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Does the swine flu H1N1 S-OIV have any markers that it was created in a lab?
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∙ 14y ago
Straight from the horses mouth: http://www.cdc.gov/FLU/ABOUT/QA/1918flupandemic.htm
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∙ 14y ago
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What does H1N1 'SOIV' mean?
SOIV = Swine Origin Influenza Virus (or as some say: Swine Originated Influenza Virus.This acronym was first used in the April 29, 2009 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), by researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to mean "swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus,". They also used "S-OIV" for short. The same name also appeared in a paper May 7, 2009 in The New England Journal of Medicine. But, on the day before that, in the May 6, 2009 issue of MMWR, the CDC had already coined the different name "novel influenza A (H1N1) virus".SOIV is also what some public health organizations in Canada began to use to refer to A-H1N1/09, the Pandemic Swine Flu. The nomenclature of flu viruses is not standardized, and because of the negative repercussions that pigs (with slaughter in some countries) and Mexico's tourist industry have felt by having their names so closely associated with the virus, it has been an ever changing evolution of names during the early parts of the pandemic.The A-H1N1/09 Virus still has different names in other countries as well, for example: it is called Schweinegrippe in Germany, la Grippe A in France, Mexican Flu in the Netherlands, SOIV (Swine Origin Influenza Virus) in Canada, and la Epidemia in Mexico.The H1N1 refers to the Hemagglutinin type (H1) and Neuraminidase type (N1) there are about 14 H types and 9 N types, and Influenza can have any combination of those. The H and N are proteins that are on the outer virus coat, called a capsid. They have specific functions for allowing the virus to invade host cells and the "offspring" to be released by the cells once produced. Our immune systems create antibodies that search for foreign invaders and they can use these proteins to identify the virus and create cells able to destroy it. These surface proteins are also mutated by some viruses to make them unidentifiable by the antibodies, and that is what can create a new strain of influenza.
What does soive mean?
SOIV = Swine Origin Influenza Virus (or as some say: Swine Originated Influenza Virus.This acronym was first used in the April 29, 2009 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), by researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to mean "swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus,". They also used "S-OIV" for short. The same name also appeared in a paper May 7, 2009 in The New England Journal of Medicine. But, on the day before that, in the May 6, 2009 issue of MMWR, the CDC had already coined the different name "novel influenza A (H1N1) virus".SOIV is also what some public health organizations in Canada began to use to refer to A-H1N1/09, the Pandemic Swine Flu. The nomenclature of flu viruses is not standardized, and because of the negative repercussions that pigs (with slaughter in some countries) and Mexico's tourist industry have felt by having their names so closely associated with the virus, it has been an ever changing evolution of names during the early parts of the pandemic.The A-H1N1/09 Virus still has different names in other countries as well, for example: it is called Schweinegrippe in Germany, la Grippe A in France, Mexican Flu in the Netherlands, SOIV (Swine Origin Influenza Virus) in Canada, and la Epidemia in Mexico.The H1N1 refers to the Hemagglutinin type (H1) and Neuraminidase type (N1) there are about 14 H types and 9 N types, and Influenza can have any combination of those. The H and N are proteins that are on the outer virus coat, called a capsid. They have specific functions for allowing the virus to invade host cells and the "offspring" to be released by the cells once produced. Our immune systems create antibodies that search for foreign invaders and they can use these proteins to identify the virus and create cells able to destroy it. These surface proteins are also mutated by some viruses to make them unidentifiable by the antibodies, and that is what can create a new strain of influenza.
What are the scientific name and other names for the H1N1-09 swine influenza?
