Cytokine cascade and H1N1 Swine Flu

Rumors and speculation have abounded about the H1N1 Swine Flu causing "cytokine storms."
It is the cytokine cascade that gave the recent H5N1 avian flu its virulence, with a 33% death rate.

However, H1N1 does not generally cause cytokine cascades. Researchers are closing in on causes and possible treatments for cytokine cascade. (1) To date, however, this year’s H1N1 has not shown evidence of causing cytokine cascade.

Unlike the normal seasonal flu, H1N1 Swine flu is able to directly infect the lungs, which is what happens in the severe cases.(2) The mortality rate has remained low, with deaths mostly in people with compromised immune systems. In other words, their immune systems didn’t over-respond; they under-responded.

Please note that I am not a medical professional and this article is for informational purposes only. This is not intended to substitute for medical advice. Many medicinal herbs can be toxic in specific circumstances and can interact with prescribed pharmaceuticals. Therefore, before taking herbs for medicinal purposes, please consult with your doctor if you are already on prescription drugs, if you are pregnant, or if you develop symptoms of the flu or some other ailment.

References
(1) Potential Role of High Mobility Group Box 1 in Viral Infectious Diseases.HAICHAO WANG, MARY F. WARD, XUE-GONG FAN, ANDREW E. SAMA, and WEI LIURL at http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1782047

(2) Swine Flu: H1N1 Virus More Dangerous Than Suspected, Except To Survivors Of The 1918 Pandemic Flu Virus. ScienceDaily (July 14, 2009) URL at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090713212231.htm