Comments on: Swine influenza H1N1 update

By: dentistryroseville

dentistryroseville — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:26:21 +0000

In general, the majority (about 90%-95%) of people who get the disease feel terrible but recover with no problems, as seen in patients in both Mexico and the U.S. Caution must be taken as the swine flu (H1N1) is still spreading and has become a pandemic. So far, young adults have not done well, and in Mexico, this group currently has the highest mortality rate, but this data could quickly change.

By: dentistryroseville

dentistryroseville — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:26:21 +0000

By: some thoughts going on seven days

some thoughts going on seven days — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:07:48 +0000

[...] not have the capacity to deal with this scale of a problem. According the incredibly informative virology blog, the density of the populatio could play a big role. The virus may spread more quickly, infecting [...]

By: Johnny

Johnny — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:12:51 +0000

Such a good post it is..since it is densly populated city the virus will spread all over the mexico very soon and easily..
cosmetic surgery

By: Virology Blog Offers Level-Headed Take on Swine Flu

Virology Blog Offers Level-Headed Take on Swine Flu — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:06:49 +0000

[...] believes the flu will stop spreading soon in the U.S. for the same reason that ordinary seasonal flus fade every year around this time, but it could come [...]

By: Virology Blog Offers Level-Headed Take on Swine Flu | Global News Tonight

Virology Blog Offers Level-Headed Take on Swine Flu | Global News Tonight — Sun, 24 May 2009 04:23:40 +0000

[...] believes the flu will stop spreading soon in the U.S. for the same reason that ordinary seasonal flus fade every year around this time, but it could come [...]

By: Irdy Wimfrits Widagdo

Irdy Wimfrits Widagdo — Wed, 13 May 2009 04:56:32 +0000

thank for this article..very useful

By: Helper

Helper — Mon, 11 May 2009 21:40:50 +0000

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By: Fernando

Fernando — Fri, 08 May 2009 21:42:50 +0000

Hi, do you have any new info on resistance of virus on surfaces as well as thermolability? Thks

By: tandemrandom.com » Virology Blog Offers Level-Headed Take on Swine Flu

tandemrandom.com » Virology Blog Offers Level-Headed Take on Swine Flu — Fri, 08 May 2009 01:47:11 +0000

[...] believes the flu will stop spreading soon in the U.S. for the same reason that ordinary seasonal flus fade every year around this time, but it could come [...]

By: profvrr

profvrr — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:30:42 +0000

This strain of influenza appears to be no more lethal than recent
seasonal influenza strains. Transmission in closed spaces is always
more efficient than in open spaces.

By: Joan

Joan — Tue, 05 May 2009 05:48:54 +0000

Does getting H1N1 confer immunity in the future, and if so, for how long?

By: Jack Adams

Jack Adams — Sat, 02 May 2009 01:11:30 +0000

I had the swine flu in the mid 70's. Am I immune?

By: some thoughts going on seven days « The Swine. Influenza in Mexico City

some thoughts going on seven days « The Swine. Influenza in Mexico City — Fri, 01 May 2009 08:42:17 +0000

By: pete

pete — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:30:09 +0000

how long would you expect human immunity to exist within an individual infected with h1n1 virus?

By: Alfredo Guzmán

Alfredo Guzmán — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:59:27 +0000

I'd like to know the potential lethality of swine influenza as compared with other types of influeza viruses. IS THERE ANY REFERENCE ABOUT THE RISK OF INFECTION IN OPEN OR CLOSED SPACES??
tHANKS

By: CARLOS BALDIVIESO

CARLOS BALDIVIESO — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:15:50 +0000

HI THIS IS MY FIRST TIME I AM FROM BOLIVIA I AM INFECTIOUS DISEASES DOCTOR AND FIRST FOR BEN JOHNSON THE NOMENCLATURE IS OK BECAUSE THE VIRUS WAS ISOLATED FIRST IN PIGS THAT IS WHY IT IS COMMON NAMED SWIN FLU LIKE H5N1 BIRD FLU.
OTHER ALL OF US WILL GOING TO BE IN CONTACT WITH THE VIRUS IN THE NEXT MONTHS OR YEARS WHAT IS THE BEST TO GET SICK NOW OR LATER I THINK WE MUST RESIST ALL WE CAN BECAUSE I THINK ON DECEMBER THE VACUNE COULD BE DISPONIBLE (BUT A FEW PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO GET IT) WE WILL KNOW MORE ABOUT THE VIRULENCE AND PATHOGENECITY THE POSIBBLE RESISTENCE TO NEUROAMINIDASE DRUGS OR DE USEFULNESS OF OTHER (RIBAVIRIN, CLOROQUIN),ALSO THE VIRULENCE MIGHT BE OR NOT LOWER THAN AT THE BEGININ….THESE ARE MY REASONS.

By: Mabilia

Mabilia — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:29:30 +0000

I am from mexico, and Yes there have been death in the states outside mexico city. In fact the first cases of infection and death were registered in states different from Mexico city.

By: Pandemic alert level 4 « Science Notes

Pandemic alert level 4 « Science Notes — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:06:57 +0000

[...] World Health Organization has raised the pandemic alert level for swine flu (H151) to four, indicating sustained person-to-person transmission. There have been [...]

