'Second wave of swine flu in UK to be less lethal than previously thought'

London, August 13 (ANI): Experts have predicted that a second more strong version of pandemic influenza, expected to hit UK later this year, may turn out to be less lethal than previously believed.

David Morens and Jeffery Taubenberger of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases cast a shadow of doubt, in a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, over the chances of the second or a third wave of H1N1 influenza being more dangerous after re-examining previous influenza pandemics.

"With little consistent evidence of wave-line behaviour in the major influenza epidemics and pandemics of the past, there is a general tendency of pandemics to quickly assume annual seasonality in temperate zones," The Independent quoted Morens and Taubenberger as saying.

"Considering the long and confusing track record of pandemic influenza, it is difficult to predict the future course of the present H1N1 pandemic," they added.

A separate survey of 60 leading flu specialists by New Scientist magazine also found that chances of a stronger version of the pandemic were 50/50 or less with Laurence Tiley, a molecular virologist at the University of Cambridge, saying there was no reason to expect that the virus will become more virulent. (ANI)