Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Flu News for September 21, 2011

Early Flu Outbreak in Algeria

Sketchy reports are coming out of Algeria regarding a ' highly contagious seasonal influenza [that] is spreading at an astonishing pace through the villages of Saharidj, and M'Chedallah Ahnif.' The source added that the flu vaccines have not yet been distributed to health officials and that it is too early to talk about the start of the vaccination campaign against an apparent epidemic that has manifested itself so early in the season. This, according to the same un-named source.

WHO worried about evolutionary path of Avian Flu

The Avian flu, once thought to have been literally 'stamped out' in 2006 after millions of poultry were culled in many Asian countries is now making a comeback and that has some scientists at the World Health Organization worried.

Part of their concern lies with reports that the A(H5N1) strain of the flu is mutating rapidly and may be following the same evolutionary path as the 1918 H1N1 flu that killed millions. They also are reporting that some variations of this flu known as 'clades' are becoming resistant to vaccines now in use.

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