Quack! Virus alert!

Hi there.  It's me again, Nicole Hoetker, reporting with my faithful assistant, Ducky.  (Quack!).  After our last few posts, we realized that as a public service announcement, we should probably do some reporting on the H1N1 influenza virus that has been going around this flu season.  Many people, including my brother, have gotten sick with it, despite the constant washing of hands and endless chapping.  Many people have been fortunate enough to get the vaccine. But it is not always effective, because certain viruses are rapidly mutating.  Fortunately for us, a company called Zirus (http://www.xvivo.net/zirus-antivirotics/) has come up with a new way to fight viruses.  The way a virus reproduces is by highjacking the host cells equipment (kind of like when your brother or classmate decides to start stealing you pencils or calculator.)  So, how do we stop viruses? Easy.  We just shut down certain things in a cell that the virus needs to reproduce, but the cell can live without, such as proteins on the surface of the cell that allow the virus to enter.  The cell doesn't need those, but the virus does.  There are also certain things that are needed to send off the viruses.  Once again, the cell does not need those and with the right type of medication, those can be shut down.

But still although we're getting a good start, we are not quite there yet.  I mean after all, the human body is made up of millions, even billions of cell, and to modify all of them is almost impossible with the current technology.  For now, your best bet to avoid getting the flue is to eat healthy, get plenty of sleep and most importantly wash your hands or at least use alcohol based handwash.  But, preferably wash your hands...there's really no substitute for that.  And try to not sneeze in people's faces.

If you want to find out more for yourself, just click on the link!

P.S. Random fact of the day:  In 2030, there is a highly possibility that as part of our daily routine we will be able to check our entire body for disease with just a single drop of blood on a special panel.  Crickey!