one theory on the “low flu” season is that winter started “so early” - forcing many people inside before the main onslaught started. Not sure how much credibility I give this idea...
My neighbor told me about this yesterday: he came down with the flu and was given Tamiflu, but it didn’t do any good. The medical community has apparently known about this for a while.
1918?
Man, does history really repeat itself?
I always get a flu shot. I hope the main strain circulating this year is in the vaccine.
What makes the flu change from year to year?
This does not bode well for the inevitable flu pandemic.....
Info about what’s covered by this year’s flu shots:
The 2008—09 trivalent vaccine virus strains are A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like, A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like, and B/Florida/4/2006-like antigens.
There are three types of influenza viruses: A, B and C. Influenza A and B viruses cause seasonal epidemics of disease almost every winter in the United States. Influenza type C infections cause a mild respiratory illness and are not thought to cause epidemics.
Influenza A viruses are divided into subtypes based on two proteins on the surface of the virus: the hemagglutinin (H) and the neuraminidase (N). There are 16 different hemagglutinin subtypes and 9 different neuraminidase subtypes, Influenza A viruses can be further broken down into different strains. The current subtypes of influenza A viruses found in people are A (H1N1) and A (H3N2).
Influenza B viruses are not divided into subtypes. Influenza B viruses also can be further broken down into different strains.
Influenza A (H1N1), A (H3N2), and influenza B strains are included in each year’s influenza vaccine. Getting a flu vaccine can protect against influenza A and B viruses. The flu vaccine does not protect against influenza C viruses.
http://coldflu.about.com/od/fluvaccinequestions/a/07-08flushot.htm
Flu shots take many months to make and manufacture, so the formula for the vaccine is developed during the previous year’s flu season. Three different strains of the influenza virus are chosen to be included in the vaccine to (hopefully) provide as much protection to as many people as possible. Researchers look at the strains of influenza that are circulating and how they have been mutating to try to determine the strains that are most likely to be causing illness during the following flu season.
The flu vaccine takes at least six months to make, so it is no small feat to get it prepared for the beginning of flu season each year.
Typically each year, one or two of the viruses in the flu shot are updated to anticipate mutations. However, if a major “shift” occurs, or the virus mutates to a different form than what researchers anticipated, the shot may not cover some of the circulating viruses. If there are viruses circulating that are not covered by the flu shot, you may still get the flu even if you had a flu shot.
The PFI website has very good background info about all things flu including the whys and wherefors of Tamiflu resistance. I’ll post one link below but there is an assciated blog so anyone wgo is interested in how flus mutate etc can read up. I’m still trying to learn.
btw Joe - now they’re admitting Niman is right!
Ping... (Tamiflu resistance) Thanks, lj, for the ping!
> ... Tamiflu resistance appears to be spontaneous,
> and not a reaction to overuse of the drug.
> It may have occurred in Asia, ...
Do we know that Tamiflu is not being overused in Asia?
Taiwan openly announced in 2005 that they would violate
the patent.
The PRC is even less respectful of patents than ROC.
_______
They’re probably using it on ducks and chickens.
No faster way to breed resistance.
I was looking for flu threads. In the past couple of days I have heard about some sudden cases in teenagers setting in with high fevers. Anyone else seeing this.