Annie Sawyer, Ph. D.
That is the question! You will read, see and hear allot of pros and cons on the swine flu vaccine in term of advices what I am sure will lead to another elevated degree of anxiety and depression, not even counting the fear of the upcoming H1N1. As described in the literature Influenza A (H1N1) virus is a serotype of Influenza Virus (H1N1) - the most common cause of influenza virus faced in humans. Some strains of the Influenza A are endemic in humans as they cause the cases of seasonal winter influenza.
The flu virus A (H1N1) strains caused roughly half of all human flu infections in 2006. Some strains of H1N1 are endemic in pigs (swine influenza) as well as in birds (avian influenza). In June 2009, WHO declared that flu due to a new strain of swine-origin H1N1 will be the serotype that is already blamed for the 2009 flu pandemic.
We must know and to recognize that viruses are an intracellular obligate parasites which means that they cannot reproduce or express their genes without another living (human or animal) cell. The above process it is called a viral replication. Outside the cell- the viral particle (called virion) is 100% inert and essentially inactive. Once a virus is infecting a cell, it is becoming active and is ordering to the cells’ structures e.g. ribosomes, enzymes and much of the cellular machine to reproduce. Just the opposite as in case of mitosis and meiosis, viral reproduction produces many progeny that when complete, leave the host cell to infect other cells in the organism. The type species of the genus Influenza Virus A causes influenza and other diseases in humans and animals. Antigenic variation occurs frequently between strains, allowing classification into subtypes and variants. Transmission is usually by aerosol (human and most non-aquatic hosts) or waterborne (ducks). Infected birds shed the virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces.
The swine virus A (H1N1) is one and the same virus that used different options to mutate in hops, birds and humans, and this is what it makes him so virulent and dangerous. Despite the strain is commonly called "swine flu" by the media it is just a simple term but not a true swine virus that is only typical for the hops. In fact the hops are not having any symptomatic correlated with this flu. They are the carriers- the organisms H1N1 uses to mutate and replicate. We must recognize that the flu virus A(H1N1) it is exactly the same one that did cause the deadly Spanish Flu (La Pesadilla) - one of the most severe and deadly strain of Avian influenza that killed between 50 - 100 million people worldwide in the period of 1918-1919. That is what pandemic infection is all about and that is maybe one of the most deadly pandemics in human history. Despite it was called Spanish flu it was a pandemic flu infection again caused by the same H1N1 type of influenza virus as the swine flu. As Spain was the only country that officially published its deadly effect- it was named a Spanish Flu. In fact the whole World suffered during the I WW and millions of people were dying like birds, not recognizing what was deadlier- the victims of the war or the influenza virus victims.
As determined by WHO a pandemic is the efficient and sustained human-to-human transmission of disease over a wide area. To declare a pandemic, the WHO considers three factors:
1) Is the virus new?
2) Does it cause severe disease?
3) Does it spread quickly and efficiently between people?
One of the main characteristic and difference in the case of viruses is their ability to mutate quickly and largely. Mutation in viruses can cause changes in their characteristics, such as infectious ability virogenicity (pathogenicity), their surface protein shape etc. The viral RNA mutates over time and leads to alteration of its structure and function. How many structures and functions are changed, and the degree (how much) they are changed depend on how, when and where the RNA sequences were mutated. Again, the ability of viruses to mutate very rapidly can cause changes in their vital characteristics: their virogenicity or ability to infect and superficial structural shape changes.
An ‘antigenic shift’ is a due to large and sudden mutation in multiple genes/nucleotides that happen all at once. While large and sudden mutations are called –antigenic shift there is another subtle and insignificant over time ‘antigenic drift’ that can lead to random and spontaneous mutations what leads to completely new viral strains over time. The same process was observed in the case of the quite deadly Hong Kong flu (1968-1969) that killed another one million of people worldwide and that was again the same Influenza A virus in its H3N2 version that was seen by the virologists as shifted from H2N2 serotype. While back in 1976, 40 million Americans were vaccinated against swine flu, there was no pandemic, but the vaccine left thousands with side effects including paralysis.
