fied, and the rapid exchange of information globally. The following immunologic and molecular questions were addressed as well: What basic research advances would allow us to respond more rapidly after the next human pandemic strain is detected? Is the presence of novel influenza A virus in pigs a predictor of the next influenza pandemic? Is an H2 influenza virus the next human pandemic subtype...

The 20th century has witnessed three global influenza pandemics attacking mankind, namely the 1918 Spanish pandemic (H1N1 subgroup), the 1957 Asian pandemic (H2N2 subgroup) and the 1968 Hong Kong pandemic (H3N2 subgroup). The first pandemic swept throughout the entire world within six to nine months, which affected 400 million people, accounting for 20% of the total world population, and 40 to ...

BACKGROUND Highly refined surveillance data on the 2009 A/H1N1 influenza pandemic are crucial to quantify the spatial and temporal characteristics of the pandemic. There is little information about the spatial-temporal dynamics of pandemic influenza in South America. Here we provide a quantitative description of the age-specific morbidity pandemic patterns across administrative areas of Peru. ...

BACKGROUND In this study, we assess how effective pandemic and trivalent 2009-2010 seasonal vaccines were in preventing influenza-like illness (ILI) during the 2009 A(H1N1) pandemic in France. We also compare vaccine effectiveness against ILI versus laboratory-confirmed pandemic A(H1N1) influenza, and assess the possible bias caused by using non-specific endpoints and observational data. METH...

fied, and the rapid exchange of information globally. The following immunologic and molecular questions were addressed as well: What basic research advances would allow us to respond more rapidly after the next human pandemic strain is detected? Is the presence of novel influenza A virus in pigs a predictor of the next influenza pandemic? Is an H2 influenza virus the next human pandemic subtype...

To the editor: The emergence of the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic strain in 2009 and its subsequent spread has stimulated national and international interest in pandemic influenza control. It is likely to also be stimulating further revisions of pandemic plans around the world, especially given the possibility of on-going waves. Such pandemic planning can involve sunk costs that might never be re...

Pandemic Vibrio parahaemolyticus is an emerging public health concern as it has caused numerous gastroenteritis outbreaks worldwide. Currently, the absence of a global overview of the phenotypic and molecular characteristics of pandemic strains restricts our overall understanding of these strains, especially for environmental strains. To generate a global picture of the sero-prevalence and gene...

BACKGROUND Quantitative estimates of the global burden of the 1957 influenza pandemic are lacking. Here we fill this gap by modeling historical mortality statistics. METHODS We used annual rates of age- and cause-specific deaths to estimate pandemic-related mortality in excess of background levels in 39 countries in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Americas. We modeled the relationshi...

The complexities of planning for and responding to the emergence of novel influenza viruses emphasize the need for systematic frameworks to describe the progression of the event; weigh the risk of emergence and potential public health impact; evaluate transmissibility, antiviral resistance, and severity; and make decisions about interventions. On the basis of experience from recent influenza re...

BACKGROUND Public health emergencies have the potential to disproportionately impact disadvantaged populations due to pre-established social and economic inequalities. Internationally, prior to the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, existing pandemic plans were created with limited public consultation; therefore, the unique needs and characteristics of some First Nations communities may not be ethic...