US 'very concerned' about swine flu outbreak: "US medical authorities expressed strong concern Friday about an unprecedented multi-strain swine flu outbreak that has killed at least 60 people in Mexico and infected seven people in the United States."
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The 1918-1919 flu epidemic killed at least 20 million people. That's why President Ford authorized a swine flu vaccination program. The CDC is all over this situation because this strain is contagious from human to human, and it is unusual because it has swine, avian, and human strains.
4 comments:
I'm guessing those who received the Swine Flu vaccination in 1976 won't have current immunity to this strain.
That is an interesting question. I'm inclined to agree with you, but those of us who had the shot can still hope. Maybe we didn't risk Guillain-Barre Syndrome for nothing!
Knowing a fair amount about this and other viruses, I would advise everyone to support their immune system via diet and supplementation and of course, hand washing.
Dr. McKenzie you are right about the make up of this flu (swine, avian, human strains) and the mode of transmition; zoonotic, then human to human.
As far as immunity from a Swine Flu vaccination, in 1976, this appears to be a much different strain, and I would suspect the vaccination of over 30 years ago
will not be too effective. Everyone is different though, and if you have had the vaccination and contract this current strain of Swine Flu, maybe the symptoms will be lessened, or presented differently. Let's hope and pray this outbreak is contained and few
are forecd to fight for their lives. This appers to be "a bad one."
I am interested to learn about the origin of this virus and who/how has it been identified and defined.
One curious thing is the (initially at least) higher lethality among Hispanics vs. Caucasians. Could possibly be explained by centuries of viral history. Perhaps people of European descent have more history of swine contact and the viral mixing bowl that is the swine throat. Add to that the national swine flu immunization program of 1976 and maybe there's an explanation. In any case, it's early on and the epidemiologists have their work cut out for themselves.
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