Swine influenza virus infections: transmission from ill pigs to humans at a Wisconsin agricultural fair and subsequent probable person-to-person transmission

Article Abstract:

The deadly influenza of 1918-1919 is believed to have been caused by the swine influenza virus (SIV) or a related virus. This disease affects swine and turkeys, and is a common cause of respiratory disease among these animals during the winter. Since the isolation of SIV from a human subject in 1974, at least 11 other outbreaks of the infection have been noted. The fear of another pandemic led to the massive swine flu vaccination effort by the federal government in 1976 and 1977. In a recent case in October 1988, a pregnant woman and her husband attended an agricultural fair. A few days later, both became ill. The woman was put on a mechanical ventilator; a healthy baby was born, but the woman died of respiratory arrest. The SIV virus of the type seen in ill swine in Wisconsin was detected. Through interviews conducted later it was determined that 40 to 60 percent of swine exhibitors had influenza-like illness (ILI) during the fair. The dead woman had been infected either directly from the pigs, or by transmission from the pigs to her husband, and then to her. Existing regulations for agricultural fairs in Wisconsin bar infected animals from being exhibited. However, SIV infection is transmitted rapidly, and swine who become ill after arrival may already spread the infection to other swine. It may be necessary to close pig barns to the public as soon as infection is detected. Priority should be given to the development of a SIV vaccine for swine; one already exists for turkeys. This would not only benefit the farmers, who lose money on sick swine, but all humans who come in contact with the pigs. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Case studies, Disease transmission, Human-animal relationships, Swine, Swine diseases, Swine influenza

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Multiple false-positive serologic tests for HIV, HTLV-1, and hepatitis C following influenza vaccination, 1991

Article Abstract:

A small percentage of people who have received influenza vaccine have false positive tests results for HIV infection, human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and hepatitus C virus (HCV) when tested with standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Blood donors who tested false positive had received influenza vaccine between nine and 68 days before donating blood. These false positive results lasted between 52 to 130 days for HIV and HTLV-1 tests. Researchers so not know how long blood donors will have false positive results to HCV tests. To avoid preventing healthy potential blood donors from giving blood or incorrectly discarding healthy blood, blood center officials should consider asking potential donors to wait before giving blood if they have recently received influenza vaccine.

Analysis, Influenza vaccines, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, HIV seropositivity, HIV positive

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Wound botulism associated with black tar heroin among injecting drug users

Article Abstract:

Drug addicts who inject black tar heroin under their skin or into a muscle are at greater risk of developing wound botulism. Wound botulism occurs when the organism that causes botulism, a type of food poisoning, infects a wound. Researchers analyzed risk factors in 26 intravenous drug addicts who had developed wound botulism and 110 addicts who had not. Over 90% of both groups injected black tar heroin. Subcutaneous or intramuscular injection of black tar heroin was the only significant risk factor for wound botulism.

Risk factors, Wounds and injuries, Injuries, Drug addicts, Drug abusers, Heroin habit, Botulism

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