| | |  Health & Beauty 
H1N1 Mutation Found in Mexico
 The News
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March 04, 2010
| | Mexican Health Secretary José Ángel Córdova Villalobos reports one case so far, but 423 might have variations. | |
Mexican Health Secretary José Ángel Córdova Villalobos said Wednesday during a press conference that one case presenting a mutation of the H1N1 virus has been detected in the country, and that this new virus mutation has been resistent to antiviral treatment, including the Oseltamivir (Tamiflu).
Córdova Villalobos said that another 423 persons might have a variation of the virus.
Regarding the detected case of virus mutation in a ten-month old girl, the Health Secretary explained that the mutation was localized in the gene connected to the neuro laminin within the structure of the H1N1 virus, and that it had not caused the death of the patient.
On this note, Córdova urged the population in high-risk groups to get vaccinated, and said that the H1N1 virus should not be underestimated as its new variation could have many more consequences.
“We should keep in mind that this virus can mutate in different ways at any moment, and although it didn’t cause the death of this little girl this time, we must take advantage of the vaccine available... because the mutation of this virus can generate serious complications,” he said.
So far, public health institutions have applied more than 150,000 tests to detect H1N1 (also known as PCRs), and only 423 cases were resistent to antiviral treatment, the Health Secretary said.
Córdova did not exclude the possibility of diagnosing more cases of the mutation of the H1N1 virus. “There is no doubt that this situation can happen,” he added.
On Monday, the secretariat counted 71,090 confirmed H1N1 cases and 1,088 deaths due to the H1N1 flu in Mexico.
The young girl diagnosed with a variation of the H1N1 virus, an inhabitant of Ecatepec in the State of Mexico, checked into the Pediatric Hospital of La Villa in Mexico City on Jan. 4 with respiratory problems, malnutrition and bronchitis, according to local media.
After she showed satisfactory recovery, and in accordance with her clinical background, the girl was allowed to return home.
Ten days later, she was hospitalized again at the Frederico Gómez Children’s Hospital in Mexico City and was diagnosed with aggravated pneumonia.
As the 2010 National Health Week concludes on Friday, the Health secretary insisted on the importance of getting vaccinated against the H1N1 virus in order to prevent another wave of contamination and deaths in the country. |
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