A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)v-like virus is the name of the specific strain that is used to create the vaccines for the Pandemic A-H1N1/09 flu. See below for details on this scientific nomenclature.One of the more commonly used original names for this pandemic flu was Influenza A, Novel H1N1 Virus (formerly 2009 Swine Flu) and was the name that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) coined and used until they conformed with the World Health Organization (WHO) and began calling it H1N1/09 Pandemic swine flu.It began being called the Pandemic H1N1/09 Virus by WHO in July 2009 and this is the more commonly used name in the US. And many scientific papers are using H1N1pdm (pdm to represent Pandemic).It is an Influenza Virus type A, H1N1 is the subtype. As mentioned above, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization have called it Influenza A, Novel H1N1 Virus. You may also see it written as the "Novel H1N1 Influenza virus", or "Novel Influenza A, H1N1 virus."What does the H1N1 part mean?:These Type A viruses have a protein coating that surrounds them, called a capsid. The surface proteins making up the capsid in this virus strain are haemagglutinin and neuraminidase. These surface proteins are the proteins that can be changed when viruses mutate into new forms allowing them to attack the host cells in different ways and to evade the immunological system of the host.In the naming convention of viruses, the protein classifications become part of the name as in H1N1; H for the haemagglutinin and N for the neuraminidase. There are different subtypes of viruses using the H and N nomenclature, for example the H5N1 subtype is the Avian (Bird) Flu.Why change from Swine Flu?:From a July 7, 2009 Press Briefing by World Health Organization's Dr. Fukuda, who said that WHO has decided to call Influenza A, Novel H1N1: Pandemic H1N1/09 Virus (although, as of early August 2009 this name is not yet being consistently used)."As you know, since the emergence of the pandemic, the name of the virus has been a difficult issue for many reasons. In the past, we have seen how the naming of viruses by location can stigmatize those locations and we have also seen in this and in other episodes where associating the virus with one animal species or another, can really cause both anxiety and then fears about food and in this particular instance, about pork.So, in recognition of those issues, what WHO, FAO and OIE did, actually some weeks ago, was to get together several of the experts who work in these organizations and with many of the laboratory experts who work with these organizations, and then we had a meeting - a virtual meeting - in which these issues were discussed and one of the things that we wanted to do was make sure that any naming of the virus was scientifically accurate but also would avoid any kind of adverse reactions to the name or to minimize those as much as possible. Based on those discussions, what the experts decided, calling this a pandemic H1N1/09 virus was a good way to distinguish it from the current seasonal H1N1 viruses and to do so, in a way which was scientifically sound, but also would avoid some of the stigma associated with other options."The name in other countries:In some countries they still call it Pig Flu, but usually when a virus is called Pig Flu it is in reference to the type of flu that hogs get, not the types that humans get such as the Novel H1N1/09 influenza (2009 Swine Flu). In some places around the world it is also still called the "Mexican Flu", and in France it is la grippe porcine. It is called Schweinegrippe in Germany, Mexican Flu in the Netherlands, SOIV (Swine Origin Influenza Virus) or H1N1-SOIV in Canada, and la epidemia in Mexico. In Turkey it is called "Domuz Gribi" which means "Pink ill". Other common names are Swine influenza, hog flu, pig flu, swine influenza virus (SIV), and H1N1.Why Swine Flu in the first place?:The original swine flu is known as influenza type A, H1N1. The new H1N1/09 Pandemic swine flu originated from a pig who had the original/normal pig flu and then this same pig caught the bird flu H5N1. These viruses combined to make a new and bad case of the flu, and this pig gave it to other pigs. Eventually, one of the pigs infected with the flu that was a combination of bird flu and pig flu, then caught the human flu, which "mixed together" in that pig with the other two types of viruses making an even worse case of the flu with all three types of genetic material. This pig spread that new "triple reassortant" virus to more pigs. When pigs with the triple reassortant virus came in close contact with a human, probably a farm worker, and the human caught this bad flu, from then on it has been spreading around the world. The name has stuck and so it is still called the Swine Flu, Swine Influenza, Hog Flu, and Pig Flu in some places to the chagrin of the Pork Producers Association. See the related question below about what caused the pandemic swine flu for more detail on how the reassortant process created the new strain of pandemic flu.NomenclatureThe naming convention for virus strains such as the one used to produce the pandemic A-H1N1/09 vaccine [ A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)v-like virus ] is explained below. Using this example of a name of a specific viral subtype/strain: A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virusA = Type A influenza. There are three types of influenza: A, B, and C. CALIFORNIA = The location the strain was first identified.7 = The strain identification number.2009 = The year the strain was identified.H1N1 = The antigenic characterization of the H and N proteins.[Antigenic characterization is a method used to describe influenza proteins neuraminidase (N) and hemagglutinnin (H) and how they have changed.](See "What Caused the 2009 Swine Flu" in related questions below.)
What are the meanings of A - H - N - 1 - 09 in the A H1N1 09 flu name?
