Common question about flu vaccination
Q: Does 'our' flu vaccine cover the
northern hemisphere?
A: It depends on the year, but
this year two of the strains that will
be used in the coming northern
hemisphere winter are in our southern
hemisphere flu vaccine. Australian 2009
influenza season contains the following
three virus strains: 1, 2 A (H1N1): an
A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1) - like strain,
A (H3N2); an A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2) -
like strain, B: a B/Florida/4/2006 -
like strain, northern hemisphere winter
2009–2010 contains the – an
A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like virus; –
an A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like virus;
– a B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus.
The predominant strain circulating is
resistant to
tamiflu (oseltamavir) - so vaccination
is the only defence. |
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...prepared by Dr Deb Mills, Travel
Medical Alliance, Brisbane, Queensland
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Polio - Uganda,
Afghanistan and Pakistan
Uganda reports case of polio.
According to the UN, one confirmed case
of paralytic poliomyelitis has been
reported from Amuru, a northwestern
district of Uganda bordering Sudan, in
February 2009. This is the first case
reported since 1998. One clinical case
often represents hundreds of
asymptomatic infections in the
population.
Travellers to Uganda need to have had
one adult polio booster.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are two countries
where wild poliovirus (WPV) transmission is
STILL occurring. In 2008 total, 149 cases of
polio were confirmed (31 in Afghanistan and 118
in Pakistan) compared with 49 cases in 2007.
Serious security problems in areas along the
common border limited access by vaccination
teams to large numbers of children in the two
countries. War does not just kill people from
bullets. |
...prepared by Dr Deb Mills, Travel
Medical Alliance, Brisbane, Queensland
Why do
generic drugs expire sooner?
Did you know that at expiry date in
Australia,
drugs have to have 95% potency?
You may have noticed that generic
drugs often have shorter expiry dates
than the name brand drugs.
The reason is that
it is faster and
cheaper to bring a generic to the market
if you only monitor its potency for a
year. To lengthen the expiry
date to two years takes time and extra
studies. |
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Measles in a child after a
trip to Africa
A cluster of six confirmed cases of measles was
reported in Denmark between December 2008 and January
2009. Transmission occurred
among unvaccinated children aged 15-23 months
admitted to the same hospital as a 36-month-old
unvaccinated girl diagnosed with measles following a
four-week holiday in East Africa. The findings highlight
the importance of vaccination before travelling and
adherence to the routine
vaccination schedule.
Outbreak
Information and News
Meningitis outbreak in India
Since January 2009, local health officials in India
have reported 230 deaths and 2,000 possible cases of
meningitis in the northeastern states of
Tripura, Meghalaya, and Mizoram.
These states are in the part of India bordered by
Bangladesh to the west and Myanmar (Burma) to the east.
Meningococcal disease (commonly referred to as
meningitis or epidemic meningitis) is a serious,
sometimes fatal bacterial infection that occurs
worldwide. Travellers to this part of India (or to any
other area currently experiencing meningitis epidemics)
will be recommended a
meningococcal vaccine. Note that there are
two types of meningitis vaccine - the overseas
multistrain meningitis vaccine and childhood meningitis
vaccine. Your local TMA clinic will be able to give the
correct one.
New Caledonia: dengue
Dengue is not just in north QLD. According to press
reports, more than 1,000 cases of dengue fever, a
significant increase over the average incidence, have
been reported from New Caledonia so far this year.
Approximately 1,000 cases were also reported during the
last 3 months of 2008. Travellers are advised to
practice daytime insect
precautions.
Hep A Vaccine for Close Contacts of International
Adoptees
American Authorities have now recommended hepatitis A
vaccine for everyone who has close contact with
children adopted from countries
where hepatitis A is common. Close contacts
would include family members, baby sitters, and others
expect to be in close contact with an international
adoptee within 60 days of arrival.
Cholera in Zimbabwe
83,265 suspected cases and 3,877 deaths have been
reported in the country over 6 months from August 26
through February 25, 2009. The capital city of
Harare is one of the
worst-affected areas 15,531 cases and 626
deaths. Cases of cholera have been reported in all of
Zimbabwe’s provinces. Cases have also been confirmed in
the neighbouring countries of Botswana, Mozambique,
South Africa, and Zambia. Additional sources have
reported cases in Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic
of Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Guinea-
Bissau and Togo. Travellers can
be vaccinated with an oral vaccine but it needs to be
taken at least 3 weeks before departure.
Old malaria pill
An old malaria pill,
chloroquine has just been found by researches
to be effective against Nipah
and Hendra viruses. More research is
underway.
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Do you have a holiday
story to tell, especially one with a medical
event?
Send it to
info@travelmedicine.com.au,
and we will send you one of our mini TMA
torches to put on your key ring - a great
help when finding your lock at night. |
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