I got your swine flu right here!

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Well, it's unofficially official. Swine flu is in the house. I sit here with Tamiflu at the ready. This week was the first week of school here. By Wednesday one of my oldest daughter's best friends had high temp. Next day, another. The second came in to see my wife, who tested her positive for type A flu. As we are nowhere near flu season here, it's presumed swine flu.

Last night, my two girls slept in the bed with me since my middle kid had an unrelated medical event happen yesterday and my wife was sleeping in the bed with my son since he's also come down with some unrelated medical issues. Well, my oldest woke me with a coughing fit at about 5:30. I didn't think anything of it and left out on my morning run. I came back to find my wife taking her temp, which ended up being 102.4.

The wifey is a pediatrician and had to see patients today, so I took my daughter by to get a flu test. My wife didn't expect it to be positive even if she had the flu b/c it was so early. But yep, type A flu. So the wife came home with Tamiflu for everyone. Two of my three kids are under 5 and they both have other weird medical issues going on right now so it made sense that they have the Tamiflu. Ditto for us since we have to care for them. I only hope my son doesn't get too nauseated as he really needs to keep his meds down. Ironically, if he doesn't, he'll have some serious nausea. So that won't be fun.

As for my flu-positive daughter, her fever subsided temporarily but was back by mid day. This afternoon, she began to get nausea and vomiting so the wife had me pick up acetaminophen suppositories and some sort of prescription anti-nausea suppository. My daughter has kept her spirits up so far and the fever and vomiting have been the only real issues. She hasn't coughed or anything since this morning.

What sucks is the wife got us our seasonal flu-mist earlier in the week. As it uses live virus, she's concerned the Tamiflu might kill it off or something and leave us exposed to the seasonal flu when it comes along!

I'm amazed at how quickly the virus spread through my daughter's class. By today, we'd found out three more kids in her class are now suffering from the same symptoms. What's weird, though, is my wife has been seeing swine flu cases all summer, yet neither she nor any other the other physicians or nurses in her practice had contracted it. Oh well, at least I don't have to worry about the swine flu vaccine!
 
From what happened in this town, it's wildfire.

Hope all turns out well.

Keep everyone hydrated, and get whatever vit D you can.
 
What's for some reason is not mentioned too often is that H1N1 could relatively easily combine with HIV. Then we would have a flu strain that could potentially spread HIV.
 
Originally Posted By: moribundman
What's for some reason is not mentioned too often is that H1N1 could relatively easily combine with HIV. Then we would have a flu strain that could potentially spread HIV.


Wow, never heard about that.
 
That's because it's nonsense.

H1N1 is a high risk for people with HIV because of their weakened systems. The two aren't going to combine.
 
Originally Posted By: moribundman
Recombinants are not unheard of, especially not when it comes to flu strains.


Would you care to back up your earlier comment
Quote:
What's for some reason is not mentioned too often is that H1N1 could relatively easily combine with HIV.

with something other than a broad generality.

I'm not flat out saying you are wrong, but your rather remarkable claim calls for some substantiation.
 
Quote:
Health authorities are particularly worried that the capability to mutate already exhibited by the virus could eventually let it combine with the human immunodeficiency virus, which causes AIDS.

source


If I were a gene-splicing black hat, I most certainly would do everything in my power to weaponize a pandemic disease by creating an extremely virulent recombinant with superior properties. The influenza virus, or even the common cold virus, with their neat ability to mutate and recombine would be very suitable. Most flu strains are recombinants, be it swine, avian, or the regular seasonal flu. Nature, all by herself, does a good job at that.

Why do people get "swine flu," they aren't swine, right? Well, it's because the swine flu virus recombined with other flu strains. The "swine flu" that can infect humans contains DNA from swine, avian, and humans, hence it can cross the species barrier. Wether or not a hybrid strain between a flu virus and another virus will occur is something that remains to be seen. I wouldn't be too optimistic and rather suspect this will happen sooner or later.
 
I don't think anyone cares. Seems we're more concerned with HIV combining with it. Oh well. Have fun.
 
Originally Posted By: XS650
That's because it's nonsense.

H1N1 is a high risk for people with HIV because of their weakened systems. The two aren't going to combine.


Think before you type.

Quote:
Health authorities are particularly worried that the capability to mutate already exhibited by the virus could eventually let it combine with the human immunodeficiency virus, which causes AIDS.


UPI Article
 
Quote:
I wouldn't be too optimistic and rather suspect this will happen sooner or later.


It's bound to happen eventually.
 
It doesn't really matter. This swine flu is going to affect you long before it has a chance to combine with HIV. Beside, that article was written in May and the virus has NOT mutated much if any at all since then. There have been varying degrees of success with anti-virals. But otherwise, it's the same old, same old. Essentially, it's just a slightly more virulent flu. Myslef, I hope it combines with chocolate-filled donuts.
 
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