Swine flu rules the world
Swine flu, the World Health Organization is telling us, is now the dominant strain of influenza across most parts of the globe. And new research, led by University of Maryland researchers, suggests that the new H1N1 virus spreads more quickly than the seasonal strains and caused more serious disease.
The upside: While researchers conclude the swine flu will likely outcompete the seasonal flu in humans this fall, it doesn't appear likely to combine with other viruses to create a sort of more virulent "superbug." The National Institutes of Health-sponsored study was done in animals -- ferrets, to be precise.
"I'm not surprised to find that the pandemic virus is more infectious" than seasonal flu, virologist Daniel Perez said in the university's press release, "simply because it's so new, so hosts haven't had the chance to build immunity yet."
But if swine flu is going to dominate this fall, why the push to get the seasonal flu vaccine, which protects against several strains of influenza -- but not the new virus? Couldn't people just skip the seasonal flu shot and hold out for the H1N1 vaccine under development?
I put these questions to Dr. Karen L. Kotloff, who is leading clinical trials of an experimental H1N1 flu vaccine at the University of Maryland's Center for Vaccine Development. Kotloff says that influenza is a wily virus, one that is difficult to predict. Just because the H1N1 is the dominant virus now doesn't mean things won't change as fall turns into winter, she says.
"Your safest bet if you don't want to get the flu" -- any flu -- "is to get both," she said.
Comments
It seems that fears over the new swine flu vaccine are continuing to rise as we get closer to the beginning of the swine flu vaccination programme. Will you have a swine flu vaccine if offered?
You can vote here Swine Flu Vaccine
Posted by: Sean | September 2, 2009 9:03 AM
Lieb,J."The immunostimulating and antimicrobial properties of lithium and antidepressants." J Infection (2004) 49 88-93. Immunostimulation, of paramount importance to HINI, is available, but suppressed by vested interests.
Posted by: Julian Lieb,M.D | September 2, 2009 11:17 AM
Real (homeopathic) medicine cures even when Conventional Allopathic Medicine (CAM) fails
Posted by: Dr. Nancy Malik | September 2, 2009 1:39 PM
Evidence-based modern homeopathy is the scientific revolution (fastest growing medicine in the world) in the 21st century
Posted by: Dr. Nancy Malik | December 15, 2009 1:41 PM
Homeopathy is non-toxic system of medical science originated in Germany by Dr. Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843) (the founder and father of homeopathy). He was M.D. in conventional medicine. The term “homoeopathy” was coined in 1807.
The four fundamental principles of Homeopathy are: -
1. Law of similars/Like cures like (1796): Disease can be cured by a medicinal substance given in micro doses that produces similar symptoms in health people when given in large doses.
2. Law of minimum dose (1801): Since the homoeopathic medicines act at a dynamic level, only a minute quantity of the medicine is administered which is enough/sufficient to stimulate the dynamically deranged vital force/innate healing powers to bring about the necessary curative change in a patient
3. Law of simplex (1810): At any given time, only one remedy can be the exact similar to the presenting disease condition of the patient. So a single remedy (one remedy at a time) is given based upon their constitution/totality of the symptoms which includes physical, mental, and emotional aspects/symptoms.
4. Hering’s law of five directions of cure (1845): Cure progresses from above downwards, from within outwards, ceter to periphery, from more important organ to less important one, in reverse order of coming of the symptoms
Posted by: Dr. Nancy Malik | December 20, 2009 6:48 AM