A mutant version of H1N1 detected in Norway

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday that Norway had detected a mutation of the H1N1 pandemic virus in three cases.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has informed WHO that a mutation had been detected in three cases.

Norway, with 4.8 million inhabitants, has recorded its first death related to influenza virus H1N1 September 3. And October 23, after the pandemic had killed 10 people, health authorities around the country had called for mass vaccination.

In its statement, the WHO points out, however that Norwegian scientists have analyzed samples from more than 70 patients with H1N1 and that "no other sign of mutation has been detected."

The Organization also states that despite this mutation, the virus "is susceptible to antiviral drugs, oseltamivir and zanamivir" and that studies show that currently available vaccines against pandemic influenza "provide protection".

In addition to Norway, cases of mutation of the virus have been detected since April in Brazil, China, Japan, Mexico, Ukraine and the United States, according to the statement of the WHO.

The Organization believes however that the "significance of this mutation is still difficult to assess because of lack of information and stresses that in general changes the influenza virus "does not alter important characteristics of the virus or the disease it causes."

The epidemic appears to have peaked in Iceland, Ireland, the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) and Belgium while influenza illness are at "strong progress" in Serbia, Moldova, Norway, Lithuania and Georgia, as well as Belarus, Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine.

Influenza is in contrast declines in the Latin America and Asia, with the exception of Peru and Colombia, and Sri Lanka.

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