Lyn Finelli

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Lyn Finelli is an American epidemiologist and infectious disease researcher, who helped lead the U.S. response to the 2009 H1N1 epidemic and contributed to research and public health communication about the COVID-19 pandemic. In 1990 Finelli was granted a doctorate in infectious disease epidemiology from Columbia University. [1] She worked as chief of influenza surveillance and outbreak response at the Center for Disease Control. [2] She led the CDC's response to the 2009 H1N1 outbreak and oversaw 200 employees. [3] She was widely quoted in news coverage about the epidemic. [4] [5] [6] [7] Finelli now serves as executive director of new vaccine development at Merck Research Laboratories. [8] [9] In late March 2020, Finelli co-authored a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine defining the epidemiology of COVID-19 and calling for further studies. [10] Throughout her career, she has written over 100 scientific papers, book chapters, and articles on a variety of public health related topics, including RSV, sexual health, pneumonia, and hepatitis c. [11]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epidemic</span> Rapid spread of disease affecting a large number of people in a short time

An epidemic is the rapid spread of disease to a large number of hosts in a given population within a short period of time. For example, in meningococcal infections, an attack rate in excess of 15 cases per 100,000 people for two consecutive weeks is considered an epidemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Influenza vaccine</span> Vaccine against influenza

Influenza vaccines, colloquially known as flu shots, are vaccines that protect against infection by influenza viruses. New versions of the vaccines are developed twice a year, as the influenza virus rapidly changes. While their effectiveness varies from year to year, most provide modest to high protection against influenza. Vaccination against influenza began in the 1930s, with large-scale availability in the United States beginning in 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swine influenza</span> Infection caused by influenza viruses endemic to pigs

Swine influenza is an infection caused by any of several types of swine influenza viruses. Swine influenza virus (SIV) or swine-origin influenza virus (S-OIV) refers to any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs. As of 2009, identified SIV strains include influenza C and the subtypes of influenza A known as H1N1, H1N2, H2N1, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flu season</span> Recurring periods of influenza

Flu season is an annually recurring time period characterized by the prevalence of an outbreak of influenza (flu). The season occurs during the cold half of the year in each hemisphere. It takes approximately two days to show symptoms. Influenza activity can sometimes be predicted and even tracked geographically. While the beginning of major flu activity in each season varies by location, in any specific location these minor epidemics usually take about three weeks to reach its pinnacle, and another three weeks to significantly diminish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Influenza A virus subtype H1N1</span> Subtype of Influenza A virus

In virology, influenza A virus subtype H1N1 (A/H1N1) is a subtype of influenza A virus. Major outbreaks of H1N1 strains in humans include the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, the 1977 Russian flu pandemic and the 2009 swine flu pandemic. It is an orthomyxovirus that contains the glycoproteins hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N), antigens whose subtypes are used to classify the strains of the virus as H1N1, H1N2 etc. Hemagglutinin causes red blood cells to clump together and binds the virus to the infected cell. Neuraminidase is a type of glycoside hydrolase enzyme which helps to move the virus particles through the infected cell and assist in budding from the host cells.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Influenza pandemic</span> Pandemic involving influenza

An influenza pandemic is an epidemic of an influenza virus that spreads across a large region and infects a large proportion of the population. There have been six major influenza epidemics in the last 140 years, with the 1918 flu pandemic being the most severe; this is estimated to have been responsible for the deaths of 50–100 million people. The 2009 swine flu pandemic resulted in under 300,000 deaths and is considered relatively mild. These pandemics occur irregularly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Osterholm</span> American epidemiologist

Michael Thomas Osterholm is an American epidemiologist, Regents Professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disease surveillance</span> Monitoring spread of disease to establish patterns of progression

Disease surveillance is an epidemiological practice by which the spread of disease is monitored in order to establish patterns of progression. The main role of disease surveillance is to predict, observe, and minimize the harm caused by outbreak, epidemic, and pandemic situations, as well as increase knowledge about which factors contribute to such circumstances. A key part of modern disease surveillance is the practice of disease case reporting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pandemic severity index</span> Proposed measure of the severity of influenza

The pandemic severity index (PSI) was a proposed classification scale for reporting the severity of influenza pandemics in the United States. The PSI was accompanied by a set of guidelines intended to help communicate appropriate actions for communities to follow in potential pandemic situations. Released by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on February 1, 2007, the PSI was designed to resemble the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale classification scheme. The index was replaced by the Pandemic Severity Assessment Framework in 2014, which uses quadrants based on transmissibility and clinical severity rather than a linear scale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 swine flu pandemic</span> 2009–2010 pandemic of swine influenza caused by H1N1 influenza virus

The 2009 swine flu pandemic, caused by the H1N1/swine flu/influenza virus and declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) from June 2009 to August 2010, was the third recent flu pandemic involving the H1N1 virus. The first identified human case was in La Gloria, Mexico, a rural town in Veracruz. The virus appeared to be a new strain of H1N1 that resulted from a previous triple reassortment of bird, swine, and human flu viruses which further combined with a Eurasian pig flu virus, leading to the term "swine flu".

