You remember H1N1 flu, right?
Is it back this year?
Is H1N1 Flu Back This Year?
While H1N1 seems to be the most frequently identified influenza virus type this year, in reality, since causing the “swine flu” pandemic in 2009, this strain of flu virus never really went away.
It instead became a seasonal flu virus strains.
So it is back again this year, but just like it was back during the 2013-14 and 2015-16 flu seasons.
Is that good news or bad news?
In general, it’s good news, as “flu vaccines provide better protection against influenza B or influenza A (H1N1) viruses than against influenza A (H3N2) viruses.”
“The 2009 H1N1 influenza virus (referred to as “swine flu” early on) was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. This virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that its gene segments were similar to influenza viruses that were most recently identified in and known to circulate among pigs. CDC believes that this virus resulted from reassortment, a process through which two or more influenza viruses can swap genetic information by infecting a single human or animal host. When reassortment does occur, the virus that emerges will have some gene segments from each of the infecting parent viruses and may have different characteristics than either of the parental viruses, just as children may exhibit unique characteristics that are like both of their parents. In this case, the reassortment appears most likely to have occurred between influenza viruses circulating in North American pig herds and among Eurasian pig herds. Reassortment of influenza viruses can result in abrupt, major changes in influenza viruses, also known as “antigenic shift.” When shift happens, most people have little or no protection against the new influenza virus that results.”
Origin of 2009 H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu): Questions and Answers
The only reason we were so concerned about this strain of H1N1 in 2009 was because it was new.
Still, even in a good year, it is important to remember that a lot of people die with the flu, including a lot of kids. And most of them are unvaccinated.
So while it might be interesting to talk about which flu virus strain is going around, just remember that your best protection against that strain is a yearly flu vaccine.
More on H1N1 Flu
- VAXOPEDIA – The 2018-19 Flu Season Update
- VAXOPEDIA – Is This Year’s Flu Vaccine Working?
- VAXOPEDIA – I’m Not Anti-Vaccine, I Just Don’t Believe in Flu Shots
- VAXOPEDIA – Do They Really Just Guess at Which Strain to Put in the Flu Vaccine?
- VAXOPEDIA – Does Getting a Flu Vaccine Increase Your Risk of Spreading the Flu or Getting Others Sick?
- VAXOPEDIA – What Makes the Flu So Deadly?
- VAXOPEDIA – Does the flu shot contain a vaginal spermicide?
- VAXOPEDIA – Can Flu Shots Cause the Flu?
- VAXOPEDIA – Why Do Some Folks Wear a Mask During Flu Season?
- VAXOPEDIA – Do They Really Just Guess at Which Strain to Put in the Flu Vaccine?
- VAXOPEDIA – I Refuse to Listen to Bad Advice About Flu Shots, and I Won’t Apologize for It
- CDC – Origin of 2009 H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu): Questions and Answers
- CDC – Types of Influenza Viruses
- Ask The Experts: H1N1 Influenza
- How Flu Strains are Selected for the Seasonal Flu Vaccine Each Year
- Ask the Experts about Flu Vaccines
- Flu Facts vs. Fiction
- Influenza Pandemics | History of Vaccines
- The A, B, and C of influenza virus