for Aflunov®, an investigational pre-pandemic avian influenza vaccine. The CHMP is endorsing the approval of Aflunov for active immunization against H5N1 subtype of Influenza A virus in adults 18 years of age and older. H5N1 (commonly referred to as avian or bird flu) accounts for most avian influenza outbreaks globally and is a serious health concern given its potential to evolve into a deadly pandemic strain at any time[6].
The CHMP recommendation serves as the basis for a European Commission licensing Decision. Based on the CHMP recommendation, a marketing authorization for Aflunov could be granted in all the European Union and EEA countries. The marketing authorization is expected to be granted before year-end.
"Upon approval, we expect Aflunov to be an important addition to our portfolio of pandemic preparedness solutions," said Andrin Oswald, Head of Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Division. "The onset of a pandemic can be very rapid, leaving little or no time to prepare. Vaccinating in advance may prevent the potential devastation of a pandemic outbreak."
H5N1 is presently the virus of greatest concern among all avian influenza viruses[7]. H5N1 is currently circulating in birds, poultry and many other animal species around the world and has already infected humans that have been in contact with infected animals[7],[8]. While human infections are continuing to rise, ability of the virus to spread from human to human has not been demonstrated yet[7]. To date, there have been more than 500 cases of serious illness and more than 300 deaths[5]. H5N1 morbidity and mortality rates remain significantly higher than those associated with seasonal influenza and any recent pandemic[4],[9],[10]. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), H5N1 has met all prerequisites for starting a pandemic except for the ability to spread efficiently and sustainably among humans[7].
Vaccines are considered the first line of defense against pandemic influenza[11]. Transmission of influenza virus during a pandemic can be rapid, leaving little or no time to prepare. Thus, proactive pre-pandemic vaccination to prime populations at risk or vaccine stockpiling may be a more adequate way to help protect those at risk of H5N1 infection[12], those who would form the first line of response during a potential pandemic, such as healthcare and emergency workers, and those critical to maintaining business and economic continuity.
In clinical trials, two doses of Aflunov demonstrated antibody titers considered protective in more than 85% of vaccinated individuals (homologous seroprotection rate)[13]. Aflunov was also shown to elicit cross-reactive antibodies against many of the H5 strains that have caused human disease[14]. Additionally, a single vaccination with Aflunov (H5N1, A/Vietnam/1194/2004) induced high and rapid serological response in subjects primed 6-8 years previously with two doses of a different surrogate H5 vaccine, having same formulation and including the same MF59 adjuvant as Aflunov but using the strain H5N3.
The EU regulatory filing for Aflunov will form the basis for further filings in other parts of the world including Asia, where H5N1 has been reported in many countries[7].
About Aflunov
Aflunov is an investigational influenza vaccine for the active immunization against H5N1 subtype of Influenza A virus. H5N1 is commonly referred as avian or bird flu. Aflunov contains the MF59 adjuvant and is intended for use before or upon declaration of a H5N1 avian influenza pandemic. In clinical trials Aflunov has demonstrated a broad and durable immune response[1],[2],[3], with tolerability comparable to seasonal adjuvanted vaccines[15]. It can be stockpiled for future use with sufficient shelf life.
Disclaimer
The foregoing release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by terminology such as "may," "endorsing," "potential," "expect," "potentially," "recommendation," "can," "expected," "will," "could" or similar expressions, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential additional marketing approvals for Aflunov or regarding potential future revenues from Aflunov. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of management regarding future events, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results with Aflunov to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. There can be no guarantee that Aflunov will be approved for sale in any additional market. Nor can there be any guarantee that Aflunov will achieve any particular levels of revenue in the future. In particular, management's expectations regarding Aflunov could be affected by, among other things, unexpected regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; unexpected clinical trial results, including unexpected new clinical data and unexpected additional analysis of existing clinical data; unexpected world flu or other disease patterns; the company's ability to obtain or maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection; competition in general; government, industry and general public pricing pressures; the impact that the foregoing factors could have on the values attributed to the Novartis Group's assets and liabilities as recorded in the Group's consolidated balance sheet, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
References
[1] Galli, G et al. (2009). Adjuvanted H5N1 vaccine induces early CD4 T cell response that predicts long-term persistence of protective antibody levels. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences; 106(10): 3877-3882.
[2] Stephenson I, et al. (2008). Antigenically Distinct MF59-Adjuvanted Vaccine to Boost Immunity to H5N1. New England Journal of Medicine; 359:1631-1633.
