40 confirmed cases of swine flu in united states

[Yoda]

If your kid can\'t handle a flu and dies, it\'s natural selection, people get stronger, flu gets weaker. (dont take it personal pops, I mean kids in general)

You can say, don\'t take it person, but when you you say "If your kid can\'t handle a flu and dies, it\'s natural selection...", how the fuck else am I supposed to take it?  If you have a kid, then I\'ll value your opinion somewhat, but until that day comes STFU about kids dying and it being natural selection...

Take it from a global, scientific, or 3rd person perspective. That is, if you want to grasp the meaning of my statement. Obviously I don\'t want your kid to die and never would say or intend anything like that. This is a scientific discussion it\'s not all about you and your (congratulations) baby. I even wrote out specifically that my statement was not directed at your child so maybe time for your morning coffee?

and all thepeople who have gotten it in the US have been fine with our western medicine.

It does help not to be stuck in a remote village in Mexico with probably dirty water and poor nutrition and drug cartels shooting bullets all around you.

There are definately interests served by having this in the media.  What I find curious is that people in this country die of the regular old flu every year.

Even the "regular flu" is hardly regular anymore. Thank you Tamiflu and global warming.

Sleep, drink fluids, and maybe go see a doctor. Remain calm. All is well.

I grasp the meaning of your statement, but when there are actual human beings involved, you cannot take the human element out of it and substitute it with scientific data and hypothesis; that where we have a philosophical difference of agreement.  Yes, I\'m a bit freaked over this new breakout... My wife is 6 months pregnant and I don\'t need any outside health concerns to affect my yet-to be-born child...

[kindm's]

If your kid can\'t handle a flu and dies, it\'s natural selection, people get stronger, flu gets weaker. (dont take it personal pops, I mean kids in general)

You can say, don\'t take it person, but when you you say "If your kid can\'t handle a flu and dies, it\'s natural selection...", how the fuck else am I supposed to take it?  If you have a kid, then I\'ll value your opinion somewhat, but until that day comes STFU about kids dying and it being natural selection...

Take it from a global, scientific, or 3rd person perspective. That is, if you want to grasp the meaning of my statement. Obviously I don\'t want your kid to die and never would say or intend anything like that. This is a scientific discussion it\'s not all about you and your (congratulations) baby. I even wrote out specifically that my statement was not directed at your child so maybe time for your morning coffee?

and all thepeople who have gotten it in the US have been fine with our western medicine.

It does help not to be stuck in a remote village in Mexico with probably dirty water and poor nutrition and drug cartels shooting bullets all around you.

There are definately interests served by having this in the media.  What I find curious is that people in this country die of the regular old flu every year.

Even the "regular flu" is hardly regular anymore. Thank you Tamiflu and global warming.

Sleep, drink fluids, and maybe go see a doctor. Remain calm. All is well.

I grasp the meaning of your statement, but when there are actual human beings involved, you cannot take the human element out of it and substitute it with scientific data and hypothesis; that where we have a philosophical difference of agreement.  Yes, I\'m a bit freaked over this new breakout... My wife is 6 months pregnant and I don\'t need any outside health concerns to affect my yet-to be-born child...

You know I am only 35 and when I was born / a youngster / young adult flu shots were unheard of. They didn\'t give us shots for the f-ing FLU. This has to be the dumbest f-ing thing ever. It is a virus. Just like is posted before, you have to be exactly correct on strain.

And basically by getting a hsot you are injecting the flu virus in to your system in hopes you build anti-bodies against it. So you may still get sick.

I don\'t get flu shots never have on principal. I very rarely get sick. Maybe once a year if that. And I certainly do not take care of myself. I don\'t get them because so company wants to inject me with a virus in hopes that I don\'t miss work. That is really a f-d situation in my mind.

[princesscaspian]

whats terrifying about this particular strain is not its virulence, but rather, the mutations that it represents in the flu virus....

essentially, our modern day flu-shots predict what antigenic shift will come from the seasonal flu... ie, a H1N4 virus turning to a H1N5 virus... which is a small genetic difference between the "n" proteins.... what it doesn\'t account for is the antigenic drift... ie an H1N4 mutating to a distant H1N1 strain....  the virus has just never been that strong/quickly adaptable within our time limits to develop a vaccine....

the purpose of getting inoculated against the flu is mostly damage control. its not intended to PREVENT the flu, but more to give people with weak immune systems a "boost" to help them fight the infection faster if they are exposed, and prevent complications secondary to the flu... ie, respiratory failure/pneumonia.

