Sars-Cov2, RSV declining; Human Metapneumovirus increased

[Astronuc]

Like coronaviruses, of which SARS-Cov2 is a member, RSV and Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/just-were-starting-see-covid-223829951.html

Symptoms of HMPV include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath, according to the CDC. The symptoms could progress into bronchitis, pneumonia, or other similar viruses that cause upper and lower respiratory infections.

The CDC said some might be sicker for longer than others, and the duration of the virus depends on the severity, but for the most part, is similar in length to other respiratory infections caused by viruses.

The virus is spread by coughs and sneezes, close personal contact, and touching surfaces infected with the virus, then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes.

My son has what seems to be allergies or a cold, but now I wonder if he picked up HMPV.AND dengue virus is apparently spreading
https://www.yahoo.com/news/reporter-struck-down-bone-breaker-105906486.html

Dengue – a sometimes lethal disease spread by mosquitoes – is having a moment. The “break bone fever” is sweeping country after country in Asia and South America, and is starting to emerge closer to home.

The stripey ‘Asian tiger’ mosquito has now been spotted or become established in 30 European countries, including Spain, Italy and Croatia. It’s even been picked up in the UK, and some experts think warming temperatures will allow them to settle in England within a decade.

Long story short, you need to watch out for dengue – if not in the UK quite yet, then definitely while on holiday in warmer climes. Last year, a Briton caught the virus on holiday in Provence and, in 2016, 21-year-old British tourist Bob Toulson-Burke died of dengue here in Thailand.

Imagine contracting both at the same time.

 

[jim mcnamara]

FWIW - during the height of new covid infections, all incoming patients were tested for Covid. For example, you could present at the ER with a broken arm, but also get a PCR test for Covid. Many asymptomatic Covid cases were found this way.

It seems logical to assume that some co-infections in patients with other respiratory conditions could have masked HMPV or RSV.

 

[Astronuc]

A family member who is a family doctor/pediatrician indicated that HMPV is common, but the current strain is particularly bad this year. Adults are apparently being hospitalized with lung inflammation.

RSV is also common, but also bad this year, possibly due to steps taken to avoid SARS-Cov2. However, there is supposed to be an RSV vaccine soon, if not this year. Apparently approved for trials this month.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respiratory_syncytial_virus_vaccine

 

[Laroxe]

I suspect that we will see some major changes in the incidence and distribution of disease's but for the most part this will simply be a reflection of increased surveillance. The spread of infections depends on all sorts of different variables and I think that they way in which some groups present information as new global threats is disingenuous and unhelpful. For example Malaria was present in Europe from around 3000 BC and remained Endemic until the 1970's, there are still vector control methods in use. In the area that I lived in the UK, there was an old Church that had gravestones of children who has died of Cholera and of course most people have heard of the plague, which is still around in the US and some other countries.

We forget that the discovery of the causes of infectious disease's actually is, we only started to recognise viruses as causes around 1900, up until then we simply got ill and the reality is that this hasn't changed much, we simply haven't paid much attention to diseases that didn't cause large numbers of unusual deaths. This is in fact something that Covid has changed, we are getting a lot more useful information, but apparently not using it very well. We have also developed the ability to create and manufacture new vaccines which could control some threats while at the same time increased people's reluctance to use them. The development of vaccines against some of the newer threats like the RSV has proven to be much more difficult than originally thought, while recent progress has been rapid, gaining public acceptance may not be.

There are in fact a number of useful ways in which we could reduce the risk of introducing new infections, particularly in the control of international trade and travel, which might not need to be too restrictive. Instead, we get stories about global warming and propose to give the WHO the power to introduce global lockdowns despite their abject failure to manage Covid 19, still at least our politicians would escape responsibility.

We are living through a very interesting period in human history in which people have lost faith in the institutions that are supposed to protect them and this has had a corrosive effect not just on the specific unreliable and politicized areas but it appears to be generalizing to other areas of science. I do wonder if these cultural issues might end up being responsible for more deaths than the diseases being discussed, maybe the responses to the management of RSV will allow us to quantify this.

 

[jim mcnamara]

Followup:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respiratory_syncytial_virus_vaccine

Abrysvo and Arexy were approved this May. Others are still in larger population test as of 2023/07/01.

Abrysvo is recommended for patients 60 and older.

