Swine Flu: What You Need to Know 

          By Adrienne Sozansky, Ryan Campbell, Nik Oza, Nolan Sullivan and Silas Taylor

  

With all the hype going on about swine flu, you probably have a lot of questions and concerns. 

This Wiki is here to help, supplying you with all the information you need to know about the H1N1 virus.

 

 

 

 Table of Contents:

     I. the Facts

          a. Swine Flu Overview

          b. Transmission of the Virus

          d. Virus's Attack Mechanism

          d. Prevention and Precaution

          e. Getting Help

          f. Treatment

          g. Media Hype

          h. 'Comparison to the 'Regular' Flu

          i. Mortality Rates

     II. The Scientific Side

          a. Evolution of the Virus

          b. Origins

          c. The Attack (On a Molecular Level)

          d. Neuraminidase

     III. More Questions ?

     IV. Works Cited

  

 

Above: An image of the H1N1 Virus, or Swine Flu, as taken in a CDC laboratory. 

(Swine Flu and You)

 

 

Swine Flu: the Facts

 

Swine Flu: What is it?

     The H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as "swine flu" is a type of influenza virus. This became increasingly prevalent ever since April 2009 and in many countries, including the U.S.A., the H1N1 virus might be becoming a pandemic or "occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population" (Britannica).  However, it is not that much different than "normal" types of influenza (flu) viruses and its infection patterns and mortality rates are not that different from the "normal" flu. The name "swine flu" was created because at first researchers thought that the new H1N1 evolved from some viral strands in pigs. However, further research suggests that this might be false, although this is not conclusive as of yet.

 

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Transmission: How is the H1N1 virus transmitted ?

     H1N1 is not that different from the usual influenza viruses and transmission is much the same. Swine flu is a contagious illness and symptoms like coughing and sneezing can spread it around. Close contact with infected people or touching things that have the virus on it (from an infected person touching it) can also lead to infection.

 

     As seen in this chart, the Swine Flu Pandemic has an approximate death count of 160. The virus is believed to have begun in Mexico City in a toddler who traveled to Texas with family and died (H1N1). The virus has spread to at least 13 countries so far but the death rate has been very, very small compared to other notable flu pandemics.

 

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The Attack: What is its mechanism ?

     As the Swine pandemic sweeps the world, it hasn't caused many deaths but there are recent reports that some patients with the H1N1 virus develop a severe case of pneumonia and die.  This has worried people because it recalls the way that the Spanish Flu of 1918 killed millions of people.  What makes the H1N1 virus that is circulating right now so dangerous is in which cells in the body it infects.  Recent tests done on ferrets, the animal most closely related to the human when discussing the flu, show that the normal seasonal H1N1 virus binds to cells in the nose but the new strain binds to cells deeper in the respiratory tract which in some people is causing sever inflammation of the lungs which has proved life threatening.

  

     More reading on the H1N1 virus's attack mechanism can be found here:

          http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17414-revealed-how-pandemic-swine-flu-kills.html

  

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Prevention and Precaution: What precautions can be taken to prevent being infected ? 

    1.        1.  Be careful of coughing/sneezing people, because that is the way that the virus is transmitted from person to person.  It is advised that if one needs to cough or sneeze, they should do so into a tissue and then immediately discard it. 

2.          2.  The CDC advises that people wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water, or that they use hand-sanitizers (e.g. Purell). 

3.          3.  One should not touch their face without immediately washing their hands afterwards.  

4.          4.  If not feeling well or sick, one is advised to stay home and avoid contact with others. 

 

     It is advised that people to stay calm about the virus, and follow public service announcements, and avoid crowds. The CDC also recommends that everyone stay up to date with the virus through their website, CDC.org.

 

 

Proper handwashing techniques, as recommended by the Minnesota Department of Health.

 

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Getting Help: When and where do you go for help ?  

     If you begin to feel flu-like symptoms, the CDC recommends you stay home at least twenty-four hours after your fever is gone. The fever should go away with the help of fever-reducing medicines. It is suggested to stay away from other as much as possible, as the H1N1 virus is contagious. Not leaving the house is the best way to avoid getting others sick; this means only going out of the house in order to seek medical care (Swine Flu and You). While you still have flu-symptoms, avoid your ‘typical’ activities, like going to work, school, travelling, shopping and being in contact with other people in general.

 

     “Contact your health care provider or seek medical care” if your symptoms become sever or if you are at a high risk for flu complications (Swine Flu and You). From there, your health care provider will decide whether flu testing or treatment is necessary.

 

     However, the CDC warns if you become ill and experience any of the following symptoms, you should seek emergency medical care.

• "Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistant vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough" (Swine Flu and You) 

 

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Treatment: Is there one ? How does the current flu vaccine work ?

     Because H1N1 is so much like the usual influenza viruses treatment is also much the same. Once infected or before, for precautionary measures in people that have an increased risk of mortality (pregnant women, people with lowered immune systems, etc.), prescription antivirals can be taken. "Influenza antiviral drugs are prescription drugs (pills, liquid, or inhaler) that decrease the ability of flu viruses to reproduce" (Revised Recommendations). In addition, because of the growing hype of H1N1, most governments are working on a vaccine for swine flu, not much unlike current flu vaccines.

