by Mona Gallagher

Created on: May 11, 2009

The news is inundated with reports of the new strain of swine flu since the first reports came out of Mexico. WHO (World Health Organization) has issued a phase 5 pandemic alert on the new strain of A virus, H1N1 that has commonly been tagged, "swine flu." What makes this A virus so scary is that there is no clear prognosis. Will it spread rapidly leaving destruction in its path and will it mutate and re-emerge more lethal in the regular flu season next fall?

CDC (Center for Disease Control) reported that the new strain contains genes that are normally found in pigs indigenous to Europe and Asia, but this subtype strain also contains bird and human genes in addition to the two pig genes. Researchers are still not certain of the roots (ancestry) of the new strain of swine flu and the public is learning as information becomes available.

Reports from the 1950s cited human and pig virus antibodies present in survivors of the 1918-1919 pandemic that killed 50 million people. Given all the unanswered questions, It's easy to understand why WHO and other health agencies such as CDC are concerned about the volatility and spread of new strain. Influenza A viruses undergo changes called antigen shift. It's an abrupt change for which there is no readiness or vaccination protection.

The first reported case of swine flu in 1976 was Pvt. David Lewis at Fort Dix. He complained of feeling tired and weak, but continued on a training hike and within 24 hours he was dead. Officials determined that swine flu had killed 19-year-old Lewis. President Ford ordered a nationwide vaccination program fearing an epidemic of the same proportions of 1918, but Pvt. Lewis was the only recorded fatality.

There's no need for panic, although the new strain can be fatal to humans, as of this writing, CDC statistics in the US include: 2542 confirmed cases, 722 "probable" cases in 44 states with 3 deaths suggesting a milder outbreak. To add some perspective, seasonal flu causes an average of 36,000 deaths each year.

CDC is providing known information available to the public to help combat the spread of the virus and recommend actions to avoid, and plan for a pandemic.

Symptoms:

Though symptoms vary, generally these are the symptoms are similar to seasonal influenza. Watch for: fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose and body aches. Headaches, chills, diarrhea and vomiting also occur with this influenza virus. If you've been in close contact with someone who has been ill with those symptoms,

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