Is it H1N1 or the H1N1?

Answer 1

It is a flu (influenza) virus. All flus are caused by viruses.

A virus is categorized by type such as Influenza Virus Type A, Type B or Type C. Viruses are always changing and mutating, and flu viruses are especially quick in their ability to mutate. When a mutation occurs, they are categorized further as subtypes and then to a finder degree as strains. H1N1 is a subtype of Influenzavirus A. The pandemic Swine Flu is further identified as A-H1N1/09 indicating the specific mutation of A-H1N1 into the type that caused the pandemic of 2009. Beyond that, the individual strains are broken down and named usually according to the year they were isolated and the location where they were first found. See the related question below for more information on how viruses are named.

Answer 2

"H1N1" is the name of a specific subtype of influenza Type A virus. Many different flu infections have been caused by the H1N1 subtype of influenza viruses, including the recent pandemic swine flu which is the Influenza Type A H1N1/09 virus.

Answer 3

The H stands for haemoglutinin ( a type of antigenic glycoprotein). It helps the virus bind to the cell it is infecting, the 1 stands for which subtype it is.

The N stands for neuraminidase, an enzyme found on the cell surface that breaks glycosidic links (cell walls); again the number represents its subtype.

Answer 4

Yes, swine 'flu is caused by a strain of the influenza virus.

Answer 5

A disease fabricated by the media