Pandemic Preparedness: June 2007 Update  (pdf)

 
Since the previous update (1/8/07), there have been several important events related to pandemic preparedness: 

1. Continued outbreaks of avian influenza in poultry stock in various nations.
2. New human cases (and deaths), spread mainly from chickens.
3. FDA approval of “prepandemic” or generic H5N1 avian influenza virus vaccine.

As of publication of this update, there has been confirmation of avian influenza in either birds or humans or both in 59 countries worldwide. 

Avian (bird) cases have been reported in many countries but none in the Americas.

So far human cases have occurred only in Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa; there have been 313 known human cases with 191 deaths (a case fatality rate remaining fairly consistent at 61%). The country with the highest number of human cases is Indonesia (100 cases, 80 deaths).

In April 2007, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a “prepandemic” avian influenza human vaccine that may confer some immunity to those who receive it, assuming a pandemic is caused by a mutant of the present avian influenza H5N1 virus [1]. In human tests, two doses (each considerably larger than the usual doses for seasonal influenza) given a month apart provided approximately 45% immunity. Several manufacturers are producing this vaccine now; how it is distributed globally for stockpiling and which groups will have priority to receive it are topics of discussion and negotiation at this time. There is reason to doubt that the hundreds of millions of doses needed to “control” a pandemic will be available any time soon.

The continued spread of avian influenza virus among bird populations and consequent infection in humans indicate that this virus is quite active and could well become the next pandemic influenza virus. It is imperative that citizens, businesses, schools, agencies, communities and emergency planners continue pandemic preparedness activities.

If there is important breaking pandemic news, you will find it on this AMH  webpage. Bookmark for future reference.
 

[1] The more mutations different the pandemic virus is from the virus from which the vaccine is being made, the less the amount of protection such “prepandemic” vaccine would presumably confer.