re: H1N1 (Swine flu) informational resources

This is a great thread. Thanks for compiling this list of sites  

I love that picture!

Quoting Mer is a Mean Girl:“ Real information...tina is going to love you for this!”

I do! Love you lots!!!

Scientific article written as an H1N1 primer for OB/GYNs:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2760905/?tool=pubmed

General flu primer:
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=1229

You don't have to add this to the OP, being as most people won't have access to the actual paper for several months (unless you have a subscription), but the result from one of the clinical trials of the vaccine was just published online ahead of print in the New England Journal of Medicine (Oct 21, 2009). Here is the abstract:

"METHODS: A split-virus, inactivated candidate vaccine against the 2009 H1N1 virus was manufactured, and we evaluated its safety and immunogenicity in a randomized clinical trial. Subjects were between 3 and 77 years of age, stratified into four age groups. The immunization schedule consisted of two vaccinations, 21 days apart. Subjects were injected with placebo or with vaccine, with or without alum adjuvant, at doses of 7.5 mug, 15 mug, or 30 mug. Serologic analysis was performed at baseline and on days 21 and 35.

RESULTS: A total of 2200 subjects received one dose, and 2103 (95.6%) received the second dose, of vaccine or placebo. No severe adverse side effects associated with the vaccine were noted. In the nonadjuvanted-vaccine groups, injection-site or systemic reactions, most mild in nature, were noted in 5.5 to 15.9% of subjects. Among the subjects receiving 15 mug of nonadjuvanted vaccine, a hemagglutination-inhibition titer of 1:40 or more was achieved by day 21 in 74.5% of subjects between 3 and 11 years of age, 97.1% of subjects between 12 and 17 years, 97.1% of subjects between 18 and 60 years, and 79.1% of subjects 61 years of age or older; by day 35, the titer had been achieved in 98.1%, 100%, 97.1%, and 93.3% of subjects, respectively. The proportion with a titer of 1:40 or more was generally highest among the subjects receiving 30 mug of vaccine, with or without adjuvant. Vaccine without adjuvant was associated with fewer local reactions and greater immune responses than was vaccine with adjuvant.

CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that a single dose of 15 mug of hemagglutinin antigen without alum adjuvant induces a typically protective immune response in the majority of subjects between 12 and 60 years of age. Lesser immune responses were seen after a single dose of vaccine in younger and older subjects. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00975572.)"

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19846844?ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Quoting usagi:“ You don't have to add this to the OP, being as most people won't have access to the actual paper for ... [snip!] ... You don't have to add this to the OP, being as most people won't have access to the actual paper for several months (unless you have a subscription), but the result from one of the clinical trials of the vaccine was just published online ahed of print in the New England Journal of Medicine (Oct 21, 2009). Here is the abstract: "METHODS: A split-virus, inactivated candidate vaccine against the 2009 H1N1 virus was manufactured, and we evaluated its safety and immunogenicity in a randomized clinical trial. Subjects were between 3 and 77 years of age, stratified into four age groups. The immunization schedule consisted of two vaccinations, 21 days apart. Subjects were injected with placebo or with vaccine, with or without alum adjuvant, at doses of 7.5 mug, 15 mug, or 30 mug. Serologic analysis was performed at baseline and on days 21 and 35. RESULTS: A total of 2200 subjects received one dose, and 2103 (95.6%) received the second dose, of vaccine or placebo. No severe adverse side effects associated with the vaccine were noted. In the nonadjuvanted-vaccine groups, injection-site or systemic reactions, most mild in nature, were noted in 5.5 to 15.9% of subjects. Among the subjects receiving 15 mug of nonadjuvanted vaccine, a hemagglutination-inhibition titer of 1:40 or more was achieved by day 21 in 74.5% of subjects between 3 and 11 years of age, 97.1% of subjects between 12 and 17 years, 97.1% of subjects between 18 and 60 years, and 79.1% of subjects 61 years of age or older; by day 35, the titer had been achieved in 98.1%, 100%, 97.1%, and 93.3% of subjects, respectively. The proportion with a titer of 1:40 or more was generally highest among the subjects receiving 30 mug of vaccine, with or without adjuvant. Vaccine without adjuvant was associated with fewer local reactions and greater immune responses than was vaccine with adjuvant. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that a single dose of 15 mug of hemagglutinin antigen without alum adjuvant induces a typically protective immune response in the majority of subjects between 12 and 60 years of age. Lesser immune responses were seen after a single dose of vaccine in younger and older subjects. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00975572.)" http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19846844?ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum”

Great info, thanks!