 

[Astronuc]

A new outbreak of respiratory illness has developed in China.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/ot...y-where-the-coronavirus-came-from/ar-AA1kp5An

Waiting to see what it is - RSV? Or some other type. Patients, particularly children, exhibit flu-like symptoms and pneumonia.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed alarm over the growing number of respiratory illnesses in China, particularly among children, and has urged the public to take precautionary measures. The WHO's concerns stem from a surge in flu-like symptoms and pneumonia cases, which have overwhelmed children's hospitals in some parts of the country.

The WHO's repeated calls for a comprehensive report on the origin of the COVID-19 virus, which originated in China, remain unanswered. This lack of transparency has fueled speculation and concerns about the true nature of the virus's origins.

More importantly:

Early diagnosis and treatment are also essential for managing these diseases effectively. While the world grapples with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, vigilance and proactive measures remain essential in preventing and mitigating the spread of respiratory diseases.

When the Corona virus epidemic first started around the world, people took it lightly. It later turned out to be one of the worst epidemics in history. Therefore, we must be very careful and work preventively.

 

[Astronuc]

An Ohio county is experiencing a pediatric outbreak of pneumonia, including a number of cases of mycoplasma pneumonia, the illness that has driven recent outbreaks among children in Denmark and China.

The Warren County Health District said Thursday that it has had an unusually high number of pediatric pneumonia cases this fall: 145 since August. The average patient is around 8 years old, according to the district, and the most common symptoms have been cough, fever and fatigue. No deaths have been reported, and the illnesses are no more severe than in previous years, the district said in a news release.

At the same time, cases of mycoplasma pneumonia have reached epidemic levels in Denmark and contributed to a surge of hospital admissions in China. Taiwan’s health ministry said Thursday that older adults, young children and people with poor immunity should avoid travel to mainland China, Hong Kong or Macao because of the rise in respiratory illnesses there, which also include rises in flu, adenovirus and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

What is mycoplasma pneumonia, the illness driving an outbreak in Ohio?​

https://www.yahoo.com/news/mycoplasma-pneumonia-illness-driving-outbreak-014900754.html

 

[Astronuc]

The U.S. is headed for a ‘syndemic’ this winter​

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/me...d-experts-warn-we-re-not-prepared/ar-AA1kRBRW

COVID wastewater levels are “high” and again headed upwards, on track to surpass their 2023 peak, which occurred in September, according to wastewater data posted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID hospitalizations are up 10% week over week, according to the most recent data made available. And deaths, while not rising, are not receding, either.

Encouragingly, while U.S. rates of hospitalization from COVID, RSV, and flu combined are on the rise, they remain below levels seen this time of year during the past two years. Still, they’re significantly higher than that seen in the two winters prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A pediatrician I know mentioned Strep A and a variety of coronaviruses and adenoviruses are circulating.

Of the three main winter respiratory pathogens—COVID, flu, and RSV—COVID remains the greatest threat this season, Cohen told Congress on Thursday. It’s “still the respiratory virus putting the most number of folks in the hospital and taking lives,” she said.

Experts are eyeing variant “Pirola” BA.2.86 and its descendents like JN.1 in particular, saying their fast rate of spread could exacerbate an already expected winter COVID surge.

Already, BA.2.86 and descendents are thought to be behind around 9% of COVID cases in the U.S.—ranking third in the race for viral supremacy and lagging “Eris” EG.5 by only a few percentage points, according to CDC data released this past week.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ohio-w...ked-to-china-outbreak-novel-pathogen-experts/

Health officials in Ohio are warning about an increase in pneumonia cases among children — but experts say there isn't a connection between this outbreak and the one happening in China.

In a press release Thursday, officials in Ohio's Warren County (located between Cincinnati and Dayton) shared an update on the outbreak there, noting 145 cases have been reported in children aged 3 to 14 years old.

These cases of pediatric pneumonia — which some have referred to as "white lung syndrome" — most typically cause cough, fever and fatigue. Doctors say most cases of bacterial pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics and most don't require hospitalization.

Officials also said the recent illnesses are "not suspected of being a new/novel respiratory virus," but instead appear to be an uptick in the number of "typical pediatric pneumonia cases."

A deadly combination - influenza and Strep A
https://www.today.com/health/cold-f...cinations-after-teen-daughter-dies-rcna127155

. . . the group A strep spread into her blood and was even found in her brain. She had pneumonia that caused sepsis and overwhelmed her system. That caused her heart to stop.