H1N1
The issue
On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global pandemic of a new influenza A virus, technically called H1N1, and raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6 (widespread human infection). At the time more than 70 countries had reported cases of the infection.
Since then the number of countries reporting new cases has doubled, but the country that continues to report the largest number of new cases is the United States, where significant illness has occurred as a result of localized, and in some cases, intense outbreaks. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) anticipates more cases, hospitalizations, and deaths associated with this pandemic into the fall and winter, fortunately most people who have become ill have recovered without requiring medical treatment.
H1N1 is a new flu virus of swine origin that first caused illness in Mexico and the United States in March and April of 2009. It is thought to spread in the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread, mainly through the coughs and sneezes of infected individuals, but it may also spread by touching infected objects and then touching the nose or mouth. The virus causes a wide range of flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. In addition, many people also have reported nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
The first novel H1N1 patient in the United States was confirmed by laboratory testing at the CDC on April 15, 2009, and it was quickly determined that the virus was spreading from person to person. On April 22, the CDC activated its Emergency Operations Center to better coordinate the public health response, and a few days later the United States government declared a public health emergency.
Currently, all 50 states in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have reported novel H1N1 infections. While nationwide U.S. influenza surveillance systems indicate that overall influenza activity is decreasing in the country at this time, novel H1N1 outbreaks are ongoing throughout the U.S., in some cases with intense activity.
What we are doing about it
ViveBio is collaborating with senior officials at the CDC and the Veterans Health Administration in their utilization of ViveSTTM as a transport medium for the study of the H1N1 virus. Additionally, ViveBio is working closely with Centro de Genomas in Brazil, one of the hardest hit areas in the H1N1 global pandemic.
To learn more about what ViveBio is doing to help underdeveloped nations, please read about our ViveCares program.