Since the alarm bells ringing in Mexico last April 30, the virus has spread around the world, but not yet considered by WHO as a pandemic. There are more than 5,700 infected in 33 countries, according to the organization in Spain, has already reached the hundreds of patients.

Hartl has stressed that the priority of the WHO remains to determine the risk of the new virus, to assess their development and help countries prepare for a pandemic.

Adrian Gibss scientist, who participated in the formulation of the antiviral oseltamivir (Tamiflu), used in the treatment of the new flu, said that the genetic characteristics of H1N1 viruses would suggest that was grown in eggs, a method used in laboratories.

For his part, Dr Sylvie Briand, expert from influenza program of WHO, has responded to reports of a suspected virus resistance to both oseltamivir and zanamivir, the other drug considered effective for influenza A.

Confused with seasonal flu

“The virus reacts to the two drugs”, has confirmed Briand, who explained that doubts are due to be confused with seasonal flu, “the previous year and showed some resistance” to these antivirals.

With regard to the possibility that this new virus is less dangerous than feared, the expert said that he is comparing the causes of the pandemic of 1918 and acknowledged that two viruses appear to be “different characteristics.”

“But that’s not enough to say that this is a mild virus because it is quite new,” he added, to remind you also know “how people react to new pathogens.”

Vaccines are bought by Spanish health authorities Focetria, Pandemrix and Panenza. The latter, by the company Sanofi Pasteur, has not been approved centrally for the whole of Europe, but by the Spanish Agency for Drugs and Health Products. It was intended to immunize pregnant women.

Influenza A activity has slowed in recent weeks. According to the latest report from the National Epidemiological Surveillance Network Instituto de Salud Carlos III, the incidence in Spain has been stable at 29.92 cases per 100,000 population, far below the peak of infection in mid-November, when there are 372, 70 cases per 100,000 population.

The number of people vaccinated against the new virus in our country is about three million, a figure lower than initial estimates of the Ministry of Health. Therefore, only a third of the nine million people are immunized at-risk groups and expected that the number of doses remaining products enough.

However, representatives from the Ministry of Health reported a few days ago that viruses continue to circulate and can move at all with the existing seasonal influenza vaccines used officially only next year. Also not willing to donate some of them to developing countries.

This patient, who had no medical history, eventually dying of multiple organ failure after several complications, reports the monitoring system sentinel physicians, which however does not specify the time of death. However, sources with the Ministry of Health and Social Policy, consulted by Europa Press, claim that this mutation is “expected” behavior according to each year have the flu virus.

This mutation has been detected in other countries around the world, although its significance is not fully defined, could enhance the virus would “infect it easier to lower areas of the respiratory tract, the Surveillance Network reported in its latest report, on the week of 20 to 26 December.

The first fatality in this mutation was announced by the director general of Health and Foreign Health, Ildefonso Hernandez, on 4 December, detected in a 35 in Catalonia with associated pathologies that eventually died after being in serious condition.

Moreover, these two deaths have to add three more cases of this same mutation in the H1N1 virus, one in a man of 31 years of Catalonia, which evolved without problems, one in Castilla-La Mancha in a woman of 28 years and another in Galicia in a man of 27 years, the last two without knowledge of risk factors and their subsequent evolution.

The National Epidemiological Surveillance Network also reported more than 40 mutations ‘D222E’, of which the National Microbiology Center (NMC) has found its presence in 34 patients from Castilla-La Mancha, Ceuta, Galicia, Madrid, Melilla and Navarre. In addition, Andalusia and Asturias have identified in 6 and 1 cases respectively.

The mutation of RNA affects the viral envelope in a place near the junction of the receiver to the bronchial epithelial cell, although “the significance of this change in the receptor-binding site is highly questionable,” the authors explain the report, “data from patients who have can be very helpful in trying to interpret if you have any functionality.”

RESISTANCE Tamiflu

Furthermore, this center under the Carlos III also reports of two cases known as oseltamivir-resistant virus, the antiviral used to combat new flu Roche markets under the name ‘Tamilfu’.

One of them was detected in Catalonia in a man of 66, as previously reported by the Director General of Public Health and Foreign Health, and another in a girl of 14 months in the Basque Country, both risk factors. After being admitted to the ICU and treated with oseltamivir for five days and subsequently were discharged after recovery.