I just received this info ... thought it was useful:

Know the Difference between Cold and H1N1 Flu Symptoms

Fever
-Fever is rare with a cold.
-Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu.

Coughing
-A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold.
-A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough).

Aches
-Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.
-Severe aches and pains are common with the flu.

Stuffy Nose
-Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week.
-Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu.

Chills
-Chills are uncommon with a cold.
-60% of people who have the flu experience chills.

Tiredness
-Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.
-Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu.

Sneezing
-Sneezing is commonly present with a cold.
-Sneezing is not common with the flu.

Sudden Symptoms
-Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.
-The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.

Headache
-A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.
-A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases.

Sore Throat
-Sore throat is commonly present with a cold.
-Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu.

Chest Discomfort
-Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold.
-Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu.

Quoting Booperelli:“ Since there have been so many posts about the H1N1 ("Swine Flu") vaccines, I am compiling a list of informational ... [snip!] ... Feel free to contribute any accredited sources and I will add them to the OP. Obligatory:”

Do you know if I can find the ingredients anywhere, or if someone knows.

Quoting InkedMomma:“ Do you know if I can find the ingredients anywhere, or if someone knows.”

Here is a list for all vaccines, from the cdc pink book. I don't think that the H1N1vaccine is listed on there (it was last updated April 2009), but ingredients are the same as for the seasonal flu vaccine:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/appendices/B/excipient-table-2.pdf

It should be important to note that this list containsboth the ingredients in the vial and also "substances used during the manufacturing process" (as stated at the top of the page). So things like cells, which are used to make the virus, are listed but are not present in the shot.

Quoting usagi:“ Here is a list for all vaccines, from the cdc pink book. I don't think that the H1N1vaccine is listed ... [snip!] ... at the top of the page). So things like cells, which are used to make the virus, are listed but are not present in the shot.”

If the ingredients are the same for the flu vaccine... then why is there a vaccine for the swine flu, and then one for seasonal flu.....wouldn't it be called the same thing?

Quoting InkedMomma:“ If the ingredients are the same for the flu vaccine... then why is there a vaccine for the swine flu, and then one for seasonal flu.....wouldn't it be called the same thing?”

The swine flu emerged on the scene in Spring 2009... production on the seasonal flu vaccine was already started. If the swine flu would have emerged a bit earlier, it would have been included as one of the strains in the seasonal flu vaccine.

Quoting usagi:“ The swine flu emerged on the scene in Spring 2009... production on the seasonal flu vaccine was already ... [snip!] ... the swine flu would have emerged a bit earlier, it would have been included as one of the strains in the seasonal flu vaccine.”

Does that mean that the seasonal flu vaccine......is alldifferentkinds of flu in one vaccine? Each year, they keep adding more and more strands?

Quoting InkedMomma:“ Does that mean that the seasonal flu vaccine......is alldifferentkinds of flu in one vaccine? Each year, they keep adding more and more strands?”

For the seasonal flu vaccine, they pick the 3 strains of flu that they think will be the most circulated for the upcoming year. The flu mutates by reassortment, and changes fairly quickly, so each year the flu vaccine contains a different mix of strains.

Quoting InkedMomma:“ Does that mean that the seasonal flu vaccine......is alldifferentkinds of flu in one vaccine? Each year, they keep adding more and more strands?”

not more and more. the flu works the same as a cold. there are millions of stands of the virus becuase they each do differnt things. then there are mutations. the swine flu virus is a mutation of the spanish infuenza.

Quoting InkedMomma:“ Does that mean that the seasonal flu vaccine......is alldifferentkinds of flu in one vaccine? Each year, they keep adding more and more strands?”

PS: Read the link "general influenza primer" in the OP. It does a nice job of explaining the flu and its different subtypes, and how it changes over time.