Comments on: Adults have cross-reactive antibodies to A/California/04/2009 (H1N1)

By: profvrr

profvrr — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:52:42 +0000

Cattle, pigs and horses obey and don't have other things to do. I've
had email here from parents who say its' tough to bring their kids in
for a booster shot. I agree that it might work for some but perhaps
not enough to make it effective. But I envision some day the doc will
be able to hold a scanner to your arm and tell you exactly which
pathogens and antibodies you harbor. Hope I'm around for that.

By: Neil M

Neil M — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:49:36 +0000

There are close to 170 million cattle, pigs, and horses in the United States. Or a little over half (55%) of the human population (and 65% of the insured population). On that basis the logistics aren't much different. Now the fact that livestock are usually numbered and kept in pen might help, but I'm still not convinced it's as nightmare-ish in complexity as you suggest. Given the scarcity of the vaccine, it ought to be relatively simple to test those waiting for it be available while they're waiting and get those testing positive out of the line (just take the test sample when they're in for the seasonal flu shot). Just one more thing for the doctor's office to put in the file.

There's no need to enforce this or report on it at a national level, the would be much more a logistical nightmare.

By: profvrr

profvrr — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:52:42 +0000

By: Neil M

Neil M — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:49:36 +0000

There's no need to enforce this or report on it at a national level, the would be much more a logistical nightmare.

By: Arrgy

Arrgy — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:10:08 +0000

I don't think any one is confused as to which strain we're talking about but i do wish they'd drop the “swine flu” label. Maybe, 2009 weapons grade flu or Rumsfelds plague…

By: maximusmarkermus

maximusmarkermus — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:28:47 +0000

Don't you wish that people would understand that by referring to a specific Influensa A virus with a Taxon ID # 641501, A/California/04/2009(H1N1) : simply as H1N1 are misleading ,there are many, many H1N1 influensa A -virus out there

By: profvrr

profvrr — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:21:04 +0000

Given that history you should not have antibodies that would protect
you against 2009 H1N1 – your mother might have passed antibodies to
you in her milk but those would have been long gone.

By: Mindy

Mindy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:20:55 +0000

Very interesting read. I have wondered about testing for antibodies since I am pregnant and my daughter had classic H1N1 symptoms weeks ago and I never got sick. I am 33 years old (born in 1976) and my mother was vaccinated against the Swine Flu of the time (1976) while pregnant with me and I was breastfeed.

By: Being older is a good defense against 2009 H1N1 influenza virus

Being older is a good defense against 2009 H1N1 influenza virus — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:31:31 +0000

[...] sera of individuals born in the early part of the 20th century have antibodies that block infection with the 2009 H1N1 virus. We also know that antibodies that prevent infection with recently [...]

By: Sasha Kay

Sasha Kay — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:53:40 +0000

I believe I contracted H1N1 in August and was treated in the hospital. Can I be tested for H1N1 antibodies?

By: profvrr

profvrr — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:17:05 +0000

Unfortunately there isn't a blood test for antibodies that is widely used for clinical purposes. There are assays for such antibodies (see this post at virology blog for an example: http://bit.ly/3seRTe) but they are only used for research purposes. You are correct that the antibodies would be diluted in the blood supply; but usually you should not give blood if you have had a recent infection (they usually ask you before donating).

By: Tamara

Tamara — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:03:44 +0000

Members of three families, including mine, all came down with seasonal flu-like symptoms this summer within a couple of days after one of them was on a flight from New York; we were all exposed to each other at a 4H meeting. Severity of symptoms ranged from mild to incapacitating. At the time, we joked about it being the swine flu, so now we are wondering if we have immunity and can skip the immunizations, since supplies are limited and should go to those in greatest need. I was just reminded of it this evening when the blood bank called asking me to make an appointment for a donation; afterward, I wondered if there is a blood test for antibodies, and if a blood donation could help confer resistance (I realize that blood donations end up mixed, so the effect on any individual donor would be minimal).

By: Jason R

Jason R — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:04:53 +0000

That's good news. I was tested but the lab didn't read the CDCs instructions and ran rapid tests. You can guess the out come. False Neg. I have no doubt it was H1N1. It literally couldn't have been anything else. The symptoms are too different from seasonal flu.

By: profvrr

profvrr — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:41:21 +0000

There aren't any rapid tests for antibodies to H1N1 influenza that could be performed in a doctor's office. In any case, it's not practical to test everyone for antibodies before administering the vaccine – that would be a logistical nightmare. There are far fewer livestock animals than humans, hence they can be readily tested.

