scholarly journals Serological Survey of the Novel Influenza A H1N1 in Inner City Winnipeg, Manitoba, 2009

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura H Thompson ◽  
Salaheddin M Mahmud ◽  
Yoav Keynan ◽  
James F Blanchard ◽  
Joyce Slater ◽  
...  

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the determinants of pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) infection in Canada among low-income, inner city populations. To inform future influenza planning, the seroprevalence of pH1N1 antibodies among inner city clinic attendees in Winnipeg (Manitoba) according to sociodemographic and risk factor characteristics were estimated and vaccination rates were explored.METHODS: Adults presenting to three inner city community clinics in Winnipeg from October 2009 to December 2009 were recruited as study participants (n=458). A questionnaire was administered to collect demographic, risk factor and symptom information, and a venous blood sample was collected for hemagglutination inhibition assay testing to detect the presence of antibodies against pH1N1.RESULTS: Approximately one-half (53%) of the study participants reported an annual household income of <$10,000/year, and 65% identified as Aboriginal. pH1N1 positivity was 5.7% among those enrolled early in the study and 15.5% among those enrolled later in the study. Positivity was higher among participants who were female, Aboriginal and in contact with children ≤5 years of age. The overall pH1N1 vaccination rate was 28%.DISCUSSION: pH1N1 positivity was high among low-income adults accessing clinics in Winnipeg’s inner city compared with the general population. Of further concern were the low rates of uptake of both seasonal and pH1N1 influenza vaccinations. When planning for future influenza outbreaks, it is important to incorporate strategies for the prevention, control, and care of influenza among low-income and inner city adults.

Author(s):  
Shaimaa Moustafa Elsayed ◽  
Omayma Mohamed Hassanein ◽  
Nagwa Hassan Ali Hassan

Abstract Background The importance of influenza is increasing mainly because of the appearance of novel pandemic strains such as swine and avian. Each year, influenza has spread around the world causing about 250,000–500,000 deaths and more than 5 million cases of severe illness. The objective is as follows: evaluating the outcomes of patients with influenza A (H1N1) virus in relation to certain TNF-308, IL6, and IL8 polymorphisms and identifying the associated factors with the severe outcome. Subject and methods This is a case–control study. The cases were patients confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to be influenza A (H1N1) virus infected. The controls were healthy individuals. Medical history and outcome of the disease was registered. In all study participants, polymorphisms of TNF rs1800629, IL6 rs18138879, and IL8 rs4073; odds ratio (OR); and the 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated. Results Infection with influenza A (H1N1) virus was associated more with the following genotypes: TNF-308 AA (OR = 4.041; 95% CI = 1.215–13.4) and IL8 AA (OR = 3.273; 95% CI = 1.372–7.805). According to our study results, HCV (OR = 3.2, 95% CI 1.2–8.5), renal disease (OR = 3.4, 95% CI 0.9–13.6), cancer (OR = 3.1, 95% CI 0.3–31.1), TB (OR = 8.4, 95% CI 1.8–39.7), ICU (OR = 2.9, 95%1.2–7.1), and mortality (OR = 7.9, 95% CI 0.9–67.4) are considered as risk factors for influenza A (H1N1)-infected patients. Conclusions Our findings concluded that TNF-308 (AA) and IL8 (AA) polymorphisms may increase the susceptibility to be infected with H1N1influenza virus.


2015 ◽  
Vol 09 (01) ◽  
pp. 1650003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Islam A. Moneim

Influenza H1N1 has been found to exhibit oscillatory levels of incidence in large populations. Clear peaks for influenza H1N1 are observed in several countries including Vietnam each year [M. F. Boni, B. H. Manh, P. Q. Thai, J. Farrar, T. Hien, N. T. Hien, N. Van Kinh and P. Horby, Modelling the progression of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) in Vietnam and the opportunities for reassortment with other influenza viruses, BMC Med. 7 (2009) 43, Doi: 10.1186/1741-7015-7-43]. So it is important to study seasonal forces and factors which can affect the transmission of this disease. This paper studies an SIRS epidemic model with seasonal vaccination rate. This SIRS model has a unique disease-free solution (DFS). The value R0, the basic reproduction number is obtained when the vaccination is a periodic function. Stability results for the DFS are obtained when R0 < 1. The disease persists in the population and remains endemic if R0 > 1. Also when R0 > 1 existence of a nonzero periodic solution is proved. These results obtained for our model when the vaccination strategy is a non-constant time-dependent function.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 117863371986381
Author(s):  
Yao Akpalu ◽  
Ibraheem Karaye ◽  
Julie Anderson ◽  
Osaro Mgbere ◽  
Jennifer A Horney

