Flu comes fresh from Asia each year


Genetic research continues to solve "mysteries" apace...


Flu viruses evolve freshly somewhere in east or southeast Asia every year, spreading around the world over the next nine months before dying out.

Genetic analysis by two teams of international researchers show that there are just a few initial sources of annual, seasonal influenza epidemics. The viruses spread around the world from these before dying.

Then every year, new strains emerge to infect people, according to the studies published in the journals Nature and Science…

“We find that viruses come out of east and southeast Asia as a region each year and it is not any one particular country that is the continual source of influenza viruses. So it is not as simple as saying out of China, because out of China is not the whole story,” Russell said…

“Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur are only 700 miles apart but they have their flu epidemics at completely different times of year.” This means flu epidemics can be occurring almost year-round in Asia, he said.

Then the viruses die out every year in the Americas, Europe, Australia and the rest of Oceania, making these areas “evolutionary graveyards,” Russell said.

Of course, we still have Know-Nothings who think you can get influenza from the vaccine.

Posted: Thu - April 17, 2008 at 10:08 AM