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I've heard that if you get infected with the more mild swine flu now, when it mutates and becomes a really dangerous disease, you'll be immune. Is that true?

26 comments:

king said...

i'l give a basic run through of how immunity works.
you get infected by a virus, the body (tries to) create antibodies to destroy that specific virus.
its possible it wont even repond to it.
those antibodies can attack similar viruses, but may be less effective, kind of like using a gluestick for woodwork instead of using woodglue. the more different the virus, the more likely your body will need to try and make antibodies specific to that virus.
in addition, a mild dose of a virus may not be enough to trigger the creation of antibodies.immunisations are low doses of antigen(not the virus, just the part that triggers our body to make antibodies) so they have a higher chance of starting your body producing antibodies.
in short, if your lucky it could help,but if the virus mutates too much it wont help at all.

Pommy said...

Sadly no for each case of the flu is entirely different. You catch a cold(Flu) you take precaution and you beat it BUT a new virus comes along and you have to begin all over again as each case is entirely different. Its all along the same line except the infection of flu becomes more adaptable to medicines. As in the case of Malaria I suffered badly from malaria because I continually took the same medicine for years to combat it - again the mosquito became immune to the medicine we took and a stronger strain developed. Living thirty years in the tropics (PNG) I took over six different brands of malaria tablets - but still contacted the virus. Each disease eventually becomes immune to the treatment you take.

loulabel said...

Not true! That wondrous and pesky process of 'natural selection' will make sure of this. The story is that in each population of organisms or strains of a disease there is variation (of genetic material). It's highly likely that there will be one strain that is immune to vaccines/meds etc and this will become the new strains with which everyone is infected (there will still be variation in this new population too, like with AIDS [that why they are on so many drugs at once]).
If you get swine flu now you may build up immunity to the strain you have contracted and could potentially 'fight off the disease'. HOWEVER should you contract another strain of the disease you'll have to start building up immunity all over again. Like some else had said 'it's just like the flu'. So NO if you contract swine flu now you will NOT be immune to 'more dangerous strains later'.

M H said...

If you have ever had the flu, then effectively you have had the swine flu. They are near one and the same.
Whilst minor changes make the swine flu identifiable in tested over the standard influenza, the changes in swine are not enough to create a "dangerous" or "infectious" disease from them.
It has been documented in medical journals that from 1958 to the latest "pandemic" approximately 50 deaths from swine flu have been confirmed. From these cases only 2 have died who were perceived to be medically healthy. All other deaths the person has been suffering from a terminal or near terminal illness (or had a severely compromised immune system).
Ironically if you went over to some of the most third world areas of the earth, where AIDS/HIV is prevalent, if you were to introduce swine flu into the population as a pandemic, then you would find HIV would still kill more people per day than human swine influenzu.
So why is swine so hyped you ask? The media need a story, and at the moment swine flu is that story. The other reason why places like the WHO are worried, is because of how many people have it. Sure a lot of people get the flu during winter, but there is some scaremongering going around that his flu spreads faster than others! The reality is that swine flu is more myth then reality. More people catch and die from the common flu (that we've all had in our lives) than swine flu.
Hope that answers your question.

Molecularity verbosum said...

It depends. If the surface antigens, the H1 and N1 epitopes, remain as they are but the internal proteins change to make the virus more virulent (dangerous), then you will be protected if you have had the strain we have now. Your immune system recognises the H and N lumpy bits that protrude from the virus's surface so if it has encountered those lumps before it will kill the virus and you will be safe. If the H1N1 mutates and becomes, for example H2N1, you are in trouble.
BTW, M H above is totally wrong saying if you have had the flu you are protected.

indycare said...

In the case of a mutagenic drift, you may be less susceptible as the new strain would be fairly similar to previous strains to which you were exposed. However, in the event of a mutagenic shift the strain becomes unrecognizable to existing antibodies and there is no immunity. Swine flu is so dangerous because it is a trans-species virus that developed from a mutagenic shift. Microbioloigist continually work on predicting when these shifts will occur to lessen the likelihood of pandemics by developing vaccines and taking measures to educate the public.

Mal said...

In reality, the best source of information for this query would be the hot lines set up for it. These hot lines are designed to provide information to any concerned or curious parties, and more often than not, they can give you the answers you need. It isn't always best to go online for answers, because people have personal bias, and everyone seems to think they know everything. Also, go to your doctor and ask them. They have the latest updates on the illness sent to them regularly, so they should be able to either tell you what you need to know, or point you in the right direction.
In saying the above, I will tell you that there is a possibility, like there is with pretty much every illness that is known to mankind, of mutation and reinfection. Influenza A(H1N1) itself is a mutation of the general flu. But this is nothing to panic about. Medical research and capabilities throughout the world have improved so much that there is every possibility that if it mutates, a vaccine will be able to be produced. While a vaccine isn't foolproof, and can weaken your immune system to some degree, its ability to be created, and modified in part, to combat any mutations that may occur.
There have been no reports to be made in regards to being immune to a more serious mutation of H1N1, mainly because it hasn't mutated yet, and scientists don't know what the implications would be from a mutation. It could mutate into something absolutely harmless, or it could mutate into something else.
Although, because it is a mutation of the general flu, which often requires an annual flu shot to maintain immunity, it is highly likely that an acquired immunity will be non existent.

