reasonmclucus
May 4th, 2009, 4:35 am
The current strain of the H1N1 virus needs a better name than the "swine flu". The name has been used before for an over rated flu strain and doesn't accurately describe the current virus. The virus is a new strain and needs a new name.
Calling it the "Y2009" virus would provide a unique name to separate it from past virures. Perhaps the "Y2K+9" virus would be more appropriate in the Twitter era.
The new strain of H1N1 virus was initially called "swine flu" because it contained genes often found in viral strains that occur in North American swine. A more detailed analysis indicated that other viral genes were also present including genes from European and Asian swine viruses as well as genes from avian and human viruses. Scientists call this combination a "quadruple reassortment virus".
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/swineflu_you.htm
The term "swine flu" was used for what turned out to be a relatively mild form of the flu in 1976. In fact the cure was deadlier than the disease including 3 deaths in Pittsburg among elderly people who received a vaccine to prevent it. "The swine flu case of 1976 forever reduced confidence in public health pronouncements from the government and helped foster cynicism about federal policy makers...." http://www.capitalcentury.com/1976.html
Using the term for this version of the flu could be leading many to believe that this flu isn't any worse than that one. Health officials became concerned in 1976 because of a few deaths, but the subsequent projected death toll didn't happen.
Calling the flu "swine flu" misleads people into thinking it is transmitted by pork instead of people. Even if it were in pork, cooking the pork would get rid of it. The biggest concern in eating should be about the possibility of someone handling the food who has the flu.
The Spanish flu of 1918-1919 may have killed as many as 50 million Since then health officials have become concerned anytime a new version of the flu has appeared. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol12no01/05-0979.htm
The deaths in Mexico could indicate a dangerous disease, or they could result from weak immune systems or not having been exposed to forms of the flu than the flu itself. The variety of different genes in the virus strain and the fact they come from different parts of the world could indicate the flu strain was brought in by an international traveler.
The diversity of the genetic makeup of the virus might also indicate it is an artificially created virus. The Obama administration has downplayed the idea that terrorists might have created the virus, but the decision to have Homeland Security play a prominent role in communications with the media indicates administration officials believe the virus might be a terrorist act. If it is an artificially created virus, it might be more likely that it is a laboratory experiment that entered the general population because of carelessness.
Calling it the "Y2009" virus would provide a unique name to separate it from past virures. Perhaps the "Y2K+9" virus would be more appropriate in the Twitter era.
The new strain of H1N1 virus was initially called "swine flu" because it contained genes often found in viral strains that occur in North American swine. A more detailed analysis indicated that other viral genes were also present including genes from European and Asian swine viruses as well as genes from avian and human viruses. Scientists call this combination a "quadruple reassortment virus".
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/swineflu_you.htm
The term "swine flu" was used for what turned out to be a relatively mild form of the flu in 1976. In fact the cure was deadlier than the disease including 3 deaths in Pittsburg among elderly people who received a vaccine to prevent it. "The swine flu case of 1976 forever reduced confidence in public health pronouncements from the government and helped foster cynicism about federal policy makers...." http://www.capitalcentury.com/1976.html
Using the term for this version of the flu could be leading many to believe that this flu isn't any worse than that one. Health officials became concerned in 1976 because of a few deaths, but the subsequent projected death toll didn't happen.
Calling the flu "swine flu" misleads people into thinking it is transmitted by pork instead of people. Even if it were in pork, cooking the pork would get rid of it. The biggest concern in eating should be about the possibility of someone handling the food who has the flu.
The Spanish flu of 1918-1919 may have killed as many as 50 million Since then health officials have become concerned anytime a new version of the flu has appeared. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol12no01/05-0979.htm
The deaths in Mexico could indicate a dangerous disease, or they could result from weak immune systems or not having been exposed to forms of the flu than the flu itself. The variety of different genes in the virus strain and the fact they come from different parts of the world could indicate the flu strain was brought in by an international traveler.
The diversity of the genetic makeup of the virus might also indicate it is an artificially created virus. The Obama administration has downplayed the idea that terrorists might have created the virus, but the decision to have Homeland Security play a prominent role in communications with the media indicates administration officials believe the virus might be a terrorist act. If it is an artificially created virus, it might be more likely that it is a laboratory experiment that entered the general population because of carelessness.