Unless you have access to material prepared for and presented to medical professionals about this flu variant, then you cannot compare what I am reading and paraphrasing from MD- only sites ( which require an MD license verification to register) to the extremely generic info on Wikipedia.
I am well-versed in the annual CDC influenza reports, of course. It is also common knowledge that yearly flu vaccines are prepared from these same trending reports. The vaccine is produced way ahead of the yearly N. A. influenza season and contains a mixture of the most likely flu strain variants based upon the CDC and also Asian seasonal influenza trending when yearly vaccine is being formulated by the major manufacturers.
H1N1 is a common Type A influenza strain, yes, in so far as you broadly stated yourself.
However, the variant of swine flu now presenting, which has been infecting humans in Mexico for at least 1 month without the CDC being aware of the existence of any influenza illness or death in Mexico, is not a common variant.
It is not one which any of us have been inoculated against or which epidemiologists believe those of us in this era have ever had first line exposure to.
Therefore, we do not have immunity to fight it. If you do not understand why we do not have immunity to all influenza variants and want to understand why, I can explain the antibody- antigen response, both passive and acquired.
I am not here to cause panic, dissension, or strife. I have quoted statements from news bulletins sent to the medical community only as they have arrived in my Inbox from the CDC and from Homeland Security.
As a resident of a state bordering Mexico, and a young person with a very serious chronic illness affecting two major organ systems, I probably hope more than anyone else that this turns out to be a false alarm. That no one in the USA dies. That health care needs are met here and elsewhere.
And that most of all, as we attempt to interact with each other in the spirit of Websleuths, that other posters are not called " absurd" or their posts called " absurd" simply because another poster reading the information contained may not have a clear understanding of the other poster's knowledge or meaning regarding the many RNA variants in viruses and their mutations.
Maria
I am grateful that you have seen fit to further explain the meaning of your original, rather imprecise statement. Perhaps you might allow that this was indeed the point I was trying to make initially, that this is a "variant" of a virus which we are dealing with.
You said, in your first post, quite unequivocally,
"One thing is different: Humans have never been inoculated against H1N1 influenza."
Please note. This is a quote. Your own words. Exactly.
I have to ask you, with your stated background and expertise, to consider this question; If you had seen this same statement made by someone else, would you have felt it to be a scientifically accurate one?
The question of vaccines and flu virus variants is not a simple one. We agree on this. Your original post seemed to suggest that it is.
I'm not sure if the CDC is an acceptable reference when compared to your super-secret doctors-only sources, but they seem to have this to say about the subject, quoted from
this link.
Can the vaccine provide protection even if the vaccine is not a "good" match?
Yes, antibodies made in response to vaccination with one strain of influenza viruses can provide protection against different, but related strains. A less than ideal match may result in reduced vaccine effectiveness against the variant viruses, but it can still provide enough protection to prevent or lessen illness severity and prevent flu-related complications. In addition, it's important to remember that the influenza vaccine contains three virus strains so that even when there is a less than ideal match or lower effectiveness against one strain, the vaccine may protect against the other two viruses. For these reasons, even during seasons when there is a less than ideal match, CDC continues to recommend influenza vaccination. This is particularly important for people at high risk for serious flu complications and their close contacts.
This statement might lead one to believe that even vaccines not targeted towards a specific new antigenic profile could still provide some efficacy against it. Do you disagree with such an assessment?
To reiterate, your original post was quite unequivocal.
I'm reassured to find that you are now tempering your earliest statements with a more considered and balanced explanation of your meaning.
In support of your effort I'll include this quote from
another CDC page (if the CDC is an acceptable reference), which I believe is in support of the point you wanted to make.
Human Infections with Swine Influenza A Virus:
On April 17, 2009, CDC and the California Department of Public Health determined that two cases of febrile respiratory illness occurring in children who reside in adjacent counties in southern California were caused by infection with a swine influenza A (H1N1) virus. On April 22, CDC confirmed an additional three cases of swine influenza among residents of the two counties, two adults and one adolescent. All case-patients had symptoms of ILI. Additional testing at CDC identified swine influenza A (H1N1). All five had self-limited ILI and have recovered; one required hospitalization. Two additional cases were identified from Texas and confirmed as swine influenza at CDC on April 23.
Of the five case-patients with swine influenza A (H1N1) infection from California, two are a father and daughter and other than the father-daughter, the five case-patients have no known epidemiologic link or contact with pigs. The two new case-patients from Texas are schoolmates and an epidemiologic investigation is currently underway.
The viruses from all seven cases are closely related genetically and contain a unique combination of gene segments that have not been reported in the United States or elsewhere. Viruses from 6 cases are all resistant to amantadine and rimantidine and sensitive to zanamivir and oseltamivir, and sensitivity testing is underway for the remaining virus.
Vaccination with seasonal influenza vaccine containing human influenza A (H1N1) would not be expected to provide protection against swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses.
The final line in the above quote (which I have bolded) is, I believe, what you were trying to say. I was not in disagreement with what you meant. I was in disagreement with what you said.
(A minor aside on the subject of quotes. In your post above you quote me as having described a statement of yours as "absurd". Twice. I didn't call it "absurd". I called it "utter drivel" in one post, and "patently ridiculous" in another. I don't mind in the least bit being chastised for rudeness, but please be accurate about it.)
