Swine flu is a respiratory disease, caused by influenza type A which normally infects pigs. Symptoms of swine flu in humans are similar to those produced by standard, seasonal flu. These include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue. The latest form of Swine flu (Mexico 2009) can be spread from person to person. This version of the virus is H1N1 but contains genetic material that is typically found in strains of the virus that affect humans, birds and swine.
Three times in the last century, influenza viruses have undergone major genetic changes resulting in global pandemics that had devastating effects (Kawaoka 2006 Influenza Virology: Current Topics). The most infamous pandemic was the “Spanish Flu” which affected up to 25% of the world population and is thought to have killed at least 40 million people in 1918-1919 (Taubenberger and Palese, 2006 The Origin and Virulence of the 1918 ‘Spanish’ Influenza Virus). More recently, two other influenza pandemics, the “Asian Flu” in 1957 and the “Hong Kong Flu” in 1968, killed millions of people worldwide. These caused severe disease, not only in the young and the elderly, who are usually very susceptible to influenza, but also among healthy younger persons.
By my count, collecting the info from various news sources, the ages of the US victims are…
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2 high school Texas *** 2 under 20
4 San Diego County, California 7, 10, 16 and 54 years old *** 3 under 20 and one over 50
3 Imperial County, California 10, 35 year old woman(hospitalized) and one 41 year old woman *** 1 under 20, 1 in the death range, that was hospitalized, and one over 40
2 Married couple in Kansas, husband returning from Mexico on business. 2 Probably over 40
1 Ohio 9 year old boy *** 1 under 20
8 NYC prep school *** 8 under 20
Total:
15 – under 20
4 – over 40
1 – 35 (Hospitalized.)
In summary, 19 out of the 20 US victims aren’t in the 20-40 range where people die. The one in that range had to be hospitalized. Sure hope the CDC is just acting stupid as to why they aren’t dying here too.
Apparently these pandemic viruses kill the 20-40 year olds because they have the strongest immune system, and their immune system contributes to killing them by over-reacting or something. The young and old don’t have such strong immune systems. But seems to me, just on a hunch, that those weaker immune systems, those under 20 and over 40, might show the symptoms first. They wouldn’t have noticed that in Mexico, because they didn’t notice nothing until people started dying in the US and we told them to look for it.
As with everyting in life it is best to be prepared. Here is a link to the CDC for information on the Swine Flu. http://pfx.me/NR