Swine Flu Victims: A point worth noting

[Mike 03]

While I'm not one to become hysterical over these preliminary reports, one thing is worriesome, and that is the age of the victims who have died. If reports are to be believed, the victims have ranged in age from the 20s to the mid and late 40s.

What distinguishes the so-called "Spanish Flu" pandemic of 1918, as well as the H5N1 (Avian) from ordinary influenza is that these are respiratory viruses that kill healthy young adults, sparing the usual victims who are the elderly, immune compromised and infants. These strains do this by eliciting an overresponse from an otherwise very robust, healthy immune system, creating a cytokine storm, and usually infecting the lungs. The victim drowns in his own secretions, basically. So those with normal, healthy immune systems are the victims of these more dangerous viral strains.

This is one red flag that I believe should be considered before waving this off as another instance of premature hysteria.

Just my two cents.