Although there's been media coverage in the last few days significantly downplaying the A/H1N1 "Swine flu" pandemic, the emergence of the pandemic clearly showed that influenza viruses could be generated in swine and 'jump' the species barrier into people.

As 'swine flu' has remained relatively benign, media attention has moved from sometimes being quite alarmist, to sometimes suggesting the Government's response was an over-reaction.

A study published last week in Science

http://www.sciencemay.org/cgi/content/abstract/328/5985/1529 shows a clear reason for keeping pandemic flu in mind, particularly for business continuity planning.

As the Science article reports, a long-running research project has been monitoring the virus and has found strong evidence that the A/H1N1 virus afflicting humans is recombining in pigs, which could give rise to another strain to which humans have low levels of immunity.  The report did not observe re-assortment with human seasonal influenza viruses, something they had worried might happen.

It is eminently possible that any continued re-assortment will make the virus even less dangerous for humans, although the opposite is also possible.  Blossoms' believes its really worth keeping pandemic preparations closely in mind for the future, particularly with the Winter flu season fast approaching.

This years' seasonal flu vaccination will contain the A/H1N1 strain.