When two completely different viruses were able to infect one and the same cell at one and the same time – they were also able to exchange different separate RNA sequences until creating a complete new type of virus. Thus, mutations make the virus more infectious and easily transmitted to animals and people. And in fact due to their quick mutagenic properties viruses are able to overpower, beat and finally overcome our already well trained and even stable immune systems. If once you are infected with a flu virus your immune system is already trained to recognize that it has the chance to meet this antigen and to create its preventive antibodies, But if the virus already mutated it will be recognized as completely different Flu strain despite it might be completely the same Influenza A virus.
At the same time a completely new "genetic-similarity" study found that the flu virus 2009 A (H1N1) was derived from the combination of five separate strains of influenza, each circulating in birds, humans and swine populations, including the virus A(H1N1) strain that has been circulating in birds since the time of the Spanish pandemic flu outbreak of 1918. In addition, genetic similarity between the strains isolated in Mexico and those isolated in the United States suggested that the 2009 swine flu that was introduced into the human population is a single event. In conclusion, the researchers determined that because of the length of time the classic swine A (H1N1) has been circulating in swine populations vs. human seasonal A (H1N1) enough long, so the antigenic profile of swine A(H1N1) has drifted sufficiently so that vaccines prepared for human A(H1N1) might have little or no efficacy (Garten et al., 2009) published in Science (May 22, 2009).
Now on the question about the need of vaccination…..We must know and remember that because hardly anyone has immunity to the new A (H1N1) 2009 flu virus, experts believe it will infect far more people than usual, as much as a third of the population. And in fact the usual flu virus is killing more people than HIV virus ever did.
The opinion on the vaccination shared by the traditional medical society is just the opposite to the one of the alternative medical society. Unfortunately, we- people do not have yet the buildup immune shield to confront the A (H1N1) serotype of the last swine virus. The virus is a conglomerate of the mutated flu virus that crossed 5 different organisms. In general, people who are born before 1957y will show less ability to be infected by the swine flu virus, as they have already created immune shield during their life time. "When it comes back the swine flu it will likely be similar, meaning relatively mild”, considers Dr. John Treanor, professor of medicine and of microbiology and immunology at the University at Rochester Medical Center in New York. It also seems that the outbreak of swine flu in the southern hemisphere is exactly the same as it was in the northern hemisphere in the spring. As per Dr. Kenneth Bromberg (director of the Vaccine Research Center at The Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City proper words) proper statement: "So far, this doesn't appear to be the swine flu of 1918 as that outbreak infected about one-third of the world's population or some 500 million people, killing an estimated 50 million”.
Despite that the fear of the 2009 flu A (H1N1) or the so called - swine flu- might be a little overblown, it is in my expertise that people with over compromised immune system- due to cancer, autoimmune disease, serious heart diseases, very young and older old of our society might consider to apply the vaccine. The reason behind the above statement is that their innate immune system will not be able to handle so many battles at once- first with their proper weak immune system, a multitude of illnesses, and third with the pathogenicity (virogenicity) of the new serotype of swine flu virus A (H1N1).
Until the necessity of a flu vaccine application is completely clarified by the scientific research, and its side effects finally studied you can do your proper research and to apply several basic preventive measures.
1/ Wash frequently and thoroughly your hands.
2/ Avoid contacts with people who are showing symptoms of flu or cold.
3/ If you are in public places you can use mask as the virus is airborne infection.
4/ Take your daily multivitamin/multimineral with a daily antioxidant.
5/ Ensure proper nutrition and clothing.
6/ Start treating the symptoms as they appear.
Note * Remember viruses cannot be cured with antibiotics or chemotherapeutic agents. Above all viruses similarly to bacteria (bacterial resistance) show antiviral resistance.
References:
Garten, R.J., Davis, C.T., Russell, C.A., et al. (2009, May 22). Antigenic and Genetic Characteristics of Swine-Origin 2009 A(H1N1) Influenza Viruses Circulating in Humans. Science [Epub ahead of print]
Strauss, J. H., & Strauss, E. (2007, Oct 1). Viruses & Human Disease. 2nd Ed. Publisher: Academic Press.
http://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
Note * Please be informed that I am expressing solely my private opinion as a virologist, without engaging your private decision, nor trying to sale ideas, drugs or vaccines. Please remember I am not paid or sponsored by any of the BIG Pharma on this or any other statement expressed on this web page. The information is shared for informational purposes only.
