How and why did this swine flu pandemic start?

How did this all even start in the first place?

It does raise serious questions about where this brand new, never before seen virus came from, especially since it cannot be contracted from eating pork products, and has never before been seen in pigs, and contains traits from the bird flu and which so far only seems to respond to Tamiflu.

According to the Associated Press at least one financial analyst estimates up to $388 million worth of Tamiflu sales in the near future. That's without a pandemic outbreak.

More than half a dozen pharmaceutical companies, including Gilead Sciences Inc., Roche, GlaxoSmithKline and other companies with a stake in flu treatments and detection, have seen a rise in their shares in a matter of days, and will likely see revenue boosts if the swine flu outbreak continues to spread.



In February 2009, American pharmaceutical company Baxter was under investigation for distributing the deadly avian flu virus to 18 different countries as part of a seasonal flu vaccine shipment. Czech reporters were probing to see if it may have been part of a deliberate attempt to start a pandemic; as such a "mistake" would be virtually impossible under the security protocols of that virus.

The contaminated product, a mix of H3N2 seasonal flu viruses and unlabelled H5N1 viruses, was supplied to an Austrian research company. The Austrian firm, Avir Green Hills Biotechnology, then sent portions of it to sub-contractors in the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Germany.

The contaminated product, which Baxter calls 鈥渆xperimental virus material,鈥?was made at the Orth-Donau research facility. Baxter makes its flu vaccine, including a human H5N1 vaccine (for which a licence is expected shortly) at a facility in the Czech Republic. People familiar with biosecurity rules are dismayed by evidence that human H3N2 and avian H5N1 viruses somehow co-mingled in the Orth-Donau facility. That is a dangerous practice that should not be allowed to happen, a number of experts insisted.

While H5N1 doesn鈥檛 easily infect people, H3N2 viruses do. If someone exposed to a mixture of the two had been simultaneously infected with both strains, he or she could have served as an incubator for a hybrid virus able to transmit easily to and among people. That mixing process, called 鈥渞eassortment鈥? is one of two ways pandemic viruses are created in the lab.

Reassortment is the mixing of the genetic material of two similar viruses that are infecting the same cell. In particular, reassortment occurs among influenza viruses, whose genomes consist of eight distinct segments of RNA. These segments act like mini-chromosomes, and each time a flu virus is assembled, it requires one copy of each segment.

The H5N1 virus on its own is not very airborne. However, when combined with seasonal flu viruses, which are more easily spread, the effect could be a potent, airborne, deadly, biological weapon. If this batch of live bird flu and seasonal flu viruses had reached the public, it could have resulted in terrible consequences. Some scientists say the most recent global outbreak (the 1977 Russian flu) was started by a virus created and leaked from a laboratory.

A top scientist for the United Nations, who has examined the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in Africa, as well as HIV/AIDS victims, has concluded that the current swine flu virus possesses certain transmission "vectors" that suggest the new strain has been genetically-manufactured. The UN expert believes that Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and the current A-H1N1 swine flu virus are biological warfare agents.

Another example of the less sterling integrity of Big Pharma is the case of Bayer, who sold millions of dollars worth of an injectable blood-clotting medicine to Asian, Latin American, and some European countries in the mid-1980s, even though they knew it was tainted with the AIDS virus.

A pandemic is a large scale (i.e global) infection epidemic, and occurs when no or few people in the world are immune to a virus. In this case, the flu virus mutated (or changed), to the point where our immune system could no longer recognise the virus, so we are not protected from the harm of the virus, thereby causing disease.

In the case of the swine flu, the virus has mutated in pigs, possibly through the random mixing of bird and human flu viruses in a pig, such that it can infect humans and also spread from human to human. It may have entered the human population through interaction of farmers with their pig stock, and must have spread from there onwards.

It will take a while before we can be vaccinated or protected from the swine flue, since scientists need to isolate the virus first from infected patients, then grow them in eggs, then passage them so they are no longer a danger to us, and then include them in the vaccine, so that our immune system can build protection towards the particular strain.

It is important no one panics, and keeps calm. Make sure you follow the guide lines set by the government or health physicians, and stay safe. Eat healthy, and keep your surroundings sanitised and hygienic

Whats funny is that I had that same question last night and so I started researching alittle about it. I looked in some mexican newspapers and they claim it started with one little boy. They (Mexico)are actually STILL trying to sale there "pork" to other countries, and she saddest thing is that we are still doing it. In all the years of having a "health alert", kinda like the terroist alert, it is at level 4 for the first time. This is a kinda freakish because Ukraine, China, and the UK have closed trading with Mexico, but there are cases of "swine flu" in United Ststes, Mexico, Canada, and 3 other countries that I cannot recall. Today when I ordered a BLT at lunch, I actually told them to hold the B !!!!

