"Seqirus Media Monitoring" 23rd May 2019
Seqirus mentions
No News Recorded
Industry News
Daiichi Sankyo comes up way short of promised avian flu vaccine production
Daiichi Sankyo is apologizing to the Japanese people. The drugmaker is sorry for again missing a deadline to be able to quickly manufacture enough bird flu vaccine to help protect the country in case of an epidemic. It is still coming up way short of the goal to produce within six months enough doses to vaccinate 40 million people. The drugmaker recently said as penalty for having failed to be able to achieve the goal by the March 31 deadline, it is returning part of the government grant provided as backing for the effort and will pay a delinquency charge.
CDSCO rejects GSK request to skip Phase III trial for Influenza Vaccine for higher age groups
In India, GlaxoSmithKline recently presented before the Subject Expert Committee functional under the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization for a waiver of clinical trial of Inactivated Influenza Vaccine (Split Virion). However, CDSCO did not grant permission to skip the clinical trial and directed them to conduct the Phase III trial. The recommendation came after the firm presented the proposal for waiver of the clinical trial requirement for an extension of the indication to higher age groups
EMA issues updated EU recommendations for 2019–2020 seasonal flu vaccine composition
European Medicines Agency has issued an update of the EU recommendations for the influenza virus strains that vaccine manufacturers should include in vaccines for the prevention of seasonal influenza from autumn 2019. The recommendations now also contain a decision on suitable H1N1 and H3N2 viruses for seasonal live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV). The list of reagents for vaccine standardisation has also been updated. Details such as the specific virus strains to be included are available in the updated 2019/2020 recommendations issued by EMA's Biologics Working Party (BWP) ad- hoc Influenza Working Group.
Health Ministry unveils drug for influenza
The Ministry of Health and Community Protection in the UAE revealed “Johnson & Johnson’s” contact lenses and a Japanese medicine called Antoirel for the treatment of influenza. The new medicine, if taken 48 hours before the patient feels the symptoms of the bacteria, or very high in the heat, reduces the duration of the disease from one week to one or two days maximum, according to Director of Drug Administration
Pandemic Influenza News
No News Recorded
Academic studies
Researchers Discover Promising Path Toward Developing Flu Treatment Using Lipid Target
A team of scientists of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, Canada, has recently identified a target to "tone down" the hyper-active immunity to influenza infection. They have identified a new role for the lipid mediator Leukotriene B4 (called LTB4) in the lung. In a study published in Nature Microbiology, they show that the LTB4 molecule is capable of not only reducing collateral tissue damage caused by immune responses but also enhancing host survival. These novel findings have promising clinical implications in the near future for the treatment of flu.
Australian researchers developing single vaccine for flu and pneumonia
A team at the University of Adelaide, led by Dr Mohammed Alsharifi and Professor James Paton, is developing a new vaccine that could be a formidable weapon against two of the world’s most deadly respiratory diseases. The vaccine is designed to combat two types of infection at once, influenza and pneumococcal – a virus and a bacterium – which would overcome the limitations of the existing vaccines used for both. ‘Influenza infection predisposes patients to severe pneumococcal pneumonia, with very high mortality rates,’ Dr Alsharifi said. ‘Despite this well-known synergism, current vaccination strategies target the individual pathogens. We’re investigating combining our novel influenza and pneumococcal vaccines into a single-vaccination approach.’
Scientists reveal details of how flu and bacteria work together to promote infection
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have evidence the influenza virus functions like Velcro to help common respiratory bacteria gain a foothold in the airways. The research appears today as an advance online publication in the journal Nature Microbiology. Researchers report for the first time that flu sticks to the surface of common respiratory bacteria and could significantly enhance the ability of the bacteria to adhere to cells that line the airways.
Better way to transport life-saving vaccines
Researchers at McMaster University have invented a stable, affordable way to store fragile vaccines for weeks at a time at temperatures up to 40C, opening the way for life-saving anti-viral vaccines to reach remote and impoverished regions of the world. The new method combines the active ingredients in existing vaccines with a sugary gel, where they remain viable for eight weeks or more, even at elevated temperatures. The researchers have proven the method to be viable using two sample vaccines - influenza virus and herpes simplex virus - to inoculate and test mice by exposing them to the viruses because the immune response of mice is similar to that of humans
A systematic study towards evolutionary and epidemiological dynamics of currently predominant H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in Vietnam
A study aimed to elucidate virus, host and environmental dynamics of Vietnamese H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) during 2014–2017. Epidemiologically, H5 HPAIVs were frequently detected in apparently healthy domestic and Muscovy ducks and therefore these are preferred species for H5 HPAIV detection in active surveillance.
