swine fever / swine influenza

Question

Dear experts,
do CF patients have to be extra cautious concerning the swine fever?
Many thanks for your information.

Answer

Hello,
the swine influenza (politically correct "new influenza" and in no case "swine fever", that is something totally different) affects in general all humans; about the effects and special risks, one does not know anything at this timepoint.
In case the things known about Influenza (that is the "old" influenza/"old" flu) can be transferred to the "new influenza", then one has to fear, that humans with existing severe lung diseases (as also with other severe diseases) then have a risk of having a more sever course of the illness.
But one does not know this yet - and as it is looking like at the moment, it is probably only a little shot across the bows and the pandemia does not yet come this time. The health officials will hopefully take the time for learning from that - enough information, that we could learn something for CF, are not available at the moment.
Yours sincerely,
TOF Wagner

15.06.2009

19.10.09 To uptdate the information on this topic, here is some information from Prof. Anne Malfroot:
"The swine influenza (new influenza or influenza A/H1N1) affects in general all humans especially individuals under the age of 60 years; about the effects and special risks, one does not know anything specifically regarding CF at this time point. What we know, from all cases especially reported in the US (more than 340.000 end of Sept 2009), is the effects of the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection are similar to those of the seasonal influenza (or „old“ flu). This means that humans with existing severe lung diseases (as also with other severe diseases) then have a risk of having a more sever course of the illness.
Therefore we advise to CF patients to take the same precautions as for the seasonal flu. Every patient with CF should have his annual seasonal flu vaccine. Unfortunately the vaccine against seasonal flu is NOT effective for the novel flu. Vaccines against swine flu are studied and will probably become available in Oct-Nov 2009.
But one does not know when the swine flu pandemia will come over Europe …The health officials will take national decisions concerning starting vaccination of risk groups, depending on the extent of the pandemia, and the safety and efficacy results of the new vaccine studies …"
D. d'Alquen