Alec said...

No you would be immune think of it as this one guy walks into a burger shop orders 3 burgers but leaves 1 burger out the swine flu the othe comes in buys the burger the other guy left out ( the swine flu) he then eats it he gets sick goes back to the burger shop and sues them the swine flu is gone but there are more burger shops out there waiting to release othe flus
(burger shops do not actually contain flus in ther burgers)

Queen RuBee said...

As most have said - the answer is no. But don't be brainwashed into thinking that it is a deadly disease. Your body has the capacity to heal itself and therefore coming into contact with diseases enhances its ability to fight and stave them off.
This flu strain has been hyped to the max as usual. Don't be fooled into thinking that vaccination is the way to go, either. Vaccines actually compromise your immune system - your best bet is to eat proper "food" (i.e if it comes out of a bag, can, box, fast food shop then its not food), exercise, get proper sleep.
For further info check out the website below - Treasure trove of health research

Baby Bath Games said...

it depends. in the past there have been many different viruses. lets give a bit of a history lesson here.
in 1918 there was a particular influenza strain known as the spanish flu. but in the middle of the outbreak the spanish flu mutated and became one of the deadlist influenza strains in the twentieth century killing 50 million-100 million people. but then the spanish flu vanished in a short space of time lasting until late 1920.
people that survived that particular strain had actually addated to spanish flu. but they only gained partial immunity from that one.
now with the swine flu you catch it there is a small chance that you will gain immunity from a deadlier strain of swine flu.

raynesto said...

Probably not.
Look at regular flu. You develop an immunity to a particular strain. The regular flu mutates all the time, which is why you get a vaccine every year, and that vaccine only protects you against certain strains.
Same should prove true with the swine flu. Once it mutates, it'll be a new strain. You MIGHT have some MINOR cross protection, but will still be susceptable to new strains.

Pearl said...

Probably not, but I'm no health professional. The best you can do for your own immunity right now is the usual: eating/drinking healthily, exercising regularly and getting adequate rest. No need to get paranoid. If you can keep your body healthy, you'll have a better chance of fighting any disease, swine flu or otherwise.

Paul S said...

This is definately NOT true! I don't know where these dangerous rumours start. It is 100% unfounded and not supported by a scrap of scientific evidence.
Warning: The writer is not a medical practicioner or scientist, just another tosser who thinks he knows everything..
Hope you get my point

sexxiii said...

yes and no your body build up immunities on its own with out vaccines
ive never had a flu vaccine in my life except those of when you get when your a baby. but every yr ive never seem to have gotten the flu; my daughter recently got the flu and still has it but by letting her build up the immunity to it without antibiotics or vaccines her body can help fight the next flu which could be worse han this one or less severe. either way if you get a vaccine it will only fight off the virus in which it is meant too, and your body is more tolerant to viruses if you fight them clinically, let your body build the immune system up naturally.

phill m said...

Look the real answer is we just don't know !!! Its a new strain comming from pigs and that shouldn't surprise anyone as we are close in our DNA We are using pig parts all the time in surgery and doing all sorts of weird experiments on them and we eat the dam things ! This could mutate into a very deadly strain or it could just go away we just don't know and caution is vital if we don't want to end up with a massive pandemic that has the potential to become uncontrolable !

confused said...

NO) how can one be immune to other strains of viruses after being infected with swine flu. All viruses are made up differently. If one was immune after catching the flu, then they would be protected against any other flu virus that comes along every winter. It doesn't work that way.

Anonymou said...

Technically, no, you are not immune to other strains later.
Theoretically, yes. Very dependent on the context of the degree of virus mutation, your state of immunity, your environment, and so on.

Ra said...

the answer is no.just remember that if you do get the swine flu,spend 24 hours in a smokey room,and you will be cured.

Al said...

Depends on how it mutates. These viruses can share genetic information with other viruses or change over time. It sounds like You are thinking of the lessons from cow pox/small pox. Truth is I don't think we know.

Damian said...

It's all a giant scam by the drug companies to bilk money from the gullible masses. 0.5% of sufferers have died. That's less than the normal flu.

Gary said...

the flu's the flu . pig dog goat some people cope some don't
my advice is drink plenty of beer and eat lots of garlic and no barstard
will come near you

Ionic Foot Detox said...

No, because each new strain that develops is stronger and more dangerous then the last one.

Tragic Saint said...

Honestly, I am not sure. I rang the Swine Flu Hotline for more information and all I got was crackling.

chillima said...

no

Bill Callahan Is Poop said...

No.

Trendy Baby Clothes said...

not if you use the oinkment!

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