Comments on: Influenza A/Mexico/2009 (H1N1): Questions and answers

By: Delayed Diagnosis

Delayed Diagnosis — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 11:07:00 +0000

Although your doctor or other medical practitioner may be responsible for the medical negligence you have suffered, they are not sued directly. Action is always taken against their employer – the practice, hospital or health authority for whom they work.

By: Don

Don — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:33:16 +0000

Thnaks for your comments

By: Don

Don — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:32:51 +0000

Thanks for your comments

By: Don

Don — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:33:16 +0000

Thnaks for your comments

By: Don

Don — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:32:51 +0000

Thanks for your comments

By: profvrr

profvrr — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:22:03 +0000

Travel is definitely a risk factor for H1N1 infection. One infected
person on an airplane is sufficient to infect 70% of the passengers.
So if I were at risk (pregnancy, cardiopulmonary complications) I
would stay home. Clearly you can still be infected at home but at
least you can have some control over your movements and interactions
with others.

By: Don

Don — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:59:16 +0000

My husband has scheduled a cruise for the Mexican Rivera, does travel to Mexico increase my chances and my childrens chances of getting H1N1, relative to staying at home with our normal routine, which includes going out in public? Would your answer be different if I was pregnant? Our 2 year old was also a cardiac baby, he was born with transposition of the major arteries, does this change the answer? Thanks for your thoughts.

By: profvrr

profvrr — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:37:37 +0000

According to NCBI InDRE4487 was isolated in April 2009. The GISAID
entry date is probably incorrect.

By: gsgs

gsgs — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:05:57 +0000

when was
A/Mexico/InDRE4487/2009(H1N1) isolated ?

how can it be that there are only 2 mutations to the calculated index case,
when the first viruses were confirmed in mid April in Mexico ?

By: Lincoln County War | Canine influenza

Lincoln County War | Canine influenza — Tue, 05 May 2009 08:59:35 +0000

[...] Influenza A/Mexico/2009 (H1N1): Questions and answers [...]

By: Lincoln County War | Canine influenza

Lincoln County War | Canine influenza — Tue, 05 May 2009 08:59:35 +0000

[...] Influenza A/Mexico/2009 (H1N1): Questions and answers [...]

By: profvrr

profvrr — Sun, 03 May 2009 23:39:22 +0000

He should be fired because he doesn't understand that the presence of
Eurasian flu genes in this virus has no bearing whatsoever on the
origin. It may well be that some pigs in Mexico have viruses with such
genes. If he doesn't understand this simple concept, he should not be
Minister of Health.

By: profvrr

profvrr — Sun, 03 May 2009 23:35:13 +0000

Yes.

By: Hugo Montaldo

Hugo Montaldo — Sun, 03 May 2009 12:51:50 +0000

Besides inherent deficiencies in the Mexican health system and initial
delays by patients and doctors for a correct diagnosis, there is
another scaring possibility for the high death rate in Mexico from the
swine flu virus. That possibility is related to the instructions given
to the doctors by the Ministery of Health to refrain to treat people
with antivirals (Tamiflu, Relenza), unless they already have pulmonary
signs (so too late), or they have a chronic disease in addition to the
swine flu. Such instruction might save middle aged people (those with
chronic diseases) and causes many neumonia cases among the more
healthy youngsters. That may parcially explain why not only the death
rate is so high, but also the age structure of the affected
population. We'll see if we can solve this questions in the future,
because they are full of political consequences.

By: Mexico fights swine flu with 'pandemic potential' - Page 14 - Gossip Rocks Forum

Mexico fights swine flu with 'pandemic potential' - Page 14 - Gossip Rocks Forum — Sat, 02 May 2009 18:57:21 +0000

[...] in Mekabu. Therefore eating the seaweed would not likely be of value in preventing infection. Influenza A/Mexico/2009 (H1N1): Questions and answers [...]

By: Robert Innes

Robert Innes — Sat, 02 May 2009 16:45:02 +0000

Dear Dr. Racaniello,

Thank you for your continuing updates and FAQs. The MSM treatment of the pandemic seems ill-informed and thus full of contradictory claims, and your blog has become my go-to resource. Three issues in particular have been inadequately addressed elsewhere.

First, what is the link, if any, between lack of immunity to a virus and the virulence or morbidity of the resulting viral disease? In other words, should we fear a pandemic because: (1) more people will come down sick than during a normal flu season due the unfamiliarity of the virus; or (2) a higher percentage of the people who get sick will die; or (3) both?

Second, with respect to airplane travel and travel generally, I think the press and the authorities have done a very poor job distinguishing between systemic risk and personal risk. Indeed, politicians in particular are hopelessly conflicted on this subject, notwithstanding the vice president's widely denounced burst of candor. Is it the case that: (1) while international travel poses no systmetic risk of spreading the virus, which is already present in North and South America, Europe and Asia, (2) individuals nonetheless greatly increase their chances of catching viral disease by traveling on airplanes, staying in hotels, etc.?

Finally, I have seen little intelligent discussion of the vastly different countermeasures deployed by different governments. While everyone scoffs at Egypt, for instance, for slaughtering hundreds of thousands of pigs, no one mentions the radically different responses of the U.S. and Hong Kong authorities. Has Hong Kong simply got the science wrong when they decide to quanrantine hundreds of hotel guests for 10 days?

Best regards,
Robert

By: kookygirl

kookygirl — Sat, 02 May 2009 13:01:04 +0000

I'm getting over a flu and want to test if it's swine flu. How would I go about it when almost healthy? Would a nasal swab work if there's hardly anything?

By: diana

diana — Sat, 02 May 2009 12:42:05 +0000

I'm honored that you reprinted my question – now, can you answer it with a simple “yes” or “no”?

“Shouldn’t this be bigger news?”

By: phogdog

phogdog — Sat, 02 May 2009 11:48:41 +0000

Thanks. Another great set of Q's and A's.

By: safdar

safdar — Sat, 02 May 2009 11:38:21 +0000

your blog site is very nice so plz check my blog site and give me more comments.

By: karbon

karbon — Sat, 02 May 2009 08:32:59 +0000

Informative blog.

By: ppga

ppga — Sat, 02 May 2009 06:26:27 +0000

Hello Professor -

Great blog, thank you for this wealth of information. My question in this – I understand that with this new, novel strain of virus most, if not all people will not have immunity from previous exposure to the established strains. However, many (or maybe just some people) will either avoid infection, or become infected yet experience no remarkable symptoms, or maybe just exhibit very mild symptoms rather than get really seriously ill. What is at work when a person actually is infected yet not really “sick”? A good immune system that allows infection but contains it quickly? or something else at work? Or just luck at avoiding virus particles?

Example – I am 36 years old, and have never been diagnosed, or as far as I know, contracted influenza. I have had many other common ailments (many bouts of strep and colds, chicken pox, mononucleosis) over my years, but seemingly not flu virus. I have never been vaccinated against flu. What could account for this? Luck? I find it impossible I haven't ever come in contact with flu virus. Assuming I have had contact with flu virus, why no remarkable illness for me? Clearly other infections can occur in me. Are some people “immune” to all types of flu or react to it differently than others who suffer the common symptoms? Anyways thanks for the great website.

By: carlos guevara-casas

carlos guevara-casas — Sat, 02 May 2009 02:17:45 +0000

why?

By: Matt Dubuque

Matt Dubuque — Sat, 02 May 2009 01:13:08 +0000

I agree. The chief epidemiologist of Mexico should be fired!