Background information about names of flu virus strains:For background, H1N1 is the name used to identify several subtypes of flu viruses. A few of the influenza viruses that are in the group of Type A Influenza viruses are labeled that way or in similar ways.These influenza A virus strains are categorized according to two proteins found on the surface of the virus: hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). All influenza A viruses contain hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, but the structure of these proteins differ from strain to strain due to rapid genetic mutation in the viral genome.Influenza A virus strains are assigned an H number and an N number based on which forms of these two proteins the strain contains. There are 16 H and 9 N subtypes known in birds, but only H 1, 2 and 3, and N 1 and 2 are commonly found in humans. There are also Influenza type B viruses.Example Swine Flu:An example is the new "Swine Flu" virus circulating in 2009, the "Influenza A, Novel H1N1/09" Virus. It evolved from a virus that started as a flu that only pigs could get, which is called H1N1, too. But that mutated to a strain that could also infrequently infect humans who were in very close contact with pigs, such as farmers who raised them. The new "Novel H1N1" virus was a further mutation that combined human, bird, and swine flu genes.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization call the pandemic 2009 "Swine Flu": Influenza A, Novel H1N1 Virus. You may also see it written as the "Novel H1N1 Influenza virus", or "Novel Influenza A, H1N1 virus", or "H1N1, formerly Swine Flu".It has different names in other countries as well, for example: it is called Schweinegrippe in Germany, la Grippe A in France, Mexican Flu in the Netherlands, SOIV (Swine Origin Influenza Virus) in Canada, and la epidemia in Mexico.The reason they call it "Novel" is that it is new. It is a strain not seen before. There are other strains of H1N1 influenza, but this one has different and new genetic material than the previously seen strains of Type A flu.What A-H1N1 means:"A" stands for the influenza sub-type or strain.These Type A viruses have a protein coating that surrounds them, called a capsid. The surface proteins making up the capsid in these virus strains are Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidase. These surface proteins are the parts of a virus that can be changed when viruses mutate into new forms. This is how they change to be able to attack the cells of new hosts or in new ways in the same hosts. They are no longer recognized as viruses that the immunological system of the host has fought before, and that allows them to mutate to forms that can evade the body's defenses again at first.In the naming convention of viruses, the protein classifications become part of the name as in H1N1; H for the Hemagglutininand N for the Neuraminidase. Hemagglutinin binds the virus to the cell it is infecting. Neuraminidase is an enzyme that lets the virus be released from the host carrier cell.There are different subtypes of viruses using the H and N nomenclature, for example the H5N1 subtype is the Avian (Bird) Flu.
What is the H1N1 virus?
Symptoms of H1N1/09 (Pandemic swine flu):Having a single one of these symptoms does not mean you have pandemic swine flu, but, you don't need to have all of these symptoms to suspect infection, either. The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza. Watch for some combination of the following symptoms:Fever of 101°F (41°C) or higherCoughingHeadacheSneezingBody AchesFatigueDizzinessChest painAbdominal painShortness of breathMalaiseRunny NoseSore throatVomitingDiarrheaRigors (chills or shivers)Caution: If you suspect that you might have a flu infection, consult a physician as soon as possible. Don't wait!It is important for people who have chronic health conditions, women who are pregnant, and people with other high risk factors to pay special attention to warning signs. Influenza can make the symptoms, of other chronic medical conditions, worseFor Children: who may need urgent medical attention, symptoms include:fast breathing or trouble breathing;blueish or gray skin color;not drinking enough fluids;severe, persistent vomiting;not waking up or not interacting;being so irritable that the child doesn't want to be held;flu-like symptoms, after improving, return later with greater intensity.These are warning signs that physicians think about all the time with respiratory infections and are good things for parents to have in mind at all times but especially with the Novel H1N1 strain.For Adults: who may need urgent medical attention, symptoms include:difficulty breathing or shortness of breath;pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen;sudden dizziness, confusion;persistent or severe vomiting that doesn't go away;and flu-like symptoms that improve, but then come back again with a fever or worsening of cough.Other underlying medical conditions* can create the potential for more severe illness, and it is for that reason that people who have these underlying conditions, or the family members who care for such people, need to remain vigilant about these warning signs emerging. For a list of the those at most risk of the swine flu and of complications due to it, see below.It's often best to contact a health care provider for advice before going to an office or care center and waiting for an appointment. That's also a better strategy than going to an emergency room, but these warning signs can help people differentiate a cough or cold or respiratory symptoms without warning signs, from the type of signs that might lead you to want to get help from a medical provider urgently.To prevent catching swine flu, colds or other strains of flu and viruses:If you live with or care for someone known to have the swine flu virus, you should assume that you, too, can spread the disease. Wear a surgical face mask (model N95) while contacting and tending to someone with a virus, especially children, in case they cough or sneeze when you are close to them. Wash hands always before you touch your face, nose, eyes and mouth and before (as well as after) you touch other people's faces, mucous tissue. You should also wash your hands after you cough or sneeze and always use a tissue to cover your mouth