By: Hot News » Who Makes Tamiflu

Hot News » Who Makes Tamiflu — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:20:50 +0000

[...] From The International Medical Veritas Association…What next? « The Political Housewyf…Swine influenza H1N1 update…Cipla gears up to meet increased demand for Tamiflu | Stock Marketing News…Does India have enough [...]

By: Pandemic Phobe

Pandemic Phobe — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:51:24 +0000

Here's a new question for your next Q&A session:

A New Zealand blogger posits that getting swine flu now could be beneficial if this becomes a pandemic. ("How Swine Flu Could Save Your Life" - http://aardvark.co.nz/daily/2009/0428.shtml) Clearly, he makes some poor leaps of logic (assuming that the "young" mentioned in his influenza.org quote means "young adults" and not children / babies with less exposures), but he presents what seems to be a reasonable point re: cow pox and small pox....

A) Could getting the swine flu now help to weather future, more virulant strains?
B) Since this flu also has a bird flu heritage, could catching (and surviving) it help with a possible H5N1 outbreak in the future?

By: Swine influenza, seasonality, and the northern hemisphere

Swine influenza, seasonality, and the northern hemisphere — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:44:47 +0000

[...] have received several questions about my assertion that the northern hemisphere is safe, at least until the fall, from an epidemic of [...]

By: ♥ Jennifer™® ♥

♥ Jennifer™® ♥ — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 22:15:44 +0000

your blog is very nice

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:47:04 +0000

Regarding your first theory of why the non-Mexican cases are milder:

"...infection with the current circulating human H1N1 strain might confer some protection..."

I'm just a layman, and so I'm wondering exactly how something like that would work. What percentage of (say) American victims would likely have this benefit? Enough to explain the discrepancy? Why wouldn't we expect a similar number of "protected" persons in Mexico?

Also, regarding the "air pollution theory", haven't their been deaths inside Mexico, but outside Mexico City? Perhaps in locales with comparatively pristine air?

By: DSP

DSP — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:43:53 +0000

Are the infected not taking Statins or Coffee? If not why?
http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/canopusbiopharma/...

By: Rohit_Jangra

Rohit_Jangra — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:25:06 +0000

How about the delay in access to quality health care or laxity on the part of patients to seek treatment as they ignore the symptoms of early disease just as another case of “cold”?
Combine it with secondary bacterial infections and/or high pollutant levels and low immunity levels as eluded to by Vince, hence high mortality!

By: ET

ET — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:48:20 +0000

I agree. Just saying 'death' is astoundingly vague. It would be good to know some more details. It seems though like if it was multi organ system failure we would have heard at least that by now.

By: Morey Krumm

Morey Krumm — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:03:35 +0000

There has been no mention, save a passing comment from the media on pneumonia, of the pathology associated with this influenza pandemic. Could it be necrotizing bronchial interstitial pneumonia or is that only associated with H5N1? What about MODS or Cyanosis? What, essentially, is killing our Mexican neighbors?

By: ET

ET — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:19:23 +0000

In line with Dr. Doves comment:

You mentioned in a TWiV that a theory about the mortality in the 1918 influenza stemmed from a concurrent infection with a bacteria that weakened the bodies immune response. Is that a possibility here? I only ask because you mentioned people living in such close proximity–already present flora in the lungs+pollution+new viral infection?

Or could there be another virus, in addition to H1N1, causing an additional immunological insult?

By: LAS

LAS — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:17:27 +0000

Hi Vince–with respect to differences in mortality/pathogenesis between Mexico and the US, what about the extent of vaccination? Certainly there's a big push in the US to get regular vaccinations. Those who have been vaccinated have had multiple exposures to other H1N1 viruses.

By: Alan Dove

Alan Dove — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:00:48 +0000

Excellent analysis as always, Vince. I have a third theory about why fatalities could be higher in Mexico City: that town has some of the worst air quality in the world. I'm just speculating here, but it seems at least plausible that high smog and particulate pollution levels could tip some patients over the edge, turning an unpleasant but otherwise survivable case of the flu into a deadly viral pneumonia.

By: Chris Upton

Chris Upton — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:08:43 +0000

“The other theory is more vague – because Mexico City is extremely densely populated, the virus may spread more quickly, infecting more people, leading to selection of more virulent viral variants.”

Selection…as in virus that makes people sicker produces higher virus load that increases spread?

By: Topics about Australia » Archive » Swine influenza A/H1N1 update

Topics about Australia » Archive » Swine influenza A/H1N1 update — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:16:19 +0000

[...] virology blog placed an observative post today on Swine influenza A/H1N1 updateHere’s a quick excerptHere are some updates on the global status of swine influenza A/H1N1. As of Monday, 27 April, the US has reported 40 laboratory confirmed cases of swine influenza A/H1N1 infection in California, Kansas, New York City, Ohio, and Texas. Mexico has confirmed 26 human cases with seven deaths, Canada reports six cases, and Spain one case. The first two cases of the illness in the UK were reported in Scotland. These statistics were obtained from ProMED-mail , WHO , and CDC . You might find hig [...]

By: Ben Johnson

Ben Johnson — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 10:56:34 +0000

Your influenza nomenclature is incorrect. Strain designation for human viruses is as follows:
Influenza type/Country/isolate number/year (subtype is in brackets)
For example, one of the swine flu viruses from California is:
A/California/09/2009 (H1N1)
Dr. Ben Johnson
Imperial College London

By: daniel

daniel — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 09:33:08 +0000

excellent article. just what i was looking for.
will link it up on duno now