Governments around the World taking Precautions as Pig Flu Reaches Global Status (May 2009)

You might think that inter-species diseases are a thing of the movies, but in reality viruses, bacteria, and fungus jump between the species they attack. The recent H1N1 pig flu virus had genes from bird flu, and when it migrated to humans, it acquired human genes.
Vaccines try to prevent inter-species viruses and include immunity against variations of H1N1, H3N2, H1N2. Viral mutations are not fiction, and vaccination and potent anti-virals are some of our weapons.

As the spread of the deadly Swine Flu virus speeds up in Mexico and starts entering other countries such as the United States, New Zealand, Canada, and Israel, countries are taking necessary precautions to prevent the virus from reaching a pandemic in their own countries. This measures include quarantining some sick travelers from Countries known to have the pig flu virus. The United States Homeland Security has released a quarter of its 50 million antiviral medicatons to be delivered to the cities and towns as a preemptive measure to combat the sperad of the flu infections. Source: AP

Tags: Global Outbreak, Global Pandemic, Swine Flu News

Biotechnology advances have allowed us to understand viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens better than ever before. We use genetic engineering, DNA sequencing, microarrays, PCR, and other genomic and proteomic tools to understand pathogens better.
We've also developed vaccines and potent antivirals and antibiotics that fight diseases. A proof of this is how much longer life expectancy is Today than it was before the 1940's when antibiotics were invented.

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