Swine Flu

[Montreal Wanderer]

Can someone explain this people between 20 and 40 thing? And surely the fact my grandparents are both ill and will both by winter have had surgery in the last few months affect that? Thing with this is there is so much hysteria on one hand, and understatement designed to reduce panic (whether or not there is reason to) that it's difficult to know what's going on. A feature on the news this evening said that the figure at the moment was roughly 1 in 200 diagnosed at the moment die, but essentially that is absolutely no guide since christ knows how many are symptomless, undiagnosed, confused for other things, plus there's only a small sample at the moment. How do they know which is swine flu as opposed to normal flu? I assume they check? Gutted if you had normal flu. Finally once you've had it, are you antibodied up? Or are there enough strains that it won't make a difference?

Too many questions, prufrock. H1N1 appeared unusual in that it initially infected healthy adults more seriously than the young and the old. But all age groups are at risk. In the large percentage of deaths, the victim had a prior health problem - but not all. Once you've had it you should be immune to that particular strain, although the virus does mutate (assuming a healthy immune system). You are also immune to the common cold once you've had it. Unfortunately there are over 200 strains so you get them one by one. Thus older people tend to have fewer colds per year than kids. They check whether it is swine flu or not - thus the stats say suspected and confirmed - the UK has about 10,000 confirmed cases and 17 deaths so far.

[Prufrock]

That's pretty much as I thought. So all age groups are simialrly at risk, and the idea younger healthier people are more at risk is bogus?? And people with existing health problems are more at risk than those without?

[BWFC_Insane]

Can someone explain this people between 20 and 40 thing? And surely the fact my grandparents are both ill and will both by winter have had surgery in the last few months affect that? Thing with this is there is so much hysteria on one hand, and understatement designed to reduce panic (whether or not there is reason to) that it's difficult to know what's going on. A feature on the news this evening said that the figure at the moment was roughly 1 in 200 diagnosed at the moment die, but essentially that is absolutely no guide since christ knows how many are symptomless, undiagnosed, confused for other things, plus there's only a small sample at the moment. How do they know which is swine flu as opposed to normal flu? I assume they check? Gutted if you had normal flu. Finally once you've had it, are you antibodied up? Or are there enough strains that it won't make a difference?

Pru I can answer a few of those for you.

In terms of being more at risk between 20 and 40. This is based on previous pandemics. The reason being that what actually kills often is the oversenstive reaction from the bodies immune system to a virus it has never seen before. It basically floods the lungs and stomach with antibodies causing you to eventually drown or bleed to death. Not pleasant.

However, there is no evidence that this is actually happening with Swine flu yet as genetic analysis showed it does not adhere in the lungs yet, but of course could very quickly mutate to do so and in rare cases may do so even without the required genes.

You cannot distinguish between swine flu and normal flu based on symptoms. Anyone with flu out of season will be assumed to have swine flu. As for immuntiy it is more likely that the virus will mutate so that getting it once won't provide immunity long term. Like seasonal flu where a new vaccine is needed every year.

Howevr for now getting it once should mean you are ok for a short while at leastt. 30,000 people die annuall ofseasonal flu in the uk and they are usually the old and young and those with health issues.Basically they are still in danger from this but no more so than anyonormal flu that they aren't immunised for. Hope that helps somewhat!

[Montreal Wanderer]

That's pretty much as I thought. So all age groups are simialrly at risk, and the idea younger healthier people are more at risk is bogus?? And people with existing health problems are more at risk than those without?

Not quite what I said, Pru. I said that healthy adults seem more at risk with swine flu than with other flu bugs, though all age groups are at risk.

With normal flu it tends to be just the elderly and very young who are at risk (and people with certain health complications), with this strain healthy people aged between 25 to 45 are most at risk.

They think the reason for this is that it causes an overreaction in young peoples immune systems whereas older people's immune systems react more slowly.

