Discover Magazine’s Flu Wars
Discover’s December 2009 issue showed up in my mailbox the other day, on November 4th. Makes total sense.
The screwy timing of magazine publishing aside (and that’s not news to anyone who’s ever held a subscription to any publication, I’m sure), check out the illuminating, if scary, article about pandemic flu in this issue. So far, the story looks like it’s print only, although I don’t know if that will change. “Flu Wars” describes the potential danger of highly lethal bird flu’s crossing over with highly contagious H1N1 to produce a pandemic more like the one in 1918. (However, no indication of that happening so far.) Also, how Indonesia is sort of a perfect breeding ground for flu strains to emerge and how health officials all over the world are fighting for access to that country’s avian flu genes for much-needed research in light of that possible superflu horror show.
Anyway, I’m oversimplifying a complex issue. In the interest of staying informed, check out the article for a good (read: scary) update and rehash of the H5N1 situation and pandemic trends in general, but only if your head’s in a good place to read something like this. (Did I mention the SCARY? Last warning.)
Flu Trackers Keeping an Eye on H1N1, H5N1, Other Outbreaks
How have I never heard of FluTrackers.com before? That Discover article mentioned this nonprofit site, a massive forum that’s used citizen journalism and news sources around the world to track and document infectious diseases since 2006. Check out the *Pandemic Flu Help* box in the right sidebar for information like this 30-Day Supplies List or this recipe for a oral rehydration solution (cheap, DIY Gatorade/Pedialyte, basically).
WHO: Swine Flu’s “Virtually” the Only Strain in U.S. Right Now
Elsewhere around the world, samples show that 70% of flu virus circulating is H1N1.
Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs Represent Hope for Preventing Flu Deaths
Statins appear to reduce, significantly, the chances of dying from flu-related complications. However, study right now on the link is slow-going.
I’ve been hearing conflicting reports about whether or not the swine flu virus is mutating. In your opinion, is flu.gov the best source for factual information?
I like Flu.gov, but I love Effect Measure. They wrote the article in this post that explains a little about mutation and puts it in context:
http://www.theasthmamom.com/2009/10/02/swine-flu-update-week-ending-oct-2/
The only problem I have is that EM posts can get pretty dense w/the scientific terminology, although the authors do a good job of explaining. Some posts I have to read a few times before I can make sense of them, but again–more a weakness on my part than theirs, lol.
If you check ‘em out, let me know what you think.
If you like FluTrackers, you might also like Flutracker (http://flutracker.rhizalabs.com/) — same sort of thing, though there are a few members on there who almost seem to WANT this flu to get worse, just so they can say they were right, you know? But a good source of news stories, local action, etc. I also love Effect Measure.
Gonna check it out–thanks! (and yeah, I know just the kind of people you mean)