Disruption of cardio-pulmonary coupling in myopathies: Pathophysiological and mechanistic characterization with special emphasis on nemaline myopathy

CDC Confirms First Known Severe Case Of H5N1 Bird Flu In The U.S.

The United States has confirmed its first known severe human infection of H5N1 bird flu, in a person in Louisiana believed to have contracted the virus through contact with sick or dead birds in a backyard flock.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday that its laboratories were able to confirm the case that Louisiana had reported on Friday.

The unidentified person is in critical condition, with severe respiratory illness, Emma Herrock, communications director of Louisiana's Department of Health, told STAT in an email. She said the person was over the age of 65 and had health conditions known to increase the risk of serious illness from influenza. 

To date this year, 61 human cases of H5N1 bird flu have been confirmed in the U.S. Until the Louisiana case, all had very mild symptoms. Most have been people who worked on affected dairy farms, or cullers hired to depopulate infected poultry flocks.

Demetre Daskalakis, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, confirmed the case during a news conference on the H5N1 situation in the country. But Daskalakis deferred all questions about the Louisiana individual's age, previous health status, and symptomology to the state's health department. Louisiana had previously refused to release any information other than the fact that the person lives in the southwestern portion of the state, out of concern for the patient's privacy.

Health conditions that increase a person's risk of becoming seriously ill from flu include being obese, having asthma or chronic lung disease, having diabetes or a blood disorder such as sickle cell disease, or having heart disease or kidney or liver disorders.

Single mutation in H5N1 bird flu virus may make it more infectious to humans, study finds

Daskalakis did reveal that genetic sequencing of the virus shows that it is not the version of H5N1 that has been circulating in U.S. Dairy cows, clade 2.3.4.4b genotype B3.13. Instead, it is a version of the virus — 2.3.4.4b genotype D1.1 — that is circulating in wild birds. A recent severe illness in a teenager in British Columbia, Canada, was also caused by viruses from the D1.1 genotype.

The Canadian teenager spent weeks in critical condition in hospital, on a ventilator because he or she could not breathe on their own. An official from British Columbia told STAT on Tuesday that the teenager is no longer in critical care, though he or she remains in hospital. 

This story has been updated with information from the Louisiana Dept. Of Health.

Pigeon Allergies: A Growing Concern For Urban Dwellers

HYDERABAD: Just look outside your window. What do you see? The blue sky, some trees, and that classic metropolitan traffic of course — but you forgot the protagonist in your urban landscape. Pigeons. Not one, not two, but oh, so many! Droppings here, droppings there, dropping everywhere. Well, pigeons are beautiful creations of Mother Nature but what if allergenic proteins from their feathers or droppings are making you cough, sneeze and gasp for breath? Needless to say, allergies caused by pigeons are of serious concern.

Proteins gone bad

Dr Vyakarnam Nageshwar, allergy superspecialist and founder-president of the World Allergy Foundation, explains, "The primary allergenic proteins found in pigeon feathers are pig d 1 and pig d 2. The allergenic proteins found in pigeon droppings are pig d 5 and pig d 6, which are produced by the pigeon's digestive system. All these proteins can become airborne, causing allergic reactions in some people."

Health issues aplenty

"Around 30 percent of people exposed to allergenic proteins from pigeons will, in due course, show symptoms and develop complications," Dr Vyakarnam points out.

Sarita, 36, says her allergies are so bad that her family is considering moving out. "After struggling with sneezes and nasal congestion for quite a while, I consulted my allergist and found out that I am allergic to pigeons. There are too many pigeons around my house and the balcony gets filled with droppings, though I get it cleaned every day," she bemoans.

Apart from such issues and asthma, these allergens can also cause allergic rhinitis, where you have a runny or congested nose and keep sneezing. When airborne proteins travel and lodge themselves onto your skin, it can cause severe dermatitis, characterised by red rashes and itching.

"Another health issue is hypersensitivity pneumonitis, which starts with coughing, fever, extreme weakness and difficulty in breathing. This can progress to interstitial lung disease, interstitial fibrosis, and finally, extensive lung fibrosis, which is an irreversible lung condition. The only treatment is lung transplantation," cautions the allergist.

Manage Pigeon Population: Why Feeding Them Can Pose Health Risks?

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