[3] Novartis Data on File [V87P3].
[4] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008).
[5] World Health Organization. Cumulative Number of Confirmed Human Cases of Avian Influenza A/(H5N1) Reported to WHO.
[6] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007). Key Facts About Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) and Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Virus.
[7] World Health Organization. (2006). Avian influenza (" bird flu").
[8] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008). Questions and Answers About Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) and Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Virus.
[9] World Health Organization. (2009). Fact sheet no. 211. Influenza (Seasonal).
[10] Vaillant L, La Ruche G, Tarantola A, Barboza P, for the Epidemic Intelligence team at InVS. Epidemiology of fatal cases associated with pandemic H1N1 influenza 2009. Euro Surveill. 2009; 14(33): pii=19309.
[11] World Health Organization. Responding to the avian influenza pandemic threat. Recommended strategic actions.
[12] Jennings LC, Monto AS, Chan PK, Szucs T, Nicholson KG(2008) Stockpiling influenza vaccines: A cornerstone of pandemic plans. The Lancet Infectious Diseases 8:650-658.
[13] Banzhoff, A. et al. (2009). MF59®-Adjuvanted H5N1 Vaccine Induces Immunologic Memory and Heterotypic Antibody Responses in Non-Elderly and Elderly Adults. PLoS ONE 4(2): e4384.
[14] Banzhoff, A. et al. (2008). MF59-adjuvanted vaccines for seasonal and pandemic influenza prophylaxis. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses, 2:243-249.
[15] Novartis Data on File [V87P13].
Source: Novartis
The CHMP recommendation serves as the basis for a European Commission licensing Decision. Based on the CHMP recommendation, a marketing authorization for Aflunov could be granted in all the European Union and EEA countries. The marketing authorization is expected to be granted before year-end.
"Upon approval, we expect Aflunov to be an important addition to our portfolio of pandemic preparedness solutions," said Andrin Oswald, Head of Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Division. "The onset of a pandemic can be very rapid, leaving little or no time to prepare. Vaccinating in advance may prevent the potential devastation of a pandemic outbreak."
H5N1 is presently the virus of greatest concern among all avian influenza viruses[7]. H5N1 is currently circulating in birds, poultry and many other animal species around the world and has already infected humans that have been in contact with infected animals[7],[8]. While human infections are continuing to rise, ability of the virus to spread from human to human has not been demonstrated yet[7]. To date, there have been more than 500 cases of serious illness and more than 300 deaths[5]. H5N1 morbidity and mortality rates remain significantly higher than those associated with seasonal influenza and any recent pandemic[4],[9],[10]. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), H5N1 has met all prerequisites for starting a pandemic except for the ability to spread efficiently and sustainably among humans[7].
Vaccines are considered the first line of defense against pandemic influenza[11]. Transmission of influenza virus during a pandemic can be rapid, leaving little or no time to prepare. Thus, proactive pre-pandemic vaccination to prime populations at risk or vaccine stockpiling may be a more adequate way to help protect those at risk of H5N1 infection[12], those who would form the first line of response during a potential pandemic, such as healthcare and emergency workers, and those critical to maintaining business and economic continuity.
In clinical trials, two doses of Aflunov demonstrated antibody titers considered protective in more than 85% of vaccinated individuals (homologous seroprotection rate)[13]. Aflunov was also shown to elicit cross-reactive antibodies against many of the H5 strains that have caused human disease[14]. Additionally, a single vaccination with Aflunov (H5N1, A/Vietnam/1194/2004) induced high and rapid serological response in subjects primed 6-8 years previously with two doses of a different surrogate H5 vaccine, having same formulation and including the same MF59 adjuvant as Aflunov but using the strain H5N3.
The EU regulatory filing for Aflunov will form the basis for further filings in other parts of the world including Asia, where H5N1 has been reported in many countries[7].
About Aflunov
Aflunov is an investigational influenza vaccine for the active immunization against H5N1 subtype of Influenza A virus. H5N1 is commonly referred as avian or bird flu. Aflunov contains the MF59 adjuvant and is intended for use before or upon declaration of a H5N1 avian influenza pandemic. In clinical trials Aflunov has demonstrated a broad and durable immune response[1],[2],[3], with tolerability comparable to seasonal adjuvanted vaccines[15]. It can be stockpiled for future use with sufficient shelf life.
