evidence of sustained efficient h3n2v, page-3

It poses the qustion - what is/are the strain(s) currently circulating in Australia?

I have just recovered after 4 weeks from what initially started as a mild upper respiratory tract infection - sniffly nose - seemed like a cold which would soon disappear - so didn't take Relenza that I keep on hand for cases of flu.

After about 5-7 days of very mild illness it morphed into more of a lower respiratory tract infection, coughing, leading over a period of 3-4 days to muscular aches & pains with mild headache ongoing in the background. It was similar, but relatively mild, compared to when I had H1N1 "Swine Flu".

I took a course of Relenza when the the aches & pains commenced but it was undoubtedly too late to have a major impact - by then I was also expecting that the immune system would have responded - but it still took another two weeks to fully resolve.

I know a lot of people who have had a 2 week or longer bout of illness - starting off mild and progressing to debilitating lower respiratory tract infection.

My best estimate was that influenza was the cause - relatively mild and debilitating but risk of more severe impact in some individuals. I am aware of the elderly mother of a friend who died from the flu in a nursing home in mid-July - apparently a large proportion of residents had the flu.

Undoubtedly there have been a lot of people who have taken days off sick.

Looking at Google Maps 2 weeks ago Western Australia was on "High" - one wonders at the lost productivity in the mining sector for example.

Nonetheless, there has been virtually nil publicity in the media or from Public Health Authorities mirroring the situation in the US.

Is the Australian strain H3N2v the same as in the US? Are the Public Health Authorities testing fior it? Do the tests capable of detecting it? I gather that the H3N2 (Perth 2009) strain included in the vaccine used in the Southern Hemisphere this winter is not a good match and doesnt provide much protection. I had been vaccinated the previous 2 years but not this year.

Certainly a bit more publicity would promote a bit more awareness and potential to treat early with Relenza.

It poses the question how we would manage with a more virulent strain of flu??

Any comments??

Regards
Kangaroo1