Virus Thoughts: 2009: H1N1

All the recent talk about a possible pandemic have caused quite a stir. It is yet to be determined whether this will be more serious but here is some info concerning the this virus. Food for thought (no pun intended)

Orthomyxovirus (Ordinary flu)
The new HA and NA antigens are given number subscripts to differntiate them. the pandemic of 1889 was caused by a virus with an H2 hemagglutinin, the pandemic of 1900 was caused by a new virus with H3 hemagglutinin; in 1918, a swine flu virus transferred its HA to a human virus and so was called Hswine hemagglutinin (HSW). The chart below is only included to demonstrate the many pandemics and their new HA and NA antigenic composition

Global Pandemics:
1889: H2N2
1900: H3N2
1918: H1N1 - "Spanish flu" - highly pathogenic stgrain - with high mortality
(est. 20-40 million deaths worldwide).
1947: H1N1*
1957: H2N2* "Asian Flu" - illness, but low mortality
1968: H3N2* "Hong Kong flu" - illness, but low mortality
1977: H1N1*
* Notice also tha.t some strains caused a second pandemic as a new unexposed population grows to adulthood
Will the next pandemic post be, 2009: H1N1 - swine flu?

Very important to remember!! Never give children with influenza or varicella (chicken pox) aspirin. Reye's Syndrome - Severe Liver and brain disease. It is not yet known why it occurs.