April 27, 2009
by Greg Contreras
Gregs Blog
Nature and independent reporting
Analysis and Commentary on the Phylogenic Tree of Current U.S. Swine Flu Cases
Researchers are puzzled over the origins and spread of the current H1N1 human borne influenza and that has health officials around the world worried.
The current virus mixes an existing triple combination of human, avian and swine influenza identified in 1998 with two new swine virus genes from Asia and Europe, both of human origin.
Because of its novelty, humans are unlikely to have any immunity to it. The current seasonal flu vaccine targets a different H1N1 strain and isn't likely to offer any protection.
Indeed, according to a report in Recombinomics, March 24, 2009, the failure rate of the H1N1 virus seen in Rapid City, South Dakota was as much as 50% among those vaccinated for influenza. It's not clear whether those new virus cases, as the instant virus was only sent for classification in mid-March.
"The genetics are quite complicated," says Dr. John McCauley of London's National Institute for Medical Research. "It has been mixing up all over the place."
April 28, 2009 update
An analysis of the the phylogenic tree (the component strains) present in the current swine flu cases in Texas and California show no identifiable components of Mexican origin.
The H1 protein (hemagglutinin) shows evidence from past cases from Korea, China and Turkey as well as Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Kansas.
CONTINUE TO FULL REPORT AND SUPPORTING DATA
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Greg Contreras is a freelance writer covering Economics, bio terrorism, WMD and Latin America.
He writes for Business Financial Publishing (Smallcapinvestor.com, the Growth Report, Rising Star Stocks) and has written for New York Press. Greg is also known to submit a joke or two to Dailycomedy.com
Greg has a BA from Drew University (Econ) and and M.B.A. from Rutgers University. He lived and worked in Mexico in the 80s. Greg writes from a highly modified, 1989 Buick in a super fund site near exit 13 on the New Jersey Turnpike. He's easily recognized at night, he glows in the dark.
Greg can be reached at gregcontreras@gmail.com.
