Whoa...that IS strange.
It seems peculiar it’s breaking out in April- flu “season” is fall/winter.
Here’s a quote from the article above pulled out:
“the American cases were found to be made up of genetic elements from four different flu viruses — North American swine influenza, North American avian influenza, human influenza A virus subtype H1N1, and swine influenza virus typically found in Asia and Europe.”
I take that to mean that the genetic makeup of the virus as found in the American cases include partial genetic components of Swine Flu, N. American Bird Flu, Human Influenza A sub-type H1N1, and an Asian/European swine influenza virus.
Sounds like an awfully weird combination to occur ‘naturally’, frankly. What kind of weird environment would give the “base” virus access to these other viruses, and then not view them as “competitors”, but instead would integrate them into itself via genetic mutation??
Again, this is all is based on my lay-man’s SPECULATION, and I am not a doctor, nurse, or anyone who works with infectious disease (the furthest education I had in this area was Advanced Biology - and AP course in HS).
I will say that although I KNOW that my bronchitis last week, and the flu my family suffered from and is still getting over isn’t THIS particular flu — it’s one of those things that makes it ‘hit home’ so to speak.