Pandemic swine flu

On 11 June 2009 the World Health Organisation officially declared a pandemic of swine flu following 30 000 cases in more than 70 countries. By August the number of new cases reported each week had peaked at 110 000 and there had been 36 deaths in England, but for most sufferers the symptoms seem to have been mild. So should we be worried by the pandemic this autumn and winter?

This year’s outbreak of a new strain of influenza, more commonly known as swine flu, is the latest episode in the long history of mankind’s struggle with this continually changing virus. To determine the threat this new outbreak poses as we enter the peak flu season we need to consider the chemistry of the virus, the historical precedent for pandemic flu and the drugs available to treat the illness.