The regular swine flu can be caught by humans. But it cannot be passed between humans. The virus mutated and it is now capable of transmitting between humans, so now we've got this virus spreading like wildfire, starting from Mexico.

Contrary to what others are saying, you cannot catch the flu from eating pork. It is caught in the same manner as the regular flu.

well swine flu, as the name suggests comes from pigs.
i just saw on the news a few minutes ago that it is possible a little while ago a 4 year old boy (recovering) was the first to get it in a small village in mexico(i dont think they were certain if thats what it was).
its becoming more pandemic becasue people frequently go to visit mexico and mexican officials kept the outbreak under wraps for a while. right now its in (im missing some countries) US, Spain, New Zealand, Mexico (lolduh), Brazil and i think Israel.
Im in New York and now theres about 45 reported cases, most from a catholic school in queens.

This particular Swine Flu is a mutation - a mixture of normal swine flu from pigs and an avian flu strain. This was passed to humans from contact with the infected animals. Only live animals can pass on the flu strain as it is viral so meat is still okay.
With the pig flu and bird flu combined to make this strain of flu the vaccinations available are not effective.
History shows that every so often a huge pandemic will occur and the world has been waiting for this one to happen for many years.
These flu's will always mutate and it is these changes that keep them alive. If we could come up with a vaccination that stopped them mutating we might be able to prevent future pandemics otherwise we just learn to live with them.

The first known case in this particular outbreak was a 4-year-old boy who lived in a town next to a pig farm in March. From there, he could have infected his family or other people. They in turn infect people and so on. The truth is, we don't know exactly how it started. But what likely happened is a pig became infected with different types of flu that mutated into one strain inside the pig and then the pig gave it to a human, who then passed it onto other humans.

Well most people don't know that Pigs and Hunans have simular DNA and lot of weird experiments are carried out on Pigs and farmers use Human antibiotics on pigs to fatten and speed up their growth you can even get body parts from Pigs that are used in Human transpants

So its stands to reason that when you use Human antibiotics on pigs to fatten them up then the Flu virus is going to mutate and pass to humans as there is no resistance to the Virus !

Mexico has very low health standards as we know and the Government is slow to react to anything thu lack of money this is a serious problem and the world health people must step in and find a vacine quick !

All Scripture prohibit the consumption of the flesh of the swine by human beings but some are of the mistaken belief that a certain saviour died for their sins and they foolishly put pork on their menu.

Even the swine seem to warn mankind that they should not be eaten since the pig is the only animal that raises objections to the mere thought by man that he should be dispatched to the abattoir.

The Pig squeals from the cage or farmyard to his last drop of blood.

Slavery and consumption of the flesh of the swine go hand in hand and modern slavery has brought us to the World financial crisis together with the curse of the pig.

Amen!

The media say a little boy was the first to come down with this strain of flu in Mexico. Who really knows? The media exposes what it is told to expose and governments have a habit of lying, passing the blame, etc. etc. The fact remains that viruses continually mutate, and this is just another example. It's life. Don't blame the pigs. Ms_babe you are a very vacuous (look that up) person for 1. saying pigs are filthy (they are not, cleaner than a lot of humans) 2. wanting to kill all the pigs in the world. I agree we shouldn't eat pigs, not because of any flu mutation but because they are intelligent animals that don't deserve the bad press. Flu is here to stay in whatever form it can live - if not pigs, then another species. Life has always been a battleground between us and germs/viruses. Eat healthily and bump up your immune system as a safeguard.

I think it started from pigs, causing a chain reaction, however, I don't think the death toll is right, what is this, the plague?
Anyway, personally, I think that people who are overseas who have flu like symptoms should not return to their home country, but instead stay in isolation wherever they are, they're just spreading the virus! Are people really so stupid as to come back and give it to everyone else?!

