I found this page of info about the flu outbreak useful. Its called swine flu for no good reason at all, it's incubation is 3-4 days and you shouldn't try and take preventative vaccines for it because this may create resistant strains.

I'm in Ensenada..just south of San Diego.

RUN....North.

I read elsewhere that it started with a pig vector, but now transmits human to human. I work for a doctor and we got a fax from the state today warning us about handling patients/cases of swine flu. The symptoms seem pretty much the same and last year's vaccine doesn't work against it. Could be some interesting times ahead.

*cough cough - avian flu - Y2K - cough cough*

Do people realize that there are no American deaths yet, and Mexican health care tops in at just slightly better than Slovakia's? Barely in the top third of the world? Including non-industrialized nations?

besides, regular flu kills 36,000 people in the US ever year....

Is it any different from regular flu? I'm confused.

My roommate has the regular flu. Really hope I don't get it.

From what I understand H1N1 jumped from pigs to humans and is now spreading human to human. Unlike AVIAN h1n5 flu which was super deadly (caused really nasty respiratory issues) but never made human to human transmission. The issue with a purely animal virus that makes the jump is that we have no immune response, basically it runs through the population like we all have AIDS. This virus seems to have SOME genetic familiarity with human strains. Is it WORSE than regular flu? Maybe...Is it easier to catch? probably.

And let's not forget SARS and ebola.

I find it rather ironic that on many of those, the count of the number dead or infected is immediately followed by Google's link to "Get Directions".

Not even in my country yet... thankfully

How has New Mexico escaped this???

I was wondering the same thing. AZ too. Could be due to under reporting. or maybe we're just immune? Crosses fingers! kidding.

Uh...what? Our immune system attacks anything it does not recognize as normal. It's response would be to treat H1N1 just as any other virus that enters the body.

The issue with AIDS is not that the immune system has no response, it's that AIDS attacks and destroys the cells that do the work of the immune system.

Remember, there have been no deaths in the US - most likely because of our health care system. There is nothing special about the transmission of this virus, it's transmitted just like the "normal" flu. The best way to prevent it is to wash your hands and stay away from sick people.

Maybe a bad example with the AIDS. Yes our immune system reacts to everything which is actually what produces a lot of the symptoms, they are immune response. BUT if this is animal in nature it is novel to our system which may increase the severity and possible susceptibility to transmission.

What's remarkable about the swine flu is that young to middle aged people have been most susceptible so far, not the very young, compromised and elderly. It's getting so much attention because it's an unknown and virulent strain. Mexico's response has been pathetic and ineffective; their health care system is not good unless you have money, and their best current solution is to close everything (schools, businesses etc) until the threat passes. Lastly, with all the air travel these days it's way too late to contain it in one country.

Yet being the key word there.

No longer the case it would seem.

No no, it will be expecting us to run north, run south. Thats the real meal ticket ;)