Posted on 12/29/2011 1:15:14 PM PST by tired&retired
— The number of reported cases of a novel swine influenza virus has risen to 12 since July, encompassing 5 states, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The virus includes a gene from the human pandemic strain and affects mostly children.
The infections in question involve a variant of the A(H3N2) virus that circulates among pigs. It contains a gene from the pandemic 2009 influenza A(H1N1) virus that codes for matrix proteins found in the viral shell.
In 3 of the 5 states where the A(H3N2)v virus has surfaced — Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Maine — patients became infected after direct or indirect contact with pigs. In Iowa and West Virginia, the other 2 states, the evidence suggests that the virus spread from human to human on a limited basis.
In 1 case, a girl in Pennsylvania came down with the infection after exposure to pigs at an agricultural fair on August 16.
The first likely instance of limited human-to-human transmission of the A(H3N2)v virus was described in an MMWR report published December 2. The virus was discovered in 3 children in 2 counties. None of them had had any recent exposure to pigs.
On December 23, the CDC published another MMWR report that brought the infection count up to 12 and described the 3 latest cases: another in Indiana and 2 cases in West Virginia. In Indiana, a man who had worked with pigs was hospitalized for 4 days in October. In contrast, 2 children under 5 years of age in West Virginia were infected with the A(H3N2)v virus without having come into contact with pigs or traveling recently. Both attended the same daycare center.
Another novel version of swine influenza is on the CDC's radar. In a recent post on its Web site, the agency reported the discovery of an A(H1N1) virus with genes from avian, swine, and human influenza genes. Like A(H3N2)v, it features the matrix gene from the pandemic 2009 influenza A(H1N1) virus, which probably was transmitted from humans to swine after the outbreak of the 2009-2010 pandemic. The novel virus, called A(H1N1)v, was detected in a Wisconsin man who had worked with pigs before getting sick.
As with A(H3N2)v, the current formulation of seasonal flu vaccine probably will not protect people from A(H1N1)v.
More information on the A(H1N1)v virus is available at the CDC Web site.
You, too. I didn’t get a shot. I need to go to the store today but really don’t want to so am trying to rationalize that there are less germs there today than probably will be in a few days.
We have not had the flu since we started getting flu shots years ago, before that we came down with the nasty stuff every year.
Our grocery stores have started providing disinfectant wipes to clean of the cart handles. That wouldn't help you if someone coughs in your face.
I had bronchial pneumonia a few years ago but no flu.
HEB used to have them but not since the summer. Just came in from Walmart (packed) and immediately washed my hands before putting things away. Speaking of, food prices have gone up in the last two weeks. Milk came down to just over $3. Several items (50 lb Alpo, mexican tv dinners and egg rolls) aren't carried anymore at Walmart or HEB.
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