By: Jason R

Jason R — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:40:24 +0000

Doesn't look like we have anything definitive yet, Mary. I've had it bad in June and been around a lot of sick people at the grocery store lately and I haven't contracted it again. Maybe a good sign.

By: profvrr

profvrr — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:35:50 +0000

The only way to know if you have had influenza is to have a clinical specimen (e.g. nose swab) examined for the presence of H1N1 influenza virus. Clinical symptoms are not enough to confirm that you have been infected with the virus. If you have had a laboratory confirmed infection with H1N1 virus, then you are likely protected for the immediate future – a few years, until the virus changes.

By: Mary

Mary — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:45:29 +0000

How do we know if we are “immune” to this species of H1N1? If we get a mild case – muscle aches, sore throat, fatigue etc. – can we expect to be protected from a more serious version in the future??

By: Jason R

Jason R — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:21:06 +0000

I'm 55 and had a case of H1N1 pretty bad in June. Nearly half of our children are out of school with “flu like symptoms”. Half of the check out people at the grocery store have it. As I've heard that people that got a mild case, got it over again, up to 3 times this summer, I might actually be immune now. It could be that one needs to have a severe case to make all the antibodies necessary to fight this weapons grade, man made virus off. It's my hope that this virus goes the way of the 1976 weapons grade virus and dies off.

By: troy

troy — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 08:55:54 +0000

check out www.idexx.com
you can find out if a horse or pig has had the h1n1 new strain
but not humans. i would think that testing for antibodies BEFORE
vacccination would serve the population and supply of vacc's better

By: troy

troy — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 08:52:20 +0000

So the question is if there is an antibody test for checking if a person has already had exposure to the new strain of H1N1 ?

There is one available for pigs, horses, and other livestock from IDEXX.com

but none for humans ?

How do they check if the vaccines are working or if people already have immunity ?

If someone already has immunity, then the available vaccine supply would be better
served to those who need it.

What is the chance that people already have immunity ?

By: profvrr

profvrr — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:30:05 +0000

The twofold increase is probably not helpful in terms of protection.
What would help is if you received the 1976 swine flu vaccine – those
individuals have cross protective antibodies against the pandemic H1N1
strain.

By: Cosmoskitten

Cosmoskitten — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 15:13:52 +0000

"Among 18-64 year olds, there was a twofold increase in cross reactivity antibody to the virus, compared with a 12-19 fold increase in antibody titers against the seasonal strains."

I wonder that this twofold increase means.

If you have had regular flu vaccinations in the past, are you _slightly_ better of with regards to swineflu 2009?

By: ACIP recommendations on monovalent H1N1 vaccine

ACIP recommendations on monovalent H1N1 vaccine — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:32:17 +0000

[...] we have discussed previously, the reduced susceptibility of older individuals to infection with the 2009 pandemic virus is [...]

By: Jason R

Jason R — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 02:54:28 +0000

“over 60% of confirmed cases of influenza caused by the swine-like H1N1 viruses in the US are in 5- to 24-year-olds, as reported at a CDC “

I'm going to suggest that 60% is inaccurate. We are 55, 57 and 76. We all got it easily and had 3 variations for a month each. My guess is that every one has an equal probability of contracting it that comes in contact with it.
My question is: Can we make antibodies to combat a Frankenstein virus? I had a severe case. I contracted it via my steering wheel that my mechanic touched weeks after he contracted it. It is very contageous. Can I get tested for these antibodies?

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By: profvrr

profvrr — Sat, 23 May 2009 00:03:09 +0000

You are likely correct in your scenario. It is likely that the
spectrum of viruses produced in an egg is much more restricted than
the viruses produced in someone's respiratory tract. New sequencing
technologies are making it possible to actually find out.

By: Matt Dubuque

Matt Dubuque — Fri, 22 May 2009 23:26:01 +0000

One thought comes to mind. If I was exposed to an H1N1 virus from some rude person sneezing near me many years ago, I would have been exposed to a quasispecies of H1N1, with a myriad of viral particles across a spectrum of different genotypes.

My cursory understanding, which may be mistaken, leads me to believe that if I was vaccinated against a particular H1N1 strain, I would have been exposed to a smaller range of viral diversity.

By: Adults have cross-reactive antibodies to A/California/04/2009 (H1N1) | Swine Flu Outbreak

Fri, 22 May 2009 16:00:53 +0000

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