and nose. Immediately throw the tissue away after one use. Wash your hands after touching used tissues. Cough into your elbow if you do not have a tissue. Don't use your bare hand unless you wash hands immediately after and before you touch anything or anyone.To prevent spreading swine flu, colds or other strains of flu and viruses:Even if you do not yet have symptoms, you can have the virus and spread it before you know you have it for one or two days after catching the flu. When you know you have been exposed, or when you know the risk is high for catching it, wash hands very frequently.Stay home from work or errands when sick, and keep your kids home if they or others in your family have any symptoms. The schools will recommend if it is safe for your children to attend school if there are other children from the school infected. Be prepared with day care alternatives if the schools announce a closure. Flu virus can live for approximately two hours on hard surfaces, perhaps longer on moist or soft materials. Use disinfectants recommended for control of viruses on surfaces that are commonly touched, such as telephones, door knobs, light switches, TV remote controllers, chair arms, public pens and pencils (take your own), and grocery cart handles, as well as the lavatory knobs, handles, and surfaces.Remember:Wash hands very frequently and be alert to what you touch with them.Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when sneezing and or coughing.Stay away from large groups of people and around 6.Don't touch your eyes nose or mouth without washing hands first.Stay home when sick so other people don't get it.For additional information on preventing exposure to and distribution of the flu viruses, see the related questions below.*Underlying Medical Conditions or Other Factors That Create Higher Risk:children younger than 5 years old;persons aged 65 years or older;children and adolescents (younger than 18 years) who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and who might be at risk for experiencing Reye syndrome after influenza virus infections;pregnant women;adults and children who have pulmonary disorders (including asthma, for example) or who have cardiovascular, hepatic, hematological, neurologic, neuromuscular, or metabolic disorders (such as diabetes);adults and children who have immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications like steroids and post-transplant drugs, or caused by HIV/AIDS), and;residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities.people who are morbidly obese (see related question: Is obesity a risk factor for morbidity and mortality with Novel H1N1 - Swine Flu?)Information for those in the UK, from NHS:A doctor faced with a symptomatic patient cannot yet predict with certainty the course of their illness and whether or not they will be in the small proportion who may become more seriously ill. This is why antiviral medication is still being given to all those with swine flu in the UK, subject to their doctor's discretion. A doctor faced with a symptomatic patient cannot yet predict with certainty the course of their illness and whether or not they will be in the small proportion who may become more seriously ill. This is why antiviral medication is still being given to all those with swine flu in the UK, subject to their doctor's discretion.More information taken from the NHS website:It is important that as swine flu spreads, you know the symptoms of the disease so you can recognise it in yourself and others at an early stage.Please read the information about the swine flu on the NHS website and consider your symptoms carefully before using the National Pandemic Flu Service mentioned below.During the pandemic in 2009, most swine flu cases were mild, with symptoms similar to those of seasonal flu. Only a small number of people had more serious symptoms.If you or members of your family end up with a fever (high temperature over 38°C/100.4°F) along with two or more of the following symptoms, you may have swine flu:unusual tiredness,headache,runny nose,sore throat,shortness of breath or cough,loss of appetite,aching muscles,diarrhoea or vomiting.Checking For Symptoms:It makes sense to always have a working thermometer at home, as fever is one of the main signs of this and many other infectious diseases.The NHS website provides a National Pandemic Flu Service#. If you are concerned you may have swine flu, stay at home and check your symptoms using the online guides at the pandemic flu service.Call your GP directly if:you have a serious existing illness that weakens your immune system, such as cancer,you are pregnant,you have a sick child under one year old,your condition suddenly gets much worse, oryour condition is still getting worse after seven days (five days for a child).# Note: the National Pandemic Flu Service is a new online service that will assess your symptoms and, if needed, provide an authorisation number that can be used to collect antiviral medication from a local collection point. For those who do not have internet access, the same service can be accessed by telephone on:Telephone: 0800 151 3100Minicom: 0800 151 3200For more information available on the National Pandemic Flu Service site go to Flu Service: Q&A.High-risk groups:For most people, swine flu is a mild illness. Some people get better by staying in bed, drinking plenty of water and taking over-the-counter flu medication.However, some groups of people are more at risk of serious illness if they catch swine flu, and will need to start taking antiviral medication as soon as it is confirmed that they have the flu.It is already known that you are particularly at risk if you have:chronic (long-term) lung disease,chronic heart disease,chronic kidney disease,chronic liver disease,chronic neurological disease (neurological disorders include motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease),immunosuppression (whether caused by disease or treatment)and/ordiabetes mellitus.Also at risk are:patients who have had drug treatment for asthma within the past three years,pregnant women,people aged 65 and older, andyoung children under five years old.It is vital that people in these higher-risk groups who catch swine flu get antivirals and start taking them as soon as possible, preferrably within 48 hrs of first signs.
