What is Swine Flu?
Swine flu or swine influenza is a disease common in swine, with normal flu-like symptoms, but caused by any strain of the swine influenza virus (SIV – virus endemic in pigs). Though rare in humans, individuals with greater exposure to swine could contract swine influenza if the swine are carrying the particular rare strain of the SIV that is capable of affecting humans. Even then, it is a rare occurrence for the strain to be able to pass from human to human. This could occur if the SIV is able to mutate into a form that can be easily transmitted among humans. The swine flu outbreak of 2009 is believed to be caused by such a mutated strain of the SIV. The current outbreak is called swine flu only because one of the surface proteins of the tested virus is similar to the one which infects pigs. It is still unknown if this is currently infecting pigs though it’s clearly spreading among people, leading the World Health Organization to raise the Phase 4 pandemic alert. This new strain responsible for the outbreak has been found to be a re-assortment of strains of the influenza A virus subtype H1N1. These strains [...]
Hong Kong to dump 2.8 mn doses of swine flu vaccine
Hong Kong to dump 2.8 mn doses of swine flu vaccine Hong Kong to dump 2.8 mn doses of swine flu vaccineHong Kong to dump 2.8 mn doses of swine flu vaccine Read more on The Economic Times Hong Kong to dump 2.8 mn doses of swine flu vaccine Around 2.8 million doses of unwanted swine flu vaccine worth $28.2 million are to be thrown away, officials said here Thursday. Read more on Sify News
W.Va. success mixed on H1N1 virus, flu summit attendees hear
Pandemic Influenza H1N1 2009 (swine flu) – update The number of consultations for influenza-like illness has been increasing slowly, particularly over the past two weeks. Many general practices are seeing more young children who are unwell. Read more on Scoop.co.nz W.Va. success mixed on H1N1 virus, flu summit attendees hear CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia did better than the national average in vaccinating residents from H1N1 flu, but missed the mark with several groups most susceptible to the virus, officials with the state Bureau for Public Health said Thursday. … Read more on The Charleston Gazette
Swine flu absent from disease statistics
Swine flu experts linked to big pharma Trio of scientists who urged stockpiling had previously been paid, says report Scientists who drew up the key World Health Organisation guidelines advising governments to stockpile drugs in the event of a flu pandemic had previously been paid by drug companies which stood to profit, according to a report out today. An investigation by the British Medical Journal and the Bureau of Investigative … Read more on Guardian Unlimited Swine flu absent from disease statistics South Canterbury is swine flu-free. Read more on Timaru Herald
Study finds small risk of catching swine flu on flights
Council slams WHO over swine flu The World Health Organ-ization is criticized for exaggerating the risk, with drugmakers benefiting. Read more on Portland Press Herald Study finds small risk of catching swine flu on flights Travellers have a “small but measurable” risk of contracting pandemic A/H1N1 influenza, or swine flu, during long-haul flights, research by Otago University has found. Read more on NZPA via Yahoo!Xtra News
Mutations help flu evade drug
Big Pharma’s Big Time Swine Flu Swindle [Findings] # findings Remember when H1N1 was going to infect and kill everyone on Earth unless, of course, we all purchased Tamiflu©? Shocker: The scientists who drafted the WHO’s governmental advisories to stockpile drugs were paid consultants to the drug’s producers. More » Read more on Gawker Mutations help flu evade drug WASHINGTON – TWO extra mutations set the stage for the seasonal influenza virus to evolve into a form that now resists three of the four drugs designed to fight it, researchers reported on Thursday. Their study, published in the journal Science, provides a way for scientists to keep an eye out for dangerous mutations in new flu viruses, including the ongoing pandemic of H1N1 swine flu. Read more on Straits Times
States failed to use imported vaccines during H1N1 peak
Swine flu research judged positive Swine flu vaccines tested on children in Oxford had mostly minor side effects and should provide good protection against the illness, research has shown. Read more on This is Oxfordshire States failed to use imported vaccines during H1N1 peak Big states like Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan did not vaccinate frontline healthcare workers — the people most at risk of getting infected with H1N1 swine flu — with a vaccine imported and sent to them by the Centre, the health ministry has found. Read more on The Times of India
WHO experts meet to assess if flu pandemic over
Suspect flu vaccine to remain in use Australian-made flu vaccine Fluvax, found to trigger a nine times higher than expected rate of convulsions in babies, will remain available but subject to precautionary measures. Read more on The Age WHO experts meet to assess if flu pandemic over Source: Reuters * WHO emergency committee assesses state of H1N1 flu spread * May push pandemic alert to final stage, declaring it over * Announcement due on Wednesday (Updates with end of meeting, results … Read more on AlertNet
Young Children Respond Well To Recommended Swine Flu Vaccine
Swine flu hoax? Get real The pandemic flu might have been less savage than originally predicted but that doesn’t mean scientists were crying wolf, says Debora MacKenzie Read more on New Scientist Young Children Respond Well To Recommended Swine Flu Vaccine Safety and immunogenicity of AS03B adjuvanted split virion versus non-adjuvanted whole virion H1N1 influenza vaccine in UK children aged 6 months-12 years: Open-label, randomized, parallel group, multicenter study Read more on redOrbit
6 foods that take a bite out of the flu
Hundreds In Neb. Sickened By H1N1 In 2009 Season LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — More than a dozen deaths and 536 illnesses in Nebraska during the 2009 flu season were attributed to swine flu, according to a state report released Thursday. Read more on Yankton Press & Dakotan 6 foods that take a bite out of the flu Boost your immunity with healthy recipes and simple advice from Epicurious and Dr. John La Puma, author of “ChefMD’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine.” Author – John La Puma – Cooking – Home – World Cuisines Read more on MSNBC