Single shot flu vaccine that protects for life in development in Perth
A single shot universal flu vaccine that lasts a lifetime could be available within two years. Canadian infectious diseases expert Dr Tobi Kollmann is leading a team of researchers at the Telethon Kids Institute, as part of the Human Vaccines Project’s efforts to develop one shot vaccines that provide lifelong protection from the disease for all people. The Telethon Kids Institute, with support from the PCH Foundation, will lead the paediatric component for the project, a global research program decoding the human immune system to accelerate the development of vaccines and immunotherapies.
Prebiotic combination may boost flu vaccine efficacy: Mouse data
A combination of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), prebiotic short-chain galactooligosaccharides (scGOS) and long-chain fructooligosaccharides (lcFOS) may enhance the immune response to the flu vaccine, says a new study.
Pediatric influenza news
Flu cases in WA kids triple that of 2018
New figures released by the WA Health Department show there are 567 reported cases of children contracting the flu so far in 2019, more than triple the 181 recorded over the same period last year. Despite this, only 6.5 per cent of children aged between six months and five years have been vaccinated against the flu so far in 2019.
We're finally studying how to combat the anti-vax movement, but the methods may surprise you
Despite anti-vax movements being nearly as old as the first vaccine, there hasn’t been much research at all on how to convince parents to vaccinate. Public health officials have learned some lessons from their own efforts to increase vaccination rates, but that’s not the same thing as truly understanding what works and what doesn’t. Much of the early work has highlighted the importance of respecting parents’ views on vaccines, and several studies found that many efforts to convince folks to vaccinate end up backfiring—parents ultimately feel more strongly that they shouldn’t vaccinate than before. So perhaps one of the most promising methods thus far might come as something of a surprise: approach the conversation with parents as if it’s assumed that they’re going to vaccinate their kids.
NIAID announces two awards for multi-year studies of influenza immunity in children
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has announced two awards for the study of influenza immunity in children. The awards, which may total more than $64 million over seven years, will support studies led by Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, examining how young children's immune systems respond over multiple years to their initial influenza infection and their first vaccination.
'When I picked her up I knew': 11-month-old Lucy died hours after contracting the flu
In Australia, 11 months old Lucy Betts died in 2017 from complications that arose from Influenza A. Three children are among the 26 people who have died with influenza in Victoria so far this year, and the number of influenza cases across the state is already nearing the total number recorded last season. Ms Betts says each time she hears of another child dying from the flu it "destroys" her. She hopes her case will serve as a warning to other families that even healthy children can be severely affected by the flu and has urged all parents to vaccinate their babies.
Over 65’s influenza news
New super vaccine can combat deadly flu and pneumonia in single jab: Study
The influenza and the pneumococcal infections are two of the world’s most deadly respiratory diseases and while many people protect themselves with separate vaccines, Australian researchers have now developed a vaccination that can simultaneously combat both with a single jab. In the meantime, over-65s are currently eligible for a free enhanced influenza vaccine under the National Immunisation Program (NIP). Other people are eligible for the vaccine at a small cost and should discuss the best option with their GP or health professional. The 2019 flu season has already turned deadly, with experts warning this year could be worse than 2018, when 1,100 people died from influenza.
General Influenza News
Opinion: What's wrong with those anti-vaxxers? They're just like the rest of us
Jennifer Reich is a professor of sociology at the University of Colorado Denver. She writes about the reasoning behind anti-vaxxers' decisions to refuse vaccinations for their children. She uses the flu vaccine as an example of such reasoning: "The same people who question the motives of parents who reject vaccines often confidently tell me why they didn’t get a flu shot this year, even as they understand that flu can kill. They insist they don’t need it. They contend they are healthy. They have good nutrition. They can handle infection should they become sick. They won’t be one of the 500,000-600,000 people hospitalized this year for influenza-related illness. Some say that the vaccine doesn’t always work anyway, so why bother. These reasons for rejecting a flu vaccine are the exact same reasons parents offer for why they reject vaccines for their children."