i administered 100+ flu shots this season, but opted not to get one myself.... simply because i am young with a strong immune system. any disease i can keep out of my body, i will. if, however, i had a kidney transplant and was on immunosuppressant therapy, i would certainly get a shot.

what is interesting and scary about this strain is the multiple sources of genetic material they are finding. there were known swine influenza genes in the samples they\'ve taken, known to be present in north america. however, they are finding evidence from a swine flu that is native to europe and asia, with absolutely no idea how it was transmitted. they are also saying that while it is an H1N1 virus (same as 1918 pandemic), those with antibodies to the traditional H1N1 infection in north america will probably not be immune to this strain since its so genetically different.

and spacey, you\'re right, it hasn\'t killed 7 people in Mexico, it\'s killed an estimated 7% of people its infected (pandemic of 1918= killed 2.5% of people infected)

very interested to see this unfold.... going to be an interesting next 48 hours i think !

[weekapaug19]

Just a heads up, I just got BACK from Mexico yesterday, and it was pretty freaky in the airport. People had masks on, flights were delayed, people freaking out and nervous. In case your wondering, I feel fine as of now, hopefully nothing changes......but ya, I\'m nervous

[princesscaspian]

.... just checked the cdc website: up to 64 confirmed cases in the US, (45 in NYC).... plus cases reported in 2 more countries....

Just a heads up, I just got BACK from Mexico yesterday, and it was pretty freaky in the airport. People had masks on, flights were delayed, people freaking out and nervous. In case your wondering, I feel fine as of now, hopefully nothing changes......but ya, I\'m nervous

holy shit dude! be careful! the incubation period is 1-7 days, early signs and symptoms include fever, fatigue, body aches, cough or chest symptoms.... a few people have reported nausea/diarrhea/vomiting.... stay hydrated and if you feel anything funny, seriously, get to a doctor and get yourself a 5-day cycle of TAMIFLU!!!!!  the drugs are most effective if taken 24-48 hours after the onset of symptoms.... after that, it actually wont help much, and the virus may be able to develop drug resistance!

[Spacey]

This shit happens.

This is life.

This is the way it is.

Deal with it.

[princesscaspian]

lol i know, youre right spacey, but this is totally fascinating and interesting to a health professional/microbiology minor/science nerd like myself.

[ds673488]

i use E. coli, S. typhi, P. aeruginosa, B. cereus, and S. aureus in my lab all the time...making cultures, putting them on things to see if they grow/can be killed etc...sometimes i drink a little bit of the cultures to vaccinate myself.

[Spacey]

lol i know, youre right spacey, but this is totally fascinating and interesting to a health professional/microbiology minor/science nerd like myself.

I respect that.

[bdfreetuna]

Thanks for the science Princess.

A pharmacist who doesn\'t take flu shots herself..... get a clue people! Tamiflu = to be used *as needed*

Anyway my anti-vaccination rant is made somewhat less important for the moment due to current urgent circumstances. I do hope this blows over, ranking relatively low on the human-tragedy scale... and once it does, it\'s time for some real rethinking and action along the lines of disease and especially epidemic prevention.

God forbid there be quarantines in the coming week.

[princesscaspian]

i use E. coli, S. typhi, P. aeruginosa, B. cereus, and S. aureus in my lab all the time...making cultures, putting them on things to see if they grow/can be killed etc...sometimes i drink a little bit of the cultures to vaccinate myself.

holy pseudomonas!  thats one scary lineup

[leith]

Oh no people are getting the flu!
This time it\'s caused by Pigs!
Quick let\'s panic!
Fucking histrionic bullshit.
Bacon is fucking delicious making some right now!

[Vassillios]

i ate a couple hot dogs this weekend and puked.... uh oh.

i was also drinking a lot of alcohol.

[Lexington]

B. cereus.

i\'m trying, but its hard with all these clowns around!!

[skalnbyc]

what is interesting and scary about this strain is the multiple sources of genetic material they are finding. there were known swine influenza genes in the samples they\'ve taken, known to be present in north america. however, they are finding evidence from a swine flu that is native to europe and asia, with absolutely no idea how it was transmitted.

Bioterrorists concocting diseases in an Afghan/Paki lab cave?  Dumping in Mexico is less suspicious and it\'s likely an easier country to enter for a brown guy with a beard.


I agree - fuck the 24-hour news business that stretches a few hours of content into an entire day of fear and trivial bs.