     

     These would inject killed viruses in the body to facilitate the body's process of building antibodies (usually takes 2 weeks for full protection) so that if the virus infects that person, the antibodies would be already created. However, "It is unknown how much, if any, protection may be afforded against 2009 H1N1 flu by any existing antibody" (H1N1 Flu and You). Besides that, the best treatment is the prevention of acquiring the virus, which can be killed by soap, heat, and alcohol.

 

     For more information on the soon-to-be-released vaccine, visit the CDC's website on Swine Flu: http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU

     The website is updated regularly, making the latest information available to the public.

 

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Real Danger, or All Hype: Is it truly a danger, or is it all hype ? Are you being misled by the media ?  

     Swine flu has been seen everywhere in the media within the last several months; television, magazines and newspapers have all been 'advertising' the H1N1 virus. This media coverage is a bit excessive. The fact is, swine flu's mortality rate is very low. However, news corporations like CBS, Fox and NBC seem to only inform the public about the cases where swine flu becomes deadly. 

 

     These 'Swine Flu - You're Going to Die' news reports make great business for the media. When people listen, read and watch these features, news corporations gain more and more money. As a result, the media produces more of these threatening stories.

     Most of the time, these news reports don't fully reveal what's going on. The H1N1 virus does pose as a health threat, but when proper precautions are taken it can easily be prevented, just like the "normal" flu.

 

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Compared to the 'Regular' Flu: How dangerous is the H1N1 virus compared to the regular flu ? 

     "Each year, in the United States, on average 36,000 people die from flu-related complications and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related causes", according to the CDC (Swine Flu and You). Most deaths caused by the seasonal flu is seen in people older than 65 years of age (Swine Flu and You). Meanwhile, based on CDC research, the H1N1 flu virus has has been more prevalent in people younger than 25 years of age (Swine Flu and You). Accordingly, there are few H1N1-caused deaths being associated with the elderly.  

 

     Both the H1N1 virus and the seasonal flu cause an increased risk in medical conditions such as " asthma, diabetes, suppressed immune systems, heart disease, kidney disease, neurocognitive and neuromuscular disorders and pregnancy" (Swine Flu and You).

 

     In this way, despite the slightly different infectivity patterns, swine flu is not much more dangerous than the usual seasonal influenza virus. It really is just another type of flu virus. 

 

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Mortality Rates: Just how dangerous is swine flu ?  

     So far, there have been 277,607 reported cases of the H1N1 virus as of September 6, 2009, as well as 3,205 deaths that have been related to the virus. The mortality rate of those who catch the virus is 1.15%.  This means that although it is possible for someone who catches the virus to die, if one maintains personal hygiene and is self-conscious of his or her health, it is highly unlikely.

  

     The reason as to why there is such a high fatality rate in Mexico may be caused by two factors.  Firstly, there have been many more cases in Mexico than there have been in the USA.  If in both countries Swine flu is the same, then it is logical that there are more deaths in Mexico.  Secondly, the fact that medical care in the USA is better than that of Mexico and is usually delivered very quickly.  Additionally, because America has better nutrition, which in turn supports a stronger immune system, Swine flu either may not infect as many people, or if it does, the outcome could possibly result in mild symptoms instead of severe and life threatening.

 

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Swine Flu: the Scientific Side

   

Evolution: From what did H1N1 evolve ? Could the H1N1 virus, or its precursor, always infect humans ? 

     The evolution of the H1N1 virus can be seen and explained in this diagram. The genes that now make up the H1N1 flu virus derive from “various swine and avian flus, along with the seasonal H3N2 human-flu virus” (H1N1). Eventually, new flu viruses arise; the Swine H1N2 and the Swine H3N2 (H1N1). These two viruses were found in pigs, though they had genes from avian, swine and even human sources (H1N1).

  

     Now, we have the human H1N1 Swine Flu virus. This virus has six genes that come from previous swine viruses, and two genes derive from Eurasian swine viruses (H1N1). These eight total genes are mixed in a presently unknown host.

 

     As seen an explained in the previous diagram, the H1N1 precursors could not infect humans. It was not until new viruses were evolved, containing trace genes of the Human H3N2 virus (H1N1).

 

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Origins: Where was it originally found ?

     The H1N1 virus’s origin has been traced back to Mexico. Beginning there in March and early April of 2009, Mexico “experienced outbreaks of respiratory illness and increased reports of patients with influenza-like illness” (Outbreak).

 

     Over the course of one month, there were reports of small outbreaks of both ILI and “atypical pneumonia” in Mexico; labs confirmed they were the same strain of viruses (Outbreak). 

 

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The Attack: How does it attack on the molecular level?

