Archive for Week of February 1, 2010Note: All links accessed and active on day of Biosecurity News in Brief publication.
February 1 | February 2 | February 3 | February 4 | February 5
February 5, 2010
U.S. H1N1 Vaccine Uptake Estimated at 75 Million (CIDRAP News) A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) official estimated today that more than 75 million Americans, or close to 25% of the population, have been vaccinated against the pandemic H1N1 virus.
Neurologic Manifestations of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Virus Infection (Emerging Infectious Diseases) In April 2009, the outbreak of influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus was reported.
Shortened Expiration Period for Sanofi Pasteur 2009 H1N1 Vaccine in Pre-filled Syringes Questions & Answers (Flu.gov) Why is Sanofi Pasteur changing the expiration dates of 2009 H1N1 vaccine in pre-filled syringes?
Five Infectious Diseases that Might Re-Emerge (Homeland Security Newswire) Ever since the swine flu emerged, there have been almost daily headlines about the medical community and government officials scrambling to provide inoculations and deal with an anxious public.
Abu Sayyaf, Communists Accused of Using Biological Weapons (gulfnews.com) Bandits and communist rebels should be censured for using biological weapons and landmines, a local paper said.
Health Agency Plans Summit on U.S. Biological Threat Preparations (Global Security Newswire) The U.S. Health and Human Services Department next week plans to conduct a summit with other government entities as it works to reassess the nation's strategy for producing treatments for biological weapons materials and other public health threats.
Cybersecurity Bill Urges Research, Task Force (Homeland Security Newswire) The U.S. House of Representatives has passed its first major cybersecurity bill, following a warning earlier this week from a top intelligence official that U.S. critical infrastructure is vulnerable to serious threats.
Government Takes Layered Approach to Aviation Security (Nextgov) The Homeland Security Department is developing new baggage and passenger screening tools and explosive detection technology in the aftermath of the attempted Christmas Day bombing of a Detroit-bound airliner, an official told a House panel on Wednesday.
Hazardous Microbe Rules Raise Biosecurity Debate to a New Level (Nature Medicine) Even before the fatal anthrax mailings in 2001 were traced to a government lab worker, US regulators had been grappling with how to change to the rules governing research with dangerous pathogens so as to keep hazardous agents out of the hands of would-be bioterrorists.
Iran Called on to Formally Accept Uranium Transfer (Global Security Newswire) Western powers yesterday urged Iran to officially communicate its readiness to ship much of its low-enriched uranium to other countries for further refinement, a key element of an International Atomic Energy Agency plan aimed at easing U.S. and European concerns that Tehran might try to build a nuclear weapon, Agence France-Presse reported today.
Mayor Bloomberg Says NYC Faces Radiological Threat (my FOX NY) On the same day Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano discussed terrorism concerns, the federal building in Lower Manhattan had a brief security scare.
Radiation Detection Efforts Begin at Three Megaports (NNSA) The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) today announced that it has completed installation and testing of radiation detection systems at three new ports: Colon Container Terminal (CCT) and the Port of Cristobal in Panama, and the Port of Manzanillo, Mexico.
February 4, 2010
Association Between Severe Pandemic 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection and Immunoglobulin G2 Subclass Deficiency (Clinical Infectious Diseases) Severe pandemic 2009 influenza A virus (H1N1) infection is associated with risk factors that include pregnancy, obesity, and immunosuppression. After identification of immunoglobulin G2 (IgG2) deficiency in 1 severe case, we assessed IgG subclass levels in a cohort of patients with H1N1 infection.
Everyone Wins at the Olympic Winter Games with Healthy Travel Preparations (CDC) Sports fans attending the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the Paralympics Games in Vancouver, Canada, in February can be winners if they make plans now to help stay healthy during their trip. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers some simple tips to help travelers share gold medal memories – but not the flu – at the games.
Health Workers Line up for Vaccine (TVNZ) The vaccine to protect New Zealanders from swine flu has arrived in the country and will be rolled out in a pre-emptive strike to counter a potential pandemic.
Dengue Fever on the Rise at Tourist Getaways (CMAJ) The destinations read like a sunlover's dream: Acapulco; Puerto Vallarta; the Caribbean and Australia, among other winter tourist getaways. But in fact, they are destinations that the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) warns put travelers at higher risk of contracting dengue fever, the incidence of which is rising as a consequence of such factors as increased international travel and some say, global warning.
Intelligence Chief Acknowledges U.S. May Target Americans Involved in Terrorism (Washington Post) Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair acknowledged Wednesday that government agencies may kill U.S. citizens abroad who are involved in terrorist activities if they are "taking action that threatens Americans."
