Flu Terminology

Seashore · 08-28-2009, 12:02 PM

I thought it would be helpful to define the terminology we hear bandied about in reports about the “swine flu.”

My understanding is that the term “swine flu” as we’re using it in 2009 is a misnomer. According to this Wikipedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandemic_H1N1/09_virus the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) has labeled it “novel H1N1 virus.”

The article lists 4 gene types of the virus:

1. North American swine
2. North American avian
3. Human
4. Asian & European swine

Some other terminology I think we need to know are “bridge virus,” “herald wave,” “recombinant,” and “clade.” I just spent quite a bit of time trying to locate a definition of the first one online and came up empty-handed.

Maybe someone has a link for a good glossary with these terms in it...

08-28-2009, 12:02 PM	#1
Seashore Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 3,564	Flu Terminology I thought it would be helpful to define the terminology we hear bandied about in reports about the “swine flu.” My understanding is that the term “swine flu” as we’re using it in 2009 is a misnomer. According to this Wikipedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandemic_H1N1/09_virus the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) has labeled it “novel H1N1 virus.” The article lists 4 gene types of the virus: 1. North American swine 2. North American avian 3. Human 4. Asian & European swine Some other terminology I think we need to know are “bridge virus,” “herald wave,” “recombinant,” and “clade.” I just spent quite a bit of time trying to locate a definition of the first one online and came up empty-handed. Maybe someone has a link for a good glossary with these terms in it...