OMG the dirty pigs are going to give me the flu of death! NOOOOOOOOOO!

[JVS]

[Dr. Strange]

1. WTF?

Talk Like A Pirate day isn't until September!

[TZ]

2. Warning: Science content

Actually pigs are physiologically the closest to humans. People gets pig valves for replacement heart valves because of this.
And pigs are notorious to immunologists and epidemiologists and known as mutation resevoirs...In other words they can catch a new virus from another species (say a bird) and it can mutate in the pig to something that can jump into people. Most epidemiologists have believed for years that a influenza pandemic would come from a virus that came from a pig bourne mutation.
Sorry for the downer info, but I think its kinda inportant for folks to understand that scientists aren't fretting for no reason

[JVS]

3. Are pigs closer to humans than monkeys?

[TZ]

4. overall genetically no..

BUT (and I'm going to try to simplify this) pig cells have a receptor on them that is similar but not exact to humans and similar to other animals in some way..It makes pig cells/organs/physiology compatible to humans..and its why pigs are a good way for a virus to jump from animals to people. And its why a epidemiologist friend of mine once told me she believed a pandemic flu would likely start on a farm where pigs, chickens and people all mingled.
We'll see...its good that it SEEMS that once the virus is spread from person to person it loses its punch. But its something me and mine are going to keep a sharp eye on..AND the emergency measures the Obama administration did today are mainly to make it easier for multiple scientific agencies and companies to work cooperatively.
I'm not panicking but I think its a very serious topic...which is why I will answer as best I can anyone who has questions on this topic. I'm all about spreading the science baby!:)

[flvegan]

5. Go vegan, JVS. It's your only hope.

:rofl:

[JVS]

6. I'd have an easier time going halal than vegan