Mutated Bird Flu Virus Raises Doubts About the Effectiveness of Flu Vaccines (Jakarta Globe) A genetically mutated avian flu virus is believed to be behind a string of deadly outbreaks in bird populations over the past two years, a scientist said on Tuesday, warning that the new virus had the potential to be more lethal than its ancestor should it infect humans.
Experimental Smallpox Vaccine To Be Tested on Humans (Global Security Newswire) Researchers from Saint Louis University in Missouri and other institutions are conducting a human study of an experimental smallpox vaccine that might be used to counter a possible bioterrorist attack, the St. Louis Business Journal reported Monday.
UM School of Medicine Scientists Find New Malaria Vaccine Is Safe and Protective in Children (e! Science News) A new vaccine to prevent the deadly malaria infection has shown promise to protect the most vulnerable patients — young children — against the disease, according to an international team of researchers led by the University of Maryland School of Medicine's Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) and the Malaria Research and Training Center at the University of Bamako in Mali, West Africa.
Promising Results from Soligenix' RiVax Vaccine Trials Against Ricin Toxin (News-Medical.net) Soligenix, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: SNGX) (Soligenix or the Company), a late-stage biotechnology company, announced today the publication of an article in the February 2010 edition of Vaccine, which describes preclinical formulations of RiVax™, its ricin toxin vaccine, with heightened stability.
White House Budget Would Boost Health IT (Modern HealthCare) The White House said it wants to bolster spending on health information technology and expand prevention and wellness programs while building more community health centers as part of a newly released budget outline.
February 3, 2010
Progress Is Slow on Moving Surplus Swine Flu Vaccine to Countries That Need It (New York Times) There is now so much unused swine flu vaccine in the world that rich nations, including the United States, are trying to get rid of their surpluses. But the world’s poorest countries — a few still facing the brunt of the pandemic — are receiving very little of it.
Pandemic H1N1 Influenza of Swine Origin Has Distinct Means of Transmission from Seasonal Flu (The Medical News) Current research suggests that pandemic H1N1 influenza of swine origin has distinct means of transmission from the seasonal flu, yet does not result in the pathogenic severity of avian flu viruses.
Dengue Fever Surges in Americas (SciDev.net) Dengue cases in Central and Latin America have increased almost five-fold in incidence in the last 30 years, researchers have found.
Pigs Can Spread Hendra to Humans: Study (Sydney Morning Herald) Pigs have the potential to spread the deadly Hendra virus to humans in the same way horses do, researchers say.
CDC Gets Boost Under President's Budget Proposal (HSToday) President Barack Obama's proposed budget includes a $101 million boost in funding for Atlanta's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that would help pay for new programs aimed at addressing obesity and diseases in big cities, a new training program for public health professionals and other agency expansions.
Obama Budget Boosts Funds for Tropical Diseases (Reuters) Funding to fight diseases including parasites that cause disfiguring elephantiasis, hookworms and a blinding eye infection called trachoma, would more than double under the 2011 budget proposal, to $155 million from $65 million.
Obama Budget Request Increases International Global Health Funding (Medical News TODAY) President Obama's fiscal year 2011 budget proposal, which was released on Monday, would increase by 9% funding for global health issues, including reducing maternal and child mortality, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Obama Must Pay Heed to Al-Qaeda's Quest for Biological Weapons (Washington Post Editorial) Three thousand people were killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. More than 300,000 could be dead within one week after a modest attack with biological weapons.
Pentagon to Augment Anti-WMD Capabilities (Global Security Newswire) The U.S. Defense Department said today in the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review that it intends to enhance its capabilities to prevent the spread and use of weapons of mass destruction (see GSN, Feb. 6, 2006).
HHS Activates Additional Components of National Disaster Medical System to Help U.S. Hospitals Treat Survivors of Earthquake in Haiti (HHS News Release) As part of the ongoing medical response to the Haiti earthquake, USAID, the agency coordinating the US Government response, announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has activated additional components of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) to help U.S. hospitals provide care to critically ill survivors.
Deal Gives Salmonella Victims $12 Million (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) About 120 victims of last year’s salmonella outbreak or their families — along with their attorneys — will split about $12 million as part of a settlement with the insurer of Peanut Corp. of America.
February 2, 2010
Host Dependent Evolutionary Patterns and the Origin of 2009 H1N1 Pandemic Influenza (PLoS Currents: Influenza) The origin of H1N1pdm constitutes an unresolved mystery, as its most recently observed ancestors were isolated in pigs nearly a decade before it emerged in humans.
