You Don't See This Top Ten on MTV or VH1

Doctors Without Borders has released it's annual Top Ten List of Humanitarian Crises from all over the world, and it only reveals that there is a lot of work yet to be done. From places like Somalia to Zimbabwe, Myanmar to Pakistan, disease, war, famine, and overall evil are gaining ground. Innocent people are getting sick and dying while despots and politicians amass their wealth and wield their power.

Please help support these great men and women who are on the front lines of a whole new kind of war, a true World War. Your donations are tax-deductible, and it takes less than you think to deliver critical medicine, food, and vaccines to those who need it most.

Maryland Influenza Surveillance Report - Week 49 (November 30 - December 6)

Along with 21 States and Puerto Rico, Maryland continues to have "Sporadic" influenza activity. Here are the bullet points:

• Influenza activity in Maryland for week 49 was SPORADIC, where visits to providers for flu-like illness were below baseline (at 1.4%) and there have been reports of positive laboratory tests. (PAGE 1)
• No outbreaks of influenza or influenza-like illness were reported
  this week. One outbreak of pneumonia was reported(PAGE 2)
• It's National Influenza Vaccine Week! (PAGE 4) (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/nivw)
• The Maryland Resident Influenza Tracking Survey continues to take participants (http://tinyurl.com/flu-enroll), and the percent of participants reporting ILI is 3.3% for this week. (PAGE 3)
• Google Flu Trends (http://www.google.org/flutrends) reports Maryland's flu activity as "moderate". (PAGE 4)

Please visit our website at http://www.edcp.org/influenza/Influenza_serv.html.

As always, the information is subject to change as more reports are received. Also, individual diagnoses should not be made from surveillance data.

Vive Le Resistance! (Antiviral Resistance in Influenza Viruses)

In 1947, four years after penicillin began to be mass-produced to treat bacterial infections, penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains began to be identified. Because viruses and bacteria multiply very rapidly, mutations in their genetic material occur. These mutations give some strains the ability to survive in certain environments. As more antibiotics and antivirals are used to treat each and every infection (and preventively against any possible infection) the susceptible organisms die, leaving the resistant ones to run rampant.

During the 2007-2008 influenza season, DHMH was notified by CDC of one influenza isolate from Maryland that showed resistance to Oseltamivir (Tamiflu®). Last season, CDC reported that up to 10.9% of all Type A (H1N1) isolates were resistant to Oseltamivir. However, the recommendations for the use of antiviral medication did not change. DHMH, in cooperation with CDC, is carrying out increased surveillance for antiviral resistance through testing of isolates.

So what can you do to prevent resistance to antiviral medications in influenza viruses? Get vaccinated. By being vaccinated, you avoid the need for antivirals because you won’t get the flu, and because those you come into contact with will not get the flu from you. Of course, not everyone can get vaccinated, and many are at risk for serious complications from the flu. Your health care provider will always be the best person to decide if you need antiviral medication. For more info:

CDC Q&A: http://tinyurl.com/antiviralqa

BMJ.com: http://tinyurl.com/antiviralbmj

Vive Le Resistance!