Disclaimer
The foregoing release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by terminology such as "may," "endorsing," "potential," "expect," "potentially," "recommendation," "can," "expected," "will," "could" or similar expressions, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential additional marketing approvals for Aflunov or regarding potential future revenues from Aflunov. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of management regarding future events, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results with Aflunov to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. There can be no guarantee that Aflunov will be approved for sale in any additional market. Nor can there be any guarantee that Aflunov will achieve any particular levels of revenue in the future. In particular, management's expectations regarding Aflunov could be affected by, among other things, unexpected regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; unexpected clinical trial results, including unexpected new clinical data and unexpected additional analysis of existing clinical data; unexpected world flu or other disease patterns; the company's ability to obtain or maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection; competition in general; government, industry and general public pricing pressures; the impact that the foregoing factors could have on the values attributed to the Novartis Group's assets and liabilities as recorded in the Group's consolidated balance sheet, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
References
[1] Galli, G et al. (2009). Adjuvanted H5N1 vaccine induces early CD4 T cell response that predicts long-term persistence of protective antibody levels. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences; 106(10): 3877-3882.
[2] Stephenson I, et al. (2008). Antigenically Distinct MF59-Adjuvanted Vaccine to Boost Immunity to H5N1. New England Journal of Medicine; 359:1631-1633.
[3] Novartis Data on File [V87P3].
[4] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008).
[5] World Health Organization. Cumulative Number of Confirmed Human Cases of Avian Influenza A/(H5N1) Reported to WHO.
[6] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007). Key Facts About Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) and Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Virus.
[7] World Health Organization. (2006). Avian influenza (" bird flu").
[8] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008). Questions and Answers About Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) and Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Virus.
[9] World Health Organization. (2009). Fact sheet no. 211. Influenza (Seasonal).
[10] Vaillant L, La Ruche G, Tarantola A, Barboza P, for the Epidemic Intelligence team at InVS. Epidemiology of fatal cases associated with pandemic H1N1 influenza 2009. Euro Surveill. 2009; 14(33): pii=19309.
[11] World Health Organization. Responding to the avian influenza pandemic threat. Recommended strategic actions.
[12] Jennings LC, Monto AS, Chan PK, Szucs T, Nicholson KG(2008) Stockpiling influenza vaccines: A cornerstone of pandemic plans. The Lancet Infectious Diseases 8:650-658.
[13] Banzhoff, A. et al. (2009). MF59®-Adjuvanted H5N1 Vaccine Induces Immunologic Memory and Heterotypic Antibody Responses in Non-Elderly and Elderly Adults. PLoS ONE 4(2): e4384.
[14] Banzhoff, A. et al. (2008). MF59-adjuvanted vaccines for seasonal and pandemic influenza prophylaxis. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses, 2:243-249.
[15] Novartis Data on File [V87P13].
Source: Novartis
вторник, 28 июня 2011 г.
Google Battles Bugs & Viruses - Announces More Than $14 Million In Grants To Partners Working To Predict And Prevent The Next Pandemic
Google, the philanthropic arm of Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), has announced grants of more than $14 million to support partners working in Southeast Asia and Africa to prevent the next pandemic. Google's Predict and Prevent initiative is supporting efforts to identify hot spots where diseases may emerge, detect new pathogens circulating in animal and human populations, and respond to outbreaks before they become global crises. Several new lethal infectious diseases crop up every year. Examples include the well-known killers, HIV/AIDS, bird flu, and SARS, as well as drug-resistant strains of ancient scourges malaria and tuberculosis. Three-quarters of new diseases are zoonoses, meaning they've jumped from animals to humans.
"Business as usual won't prevent the next AIDS or SARS. The teams we're funding today are on the frontiers of digital and genetic early detection technology. We hope that their work, with partners across environmental, animal, and human health boundaries, will help solve centuries-old problems and save millions of lives," said Dr. Larry Brilliant, Executive Director, Google.
Identifying hot spots
Knowing where to look is critical to disease surveillance. Climate change and deforestation increase human-animal contact, and with it, disease spreads. "The holy grail is to predict disease outbreaks before they happen. For Rift Valley fever and malaria, long-term weather forecasts and deforestation maps can show us where to look for outbreaks, up to six months in advance," said Frank Rijsberman, Program Director, Google.
- The Woods Hole Research Center - $2 million multi-year grant to support high-resolution satellite mapping of forests to enhance monitoring of forest loss and settlement expansion in tropical countries. WHRC will create information to share with environmental and human experts so they can better anticipate the emergence of infectious diseases. For more information, please visit whrc/.