Viruses are non-living so they don't go through the cell cycle and need to high-jack a healthy cell in order to create more viruses.  The influenza virus uses its enzymes hemagglutinin and neuraminidase in order to infect the healthy cell.  Hemagglutinin binds to sialic sugars that cover the surface of the cell's plasma membrane.  The cell then uses endocytosis to transfer the virus through its cell membrane into the cell's interior.  Once in the interior the virus injects its genome into the nucleus of the host cell which unknowingly copies the genome producing more viral RNA.  During transcription RNA polymerase makes a mistake about one in every ten thousand nucleotides which is the approximate length of the viral DNA.  This means that each viral RNA strand produced is a mutant.  This is why influenza viruses are constantly changing.  After producing the virus genome the cell may realize that something in their DNA is incorrect and split open spilling out their contents itself (Lysis).  This is what the virus wants because the cell has released the viral RNA that was stored in the nucleus which can go and infect other cells.  If the cell does not undergo lysis, then the viral genomes and proteins the virus require form a virion, a complete virus, gather in a bulge in the cell membrane.  The now complete virus uses neuraminidase to cleave off from the cells membrane and goes to infect more cells in the body.   

 

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Neuraminidase: What is it ? How does it relate to H1N1 ?  

     H1N1 stands for hemagglutinin, neuraminidase; both are enzymes and have a specific role in the infectivity of the virus (Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin). Hemagglutinin is the actual enzyme responsible for invading the host cell. Hemagglutinin binds to the cell surface and injects the viral genome into the cell, which then replicates, thereby infecting the cell. 

 

    After the virus has injected its genome into the cell, neuraminidase goes to work. Its function is to help the virus detach itself from the now infected cell (Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin). Neuraminidase begins its work after the cell has been infected by cutting the bonds made by hemagglutinin so that the virus does not stay latched onto the cell and can move to other cells (Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin).

 

     More information on the mechanism of neuraminidase and hemagglutinin can be seen in this animation here:

      http://cbm.msoe.edu/includes/swf/HAAnimation.swf

 

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The mechanism of a virus, including it's eventual release of viral RNA.

 

 

More Questions?                              

     Should you be more interested in learning any more H1N1 information, it is not recommended to watch your local news for Swine Flu updates. Instead, it is advised to check credible scientific databases. The following websites should be of great use, supplying you with the particulars of the swine flu virus:

          - Centers for Disease Control: http://www.CDC.gov

          - World Health Organization: http://www.who.int

          - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News: http://www.genengnews.com

          - New Scientist: http://www.newscientist.com

     School nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners will also have information regarding swine flu. Talking to them will help increase your understanding of this flu pandemic.

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited:

 

1. "A Visual Guide to Flu Pandemics". Map. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2009. 

  

 

2. "H1N1: How the Virus Works." Time. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2009.

 

     <http://www.time.com/time/interactive/0,31813,1914947,00.html>.

  

 

3. "Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin." Center for Biomolecular Modeling. N.p., n.d.

 

     Web. 21 Sept. 2009. <http://cbm.msoe.edu/includes/swf/

 

     HAAnimation.swf>.

  

 

4. Kortweg, Christine, and Jiang Gu. "Pathology, Molecular Biology, and 

 

    Pathogenesis of Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Infection in Humans." Pub Med 

 

     Central. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2009. 

 

     <http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/ 

 

      articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=2329826>.

  

 

5. MacKenzie, Debora. "Revealed: How Pandemic Swine Flu Kills."  

 

     Newscientist.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2009. 

 

     <http:////www.newscientist.com/article/

 

     dn17414-revealed-how-pandemic-swine-flu-kills.html>. 

  

 

6. "More images 2009 H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)." Center for Disease Control and

 

      Prevention. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 14 Sept. 2009.

 

     Web. 15 Sept. 2009. <http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/>.   

  

 

7. "Outbreak of Swine-Origin Influenza A (H1N1)." CDC. Centers for Disease Control, 

 

     n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2009. <http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/

 

     mm58d0430a2.htm>. 

  

 

8. "Pandemic." Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2009.  

 

     <http://search.eb.com/dictionary?va=pandemic&x=9&y=6>. 

  

 

9. "Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 65." World Health Organization. World Health

 

     Organziation, 6 Sept. 2009. Web. 15 Sept. 2009. <http://www.who.int/csr/

 

     don/2009_09_11/en/index.html>. 

  

 

 10. "Revised Recommendations for the Use of Influenza Antiviral Drugs." Center for

 

          Disease Control and Prevention. N.p., 8 Sept. 2009. Web. 17 Sept. 2009.

 

         <http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/antiviral.htm>. 

  

 

11.  "Seasonal Influenza (Flu)." Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Center

 

         for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 Sept. 2009. Web. 15 Sept. 2009.

 

        <http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/us_flu-related_deaths.htm>.

  

 

12.  "Seasonal Influenza (Flu)." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. N.p., 9 

 

          Sept. 2009. Web. 17 Sept. 2009. <http://www.cdc.gov/FLU/protect/  

 

          keyfacts.htm>.  

  

 

13.   "2009 H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) and You." CDC. Centers for Disease Control, n.d. Web. 

         

           15 Sept. 2009. <http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1flu/qa.htm>.