Background: Seasonal influenza constitutes an enormous public health burden. The 2017-2018 influenza season was the most severe since the 2009 novel Influenza A (H1N1) pandemic. The State of Texas, like other states, experienced unusually high and persistent influenza activity. Methods: Data on confirmed cases of influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI) in Brazos County during December 2017 were collected by the Brazos County Health Department (BCHD) from medical records. Records of vaccine administered between January 1 and December 31, 2017 were collected from vaccination providers. The total number of influenza cases for 2017 was compiled from regular weekly influenza counts reported to BCHD by healthcare providers. Results: A total of 1651 cases of laboratory-confirmed influenza were reported in Brazos County residents in December 2017, 10 times more than that reported in December 2016. The highest rates of infection were in 2 ZIP codes where vaccination rates were also high. A total of 16 027 influenza vaccinations were given to individuals reporting a residential address in Brazos County in 2017. Vaccination coverage was lowest among adults aged 18 to 49, whereas those aged 65 or older and Hispanics were most likely to be hospitalized. Discussion: Overall, vaccination coverage in Brazos County, Texas is low, less than half of the Healthy People 2020 target. The development of health education materials and an increased use of social media, local television and radio, and communication methods that can reach parents, younger adults, and Hispanic residents are needed.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. e9694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver W. Morgan ◽  
Anna Bramley ◽  
Ashley Fowlkes ◽  
David S. Freedman ◽  
Thomas H. Taylor ◽  
...  

1996 ◽  
Vol 17 (10) ◽  
pp. 641-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karim A. Adal ◽  
Richard H. Flowers ◽  
Anne M. Anglim ◽  
Frederick G. Hayden ◽  
Maureen G. Titus ◽  
...  

AbstractObjective:To study compliance with preventive strategies at a university hospital during an outbreak of nosocomial influenza A during the winter of 1988, and the rates of vaccination of healthcare workers and of nosocomial influenza following changes in vaccine practices after the outbreak.Design:Retrospective review of employee health, hospital epidemiology, hospital computing, and clinical microbiology records.Setting:A university hospital.Interventions:Unvaccinated personnel with exposure within the previous 72 hours to an unisolated case of influenza were offered influenza vaccine and 14 days of amantadine hydrochloride prophylaxis. Personnel with exposure more than 72 hours before evaluation were offered vaccine. A mobile cart was introduced for vaccinating personnel after the 1988 outbreak.Results:An outbreak of influenza with 10 nosocomial cases occurred in 1988. Only 4% of exposed employees had been vaccinated previously and 23% of exposed, unvaccinated employees agreed to take vaccine, amantadine, or both. A mobile-cart vaccination program was instituted, and annual vaccination rates steadily increased from 26.3% in 1989 to 1990 to 38% in 1993 to 1994 (P<.0001). The relative frequency of documented cases of influenza in employees with symptoms of influenza decreased significantly during this period (P=.025), but nosocomial influenza rates among patients did not change significantly.Conclusion:A mobile-cart influenza vaccination program was associated with a significant increase in compliance among healthcare workers, but a majority still remained unvaccinated. The rate of nosocomial influenza among patients was not reduced by the modest increase in the vaccination rate, but influenza rates remained acceptably low, perhaps due to respiratory isolation of patients and furlough of employees with influenza.


2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (18_suppl) ◽  
pp. 6114-6114
Author(s):  
E. M. Nelson ◽  
G. Fraser ◽  
A. F. Connors ◽  
M. J. Barry ◽  
M. Krahn ◽  
...  

