Influenza Humans Commons^™

Global Mortality Impact Of The 1957–1959 Influenza Pandemic, Cecile Viboud, Lone Simonsen, Rodrigo Fuentes, Jose Flores, Mark A. Miller, Gerardo Chowell

Global Health Faculty Publications

Background. Quantitative estimates of the global burden of the 1957 influenza pandemic are lacking. Here we fill this gap by modeling historical mortality statistics.

Methods. We used annual rates of age- and cause-specific deaths to estimate pandemic-related mortality in excess of background levels in 39 countries in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Americas. We modeled the relationship between excess mortality and development indicators to extrapolate the global burden of the pandemic.

Results. The pandemic-associated excess respiratory mortality rate was 1.9/10 000 population (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2–2.6 cases/10 000 population) on average during 1957–1959. Excess mortality rates varied 70-fold …

Effect Of Mobile Phone Text Messages Reminders On Uptake Of Routine Immunization Among Children In Pakistan- Study Protocol For A Randomized Clinical Trial, Abdul Momin Kazi, Murtaza Ali, Khurram Zubair, Hussain Kalimuddin, Syed Asad Ali

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Introduction: Routine Immunization (RI) is considered one of the best public health interventions to decrease child morbidity and mortality. The RI coverage in Pakistan is still well below the desired level, leading to continued polio transmission, large measles outbreaks and thousands of deaths from vaccine-preventable illnesses. Different innovative and cost effective strategies are required to look into for enhancement in vaccination uptake and coverage. We plan to test the effectiveness of reminders to parents/caregivers on cell phones through short messaging system (SMS) in improving vaccine uptake and on-time routine immunization for children in Pakistan.
Methods and Analysis: A parallel-randomized controlled …

Preparedness Of Hospitals In The Republic Of Ireland For An Influenza Pandemic, An Infection Control Perspective, Mary Reidy, Fiona Ryan, Dervla Hogan, Seán Lacey, Claire Buckley

Department of Mathematics Publications

When an influenza pandemic occurs most of the population is susceptible and attack rates can range as high as 40–50 %. The most important failure in pandemic planning is the lack of standards or guidelines regarding what it means to be ‘prepared’. The aim of this study was to assess the preparedness of acute hospitals in the Republic of Ireland for an influenza pandemic from an infection control perspective.

Emergence Of Multidrug Resistant Influenza A(H1n1)Pdm09 Virus Variants In An Immunocompromised Child Treated With Oseltamivir And Zanamivir., Daisuke Tamura, Roberta L. Debiasi, Margaret Okomo-Adhiambo, Vasiliy P. Mishin, Angela P. Campbell, Brett Loechelt, Bernhard L. Wiedermann, Alicia M. Fry, Larisa V. Gubareva

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Prolonged treatment of an immunocompromised child with oseltamivir and zanamivir for A(H1N1)pdm09 virus infection led to the emergence of viruses carrying H275Y and/or E119G in the neuraminidase. When phenotypically evaluated by neuraminidase inhibition, the dual H275Y-E119G substitution caused highly reduced inhibition by four neuraminidase inhibitors including oseltamivir, zanamivir, peramivir and laninamivir.

Whom Do You Trust? Doubt And Conspiracy Theories In The 2009 Influenza Pandemic, Shawn Smallman

International & Global Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

The 2009 pandemic of H1N1 influenza led people around the globe to create narratives about the epidemic defined by the question of trust; these narratives ranged from true conspiracy theories to simply accounts in which mistrust and betrayal formed a motif. In particular, most of these narratives reflected a fear of capitalism and globalization, although in specific regions, other issues—such as religion—played a more central role. These stories were not unique to the H1N1 pandemic but rather have appeared with every contemporary outbreak of infectious disease. This paper will examine conspiracy theories and moral panics related to the H1N1 pandemic …

Detecting Signals Of Seasonal Influenza Severity Through Age Dynamics, Elizabeth C Lee, Cécile Viboud, Lone Simonsen, Farid Khan, Shweta Bansal

Global Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Measures of population-level influenza severity are important for public health planning, but estimates are often based on case-fatality and case-hospitalization risks, which require multiple data sources, are prone to surveillance biases, and are typically unavailable in the early stages of an outbreak. To address the limitations of traditional indicators, we propose a novel severity index based on influenza age dynamics estimated from routine physician diagnosis data that can be used retrospectively and for early warning.

