[LibertyRocks]

“Why should this flu be any different. People die from flu, swine or otherwise.”

[Polarik, I know you understand the genetic stuff I’m describing much better than I. Please correct me if I’ve made a mistake here]

Honestly, because this isn’t actually SWINE flu, and the rate of death among those in Mexico is higher than a typical flu (and that was before the earthquake). [”Old Fashioned” Swine flu is naturally occurring and those who raise pigs are well aware of it. You catch it from infected animals and it CAN’T be tranferred from an infected human to another human — ONLY through contact with the animal itself. And, AFAIK it’s no more dangerous than catching “human flu”.]

This NEW VIRUS is a genetic combination of 4/5 different “flu” virus strains...

1. North American Swine Flu (animal to human transmission)
2. European Swine Flu (animal to human transmission)
3. Asian Swine Flu (animal to human transmission)
4. North American AVIAN flu (animal to animal transmission - among BIRDS only, AFAIK)
5. Human Influenza strain “A” (Human to Human transmission)

Now you get into the HOW questions — HOW did this virus mutate and combine at the genetic level, and how did these geographically located strains all combine in one place, AND get genetically combined with a strain of AVIAN flu, AND also combine with HUMAN influenza to make a new strain capable of Human to human transmission??? AND, how did it mutate and combine so quickly?

As for death rate — one statistic I saw regarding Mexico was an 8.5% death rate (Spanish Flu was 2.5%). Why that rate is SO high in Mexico when it doesn’t appear to be that high OUTSIDE Mexico could be due to MANY different factors (sanitation, population density, lower quality medical care, poverty, etc... etc...).

Another factor — there are reports that the first cases were actually in MARCH, that authorities KNEW this was a new virus approx. April 4th, and we didn’t hear a peep till April 24th.

While I am not suggesting panic, I also don’t think it’s something anyone should dismiss outright as “no big deal”.

[There is a chance that this was definitely a genetically ENGINEERED virus or BIOLOGICAL WEAPON. Remember also, if this is a terrorist action — actual death isn’t always as important to them as the creation of Fear, and Panic.]

[dawn53]

Honestly, because this isn’t actually SWINE flu, and the rate of death among those in Mexico is higher than a typical flu

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That’s up for debate, check out this thread.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2239823/posts

[DoughtyOne]

Interesting comments and subject matter...

I don’t have a problem with the information and comments, but I’m not totally convinced yet. We will find out in time, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see these ideas pan out.

[Polarik]

This virus was man-made. No doubt about it, and the process required pigs to be used to mix the viruses together.

OK, here we go. A brief technical explanation of the links between human influenza, avial influenza, and pigs:

The species which different types of influenza viruses are able to infect are determined by different forms of sialic acid present on the virus glycoproteins. In particular, this property depends predominately (but not exclusively) on the amino acid at position 226 of the haemagglutinin protein.

This provides a considerable species barrier between birds and humans which is not easily overcome. However, pigs provide a "mixing pot" - able to be infected by both types of virus & thus allowing the passage of avian viruses to humans.

How did avian flu infect humans?

In May 1997, a three year-old boy died of complications of influenza in the intensive care unit of a Hong Kong hospital. This case was the first isolation of an influenza A subtype H5N1 in a human. Subtype H5 influenza viruses can cause lethal avian influenza, a disease that can decimate flocks of domestic poultry.

Fortunately, this outbreak eventually fizzled out, but not before there had been 18 confirmed human cases and 6 deaths. Why did the outbreak go away? The H5 haemagglutinin has an HA226gln sequence - i.e. was an avian virus poorly adapted to humans. There is clear evidence that between its emergence in 1997 and 2004, H5N1 isolates have become significantly more pathogenic for mammals

There is a cyclical pattern to pandemics that appears to be from 59 to 68 years. Take a look at this historical chart: