It was in 2009 when the world’s second H1N1 epidemic sent millions of people around the world in a state of panic. Many of the international and domestic airports have temporarily closed their operations to ensure public safety among travelers. Likewise, almost all countries have also come up with a group of health professionals that would monitor all incoming passengers especially those who are from countries reported to have H1N1 cases. After a year, however, other complicated cases of H1N1 influenza have become the headline of several news channels globally.

Earlier cases of H1N1 were first reported in Mexico but gradually spread to different countries. One of the reasons for this is the rapid migration of people today. H1N1 virus was first described to be a combination of bird, swine, and human flu viruses. However, another complicated version of H1N1 was discovered as a composition of the three previous viruses plus the Eurasian pig flu virus. Because of its similarity to swine flu virus, it was informally termed as swine flu. Like the other types of influenza, H1N1 has a set of symptoms that include fever, dry cough, sore throat, chills, fatigue, and muscle and joint pains. H1N1 can be transmitted from a person to another person through sneezing or coughing. Doctors also pointed out that this flu can also be transmitted through touching the infected surface or area. When acquired, this human flu will develop into several respiratory complications such as pneumonia and respiratory distress syndrome. In H1N1 pneumonia, an individual can be affected by either direct viral or secondary bacteria. The complicated type of H1N1 is more dangerous than the previous type since it infects even the healthiest individuals. Because of this, the viral flu continued to spread rapidly and ended with significant death rates among many countries. However, H1N1 is also known to have a distinct characteristic unlike the other types of influenza wherein it does not infect older individuals.

Because of its significant death rates in different countries, many medical professionals have made their ways to discover and develop an efficient treatment for thousands of patients inflicted with H1N1.  Through the help of Biocryst Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Lindsay Rosenwald was able to develop a vaccine for H1N1. This vaccine is an anti-viral agent that contains high concentration of plasma and Dr. Lindsay Rosenwald believed that it is directly delivered to the infected viral site. This vaccine is also believed to be effective in influenza A and B viruses as well as other types of influenza that may be resistant with other available types of inhibitors. Because of this vaccine, Dr. Lindsay Rosenwald believes that humans should no longer be afraid if ever another H1N1 epidemic will occur in the future.