Effectiveness of Common Household Cleaning Agents in Reducing the Viability of Human Influenza A/H1N1 (PLoS One) In the event of an influenza pandemic, the majority of people infected will be nursed at home. It is therefore important to determine simple methods for limiting the spread of the virus within the home.
Study Investigates Who Is Most Likely to Take Precautions During a Pandemic (Medical News TODAY) A study that looked at how people behave during pandemics has identified key demographic and psychological factors that may predict protective behaviours.
Mandatory Policy Boosts Influenza Vaccination Rate Among Health Care Workers (Medical News TODAY) A mandatory influenza vaccination policy improves immunization rates among health care workers, according to a recent study of a large health care organization.
CDC Health Alert Network (HAN) Info Service Message: Non-Safety-Related Voluntary Recall of Unused Doses from Certain Lots of Sanofi Pasteur H1N1 Vaccine in Pre-Filled Syringes (CDC) As of January 7, 2010, the cumulative pro rata allocation is approximately 136 million doses of 2009 H1N1 vaccine. As of January 5, 2010, approximately 111 million doses have been shipped, so supplies of 2009 H1N1 vaccine available to be administered are ample.
TFAH Praises President’s Budget for Consistent Commitment to Public Health and Prevention (TFAH) Trust for America's Health (TFAH) commends the President's proposed budget for maintaining funds for prevention and public health during tough economic times.
Obama Officials Present a Strategic Redefining of Homeland Security's Mission (Washington Post) The Obama administration Monday delivered to Congress the nation's first Quadrennial Homeland Security Review, defining homeland security for the first time as including hazards beyond terrorism, in a strategic document intended to drive long-term budget decisions.
Seattle Group Paying F.D.A. for Work on a Pneumococcal Disease Vaccine (New York Times) A nonprofit organization is paying the Food and Drug Administration to help develop a better vaccine against pneumococcal disease in poor countries.
Clinical Trial Proves New Vaccine Effective in Preventing TB in African Patients with HIV Infection (Medical News TODAY) Investigators from Dartmouth Medical School (DMS) have reported results of a clinical trial showing that a new vaccine against tuberculosis, Mycobacterium vaccae (MV), is effective in preventing tuberculosis in people with HIV infection.
February 1, 2010
Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - Update 85 (WHO) As of 24 January 2010, worldwide more than 209 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 14711 deaths.
H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) Still Spreading in Some Parts of the World, but Cases Generally Falling, World Health Organization (Medical News TODAY) WHO spokesman, Gregory Hartl, said in a new briefing that the H1N1 flu pandemic(swine flu) continues to spread in parts of eastern and southeastern Europe, parts of Asia, and North Africa. However, he added that globally it is generally declining.
SKorea Confirms 6th Outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth (AP/Yahoo! News Asia) South Korea confirmed a new outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease Saturday, bringing the total number of outbreaks in three weeks to six.
Introducing the 2011 Budget (OMB News Release) Today, the President transmitted the FY 2011 Budget to the Congress.
HHS Budget Makes Smart Investments, Protects the Health and Safety of America’s Families (HHS News Release) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today highlighted critical investments in President Obama’s 2011 HHS budget that will protect the health and safety of America’s families.
Avian Influenza A(H5N1) in Humans: Lessons from Egypt (Eurosurveillance) Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) has ravaged the Egyptian poultry population. Ninety human cases, including 27 fatalities have been recorded by 30 December, 2009.
Medical Evacuations of Haitians Set to Resume (CNN) Flights transporting critically injured Haitians to the United States are set to resume Monday morning, according to a spokeswoman for a University of Miami team of volunteers in Port-au-Prince.
Antiviral Drugs: Adenosine Analogue Blocks Dengue Infection (Nature Reviews Drug Discovery) Dengue virus (DENV) is a flavivirus transmitted by mosquitoes that affects up to 100 million people each year. Infection can be life-threatening, and there are currently no available vaccines or antiviral therapies. Writing in PNAS, Yin and colleagues describe a novel adenosine analogue that is capable of potently inhibiting DENV infection.
Readout of Secretary Napolitano's Meeting with Faith-Based and Community Leaders (DHS News Release) Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today met with leaders from Muslim, Sikh, South Asian and Arab communities—key partners in homeland security that contribute to many different parts of American life and exemplify the diversity that is a hallmark of our country—to discuss ways the Department can increase engagement, dialogue and coordination, and enhance information sharing between DHS and faith- and community-based groups.
| 
