WHO warns Aussies to prepare for deadly flu

[Guest guest]

WHO warns Aussies to prepare for deadly flu

Published: Sunday, 23-Mar-2008

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is warning Australians to prepare

for a potentially deadly flu season.

The WHO is advising parents to vaccinate their children against the

potentially lethal Influenza A (H1N1) virus which is also a threat to

the elderly and those whose immune systems are compromised.

The advice comes amid revelations that the frontline drug to defend

against influenza, Tamiflu, is in danger of becoming ineffective.

Deputy director of the WHO Centre for Reference and Research on

Influenza, Ian Barr is urging Australian parents to vaccinate children

aged six months to six years after recent WHO investigations show a

common and sometimes deadly strain of Influenza A is showing

resistance to the antiviral Tamiflu.

Last year in Australia six children under the age of five died from

Influenza A; the Australian influenza season is expected to begin in

June or July.

Last year Queensland had the highest rate of laboratory-confirmed

influenza in the country with 4,268 cases, followed by New South Wales

with 1,640 cases, and with 1,497; in 2006 there were only

1,213 cases recorded for the entire country.

The Queensland epidemic resulted in the death of a four-year-old boy

and a 37 year old man.

According to Mr Barr the biggest concern is that the virus is mutating.

He says the Influenza A H1N1 strain is cyclical and appears every four

or five years, and these strains of influenza are expected to appear

again this year.

Mr Barr says they are monitoring the situation very carefully as two

cases in Australia since September have appeared which did not respond

to antivirals and have that resistant strain.

The WHO is co-ordinating further investigations at a global level and

reviewing its recommendations on the use of Tamiflu and Australian

health authorities have been alerted to the virus's resistance to its

medication.

At present Tamiflu makes up more than 80 per cent of the Government's

antiviral stockpile.

Tamiflu manufacturer Roche says they too are monitoring the situation.

Experts are hopeful that another antiviral medication, Relenza, made

by GlaxoKline, may still work against the H1 mutated strain.

Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has

not recommended universal influenza vaccination for children but

advises that if parents wish to vaccinate their children, the vaccine

can be given from six months of age.

An NHMRC working group is examining the effectiveness of influenza

vaccination in children and will provide a report later in 2008.

The Department of Health was notified of 950 confirmed influenza cases

in WA last year, more than four times the previous year.

Many were in children under the age of five, including three who died

in July; none had been vaccinated.

This year sees an Australian first in that children in WA aged between

six months and five years will be eligible for a free influenza

vaccine from GPs and immunisation clinics from April.

The WA Health Department says evidence from other countries suggests

that vaccinating young children can protect them and can also have a

flow-on effect to the wider community.

The free influenza vaccines will also be available to people 65 and

older, indigenous Australians aged 50 and older and indigenous

Australians aged 15-49 who have a high-risk medical condition.

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=36538

Parents warned of new killer flu

Suellen Hinde, March 23, 2008 12:00am

AUSTRALIAN parents are being urged by the World Health Organisation to

vaccinate their children as the country faces a potentially deadly flu

season.

WHO says the nation's front-line drug to defend against influenza -

anti-viral medication Tamiflu -- is losing its effectiveness, which

could leave hundreds of thousands of elderly and young Australians

vulnerable to a new mutation of the potentially lethal Influenza A

(H1N1) virus.

Ian Barr, deputy director of Melbourne's WHO Centre for Reference and

Research, said yesterday: " The biggest concern is that the virus is

mutating. "

" It is something we are monitoring very carefully. We have had two

cases (in Australia) since September that have not responded (to

anti-virals) and have that resistant strain. "

Now WHO is urging parents to vaccinate children aged six months to six

years before the flu season.

There were six deaths in children under five from Influenza A in

Australia last year.

had three times the number of cases of influenza last year

compared with 2006.

WHO is also coordinating further investigations at a global level and

reviewing its recommendations on the use of Tamiflu.

Roche Products - makers of Tamiflu - has told Australian Health

Authorities about the virus's resistance.

Tamiflu makes up more than 80 per cent of the Government's anti-viral

stockpile.

A spokeswoman for Roche said the company was continuing to monitor the

situation " especially as we approach the Australian influenza season

expected to commence in June or July " .

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23416470-662,00.html

[Guest guest]

" The WHO " ? Townshend, Daltry, and company? Wow!

>

> WHO warns Aussies to prepare for deadly flu

> Published: Sunday, 23-Mar-2008

> The World Health Organisation (WHO) is warning Australians to prepare

> for a potentially deadly flu season.