METHODS: We developed a quantitative 'ground truth' severity benchmark that synthesizes multiple traditional severity indicators from publicly available influenza surveillance data in the United …

A Global Map Of Hemispheric Influenza Vaccine Recommendations Based On Local Patterns Of Viral Circulation, Wladimir J. Alonso, Christine Yu, Cecile Viboud, Stephanie A. Richard, Cynthia Schuck-Paim, Lone Simonsen, Wyller A. Mello, Mark A. Miller

Global Health Faculty Publications

Both the Northern and the Southern Hemisphere annual WHO influenza vaccine recommendations are designed to ensure vaccine delivery before the winter-time peak of viral circulation in each hemisphere. However, influenza seasonal patterns are highly diverse in tropical countries and may be out of phase with the WHO recommendations for their respective hemisphere. We modelled the peak timing of influenza activity for 125 countries using laboratory-based surveillance data from the WHO’s FLUNET database and compared it with the influenza hemispheric recommendations in place. Influenza vaccine recommendations for respectively 25% and 39% of the Northern and Southern Hemisphere countries were out of …

The Effects Of Vitamin D Supplementation On Influenza, Jonah M. Spoerndle

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Recently the role of vitamin D in other non-classical capacities has been evaluated. One of these non-classical vitamin D roles is assisting in maintaining proper immune system health. One disease that has a great effect on the immune system is influenza. Vitamin D helps to prevent and limit influenza by moderating the inflammatory cytokines as well as promoting the production of monocytes that help destroy the invading materials. Through the use of vitamin D supplementation the recommended daily amount of vitamin D can be assured and optimal health could be achieved. The purpose of this project was to design a …

Prevention Of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Through Information And Education At The California Department Of Public Health, Vaisali M. Patel

Master's Projects and Capstones

Immunizations are one of the most important developments in the twentieth century towards the prevention of infectious diseases. Vaccinations against communicable diseases have helped reduce morbidity and mortality all over the world. Despite having numerous vaccines that protect individuals from serious and deadly diseases, vaccination rates in the United States remain at an all-time low. The Information and Education section of the Immunization Branch within the Division of Communicable Disease Control at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) focuses on working with local health departments, primary care providers, immunization coalitions, and other statewide organizations to increase the rates of …

Pharmacists On The Front Lines Of Community Health: The Pneumonia Prevention Project, Joseph Fulginiti, Jason Schafer Pharmd, Mph, Marie-Monique Marthol-Clark, Lynn Fields Harris Mpa, Joseph Desimone Jr, Md, Laura T. Pizzi Pharmd, Mph

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Death Patterns During The 1918 Influenza Pandemic In Chile, Gerardo Chowell, Lone Simonsen, Jose Flores, Mark A. Miller, Cecile G. Viboud

Global Health Faculty Publications

Scarce information about the epidemiology of historical influenza pandemics in South America prevents complete understanding of pandemic patterns throughout the continent and across different climatic zones. To fill gaps with regard to spatiotemporal patterns of deaths associated with the 1918 influenza pandemic in Chile, we reviewed archival records. We found evidence that multiple pandemic waves at various times of the year and of varying intensities occurred during 1918-1921 and that influenza-related excess deaths peaked during July-August 1919. Pandemic-associated mortality rates were elevated for all age groups, including for adults >50 years of age; elevation from baseline was highest for young …

The Association Of Meningococcal Disease With Influenza In The United States, 1989-2009, Jessica Hartman Jacobs, Cecile Viboud, Eric Tchetgen Tchetgen, Joel Schwartz, Claudia Steiner, Lone Simonsen, Marc Lipsitch

Global Health Faculty Publications

Importance and Objective

Prior influenza infection is a risk factor for invasive meningococcal disease. Quantifying the fraction of meningococcal disease attributable to influenza could improve understanding of viral-bacterial interaction and indicate additional health benefits to influenza immunization.

Design, Setting and Participants

A time series analysis of the association of influenza and meningococcal disease using hospitalizations in 9 states from 1989–2009 included in the State Inpatient Databases from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the proportion of positive influenza tests by subtype reported to the Centers for Disease Control. The model accounts for the autocorrelation of meningococcal disease and …

Virus Sharing, Genetic Sequencing, And Global Health Security, Lawrence O. Gostin, Alexandra Phelan, Michael A. Stoto, John D. Kraemer, K. Srinath Reddy

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

The WHO’s Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework was a milestone global agreement designed to promote the international sharing of biological samples to develop vaccines, while that ensuring poorer countries would have access to those vaccines. Since the PIP Framework was negotiated, scientists have developed the capacity to use genetic sequencing data (GSD) to develop synthetic viruses rapidly for product development of life-saving technologies in a time-sensitive global emergency—threatening to unravel the Framework. Access to GSD may also have major implications for biosecurity, biosafety, and intellectual property (IP).

By rendering the physical transfer of viruses antiquated, GSD may also undermine the …

Spatial Transmission Of 2009 Pandemic Influenza In The Us, Julia R. Gog, Sebastien Ballesteros, Cecile G. Viboud, Lone Simonsen, Ottar N. Bjornstad, Jeffrey Shaman, Dennis L. Chao, Farid Khan, Bryan T. Grenfell

Global Health Faculty Publications

The 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic provides a unique opportunity for detailed examination of the spatial dynamics of an emerging pathogen. In the US, the pandemic was characterized by substantial geographical heterogeneity: the 2009 spring wave was limited mainly to northeastern cities while the larger fall wave affected the whole country. Here we use finely resolved spatial and temporal influenza disease data based on electronic medical claims to explore the spread of the fall pandemic wave across 271 US cities and associated suburban areas. We document a clear spatial pattern in the timing of onset of the fall wave, starting in …

Analysis Of The Morbidity And Mortality Of Severe Influenza Infection In Clark County, Nevada For The 2010-2011 Influenza Season, Kindra St. Jacques, Patricia Cruz, Brian Labus