- Columbia University International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) - $900,000 multi-year grant to improve the use of forecasts, rainfall data and other climate information in East Africa, and link weather and climate experts to health specialists so they can better predict outbreaks of infectious diseases. For more information, please visit portal.iri.columbia/portal/server.pt.
- University Corporation for Atmospheric Research - $900,000 multi-year grant to build and implement a system that will use weather projections to inform and target response to disease threats in West Africa. For more information, please visit ucar/.
Detecting diseases earlier
Genetic detection filters viral information in DNA to uncover deadly new pathogens, and digital detection mines online data to reveal early signals of possible epidemics. "We want to stop viruses dead in their tracks - their animal tracks - before they jump to humans," noted Dr. Mark Smolinski, Google's Threat Detective.
- Global Viral Forecasting Initiative (GVFI) - $5.5 million multi-year grant (with equal funding from the Skoll Foundation) to support the collection and analysis of blood samples of humans and animals in hot spots within Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, China, Malaysia, Lao PDR and Madagascar. The GVFI team, headed by Dr. Nathan Wolfe, has demonstrated that potentially pathogenic animal viruses jump more frequently to humans than previously believed and will work to detect early evidence of future pandemics. For more information, please visit gvfi/index.html.
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health - $2.5 million multi-year grant to support research to accelerate the discovery of new pathogens, and to enable rapid, regional response to outbreaks by establishing molecular diagnostics in hot spot countries including Sierra Leone and Bangladesh. Dr. Ian Lipkin and colleagues have discovered more than 75 viruses to date, established critical links between infection and the development of acute and chronic diseases, including pneumonia, meningitis/encephalitis, cancer, and mental illness. For more information, please visit cii.columbia/.
- Children's Hospital Corporation supporting Healthmap and ProMED-mail - $3M multi-year grant to combine HealthMap's digital detection efforts with ProMED-mail's global network of human, animal, and ecosystem health specialists. Together, these programs will assess current emerging disease reporting systems, expand regional networks in Africa and Southeast Asia, and develop new tools to improve the detection and reporting of outbreaks. For more information please visit childrenshospital/, healthmap/en, and promedmail/pls/otn/f?p=2400:1000.
"On every continent, viruses move from animals into people. GVFI's mission is to monitor this viral exchange. Working in animal markets, with restaurant workers, and with hunters at the end of the road, we sort through this traffic to try to stop deadly diseases before they spread," said Dr. Nathan Wolfe, Founder and Director, Global Viral Forecasting Initiative.
For more information and a Google Earth Layer highlighting the grantees, please visit google/predict.html.
About Google Inc.
Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit google.
About Google
Google, the philanthropic arm of Google, uses the power of information to help people better their lives. We develop and invest in tools and partnerships that can help bring shared knowledge to bear on the world's most pressing challenges in the areas of climate change, economic development and global health. For more information, visit google.
Source
Katy Bacon
Google
"Business as usual won't prevent the next AIDS or SARS. The teams we're funding today are on the frontiers of digital and genetic early detection technology. We hope that their work, with partners across environmental, animal, and human health boundaries, will help solve centuries-old problems and save millions of lives," said Dr. Larry Brilliant, Executive Director, Google.
Identifying hot spots
Knowing where to look is critical to disease surveillance. Climate change and deforestation increase human-animal contact, and with it, disease spreads. "The holy grail is to predict disease outbreaks before they happen. For Rift Valley fever and malaria, long-term weather forecasts and deforestation maps can show us where to look for outbreaks, up to six months in advance," said Frank Rijsberman, Program Director, Google.
- The Woods Hole Research Center - $2 million multi-year grant to support high-resolution satellite mapping of forests to enhance monitoring of forest loss and settlement expansion in tropical countries. WHRC will create information to share with environmental and human experts so they can better anticipate the emergence of infectious diseases. For more information, please visit whrc/.
- Columbia University International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) - $900,000 multi-year grant to improve the use of forecasts, rainfall data and other climate information in East Africa, and link weather and climate experts to health specialists so they can better predict outbreaks of infectious diseases. For more information, please visit portal.iri.columbia/portal/server.pt.
- University Corporation for Atmospheric Research - $900,000 multi-year grant to build and implement a system that will use weather projections to inform and target response to disease threats in West Africa. For more information, please visit ucar/.