6114 Background: CaP disproportionately affects AA men. The objective of this investigation was to assess understanding of the prostate and CaP among Lo-SES, predominantly AA men. Methods: We performed cross sectional, semistructured interviews of 105 men, age 40 and older, in two low-income medical clinics. CaP knowledge was assessed using a subset of questions by Mercer et al. Can J of Public Health 88(5):327, 1997. Patients were shown two male anatomic figures and asked to identify the prostate, bladder, bowels, and penis: 1) Please point to the _____ on the picture of the man. 2) What does the ____ do? Patients’ understanding of sexual, urinary, and bowel function was evaluated using semi-qualitative methods coded by two independent investigators. Demographic data were collected and literacy measured using REALM. Results: Patients’ median age was 58 and 87% self-identified their race as AA. Median annual household income was $16,000. Median reading level was 4th-6th grade. Although 87% of patients had heard of the prostate, only 24% could locate the prostate, and 3% could explain prostate function. Because many men learn about the prostate in the context of CaP screening during physical exam, 23% of patients thought the prostate was synonymous with prostate cancer, 15% of patients believed the prostate is located in the rectum and 4% confused prostate cancer with colorectal cancer. Prostate cancer knowledge was poor and the concept of a risk factor was not understood well. Only 7% could name a single risk factor for CaP including 3% who named race. Just 22% of men cited surgery or radiation therapy as treatments for CaP and 11% could name a side effect of early CaP treatment. Domain confusion was common: 43% of patients confused bowel function with urinary function, 21% confused urinary with sexual function, and 20% confused bowel with sexual function. Conclusions: Baseline understanding of CaP, anatomy, bowel, urinary, and sexual function is poor among older, lo-SES AA men. Substantial patient education is required for CaP screening and treatment efforts in this population with consideration for low literacy. [Table: see text]


Critical Care ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carles Alonso-Tarrés ◽  
Cristina Cortes-Lletget ◽  
Sara Pintado ◽  
Assumpta Ricart

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (28_suppl) ◽  
pp. 134-134
Author(s):  
Barbara Yim ◽  
Khaled Maklad ◽  
Syed Ali Amir Sherazi ◽  
Muhammad Junaid Tariq ◽  
Muhammad Usman ◽  
...  

134 Background: COVID-19 pandemic has caused delay in cancer diagnosis and treatment risking increase in cancer-related mortality. COVID vaccines offer hope to control pandemic and ensure uninterrupted cancer care. Per CDC, as of May 25, 2021, vaccination rates for minorities, especially African Americans (AA) and Hispanics (HISP) have lagged behind (https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccination-demographic). Our study was undertaken to explore attitudes of Chicago’s inner-city minority cancer population towards COVID-19 vaccination when vaccines became available (Dec 2020) and 5 months later (May 2021). Methods: Cook County Health is a large public health care system in the USA. A voluntary brief 15 question anonymous survey was offered at clinic intake by the Medical Assistant (MA) in Oncology and Hematology clinics for 1 month starting December 16, 2020. The survey was IRB exempt. A follow up one-question survey was given for 1 week in May 2021 at one MA intake station asking if patients had received or planned to receive the vaccine. No identifying information was collected. Results: Initial phase: A total 505 completed surveys were received consisting of 199 (39%) AA, 201 (40%) HISP, 51 (10%) Whites, 38 (8%) Asians and 3% other. There were 58% women, 58% patients with education high-school/less and 91% with annual household income <$40,000. Overall, 320 (63%) patients were agreeable to take/consider taking the vaccine now, if available, 134 (26.5%) wanted to wait and see while 51 (10%) absolutely refused the vaccine. Reasons for hesitation (wait and see) were vaccine being experimental (51%) and not wanting to be the first to receive (49%), not trusting the vaccine information (16%). Reasons for absolutely refusing were vaccine being experimental (75%) and not trusting the information (47%), did not believe in vaccines (12%). About 62% of AA, 69% HISP, 68% Asians and 49% Whites were agreeable to the COVID vaccine (p<0.05). Wait and see was reported by 26% AA, 25% HISP, 32% Asians and 29% Whites (p=NS). Absolute denials were 12%, 6% and 22% among AA, HISP and Whites respectively (p<0.05). The most common reason for denial for all 3 groups was belief that vaccine was still experimental (71% AA, 85% HISP and 73% Whites). The second most common reason reported for denial was mistrust of the vaccine information reported by 50% AA, 38% HISP and 36% Whites respectively. Second phase: Of 162 consecutive patients asked if they had received the vaccine, 119 (73%) had received 1 or both vaccine doses, 18 (11%) were planning to receive it while 26 (16%) had no plans to get vaccinated as yet. Conclusions: Unlike national vaccination rates, inner-city minority cancer population has been very accepting of the COVID vaccines as evidenced by high vaccination rates. AA and Hispanics were more open to vaccination than whites. These high rates in AA and HISP is especially encouraging considering this population has historically had lower reported vaccination rates.


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