The odd thing is that those dying (in Mexico) are in the prime age group, not the young and old. This is the same pattern seen in the big flu epidemic in 1918. I'm not sure if the reasons for this are known.
Also the cases in the US are milder than in Mexico, also unexplained.
One thing I haven't seen discussed is that Mexico City cut off *all* its municipal water for a few days about two weeks ago due to severe shortages in their reservoirs. My hypothesis is that this led to a rise in unsanitary conditions having to do with cleanliness, sewage and availability of clean drinking water. No mention of any work on correlation about this either.
The fine folks over at Making Light have some great articles about flu, including the latest one: http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/011241.html which includes information on how it kills. Basically, it sets up a “cytokine storm” where the immune system attacks parts of the body that weren't affected by the original infection, leading to a stronger immune response. Repeat until dead.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2009-04-27 06:53 pm (UTC)There're outbreaks in schools a few miles down the road from my parents, who are in that population of compromised/older immune systems.
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Date: 2009-04-27 08:26 pm (UTC)Also the cases in the US are milder than in Mexico, also unexplained.
One thing I haven't seen discussed is that Mexico City cut off *all* its municipal water for a few days about two weeks ago due to severe shortages in their reservoirs. My hypothesis is that this led to a rise in unsanitary conditions having to do with cleanliness, sewage and availability of clean drinking water. No mention of any work on correlation about this either.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-27 08:42 pm (UTC)no clean water: yeah, that's no good! That can't help anything... and may be why the cases here are milder.
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Date: 2009-04-27 08:42 pm (UTC)