Flu outbreak closes migrant center near border in Texas
An outbreak of influenza has led U.S. immigration officials to temporarily close and quarantine a processing center at the border in Texas, authorities said. Tuesday, officials closed the center in McAllen after medical staff diagnosed several migrants with high fevers and flu-like symptoms. The processing center is a converted warehouse with fenced-in pens that hold migrants caught crossing the border illegally.
32 Confirmed Cases of Influenza at Migrant Processing Center
In the U.S,. Customs and Border Protection announced they re-opened their central processing center in McAllen after Tuesday night's temporary closure. According to CBP officials, there were 32 people in their custody who were determined to have influenza. They were all at the processing facility operated by the Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol sector in McAllen.
https://www.krgv.com/news/32-confirmed-cases-of-influenza-at-migrant-processing-center/
Additional sources: (CNN)
Additional sources: (CNN)
New Zealanders urged not to be complacent as 'horror' flu season strikes across the ditch
As Australians face a "horror" flu season, and "a fair bit" already here, New Zealanders cannot afford to be complacent, experts say. Less than a month into the official flu season, early signs show we cannot assume it will be another mild year, Immunisation Advisory Centre director Dr Nikki Turner said. The number of flu-like illnesses reported in the first half of the month remained on par with other years but a higher-than-usual proportion of those cases were being confirmed as influenza rather than other respiratory illnesses, Institute of Environmental Science and Research data showed.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12233319
Additional sources: (NZCity.co.nz)
Additional sources: (NZCity.co.nz)
Vaccinations will take a hit if the Trump administration topples the Affordable Care Act
In the U.S., the Affordable Care Act promotes public health by, among other things, requiring health insurance plans to cover federally recommended vaccines with no out-of-pocket costs. In a surprising twist, the Trump administration has thrown the full weight of the federal government behind the attorneys general. The entire Affordable Care Act, the administration argues, should be struck down. If this bid is successful, it will strip 20 million Americans of their health insurance. Without coverage, they will have to pay full retail price for vaccines. Even for families that keep their coverage, insurance companies will no longer be required to pay for vaccinations with no out-of-pocket costs. Since many health insurance policies include a significant deductible, many insured families will bear the full costs of vaccines until they’ve met their deductible limit.
No flu deaths in Tasmania, but community urged to get vaccinated
Health authorities are continuing calls for people to get a flu vaccine, with at least 68 confirmed deaths from influenza in Australia this year. In Tasmania there have been 858 reported flu cases so far this year - almost double the total for 2018. However, a Tasmanian Health Service spokesman said there had been no flu deaths in the state this year. About 100,000 vaccination doses are provided free to vulnerable Tasmanians under the National Immunisation Program
U.S. Disease Chief: Why Everyone Should Get A Flu Shot
Dr. Anthony Fauci says getting a flu shot each year is "the best way" to avoid getting the flu, despite some criticism that it doesn't cover all influenza mutations. Fauci is the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Dr. Fauci appears on the latest episode of "The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations."
David Rubenstein Show: Anthony Fauci
David Rubenstein speaks with Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Medal of Freedom recipient who leads the government's premier institute researching infectious diseases. They discuss his 35-year tenure working under five U.S. Presidents, the greatest global disease threats, and why low-tech solutions may be the best way to stay healthy.
Pharmacies and GPs are charging people for their free influenza vaccination
In Australia, the government is offering free flu shots for people at risk in the community but some are still being asked to fork over cash. At Friendlies Chemist, those who qualify for a free influenza vaccination under the government’s National Immunisation Program have to pay a $10 “pharmacy consultation fee”. A Royal Australian College of GPs spokeswoman said while GPs could charge a gap fee for a simple flu shot, the overwhelming majority chose to bulk bill. Ultimately, though, it was at their discretion as to whether and how much they charged patients out-of-pocket.
