Virus may be the real cause of winter 'flu' deaths

ROB CRILLY and VICKY COLLINS

A NEWLY-discovered virus may be responsible for some of the deaths attributed to flu each winter, according to public health officials in Scotland.

Scientists believe human metapneumovirus may have been circulating undetected for up to 50 years after crossing the species barrier from birds.

The human form was first identified in 28 Dutch children last year. Since then, it has been found in Britain, Canada and Australia.

Last week, researchers at the annual Interscience conference on antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy in San Diego, California, announced that it was severe enough to cause respiratory problems in the very young and elderly.

The virus causes symptoms similar to a mild dose of flu.

Syed Ahmed, consultant in epidemiology at the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health, said it was probably one of a number of viruses responsible for sniffles during the winter. He said: "The problem is that the vast majority of flu-like illnesses are not the real flu, which makes it difficult for us to sell the vaccine to people, because it will not protect against the other viruses. But the virus is nothing new, we just have a name for it."

More than 100 patients, meanwhile, have been affected by a fresh outbreak of the winter vomiting virus in the same area where three elderly patients died of the illness earlier this month.

The outbreak in Fife came just a day after the Victoria Infirmary in Glasgow was forced to close one of its wards when nine patients were diagnosed with MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus), a hospital superbug which is resistant to most antibiotics.

The hospital was also affected by the winter vomiting virus over a week ago for the third time this year.

Two wards at the Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline and one at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy were closed to admissions yesterday. So far 115 patients and 59 staff have been affected.

- Oct 31st