Comments on: Was the swine influenza threat underestimated? http://www.virology.ws/2009/06/08/was-the-swine-influenza-threat-underestimated/ About viruses and viral disease Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: profvrr http://www.virology.ws/2009/06/08/was-the-swine-influenza-threat-underestimated/comment-page-1/#comment-21801 profvrr Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:52:12 +0000 http://www.virology.ws/?p=1570#comment-21801 Antibody profiling is not something that is routinely done as part of<br>primary health care; it will likely be difficult to convince any doc<br>to do it. Personally I will take the vaccine in the fall, with the<br>expectation that even if the virus has diverged the infection will be<br>milder. Antibody profiling is not something that is routinely done as part of
primary health care; it will likely be difficult to convince any doc
to do it. Personally I will take the vaccine in the fall, with the
expectation that even if the virus has diverged the infection will be
milder.

]]> By: profvrr http://www.virology.ws/2009/06/08/was-the-swine-influenza-threat-underestimated/comment-page-1/#comment-1578 profvrr Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:52:12 +0000 http://www.virology.ws/?p=1570#comment-1578 Antibody profiling is not something that is routinely done as part of<br>primary health care; it will likely be difficult to convince any doc<br>to do it. Personally I will take the vaccine in the fall, with the<br>expectation that even if the virus has diverged the infection will be<br>milder. Antibody profiling is not something that is routinely done as part of
primary health care; it will likely be difficult to convince any doc
to do it. Personally I will take the vaccine in the fall, with the
expectation that even if the virus has diverged the infection will be
milder.

]]> By: online bingo http://www.virology.ws/2009/06/08/was-the-swine-influenza-threat-underestimated/comment-page-1/#comment-1501 online bingo Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:00:19 +0000 http://www.virology.ws/?p=1570#comment-1501 i don't think so, but probably coz symptoms are just the same having a normal flu that's why people thought it'll go away after day and never took it as a different kind of sickness i don't think so, but probably coz symptoms are just the same having a normal flu that's why people thought it'll go away after day and never took it as a different kind of sickness

]]> By: David http://www.virology.ws/2009/06/08/was-the-swine-influenza-threat-underestimated/comment-page-1/#comment-1487 David Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:38:36 +0000 http://www.virology.ws/?p=1570#comment-1487 Vincent, please let me know if I'm way off on this one.<br><br>I think the "official" number of infected Americans is somewhere around 15,000 but most experts admit that you can add at least one or maybe even two zero's behind this number for the actual number of Americans infected (with mild symptoms). <br><br>Most experts are predicting huge demand for the vaccine this fall. Natural infection of the virus during the Spring offers a high level of protection to similar circulating Fall strains.<br><br>So the point I am trying to make is that maybe we should urge "would-be" vaccine recipients to get tested to see what their current "influenza antibody profile" is prior to vaccination so the people that truly need vaccine protection get the limited number of vaccinations. Of course, if the subtyping tests are considerably more expensive than the vaccine then this might be a tough stance to take. Vincent, please let me know if I'm way off on this one.

I think the “official” number of infected Americans is somewhere around 15,000 but most experts admit that you can add at least one or maybe even two zero's behind this number for the actual number of Americans infected (with mild symptoms).

Most experts are predicting huge demand for the vaccine this fall. Natural infection of the virus during the Spring offers a high level of protection to similar circulating Fall strains.

So the point I am trying to make is that maybe we should urge “would-be” vaccine recipients to get tested to see what their current “influenza antibody profile” is prior to vaccination so the people that truly need vaccine protection get the limited number of vaccinations. Of course, if the subtyping tests are considerably more expensive than the vaccine then this might be a tough stance to take.

]]> By: Interactive Health http://www.virology.ws/2009/06/08/was-the-swine-influenza-threat-underestimated/comment-page-1/#comment-1462 Interactive Health Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:10:32 +0000 http://www.virology.ws/?p=1570#comment-1462 I really do not feel that the Swine flu was underestimated. Many argue that the press and concern was over-the-top. I don't agree with this either. Although some did push the envelope a bit further than necessary. Since this viral type was similar to the catastrophe of the Spanish Flu - there was reason for concern. Also it was something new - New is always scary. I really do not feel that the Swine flu was underestimated. Many argue that the press and concern was over-the-top. I don't agree with this either. Although some did push the envelope a bit further than necessary. Since this viral type was similar to the catastrophe of the Spanish Flu – there was reason for concern. Also it was something new – New is always scary.