Being cold can't make you sick and taking vitamins won't keep you well: Expert debunks the most common flu myths
Shocking figures show nearly 50,000 Australians have already been diagnosed with influenza this year.Dr Brad McKay recently appeared on Today to unpack a raft of beliefs and misconceptions people have regarding colds and flu. From why vitamins won't keep you well to how the flu shot doesn't make you sick, Dr McKay debunks six of the most common myths - and reveals what advice you should actually follow.
Warrnambool flu rates soar with 122 cases compared to one last year at same time
The number of people diagnosed with influenza in Warrnambool this year has surged, with 122 residents diagnosed so far this year. There was only one diagnosis this time last year. "According to Victorian Government statistics, there have already been 110 confirmed cases of influenza in Warrnambool, compared to just one at the same time last year," Warrnambool council's immunisation coordinator Alison Elliot said. "We have seen an increased demand for influenza vaccines this year across all age groups.
We are in a unique flu season
This year in Australia, two influenza A subtypes are circulating in humans – A/H1N1 and A/H3N2 – and two influenza B subtypes, the Yamagata and Victoria lineages. The most important weapon against them is vaccination and now is the best time to have it, as it will provide cover into the peak of the season which occurs between June and September. Professor Robert Booy, chair of the Immunisation Coalition, says providing you have had symptoms for less than two days you can go to your GP and get an anti-viral drug,
Confirmed flu cases on rise despite spike in vaccination numbers
Residents across the Stawell region of Victoria state are accessing their annual flu vaccine. Priceline Ararat pharmacist Maria Talavera said hundreds of people have already received the vaccination. "From May 21, I have administrated 426 flu vaccines into people," she said, "This figure is how many have come into the store to have their vaccination. It doesn't include prescriptions. "The number is up from last year. In 2018 our data shows just over 400 people accessed the vaccine from the pharmacy." Miss Talavera attributes the increase in vaccinations to the public's awareness.
Burden of disease
Killer flu season sees record numbers of cases and deaths - and it's only just beginning
A killer flu season in Australia has seen almost as many people diagnosed with the virus so far this year as there were in the whole of 2018. Health bosses issued renewed calls for people to get vaccinated. A total of 63 people have died from influenza according to figures up until May 5 - compared with 57 in the whole of last year. That doesn’t include today’s announcement that 26 Victorians have died this flu season including three children.
Flu declining, but not gone yet
Though flu season in Connecticut is winding down, cases of the contagious respiratory illness are still elevated and the state is continuing to see flu-related deaths. In the week ending May 11, the state Department of Public Health reported , there was one new flu death, bringing the total for this season to 78 deaths. That latest flu report also showed that a total of 10,135 had tested positive for the flu this season. That’s an increase of almost 100 from the previous week, when the state reported that 10,038 people had tested positive for flu in the state.
Influenza hitting Nelson and Marlborough districts hard
In New Zealand, Nelson-Marlborough Health says the region is being hit hard by influenza, with more people being admitted to hospital earlier than usual. Medical Officer of Health Andrew Lindsay said the latest data showed the region was tracking much higher than the South Island average. Three children were among 27 admitted to Wairau and Nelson hospitals in recent weeks with serious complications caused by influenza.
Australian flu deaths up 200 percent: health department
The number of influenza deaths in Australia since the beginning of the year have tripled from the same period in 2018, the government said. Data released by the Department of Health on Wednesday revealed that 99 people have died from the flu in Australia between January 1 and May 20. It is a near 200 percent increase from the 34 deaths in the same period in 2018 and from the five-year national average, which is also 34. More than 11.4 million doses of the influenza vaccine have been administered nationwide
Flu cases down across Ohio this year
This flu season is wrapping up with about 7,000 fewer hospitalizations in Ohio than last year’s particularly nasty season. There were 9,828 flu-related hospitalization in Ohio this season as of May 11, and the last week of official flu season activity tracking will be posted by the Ohio Department of Health on Friday.
Flu Surveillance in Animals
Authorities launch bird flu awareness drive in Kavre
In Nepal, authorities in Kavre have launched an awareness campaign against bird flu after it came to light that the disease had caused the death of a youth there about a month ago. A 21-year-old had died from normal symptoms of common cold and fever in the district on March 29. Following a laboratory test, it was revealed on April 30 that the death was caused by bird flu.