P.S. I hope you'll find interesting to take few minutes away of your time and to watch an interesting YouTube interview with an Infectious Disease MD who has different opinion than most of the conventional doctors on A (H1N1):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctP8NnDhdn8
http://products.mercola.com/swine-flu/20091103.htm
We must know and to recognize that viruses are an intracellular obligate parasites which means that they cannot reproduce or express their genes without another living (human or animal) cell. The above process it is called a viral replication. Outside the cell- the viral particle (called virion) is 100% inert and essentially inactive. Once a virus is infecting a cell, it is becoming active and is ordering to the cells’ structures e.g. ribosomes, enzymes and much of the cellular machine to reproduce. Just the opposite as in case of mitosis and meiosis, viral reproduction produces many progeny that when complete, leave the host cell to infect other cells in the organism. The type species of the genus Influenza Virus A causes influenza and other diseases in humans and animals. Antigenic variation occurs frequently between strains, allowing classification into subtypes and variants. Transmission is usually by aerosol (human and most non-aquatic hosts) or waterborne (ducks). Infected birds shed the virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces.
The swine virus A (H1N1) is one and the same virus that used different options to mutate in hops, birds and humans, and this is what it makes him so virulent and dangerous. Despite the strain is commonly called "swine flu" by the media it is just a simple term but not a true swine virus that is only typical for the hops. In fact the hops are not having any symptomatic correlated with this flu. They are the carriers- the organisms H1N1 uses to mutate and replicate. We must recognize that the flu virus A(H1N1) it is exactly the same one that did cause the deadly Spanish Flu (La Pesadilla) - one of the most severe and deadly strain of Avian influenza that killed between 50 - 100 million people worldwide in the period of 1918-1919. That is what pandemic infection is all about and that is maybe one of the most deadly pandemics in human history. Despite it was called Spanish flu it was a pandemic flu infection again caused by the same H1N1 type of influenza virus as the swine flu. As Spain was the only country that officially published its deadly effect- it was named a Spanish Flu. In fact the whole World suffered during the I WW and millions of people were dying like birds, not recognizing what was deadlier- the victims of the war or the influenza virus victims.
As determined by WHO a pandemic is the efficient and sustained human-to-human transmission of disease over a wide area. To declare a pandemic, the WHO considers three factors:
1) Is the virus new?
2) Does it cause severe disease?
3) Does it spread quickly and efficiently between people?
One of the main characteristic and difference in the case of viruses is their ability to mutate quickly and largely. Mutation in viruses can cause changes in their characteristics, such as infectious ability virogenicity (pathogenicity), their surface protein shape etc. The viral RNA mutates over time and leads to alteration of its structure and function. How many structures and functions are changed, and the degree (how much) they are changed depend on how, when and where the RNA sequences were mutated. Again, the ability of viruses to mutate very rapidly can cause changes in their vital characteristics: their virogenicity or ability to infect and superficial structural shape changes.
An ‘antigenic shift’ is a due to large and sudden mutation in multiple genes/nucleotides that happen all at once. While large and sudden mutations are called –antigenic shift there is another subtle and insignificant over time ‘antigenic drift’ that can lead to random and spontaneous mutations what leads to completely new viral strains over time. The same process was observed in the case of the quite deadly Hong Kong flu (1968-1969) that killed another one million of people worldwide and that was again the same Influenza A virus in its H3N2 version that was seen by the virologists as shifted from H2N2 serotype. While back in 1976, 40 million Americans were vaccinated against swine flu, there was no pandemic, but the vaccine left thousands with side effects including paralysis.
When two completely different viruses were able to infect one and the same cell at one and the same time – they were also able to exchange different separate RNA sequences until creating a complete new type of virus. Thus, mutations make the virus more infectious and easily transmitted to animals and people. And in fact due to their quick mutagenic properties viruses are able to overpower, beat and finally overcome our already well trained and even stable immune systems. If once you are infected with a flu virus your immune system is already trained to recognize that it has the chance to meet this antigen and to create its preventive antibodies, But if the virus already mutated it will be recognized as completely different Flu strain despite it might be completely the same Influenza A virus.