As explained by Professor Jose Lopez Aldeguer, member of the Spanish Society for Infectious Diseases (SEIMC), this behavior is “not unusual” and “does not seem particularly serious,” he told Europa Press, as the forecasts suggest that the influenza season will continue with “the same intensity that so far is showing in Spain.”

Transmissible and silent infection with hepatitis B (HBV) is still largely under diagnosed and inadequately treated. An intolerable situation when we know that effective treatments exist.

Patients who are unaware …

HBV is spread through sexual contact or blood or from mother to child. In the adult, in 90% of cases, it is removed from the body naturally, leaving only the stigma of living in its path, that is to say, the antibodies identified by serology. But with one in ten patients, hepatitis B is evolving towards a chronic form. Worldwide, approximately 350 million people are affected by chronic hepatitis B, with a particularly high prevalence in Africa, Asia and parts of Latin America.

In France, 280 821 persons are affected by chronic hepatitis B infection. More than half of people infected with hepatitis B are unaware they are infected. For we may be carrying the virus, and therefore invalid, and not suffer any symptoms.

Dramatic consequences

The problem is that the disease remains silent for many years. “The patient with chronic hepatitis B or C does not feel any symptoms for years or even decades, until the stage of life-threatening complications,” explains Professor Marcellin (Hôpital Beaujon, Clichy). These complications are fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer.

The hepatitis B is the second most identified cause of cancer death after tobacco. In France, each year 1 000 to 1 500 people die of HBV infection. In addition, chronic HBV carriers unaware of their status have a significant risk to health personnel and others who may be exposed to their body fluids (blood, sexual secretions). Testing is therefore essential for people at risk.

Should I go get tested?

You have a history – even ancient – repeated hospitalizations you have undergone major surgery, invasive tests (biopsie..) Hospitalization or care for heavy, you have to have tattoos or piercings (especially if done in poor hygiene), you have been transfused before 1992, you have used drugs by injection or snorting, your mother was a carrier of the virus at the time of your birth, your partner or a member of your immediate family is affected by HBV, you went to jail, you’ve done acupuncture sessions, you were born in a region where hepatitis is common (Asia, Africa …)? If you answered yes to even one of these questions, you’ve been infected. It is important to go get tested. A simple blood test is enough. Prescribed by your doctor, the test is supported 100% by Social Security. You can also go into a consultation and free anonymous testing (CDAG).

We must never forget that the sooner the infection is detected, more support is effective. Failing to cure hepatitis B, it is possible to control with drugs active and well tolerated. Over two thirds of infected patients have their disease stabilized thanks to current treatments. And new molecules under development should improve the chances of success. So do not be afraid of you get tested!

According to the Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin of May 19, 2009 (Institute of Health Surveillance) over 500 000 people are carriers of chronic viral hepatitis (232 hepatitis C 000, 281 000 hepatitis B) and nearly 50% do not know and not yet detected. More than 250 000 people living in France with a virus that can potentially destroy their livers.

Without screening, these chronic infections can go completely unnoticed (very few symptoms except fatigue) and lead to severe liver failure or liver cancer, for which no therapeutic use, including transplant is possible.

Over 250 000 people live in France without knowing it, with a bomb in the liver, while there are effective treatments! Viral hepatitis is responsible for 10 times more deaths in France that HIV / AIDS, “says SOS and hepatitis. In addition there are 5000 new infections per year for hepatitis C and 2500 for hepatitis B. Yet , treatment against hepatitis C can cure (viral suppression) in 50% of cases and treatment against hepatitis B can block the virus in more than 80% of cases.

Hepatitis SOS request therefore a generalization of the proposed systematic screening of viral hepatitis, primarily among older transfused, pregnant women, drug users, prisoners, persons of foreign origin residing in France and also those starting a cancer chemotherapy.

This implies, by association, a release of funds by the Ministry of Health to develop a training policy and provision of screening at health care facilities that host populations mentioned above. This implies also the High Health Authority to catch up on the validation of algorithms for detection of hepatitis B and to extend its recommendations to encourage screening for viral hepatitis. Finally, Social Security would pay 100% screening test for hepatitis B.