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Where is the H1N1 virus headed?
The H1N1 virus has everyone across the world in a panic. Ever since the World Health Organization declared the H1N1 virus a national pandemic, the world has prepared for the worst.

One of the hallmark traits of a pandemic flu virus is that just like the seasonal flu, it affects young people. In fact based on recent statistics released by the World Health Organization most cases that have presented itself are in children aged 12 to 17. Children and patients with a greater risk of medical complications are most at risk for contracting this world wide pandemic of the H1N1 virus.

Women who are considering having a child are even warned not to do, and hold off so an not to endanger the life of the mother or the baby.

The World Health Organization agrees that the pregnant women are not more susceptible to contracting the H1N1 virus, but they are more prone to complications while giving child birth.

With all this talk about how the H1N1 virus can be transmitted and contracted, we haven’t really talked about how the virus actually affects the body. Evert person is different and everyone reacts differently to illness. But one general blanket statement is that most people who fall will with the swine flu will feel several days of discomfort and lethargy. The symptoms can run the gamut of being anywhere from mild to severe, but the actual molecular structure of how the infection can lead to death is unclear.

The way that the H1N1 virus can become life threatening is that if the immune system doesn’t know how to deal with said virus, and will lead to the inflammation of certain tissues and organs to the point of where it will become harmful to one’s health.

With all that being said, is there a vaccine on the horizon for the H1N1 virus? The World Health Organization claims that there is a vaccine in the works that will be released early fall.

To try and get a jump start on the vaccine, there are already trials being released throughout Australia, and the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is ready to start trial vaccines for the United States in August.

If you were to compare Pandemics, you would see that no two are alike. It is so hard to predict the way one strain of a virus will react as opposed to others. And if a virus were to sweep a certain nation, there is a chance that it will come back on waves. The first wave may be relatively mild, but the waves that preceed the first may not be as mild. The best case scenario if the H1N1 virus, is that the virus will continue to only have mild symptoms, and that in time, vaccinations will be made so as to protect people against the illness. We also hope that antiviral medications are made rapidly enough so that it can keep up with the changing strains and continue to be administered to patients who need it.

In the event that the H1N1 virus goes substantial change to become strong enough to link with other strains of the flu virus, and become resistant to anti-viral drugs. The other fear is that the strain of the virus will mutate into something more mature and not be resistant to the vaccination that was created for the simple form of the H1N1 virus.

Scientists assure us, that the likelihood of the stars aligning so perfectly for the worst case scenario to happen are slim to none, but it is still helpful to know how serious is can become. So take the proper precautions and help yourself by getting the H1N1 virus vaccine.