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The swine flu virus is special because birds and people rarely catch flu viruses adapted to another host, but they can pass flu to pigs, which also have their own strains. If a pig catches two kinds of flu at once, it can act as a mixing vessel, and hybrids can emerge with genes from both viruses.
The global threat level for swine flu was raised to 5 on a scale of 6 this week, escalating the WHO strategy to prevent further spread of the virus beyond Mexico. But if the virus does spread far and wide, will we be ready? There are three approaches to an infectious disease: you can survive it (or not), kill the bug responsible or best of all prevent it. Experts agree that our best hope may lay in monoclonal antibodies.
Janine Young is a freelance science writer, Immunologist and also a broadcaster for New Scientist magazine.
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