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gallo · Sep 29, 2006, 08:19 pm

About a year ago there was a news story about how the 1918 Spanish flu virus (H1N1) had been reconstructed from scratch. A victim was found who had been buried in permafrost in Alaska, and enough of the virus was extracted to researchers to sequence the three remaining (unknown) plasmids that make up the virus. Five plasmids had been previously sequenced from other specimens. The eight plasmids were then injected into a living cell culture and they reassembled themselves into the virus and began to reproduce.

Researchers reconstruct killer 1918 flu virus

The purpose was to enable research into why this virus, also believed to be an avian virus, was so virulent. Well, now they have found out why. Researchers infected mice and have found that there is a severe immunological reaction to this virus causing severe inflamation. Studies have shown similar immunological reactions from the current Avian flu strain (H5N1). Research is continuing, but it seems possible that to develop appropriate drugs to supress the excessive inflamatory reaction in victims.

Scientists find why Spanish flu was so deadly

It is interesting that the 1918 Spanish flu was more lethal in young adults rather than the young or the old. The hypothesis is that children have less developed immune systems and old people tend to have weakened or more repressed immune systems and therefore escaped the severe inflamation.

By the way, the polio virus has also been artificially reconstructed. Of course, since it is exclusively a human disease, it hasn't been tested, but it cannot be distinguished from the real thing.

Nono · Sep 30, 2006, 04:06 pm

Quote:

Quote by: gallo

The hypothesis is that children have less developed immune systems and old people tend to have weakened or more repressed immune systems and therefore escaped the severe inflamation.

Another hypothesis is that 1918 saw huge numbers of young adults living in unhealthily close quarters, i.e. soldiers in the framework of WWI. Indeed, the epidemic has been cited by some historians as one main reason why the war ended when it did.

gallo · Sep 30, 2006, 04:37 pm

Quote:

Quote by: Nono

Another hypothesis is that 1918 saw huge numbers of young adults living in unhealthily close quarters, i.e. soldiers in the framework of WWI. Indeed, the epidemic has been cited by some historians as one main reason why the war ended when it did.

But that hypothesis has never been a satisfactory one as to why the disease was so fatal. That's OK to explain why it spread so fast to all nations that had troops in Europe in 1918, especially in one particular replacement depot in Belgium, but that doesn't explain why, even in the U.S., it was the children and the elderly who tended to survive bouts of the flu, while young adults died.

The reason seems to be that what is fatal is what is known as a cytokine storm that results from a strong and healthy immune system. Too bad that the inflammation doesn't respond to NSAIDs.

And of course, the opinions of historians about why the war ended is irrelevant to the immune response of flu victims.

Milton Bradley · Sep 30, 2006, 04:41 pm

Wonder if we'll be selling any of this to our next generation of terrorists as an excuse to invade thier country in the future? :rolleyes:

Remember when that very premise seemed so far fetched as to involk the Conspiracy Theorist allegations.

Ahhh, reality, it's a damn good thing it's free, or I might not subscribe. ( You know how when shows run there course, and the writing seems stale, and uninspired, well thats about where I'm at with this little show. )

Sep 29, 2006, 08:19 pm	#1 (permalink) (top)
gallo Homo sapiens Posts: 2,050	Why Spanish flu was so deadly About a year ago there was a news story about how the 1918 Spanish flu virus (H1N1) had been reconstructed from scratch. A victim was found who had been buried in permafrost in Alaska, and enough of the virus was extracted to researchers to sequence the three remaining (unknown) plasmids that make up the virus. Five plasmids had been previously sequenced from other specimens. The eight plasmids were then injected into a living cell culture and they reassembled themselves into the virus and began to reproduce. Researchers reconstruct killer 1918 flu virus The purpose was to enable research into why this virus, also believed to be an avian virus, was so virulent. Well, now they have found out why. Researchers infected mice and have found that there is a severe immunological reaction to this virus causing severe inflamation. Studies have shown similar immunological reactions from the current Avian flu strain (H5N1). Research is continuing, but it seems possible that to develop appropriate drugs to supress the excessive inflamatory reaction in victims. Scientists find why Spanish flu was so deadly It is interesting that the 1918 Spanish flu was more lethal in young adults rather than the young or the old. The hypothesis is that children have less developed immune systems and old people tend to have weakened or more repressed immune systems and therefore escaped the severe inflamation. By the way, the polio virus has also been artificially reconstructed. Of course, since it is exclusively a human disease, it hasn't been tested, but it cannot be distinguished from the real thing. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion;... --From Article 11 of the Treaty of Tripoli passed unanimously by the Senate 1797

Sep 30, 2006, 04:41 pm	#4 (permalink) (top)
Milton Bradley BANNED Location: Ohio Province, Rep. of Comerica Posts: 7,320	Wonder if we'll be selling any of this to our next generation of terrorists as an excuse to invade thier country in the future? :rolleyes: Remember when that very premise seemed so far fetched as to involk the Conspiracy Theorist allegations. Ahhh, reality, it's a damn good thing it's free, or I might not subscribe. ( You know how when shows run there course, and the writing seems stale, and uninspired, well thats about where I'm at with this little show. )