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Published Date: 2011-11-05 16:45:36
Subject: PRO/EDR> Influenza (65) - Italy : (VO), A & B co-infection
Archive Number: 20111105.3293

INFLUENZA (65) - ITALY: (VENETO), A AND B CO-INFECTION
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Date: Thu 3 Nov 2011
Source: 7th Space Initiative [edited]
http://7thspace.com/headlines/398894/report_of_two_cases_of_influenza_virus_ah1n1v_and_b_co_infection_during_the_20102011_epidemics_in_the_italian_veneto_region.html

Influenza in the Italian Veneto Region
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>From October 2010 to April 2011, in the Italian Veneto Region, 1403
hospitalized patients were tested for influenza virus infection by
specific real time RT-PCR. Overall, 327 samples were positive for
either influenza A (75 percent) or B (25 percent) viruses.

Among these positive patients, 2 resulted co-infected by A/H1N1v and B
viruses. Even though co-infection with both influenza A and B viruses
appears to be a rare event, it occurs naturally and may play a role in
epidemiology and pathogenicity.

In the present study the 2 co-infected patients were a transplant
recipient immunocompromised adult and a child displaying a severe
respiratory illness. The co-infection was confirmed by inoculation of
the nasopharyngeal swabs in MDCK.2 cells, followed by
immunofluorescence and real time RT-PCR assays.

Moreover, in the case of the adult patient, the immune system response
against both viruses was assayed by hemoagglutination inhibition test
against reference influenza virus strains. Both patients fully
recovered from infection, without significant differences with
mono-infected patients.

[Byline: Calistri A, Salata C, Cosentino M, Asnicar S, Franchin E,
Cusinato R, Pacenti M, Donatelli I et al.
Report of 2 cases of Influenza virus A/H1N1v and B co-infection during
the 2010/2011 epidemics in the Italian Veneto Region.
In: Virology Journal 2011, 8:502 (3 Nov 2011)
http://www.virologyj.com/content/8/1/502/abstract]

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[In their discussion the authors comment that dual infections by
influenza A and B viruses rare events and have been rarely recorded.
The factors, other than serendipity, that may be responsible for such
events are not clear. It may be relevant that both co-infected
patients reported in this study represented individuals with weak
immune systems. Nonetheless both patients fully recovered.

An oseltamivir based treatment was adopted only in the case of the
adult patient, justified by his immunodeficiency state more than by
the severity of the symptoms which remained mild till viral
clearance.

In both cases, the RNA levels of the 2 viruses in the initial samples
were comparable.

The Veneto region of Italy can be located in the HealthMap/ProMED-mail
interactive map at:
http://healthmap.org/r/1pqL. - Mod.CP]

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