The 2009 flu pandemic in the United States was caused by a novel strain of the Influenza A/H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as "swine flu", that was first detected on 15 April 2009. While the 2009 H1N1 virus strain was commonly referred to as "swine flu", there is no evidence that it is endemic to pigs or of transmission from pigs to people; instead, the virus spreads from person to person. On April 25, the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency, followed concurringly by the Obama administration on April 26.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 swine flu outbreak</span> 1976 H1N1 swine influenza outbreak at Fort Dix

In 1976, an outbreak of the swine flu, influenza A virus subtype H1N1 at Fort Dix, New Jersey caused one death, hospitalized 13, and led to a mass immunization program. After the program began, the vaccine was associated with an increase in reports of Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS), which can cause paralysis, respiratory arrest, and death. The immunization program was ended after approximately 43 millions United States citizens had been administered the vaccine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pandemic H1N1/09 virus</span> Virus responsible for the 2009 swine flu pandemic

The pandemic H1N1/09 virus is a swine origin influenza A virus subtype H1N1 strain that was responsible for the 2009 swine flu pandemic. This strain is often called swine flu by the public media. For other names, see the Nomenclature section below.

The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) is a center within the University of Minnesota that focuses on addressing public health preparedness and emerging infectious disease response. It was founded in 2001 by Dr. Michael Osterholm, in order to "prevent illness and death from infectious diseases through epidemiological research and rapid translation of scientific information into real-world practical applications and solutions". It is not part of the Center for Disease Control or National Institute of Health.

2009 flu pandemic in Taiwan began on May 20, 2009, when a non-citizen who had been living in Taiwan returned from the United States via Hong Kong. By the end of September, more than 90% of influenza A detected in the community were Influenza A (H1N1).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Influenza A virus subtype H5N6</span> Virus subtype

H5N6 is a subtype of the species Influenza A virus. Infected birds shed the virus in their saliva, mucous, and feces. The virus was first detected in poultry in 2013, since then spreading among wild bird populations and poultry around the world. Humans can be infected through unprotected contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces. The virus transmits by getting into a person's eyes, nose, mouth, and through inhalation. Human infections are rare. Since 2014, at least 87 cases have occurred in humans. 29 people have died. A spike in human cases was reported in 2021. There have been no confirmed cases of human-to-human transmission. Some infections have been identified where no direct contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces has been known to had occurred. Only one infected woman has said that she never came into any contact with poultry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1957–1958 influenza pandemic</span> Pandemic of influenza virus (H2N2)

The 1957–1958 Asian flu pandemic was a global pandemic of influenza A virus subtype H2N2 that originated in Guizhou in Southern China. The number of excess deaths caused by the pandemic is estimated to be 1–4 million around the world, making it one of the deadliest pandemics in history. A decade later, a reassorted viral strain H3N2 further caused the Hong Kong flu pandemic (1968–1969).

The Pandemic Severity Assessment Framework (PSAF) is an evaluation framework published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2016 which uses quadrants to evaluate both the transmissibility and clinical severity of an influenza pandemic and to combine these into an overall impact estimate. Clinical severity is calculated via multiple measures including case fatality rate, case-hospitalization ratios, and deaths-hospitalizations ratios, while viral transmissibility is measured via available data among secondary household attack rates, school attack rates, workplace attack rates, community attack rates, rates of emergency department and outpatient visits for influenza-like illness.

Helen Y. Chu is an American immunologist who is an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Washington. Her research considers maternal immunization, with a focus on influenza and respiratory syncytial virus. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chu was the first physician to recognise community transmission of the coronavirus disease within the United States.

Type A influenza vaccine is for the prevention of infection of influenza A virus and also the influenza-related complications. Different monovalent type A influenza vaccines have been developed for different subtypes of influenza A virus including H1N1 and H5N1. Both intramuscular injection or intranasal spray are available on market. Unlike the seasonal influenza vaccines which are used annually, they are usually used during the outbreak of certain strand of subtypes of influenza A. Common adverse effects includes injection site reaction and local tenderness. Incidences of headache and myalgia were also reported with H1N1 whereas cases of fever has also been demonstrated with H5N1 vaccines. It is stated that immunosuppressant therapies would reduce the therapeutic effects of vaccines and that people with egg allergy should go for the egg-free preparations.

References

  1. "Lyn Finelli | Longdom Publishing SL | 111934". www.longdom.org. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  2. Sapatkin, Don (2012-12-19). "Cough-and-cold season arrives suddenly, hits hard". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  3. "Lyn Finelli, Chief of Surveillance and Outbreak Response, Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases". isirv.org. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  4. "Novel H3N2 swine flu viruses infected 2 children, CDC says | CIDRAP". www.cidrap.umn.edu. 2011-09-02. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  5. "1 Million Americans May Have H1N1 Flu - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 2009-06-25. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  6. Allday, Erin (2014-01-29). "H1N1 flu strain has returned with a vengeance". SFGATE. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  7. Sun, Lena H. (2023-05-17). "Second wave of flu blows in with spring; Northeast states hardest hit by influenza B". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  8. Burling, Stacey (2021-04-08). "Merck study finds survival rates among hospitalized COVID-19 patients rose after early months". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  9. "COVID hospital death rates fall, but impact still high | CIDRAP". www.cidrap.umn.edu. 2021-04-16. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  10. Lipsitch, Marc; Swerdlow, David L.; Finelli, Lyn (2020-03-26). "Defining the Epidemiology of Covid-19 — Studies Needed". New England Journal of Medicine. 382 (13): 1194–1196. doi:10.1056/NEJMp2002125. ISSN   0028-4793.
  11. "Lyn Finelli, Chief of Surveillance and Outbreak Response, Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases". isirv.org. Retrieved 2023-12-19.