Detecting diseases earlier
Genetic detection filters viral information in DNA to uncover deadly new pathogens, and digital detection mines online data to reveal early signals of possible epidemics. "We want to stop viruses dead in their tracks - their animal tracks - before they jump to humans," noted Dr. Mark Smolinski, Google's Threat Detective.
- Global Viral Forecasting Initiative (GVFI) - $5.5 million multi-year grant (with equal funding from the Skoll Foundation) to support the collection and analysis of blood samples of humans and animals in hot spots within Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, China, Malaysia, Lao PDR and Madagascar. The GVFI team, headed by Dr. Nathan Wolfe, has demonstrated that potentially pathogenic animal viruses jump more frequently to humans than previously believed and will work to detect early evidence of future pandemics. For more information, please visit gvfi/index.html.
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health - $2.5 million multi-year grant to support research to accelerate the discovery of new pathogens, and to enable rapid, regional response to outbreaks by establishing molecular diagnostics in hot spot countries including Sierra Leone and Bangladesh. Dr. Ian Lipkin and colleagues have discovered more than 75 viruses to date, established critical links between infection and the development of acute and chronic diseases, including pneumonia, meningitis/encephalitis, cancer, and mental illness. For more information, please visit cii.columbia/.
- Children's Hospital Corporation supporting Healthmap and ProMED-mail - $3M multi-year grant to combine HealthMap's digital detection efforts with ProMED-mail's global network of human, animal, and ecosystem health specialists. Together, these programs will assess current emerging disease reporting systems, expand regional networks in Africa and Southeast Asia, and develop new tools to improve the detection and reporting of outbreaks. For more information please visit childrenshospital/, healthmap/en, and promedmail/pls/otn/f?p=2400:1000.
"On every continent, viruses move from animals into people. GVFI's mission is to monitor this viral exchange. Working in animal markets, with restaurant workers, and with hunters at the end of the road, we sort through this traffic to try to stop deadly diseases before they spread," said Dr. Nathan Wolfe, Founder and Director, Global Viral Forecasting Initiative.
For more information and a Google Earth Layer highlighting the grantees, please visit google/predict.html.
About Google Inc.
Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit google.
About Google
Google, the philanthropic arm of Google, uses the power of information to help people better their lives. We develop and invest in tools and partnerships that can help bring shared knowledge to bear on the world's most pressing challenges in the areas of climate change, economic development and global health. For more information, visit google.
Source
Katy Bacon
понедельник, 27 июня 2011 г.
Government Tests Human Influenza Plan
The Government's response to a human flu pandemic was tested in Exercise Winter Willow on Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th February.
The exercise fully tested the UK's ability to manage the effects of an influenza pandemic by playing out the decision-making process at national, regional and local levels, when there are widespread cases across the country. A human flu pandemic would occur when a new flu virus, to which people had little or no natural immunity, emerged.
The biggest exercise of its kind to study the response of the NHS, local authorities and Government Departments to pandemic flu - it was an excellent opportunity to evaluate the planning presumptions, policy and operational procedures across Government and the NHS. The findings of Exercise Winter Willow will then be fed into the overall pandemic flu preparedness plan.
Chief Medical Officer for England, Sir Liam Donaldson, said of the exercise:
"When a 'flu pandemic hits the country the top priority for the Government is to protect the public. The World Health Organization has said that the UK is at the forefront of preparations internationally, but it is always necessary to test our responses and improve them where required. This exercise is another part of the continual testing, refining, and developing of our plans.
"The NHS is ready to implement its well-rehearsed plan."
For further information please go to:
UK Department of Health
The exercise fully tested the UK's ability to manage the effects of an influenza pandemic by playing out the decision-making process at national, regional and local levels, when there are widespread cases across the country. A human flu pandemic would occur when a new flu virus, to which people had little or no natural immunity, emerged.
The biggest exercise of its kind to study the response of the NHS, local authorities and Government Departments to pandemic flu - it was an excellent opportunity to evaluate the planning presumptions, policy and operational procedures across Government and the NHS. The findings of Exercise Winter Willow will then be fed into the overall pandemic flu preparedness plan.
Chief Medical Officer for England, Sir Liam Donaldson, said of the exercise:
"When a 'flu pandemic hits the country the top priority for the Government is to protect the public. The World Health Organization has said that the UK is at the forefront of preparations internationally, but it is always necessary to test our responses and improve them where required. This exercise is another part of the continual testing, refining, and developing of our plans.
"The NHS is ready to implement its well-rehearsed plan."
For further information please go to:
UK Department of Health
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