]]> By: H1N1 Swine Flu Update | Science News http://www.virology.ws/2009/06/08/was-the-swine-influenza-threat-underestimated/comment-page-1/#comment-1451 H1N1 Swine Flu Update | Science News Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:01:28 +0000 http://www.virology.ws/?p=1570#comment-1451 [...] previously known as “swine flu” emerged in March this year in Mexico (not Asia). He suggests that we really shouldn’t underestimate [...] [...] previously known as “swine flu” emerged in March this year in Mexico (not Asia). He suggests that we really shouldn’t underestimate [...]

]]> By: profvrr http://www.virology.ws/2009/06/08/was-the-swine-influenza-threat-underestimated/comment-page-1/#comment-1435 profvrr Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:00:30 +0000 http://www.virology.ws/?p=1570#comment-1435 We can't predict which strains will extensive transmit among humans, but we can identify candidates. A key would be to identify viruses that are circulating in other animals that are antigenically diverse from those infecting humans, but which occasionally 'jump' into humans, such as the swine viruses mentioned in the post. We can't predict which strains will extensive transmit among humans, but we can identify candidates. A key would be to identify viruses that are circulating in other animals that are antigenically diverse from those infecting humans, but which occasionally 'jump' into humans, such as the swine viruses mentioned in the post.

]]> By: profvrr http://www.virology.ws/2009/06/08/was-the-swine-influenza-threat-underestimated/comment-page-1/#comment-1434 profvrr Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:58:24 +0000 http://www.virology.ws/?p=1570#comment-1434 Great question. You are right, we cannot look at the sequence of an influenza virus and say whether or not it has the ability to infect and transmit among humans. But we might be able to see viruses evolving that have the potential to infect humans. In this sense we might have noticed that there were H1N1 viruses evolving in pigs that were very different from the current human H1n1 strains and very similar to pig viruses that had jumped into humans. Such viruses would have the potential to infect humans because the viral proteins are so different and not recognized by the immune system. It is only retrospectively do we realize how H1N1 viruses were evolving in pigs. Great question. You are right, we cannot look at the sequence of an influenza virus and say whether or not it has the ability to infect and transmit among humans. But we might be able to see viruses evolving that have the potential to infect humans. In this sense we might have noticed that there were H1N1 viruses evolving in pigs that were very different from the current human H1n1 strains and very similar to pig viruses that had jumped into humans. Such viruses would have the potential to infect humans because the viral proteins are so different and not recognized by the immune system. It is only retrospectively do we realize how H1N1 viruses were evolving in pigs.

]]> By: thor183 http://www.virology.ws/2009/06/08/was-the-swine-influenza-threat-underestimated/comment-page-1/#comment-1432 thor183 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:29:34 +0000 http://www.virology.ws/?p=1570#comment-1432 Perhaps we'd be better off working under the assumption that we can't predict which strains will manifest as a pandemic and do things that will help us against these pandemics in general. Are there such things we can do? Things that are useful regardless of whether H1N1 or H5N1 or H2N2 hits? Perhaps we'd be better off working under the assumption that we can't predict which strains will manifest as a pandemic and do things that will help us against these pandemics in general. Are there such things we can do? Things that are useful regardless of whether H1N1 or H5N1 or H2N2 hits?

]]> By: Snicklefritz http://www.virology.ws/2009/06/08/was-the-swine-influenza-threat-underestimated/comment-page-1/#comment-1430 Snicklefritz Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:52:39 +0000 http://www.virology.ws/?p=1570#comment-1430 Sincere question: how would it have helped to identify the looming threat of this swine H1N1 even if we had paid more attention. As a layman, it seems to me that some of what we thought we knew about what was required for an influenza virus to adapt to humans is constantly changing.<br><br>So, how would we have know what changes to look for? Sincere question: how would it have helped to identify the looming threat of this swine H1N1 even if we had paid more attention. As a layman, it seems to me that some of what we thought we knew about what was required for an influenza virus to adapt to humans is constantly changing.

So, how would we have know what changes to look for?

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