>

> The WHO is advising parents to vaccinate their children against the

> potentially lethal Influenza A (H1N1) virus which is also a threat to

> the elderly and those whose immune systems are compromised.

>

> The advice comes amid revelations that the frontline drug to defend

> against influenza, Tamiflu, is in danger of becoming ineffective.

>

> Deputy director of the WHO Centre for Reference and Research on

> Influenza, Ian Barr is urging Australian parents to vaccinate children

> aged six months to six years after recent WHO investigations show a

> common and sometimes deadly strain of Influenza A is showing

> resistance to the antiviral Tamiflu.

>

> Last year in Australia six children under the age of five died from

> Influenza A; the Australian influenza season is expected to begin in

> June or July.

>

> Last year Queensland had the highest rate of laboratory-confirmed

> influenza in the country with 4,268 cases, followed by New South Wales

> with 1,640 cases, and with 1,497; in 2006 there were only

> 1,213 cases recorded for the entire country.

>

> The Queensland epidemic resulted in the death of a four-year-old boy

> and a 37 year old man.

>

> According to Mr Barr the biggest concern is that the virus is mutating.

>

> He says the Influenza A H1N1 strain is cyclical and appears every four

> or five years, and these strains of influenza are expected to appear

> again this year.

>

> Mr Barr says they are monitoring the situation very carefully as two

> cases in Australia since September have appeared which did not respond

> to antivirals and have that resistant strain.

>

> The WHO is co-ordinating further investigations at a global level and

> reviewing its recommendations on the use of Tamiflu and Australian

> health authorities have been alerted to the virus's resistance to its

> medication.

>

> At present Tamiflu makes up more than 80 per cent of the Government's

> antiviral stockpile.

>

> Tamiflu manufacturer Roche says they too are monitoring the situation.

>

> Experts are hopeful that another antiviral medication, Relenza, made

> by GlaxoKline, may still work against the H1 mutated strain.

>

> Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has

> not recommended universal influenza vaccination for children but

> advises that if parents wish to vaccinate their children, the vaccine

> can be given from six months of age.

>

> An NHMRC working group is examining the effectiveness of influenza

> vaccination in children and will provide a report later in 2008.

>

> The Department of Health was notified of 950 confirmed influenza cases

> in WA last year, more than four times the previous year.

>

> Many were in children under the age of five, including three who died

> in July; none had been vaccinated.

>

> This year sees an Australian first in that children in WA aged between

> six months and five years will be eligible for a free influenza

> vaccine from GPs and immunisation clinics from April.

>

> The WA Health Department says evidence from other countries suggests

> that vaccinating young children can protect them and can also have a

> flow-on effect to the wider community.

>

> The free influenza vaccines will also be available to people 65 and

> older, indigenous Australians aged 50 and older and indigenous

> Australians aged 15-49 who have a high-risk medical condition.

> http://www.news-medical.net/?id=36538

>

>

> Parents warned of new killer flu

> Suellen Hinde, March 23, 2008 12:00am

> AUSTRALIAN parents are being urged by the World Health Organisation to

> vaccinate their children as the country faces a potentially deadly flu

> season.

>

> WHO says the nation's front-line drug to defend against influenza -

> anti-viral medication Tamiflu -- is losing its effectiveness, which

> could leave hundreds of thousands of elderly and young Australians

> vulnerable to a new mutation of the potentially lethal Influenza A

> (H1N1) virus.

>

> Ian Barr, deputy director of Melbourne's WHO Centre for Reference and

> Research, said yesterday: " The biggest concern is that the virus is

> mutating. "

>

> " It is something we are monitoring very carefully. We have had two

> cases (in Australia) since September that have not responded (to

> anti-virals) and have that resistant strain. "

>

> Now WHO is urging parents to vaccinate children aged six months to six

> years before the flu season.

>

> There were six deaths in children under five from Influenza A in

> Australia last year.

>

> had three times the number of cases of influenza last year

> compared with 2006.

>

> WHO is also coordinating further investigations at a global level and

> reviewing its recommendations on the use of Tamiflu.

>

> Roche Products - makers of Tamiflu - has told Australian Health

> Authorities about the virus's resistance.

>

> Tamiflu makes up more than 80 per cent of the Government's anti-viral

> stockpile.

>

> A spokeswoman for Roche said the company was continuing to monitor the

> situation " especially as we approach the Australian influenza season

> expected to commence in June or July " .

> http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23416470-662,00.html

>