At the same time a completely new "genetic-similarity" study found that the flu virus 2009 A (H1N1) was derived from the combination of five separate strains of influenza, each circulating in birds, humans and swine populations, including the virus A(H1N1) strain that has been circulating in birds since the time of the Spanish pandemic flu outbreak of 1918. In addition, genetic similarity between the strains isolated in Mexico and those isolated in the United States suggested that the 2009 swine flu that was introduced into the human population is a single event. In conclusion, the researchers determined that because of the length of time the classic swine A (H1N1) has been circulating in swine populations vs. human seasonal A (H1N1) enough long, so the antigenic profile of swine A(H1N1) has drifted sufficiently so that vaccines prepared for human A(H1N1) might have little or no efficacy (Garten et al., 2009) published in Science (May 22, 2009).
Now on the question about the need of vaccination…..We must know and remember that because hardly anyone has immunity to the new A (H1N1) 2009 flu virus, experts believe it will infect far more people than usual, as much as a third of the population. And in fact the usual flu virus is killing more people than HIV virus ever did.
The opinion on the vaccination shared by the traditional medical society is just the opposite to the one of the alternative medical society. Unfortunately, we- people do not have yet the buildup immune shield to confront the A (H1N1) serotype of the last swine virus. The virus is a conglomerate of the mutated flu virus that crossed 5 different organisms. In general, people who are born before 1957y will show less ability to be infected by the swine flu virus, as they have already created immune shield during their life time. "When it comes back the swine flu it will likely be similar, meaning relatively mild”, considers Dr. John Treanor, professor of medicine and of microbiology and immunology at the University at Rochester Medical Center in New York. It also seems that the outbreak of swine flu in the southern hemisphere is exactly the same as it was in the northern hemisphere in the spring. As per Dr. Kenneth Bromberg (director of the Vaccine Research Center at The Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City proper words) proper statement: "So far, this doesn't appear to be the swine flu of 1918 as that outbreak infected about one-third of the world's population or some 500 million people, killing an estimated 50 million”.
Despite that the fear of the 2009 flu A (H1N1) or the so called - swine flu- might be a little overblown, it is in my expertise that people with over compromised immune system- due to cancer, autoimmune disease, serious heart diseases, very young and older old of our society might consider to apply the vaccine. The reason behind the above statement is that their innate immune system will not be able to handle so many battles at once- first with their proper weak immune system, a multitude of illnesses, and third with the pathogenicity (virogenicity) of the new serotype of swine flu virus A (H1N1).
Until the necessity of a flu vaccine application is completely clarified by the scientific research, and its side effects finally studied you can do your proper research and to apply several basic preventive measures.
1/ Wash frequently and thoroughly your hands.
2/ Avoid contacts with people who are showing symptoms of flu or cold.
3/ If you are in public places you can use mask as the virus is airborne infection.
4/ Take your daily multivitamin/multimineral with a daily antioxidant.
5/ Ensure proper nutrition and clothing.
6/ Start treating the symptoms as they appear.
Note * Remember viruses cannot be cured with antibiotics or chemotherapeutic agents. Above all viruses similarly to bacteria (bacterial resistance) show antiviral resistance.
References:
Garten, R.J., Davis, C.T., Russell, C.A., et al. (2009, May 22). Antigenic and Genetic Characteristics of Swine-Origin 2009 A(H1N1) Influenza Viruses Circulating in Humans. Science [Epub ahead of print]
Strauss, J. H., & Strauss, E. (2007, Oct 1). Viruses & Human Disease. 2nd Ed. Publisher: Academic Press.
http://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
Note * Please be informed that I am expressing solely my private opinion as a virologist, without engaging your private decision, nor trying to sale ideas, drugs or vaccines. Please remember I am not paid or sponsored by any of the BIG Pharma on this or any other statement expressed on this web page. The information is shared for informational purposes only.
P.S. I hope you'll find interesting to take few minutes away of your time and to watch an interesting YouTube interview with an Infectious Disease MD who has different opinion than most of the conventional doctors on A (H1N1):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctP8NnDhdn8
http://products.mercola.com/swine-flu/20091103.htm
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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The material in this newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. Thus our intentions are not to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat or prevent any disease. If you use the information in this newsletter without the approval of your health professional, the authors of this letter do not assume any responsibility. Copyright @ 2009, Natural Health-Wellness LLC. All rights reserved.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The material in this newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. Thus our intentions are not to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat or prevent any disease. If you use the information in this newsletter without the approval of your health professional, the authors of this letter do not assume any responsibility. Copyright @ 2009, Natural Health-Wellness LLC. All rights reserved.
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