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Throughout the duration of any influenza season, influenza strains have the ability to evolve through mutation causing alterations in virulence. These changes may result in severe illness or death among susceptible populations; therefore, it is important to closely monitor influenza-associated hospitalizations and deaths. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas in collaboration with the Southern Nevada Health District analyzed data from the hospitalized influenza morbidity and mortality surveillance project for Clark County for the 2010-2011 influenza season. Among the study population (N= 158): the influenza strain type was found to be significantly associated with deaths (n= 25), vaccination status was not …

The Association Between Influenza Treatment And Hospitalization-Associated Outcomes Among Korean Children With Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza, Jacqueline K. Lim, Tae Hee Kim, Paul E. Kilgore, Allison E. Aiello, Byung Min Choi, Kwang Chul Lee, Kee Hwan Yoo, Young-Hwan Song, Yun-Kyung Kim

Department of Pharmacy Practice

There are limited data evaluating the relationship between influenza treatment and hospitalization duration. Our purpose assessed the association between different treatments and hospital stay among Korean pediatric influenza patients. Total 770 children ≤ 15 yr-of-age hospitalized with community-acquired laboratory-confirmed influenza at three large urban tertiary care hospitals were identified through a retrospective medical chart review. Demographic, clinical, and cost data were extracted and a multivariable linear regression model was used to assess the associations between influenza treatment types and hospital stay. Overall, there were 81% of the patients hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza who received antibiotic monotherapy whereas only 4% of …

The Burden Of Influenza-Like Illness In The Us Workforce, Y. Tsai, F. Zhou, I. K. Kim

United States Public Health Resources

Background -- The disease burden of influenza-like illnesses (ILIs) on the working population has been documented in the literature, but statistical evidence of ILI-related work absenteeism in the USA is limited due to data availability.

Aims -- To assess work absenteeism due to ILIs among privately insured employees in the USA in 2007–8 and 2008–9.

Methods -- We used the 2007–9 MarketScan® research databases. Full-time employees aged 18–64 years, with the ability to incur work absence and continuously enroled in the same insurance plan during each season were included. We identified ILI episodes using ICD-9 codes for influenza and …

Using Quantitative Disease Dynamics As A Tool For Guiding Response To Avian Influenza In Poultry In The United States Of America, K. M. Pepin, E. Spackman, J. D. Brown, K. L. Pabilonia, Lindsey P. Garber, J. Todd Weaver, D. A. Kennedy, Kelly A. Patyk, K. P. Huyvaert, Ryan S. Miller, Alan B. Franklin, Kerri Pedersen, T. L. Bogich, P. Rohani, Susan A. Shriner, Colleen T. Webb, S. Riley

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wild birds are the primary source of genetic diversity for influenza A viruses that eventually emerge in poultry and humans. Much progress has been made in the descriptive ecology of avian influenza viruses (AIVs), but contributions are less evident from quantitative studies (e.g., those including disease dynamic models). Transmission between host species, individuals and flocks has not been measured with sufficient accuracy to allow robust quantitative evaluation of alternate control protocols. We focused on the United States of America (USA) as a case study for determining the state of our quantitative knowledge of potential AIV emergence processes from wild hosts …

Global Mortality Estimates For The 2009 Influenza Pandemic From The Glamor Project: A Modeling Study, Lone Simonsen, Peter Spreeuwenberg, Roger Lustig, Robert J. Taylor, Douglas M. Fleming, Madelon Kroneman, Maria D. Van Kerkhove, Anthony D. Mounts, W. John Paget

Global Health Faculty Publications

Background

Assessing the mortality impact of the 2009 influenza A H1N1 virus (H1N1pdm09) is essential for optimizing public health responses to future pandemics. The World Health Organization reported 18,631 laboratory-confirmed pandemic deaths, but the total pandemic mortality burden was substantially higher. We estimated the 2009 pandemic mortality burden through statistical modeling of mortality data from multiple countries.

Methods and Findings

We obtained weekly virology and underlying cause-of-death mortality time series for 2005–2009 for 20 countries covering ~35% of the world population. We applied a multivariate linear regression model to estimate pandemic respiratory mortality in each collaborating country. We then used …

Assessment Of Introduction Pathway For Novel Avian Influenza Virus Into North America By Wild Birds From Eurasia, Ryan S. Miller, Steven J. Sweeney, Judy E. Akkina, Emi K. Saito

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

A critical question surrounding emergence of novel strains of avian influenza viruses (AIV) is the ability for wild migratory birds to translocate a complete (unreassorted whole genome) AIV intercontinentally. Virus translocation via migratory birds is suspected in outbreaks of highly pathogenic strain A(H5N1) in Asia, Africa, and Europe. As a result, the potential intercontinental translocation of newly emerging AIV (e.g. A(H7N9) from Eurasia to North America via migratory movements of birds) remains a concern. An estimated 1.48 to 2.91 million aquatic birds, principally Anseriformes (ducks, geese, and swans) and Charadriiformes (gulls, terns, and shorebirds) move annually between Eurasia and North …