And if so does this prove any dangers.
What type of problems have this avian (bird) flu caused in the past? Were there a great number of fatalities due to the avian flu and if so is it just because of the lack of decent medical care of is this something very serious and hard to contain or control?
Best Answer: This virus was called swine flu because many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs in North America. However, latest study has shown that this new virus (influenza A H1N1) has avian genes, human genes and two genes from flu viruses that usually occur in pigs in Europe and Asia. Scientists call this a “quadruple reassortant” virus.Regular flu kills 36,000 people a year in the United States and estimated 375,000 worldwide, About 90 percent of those deaths are among people older than 65 who already have health problems and cause their underlying disease to decompensate and then they don't have the reserves to fight the regular virus. Peoples are worried about the new swine flu outbreak because many of those who died in Mexico have been young and otherwise healthy individual.
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This flu is different from avian H1B1 strains and our early analysis indicates it is approximately 1000% more contagious.
Based on our reporting hospitals, the media is not over hyping, but probably under reporting the danger. We have had only one fatality so far, but have over 150 critically ill patients in Houston alone.
Other have mentioned in their answers the danger of the virus is in part due to the lack of immunity to this new strain. The strain here in Texas has mutated to become particularly dangerous in the last few days. Patients are feeling fine and within 24 hours are admitted and on life support.
One thing that has not been mentioned is all of the unusual methods of the virus spreading.
Despite what pork lobby is saying, yes you can definitely get Swine flu from eating pork. You can also get it from exposure to hundreds of other products manufactured using pork byproducts, as this provides a fertile medium for the virus to grow.
Most of the fatalities that have occurred so far in Mexico have not been transmitted person to person, but rather through food or pork byproducts. In fact the largest vector seems to be copy and printing paper. About 90% of this paper type is manufactured using pork byproducts. The only U.S. fatality so far has been linked to copy paper contaminated with the virus.
Many pet foods and toys use pork or pork byproducts. Also most of the leather goods (belts, shoes, wallets, coats, purses) sold in the U.S. are made of pigskin.
Please exercise caution in where you go, what you wear, and what you eat. Make sure to avoid all swine related products.
Dr. Hasan T. Jafri, MD
Director, UTSE Medical Center Infectious Disease Laboratory
Thats what they are saying.
This virus was called swine flu because many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs in North America. However, latest study has shown that this new virus (influenza A H1N1) has avian genes, human genes and two genes from flu viruses that usually occur in pigs in Europe and Asia. Scientists call this a “quadruple reassortant” virus.
Regular flu kills 36,000 people a year in the United States and estimated 375,000 worldwide, About 90 percent of those deaths are among people older than 65 who already have health problems and cause their underlying disease to decompensate and then they don’t have the reserves to fight the regular virus. Peoples are worried about the new swine flu outbreak because many of those who died in Mexico have been young and otherwise healthy individual.