A v worried mum, what would you do?? Swine flu

lion63 · Post by **lion63** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 10:33 pm

hermanmunster wrote:The H1N1 Vacc needs 2 doses - don;t ask me why -I;ll try and find out ,,, doses are 3 weeks apart

The 2009 H1N1 strain is a new one and therefore no one has any immunity against it.

The 1st shot just provides initial exposure and will give 10 -20% response. The 2nd shot (3 weeks later) will give a further boost, allowing the body to produce more antibodies.

The normal seasonal flu vaccine will obviously not work for swine flu as it's a completely different strain so a 3rd different shot will be required.

Children under 9 yrs need at least 4 shots to produce immunity.
If you were born before 1957,you have a good chance of being exposed to an older strain of H1N1 and will be more protected. Now is a good time to be over 50 years old.

SunlampVexesEel · Post by **SunlampVexesEel** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 11:07 pm

hermanmunster wrote:The H1N1 Vacc needs 2 doses - don;t ask me why -I;ll try and find out ,,, doses are 3 weeks apart.

Are you sure? I read that A/H1N1 vaccine was only just at the start of clinical trials and that the need for multiple doses would be determined as a result of those trials. The trials lasting a minimum of 2 months and starting presumeably a few weeks ago. However, some countries like Sweden has already decided on two doses.

In anycase, given clinical trials, which I believe are mandatory, there won't be any general availability until at least late September (i.e Now+2 months min.) which was the point WHO felt obliged to remind HMG earlier today.

Post by **hermanmunster** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 11:21 pm

beat me to it SVE!

don't think the vaccine is quite cooked yet and certainly not tested for potency. Only then will they definitely decide on the regime.

... carry on dishing out the Tamiflu....!!!

zee · Post by **zee** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 11:29 pm

lion63 wrote: The 2009 H1N1 strain is a new one and therefore no one has any immunity against it.

I've read plenty of reports that say the reason people over 65 are affected far less than expected is that the current swine flu is closely related to an H1N1 strain that was around 60 odd years ago. And you yourself then quote that at the end of your post.

lion63 wrote: The normal seasonal flu vaccine will obviously not work for swine flu as it's a completely different strain so a 3rd different shot will be required.

The seasonal vaccine is always a mix for several strains, so why wouldn't they try to include swine flu in it?

lion63 · Post by **lion63** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 1:45 am

zee wrote:I've read plenty of reports that say the reason people over 65 are affected far less than expected is that the current swine flu is closely related to an H1N1 strain that was around 60 odd years ago. And you yourself then quote that at the end of your post.

Perhaps I have oversimplified the explanation - the 2009 H1N1 virus is a
subtype of the H1N1 not previously reported in pigs and it has characteristics different to the older one therefore making it a 'new' strain that no one has any immunity to in its new form (well, obviously not now as so many have been infected and would have developed some immunity).

The seasonal vaccine is always a mix for several strains, so why wouldn't they try to include swine flu in it?

That would be because the seasonal flu vaccine has already been produced way ahead in time for the flu season (after the strains likely to cause trouble have been identified around February)and as we know, vaccines take some time to manufacture and if I remember correctly, most of seasonal flu vaccines were already produced by May/June. Stocks are usually still available in October/November.

Several companies are rushing through the new vaccine and yes, trials will determine the regime - the current indications is that it will most likely be 2 doses.

Post by **hermanmunster** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:56 am

The H1N1 "swine flu" is a fascinating little beasty - though I'm sure I won't feel the same about it by the end of the week!!! .. Flu viruses have 8 genes - the ones in the current irus have come from a variety of sources - 4 from swine (2 North American, one europe one eurasian) one human from a odd strain that lurked in 1993, and 2 from north american birds. Question is, where did this lot ever get together?? ... sounds like one of Snowdrops quiz questions!!!

HA Hemagglutinin .......swine (H1) North America
NA Neuraminidase ........swine (N1) Europe
PA RNA polymerase subunit PA[3][4]...... avian North America
PB1 RNA polymerase subunit PB1[5] ......human 1993 H3N2 strain
PB2 RNA polymerase subunit PB2[6] ......avian North America
NP Nucleoprotein[7] ......swine North America
M Matrix protein M1, M2 .....swine Eurasia
NS/NEP Non-structural proteins NS1,
NEP (Nuclear Export Protein)[8][9] ......swine North America

Marylou · Post by **Marylou** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 10:06 am

Answers on a postcard!

(Or on here, of course.

)

Post by **hermanmunster** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 10:10 am

I reckon it must have been a wild party .... wherever it was!!!

.. was thinking about the Apollo 11 flight today, sat in school listening to the radio broadcast of the lift off. When they got back from the moon they got put into isolation for a couple of weeks to ensure that they weren't brewing any nasty illness from dormant infectious agents on the moon...

Ambridge · Post by **Ambridge** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 10:21 am

Hmmm, there's our answer, it's obvious - I blame Aldrin and Armstrong - if they had only kept them in isolation for 21 days it would never have mutated

Marylou · Post by **Marylou** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 10:31 am

hermanmunster wrote:.. was thinking about the Apollo 11 flight today, sat in school listening to the radio broadcast of the lift off. When they got back from the moon they got put into isolation for a couple of weeks to ensure that they weren't brewing any nasty illness from dormant infectious agents on the moon...

Clanger Flu.