ScienceDaily (Oct. 30, 2009) — Influenza viruses evade infection-fighting antibodies by constantly changing the shape of their major surface protein. This shape-shifting, called antigenic drift, is why influenza vaccines — which are designed to elicit antibodies matched to each year’s circulating virus strains — must be reformulated annually. Now, researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, have proposed a new explanation for the evolutionary forces that drive antigenic drift. The findings in mice, using a strain of seasonal influenza virus first isolated in 1934, also suggest that antigenic drift might be slowed by increasing the number of children vaccinated against influenza.
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029162024.htm
Belarus
• Country may have had 2 new deaths from H1N1 (Link)
Bulgaria
• Bulgaria to distribute Tamiflu and Relenza to hospitals (Link)
• School principal may be 3rd death from H1N1 (Link)
• 3rd and 4th deaths confirmed (Link)
Canada
• Canada’s healthcare system ‘strained’ (Link)
• 3rd confirmed death in Ontario in a week (Link)
• Flu fears and emotional ventings on H1N1 and vaccines (Link)
• Sudbury has 6 in hospital on ventilators in ICU (Link)
• Alberta: Vaccination clinics close early (Link)
China
• A/H1N1 flu virus spreading quickly(Link)
• Death toll from A/H1N1 flu reaches 6 on Chinese mainland (Link)
Cuba
• Leader Fidel Castro blames tourists for bringing H1N1 (Link)
Germany
• 1st swine flu death in person with no other illness (Link)
India
• Death toll reaches 473 with 8 new deaths, 77 new cases (Link)
• 3rd death confirmed in Chandigarh, second child death (Link)
• 3 US tourists in Calcutta have ILI (Link)
Japan
• MOH expert let down for taking public stands (Link)
Jordan
• Unable to care well for pregnant women, and 6th death suspected (Link)
Russia
• Swine Flu Claims First Five Victims(Link)
Trinidad & Tobago
• Young mother’s death is 5th death from H1N1 confirmed (Link)
Ukraine
• Ukraine Orders Mobile Military Hospitals for H1N1 Caseload (Link)
• WHO Team to Investigate Ukraine H1N1 Outbreaks (Link)
• Ukraine taking some of ‘sternest measures’ (Link)
• Halloween/zombies/flying pumpkins? Or not? (Link)
United Kingdom
• Sussex sees continued spread of H1N1 (Link)
• Sir Elton John in hospital in London with ‘complications’ from flu (Link
United States
• US: problems presented by those not getting vaccinated (Link)
• US: New findings that surgical masks are just as good as N95 masks (Link)
• CA: San Luis Obispo man, 24, died of H1N1 – Tulare County (Link)
• IA: Iowa counts 2 more deaths from H1N1 (Link)
• IL had 6 deaths this week (Link)
• IL: Pregnant Chicago woman dead from H1N1 (Link
• OH: Clinton Memorial Hospital sees ‘sharp increase’ in flu cases (Link)
• OR: McMinnville man dies of H1N1 flu (Link)
• PA: Allegheny County Sees 2nd H1N1 Flu Death; More Vaccine Expected (Link)
• PA: H1N1 Flu Seen More In Pittsburgh Area Than Any othe State Region (Link)
• PA: Erie hospital breaks 124 yr old record for ER visits (Link)
• TX: 49 yr old mom died of H1N1′s pneumonia, health department says COD pneumonia (Link)
• VA: Accomack County hit hard by flu virus (Link)
• WA: Snohomish County has long lines, enough vaxx for them (Link)
• WI: Kenosha man dead of suspected H1N1 (Link)
Commentary, General
• Opinion on the US fed pandemic response from DemCT(Link)
• WHO experts favor single-dose H1N1 vaccine regimen (Link)
• Canada: (opinion) We will dodge this bullet, but … (Link)
• WHO says 700 dead in past week globally, and Ukraine takes tough measures (Link)
• Seniors among least likely to contract H1N1 virus (Link)
• Vaccinated Pregnant Women Protect Their Unborn From Acquiring Seasonal Influenza: Presented at IDSA (Link)