This latest round all started in Mexico with contaminated pork (pig) meat. Before this latest outbreak you have only been able to "catch" this flu by eating (or touching) contaminated raw (cooking destroys the virus) pork however on this occassion Swine Flu is now being transferred by human to human.

someone created it to make money of all these people are turning up sick all over the world... think about it they would have had some sort off strain around then they would have mutated and turned into a major strain off influenza i think it contains human and bird flu plus that horse flu that was around in 2007 in australia

It has been started by the Government. Just one of many tests and 'experiments' they have created to eventually even out control the world's population. Diss the theory all you want, but doesn't bother me. It's just my take on it. Plenty of info on this here internet if your mind is open enough, But I'd prefer you to prove me wrong. ;)

This is just another g20 governmental beat up just like the avian flu to distract us from the real issues, which are the banks and the governmentss robbing us blind.
It also helps the very powerful pharma companies to make a few dollars. There is nothing like fear to stop the world. there are more people dying of obesity and smoking than pig flu.
Poor old mexico.if itain't poor enough.what have they done to the USA recently??

Its obvious some dirty Mexican with flu had relations with a pig that had swine fever and the result is a mutation.Lets hope Anna Bligh goes on an investigative mission to Mexican Slums for a couple of months ..Perhaps she will then have personal experience of the disease...

In my opinion it probably started because the people that had animals on their land didn't look after them properly,you see how animals are treated these days on farms,i'm not blaming every farmer here but the majority stick chooks,pigs,cows in tiny little cages stuffed together,stepping in their own **** (poo) and now they wonder why their animals are getting sick and passing on disease..

well i can say the same thin as every1 alse...but i dont really agree with them.
this flu was made intensionaly but scientists....but not by mexico...mexico was just a bait or target wutever u wanna call it.
i say it was intentionally cauz this type of flu is rare...n not just that...but this type a flu has a season....n rite now is not the season for that flu
idk noe if any1 agrees w/ me..
but i think the goverment has to do somethin with this
why?..... well im pretty sure i noe the answer...but i dont really wanna rite more

Because some idiot ate pork that was neither Halal nor Kosher and the WHO paniced. Malaria kills about 19,000,000 people per year and the WHO does NOTHING. Why? because Malaria only affects the poor Equatorial countries where there is no profit for the pharmaceutical companies.

This forum is basically full of idiotic crackpots,or do you just try and look stupid?
There are a couple of literate intelligent answers amongst the drivel though.
But why even ask such a question on here, unless you just want to encourage the lunatic fringe?

There are also 5 Cases in NSW Australia (my home).

Now all we need is for Bird flu to Mutate into a New Strand and for Mad Cow Disease to make a Come back.
Then we can call this:

The Century of Farmyard Diseases!

But seriously, this thing has me sorta Scared...Guess I better stay outta the City...Even though I never go there....

As for how it started, it was that 4 year old Boy in a Village in Mexico.
I have an Uncle who's one of the leading Doctors/Scientists over there and he told us in a phone call that, that is the cause they're going with.
They still don't know how to counter it :(

I hope my uncle is Okay....

I read that it most probably developed when a person had an influenza and gave it to a pig which had a different influenza. The two different types of flu mixed together and from there it was able to be transmitted from person to person.

News sources are saying they don't really know. But i don't trust the news.
I was just sent this clip. Watch it as it is interesting.
Keep an open mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBeKB7aKz...

The media started it.

It is just the flu. It is not big deal.

36000 people die in the USA from the flu each year. This is just a bunch of loonies slapping a name on it and causing a panic.

Good question, these things all seem to start from humans not looking after themselves hygienically when dealing with animals, washing hands etc. Also drinking water that animals have been near, and bathing in water that animals have been drinking.

Swine means pig, which is usually a pig disease. Now, of course humans can catch them..
Results shown that Swine Flu came from Mexico.
Now, Canada and some USA states have caught the flu.

SORRY, my bad!

anyway read this article...
for more information on swine flu and affects...

this is not scientific like da others but i think cos of da lilpiglets(off pooh bear) got a bit sick or something?
lol im weird XD.

this little pig went to the market , this little pig stayed home, and spread a flu bug around for all the kids to play with ,and infect all the people around them..end of story

Are we suppose to be FARMING AND EATING PIG ???????
Pigs are the earths rubbish tin.They are part of the animal kingdom ,and there are many others,(like the seagull,worms etc etc) that are especially designed .for this purpose.I know Bacon etc etc tastes nice ,but do you want to eat a rubbish tin
Is it any wonder that there is an epidemic?????
We as the human race,do not eat what is intended for our bodies.Therefore weakening our immune system.
Without a good immune system--- well !!!!!!!
Expect more epidemics !!!!!
The Bible is not popular or Fashionable with some people,but it is our handbook and Manual. and has the answer to this and many more questions

they know the three components pig,human and bird,i think this could be an experiment the goverment is doing,the goverment does not tell the truth,also it could be a punishment from god,since legalizing gay marriage this is the punishment,remember in the bibel jesus did not like homesexuality ,it's a sin!