This is more or less what the insane one indicated i think. However, other health problems certainly increase the risk.

[Prufrock]

Can someone explain this people between 20 and 40 thing? And surely the fact my grandparents are both ill and will both by winter have had surgery in the last few months affect that? Thing with this is there is so much hysteria on one hand, and understatement designed to reduce panic (whether or not there is reason to) that it's difficult to know what's going on. A feature on the news this evening said that the figure at the moment was roughly 1 in 200 diagnosed at the moment die, but essentially that is absolutely no guide since christ knows how many are symptomless, undiagnosed, confused for other things, plus there's only a small sample at the moment. How do they know which is swine flu as opposed to normal flu? I assume they check? Gutted if you had normal flu. Finally once you've had it, are you antibodied up? Or are there enough strains that it won't make a difference?

Pru I can answer a few of those for you.

In terms of being more at risk between 20 and 40. This is based on previous pandemics. The reason being that what actually kills often is the oversenstive reaction from the bodies immune system to a virus it has never seen before. It basically floods the lungs and stomach with antibodies causing you to eventually drown or bleed to death. Not pleasant.

However, there is no evidence that this is actually happening with Swine flu yet as genetic analysis showed it does not adhere in the lungs yet, but of course could very quickly mutate to do so and in rare cases may do so even without the required genes.

You cannot distinguish between swine flu and normal flu based on symptoms. Anyone with flu out of season will be assumed to have swine flu. As for immuntiy it is more likely that the virus will mutate so that getting it once won't provide immunity long term. Like seasonal flu where a new vaccine is needed every year.

Howevr for now getting it once should mean you are ok for a short while at leastt. 30,000 people die annuall ofseasonal flu in the uk and they are usually the old and young and those with health issues.Basically they are still in danger from this but no more so than anyonormal flu that they aren't immunised for. Hope that helps somewhat!

That's what I thought/hoped.

[Prufrock]

That's pretty much as I thought. So all age groups are simialrly at risk, and the idea younger healthier people are more at risk is bogus?? And people with existing health problems are more at risk than those without?

Not quite what I said, Pru. I said that healthy adults seem more at risk with swine flu than with other flu bugs, though all age groups are at risk.

With normal flu it tends to be just the elderly and very young who are at risk (and people with certain health complications), with this strain healthy people aged between 25 to 45 are most at risk.

They think the reason for this is that it causes an overreaction in young peoples immune systems whereas older people's immune systems react more slowly.

This is more or less what the insane one indicated i think. However, other health problems certainly increase the risk.

Ah right. Didn't read it properly. Long day.

[eddybwfc]

I rang the swine flu helpline today, i got through but all i could hear was crackling

[Prufrock]

I rang the swine flu helpline today, i got through but all i could hear was crackling

I rang the rape helpline. Apparently it's only for victims.

[davroduk]

Well I dont give a T0ss.
Me and Mrs Duk are of to Mexico for a couple of weeks at the end of August.

There should be no problem - just wash your hands, drink bottled water and no intercourse with the locals (human or livestock).

$hit, thats my holiday ruined then.

[FD]

I've had swine flu now for 2-4 days.

It's nasty.

[Montreal Wanderer]

I've had swine flu now for 2-4 days.

It's nasty.

I expect you got it through that rear entry stuff... Take care if it really is swine flu and not some random bug.

[Bruce Rioja]

I've been known to have had wine flu. Quite often in fact.

[TANGODANCER]

Wife reckons when they landed at Corfu Airport last week they all had to pass through some sort of scan for Swine Flu with a masked computer technician checking them out. Says she never noticed anything similar coming back into Manchester?

[CrazyHorse]

Is the masked computer technician quite possibly the worlds geekiest superhero? Fighting crime, protecting people and re-installing Windows?

[TANGODANCER]

Is the masked computer technician quite possibly the worlds geekiest superhero? Fighting crime, protecting people and re-installing Windows?

Aye, most likely.