Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell has a case of the swine flu – did it hit your family yet?

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Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell has come down with an illness that’s bound to get him much more coverage than the press tour for their new album he’s had to postpone – Littrell has contracted the dreaded swine flu! Oh no! This isn’t the only H1N1 celebrity story in the press this week – production has been shut down on the Fox show Bones because lead actor David Boreanaz has the flu.

Those pigs just ruin everything! First Bones and now BSB!

The Backstreet Boys have been forced to put their media blitz for their new album—This Is Us, out tomorrow—on hold as Brian Littrell has been diagnosed with swine flu.
Needless to say, New York appearances scheduled for today and tomorrow have been canceled in light of the illness.

“We were really looking forward to spending time with our closest fans and friends in NYC,” Littrell says in a statement. “I hope we can come back soon and do everything we can to help.”

Thankfully, doctors declared Nick Carter, Howie Dorough and A.J. McLean are H1N1-free, but prescribed Tamiflu to the group and their touring party, who had just returned to the U.S. from Tokyo.

While swine flu is no oinking laughing matter, something tells us this diagnosis may provide healthier awareness for their album than that media blitz.

[From E! Online]

My son, who’s five, got the flu on Saturday. We didn’t take him to the pediatrician as he was much better by Monday and it was a holiday here on Saturday. (Plus I’ve read that the recommended treatment, Tamiflu, isn’t that great for kids.) He came down with a fever of 102, was caughing and felt sick to his stomach with a headache. Those are symptoms of the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, but they’re also the symptoms of regular flu and we never got confirmation of what he had. I was a little freaked out at first, but he was acting fine after taking children’s ibuprofen so I put aside the initial urge to take him to the emergency room. My husband and I are achy and run down with some stomach problems but are otherwise ok. I’ve had much worse cases of flu.

I do suspect my son had the H1N1 virus and that he’s mostly recovered now. I feel relieved after all the scary things I’ve read. There’s some rumblings that it’s been needlessly hyped by the media, but my husband is a scientist and he says that it’s kind of warranted because of the way the virus mutated. As it is, a lot of people have caught it and recovered. According to the CDC swine flu isn’t more deadly than regular seasonal flu at this time of year although more people are seeking treatment for it. We’ll have to see what happens this flu season and if it gets worse. You can’t say people aren’t aware of it, that’s for sure.

The Backstreet Boys are shown in Berlin on 9/7/09. Credit: Fame Pictures

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10 Responses to “Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell has a case of the swine flu – did it hit your family yet?”

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  1. Lway says:

    The Backstreet Boys still exist? It’s been ages since I’ve heard about them – maybe it’s because i live in South Africa – we are always the last to know …. 🙂 Maybe my taste in music has just improved over the years …

  2. Ash says:

    HOLY SNIKES – I remember him.

  3. Kris says:

    Unless you are immunosupressed, or have a primary condition (pregnancy, respiratory condition) swine flu is nothing to panic about. Take precautions as you would seasonal flu, which is more deadly. Be prepared, absolutely, hypervigilance is unnecessary. Swine Flu H1N1 is in the media because it hasn’t been seen in at least 50 years which means that a significant portion of the population have no natural immuntiy. That’s why they advise people under the age of 60 be immunized, those over 60 have probably been in contact and have natural immunity. Seriously, my doctor advised that myself and my children not be immunized with an unproven vaccine, but allow us to gain natural immuntiy. That being said, they are healthy children, we are healthy adults. My doctor did say that H1N1 vacciens should be considered on a case by case basis.

  4. Annie says:

    I’m with you Kris.

    I’m a definite fan of building natural immunity and staying away from unproven vaccines unless absolutely vital.

    It’s just better overall to take a more holistic route. Our bodies have the means to protect us, we should just let it work its magic.

  5. Annicka says:

    My sister has it as I type this comment. She’s been home for over a full week now. At its highest her temperature reached 104.3, which was very scary. She’s doing much better now, her temperature has returned to normal, she just has a cough. I wish a speedy recovering to Brian Littrell and anyone who has swine flu.

  6. Moore says:

    A few of my little cousins had it a couple weekends ago. The poor things. So many schools have been hit here so there’s definitely some kids walking around with it. Hope everyone stays well.

  7. LolaBella says:

    The header pic of Brian reminds me why he was always my favorite Backstreet Boy. Le Sigh. *goes off to listen to ‘I Want It That Way’ and be all nostalgic for the 90s*

  8. Kaboom says:

    Swine flu: so dangerous, you’d have to dig for D-list celebs to find someone who got it.

  9. laura says:

    fyi swine flu is no worse than any other strain – the fear is the epidemic nature of what is anticipated b/c it is a new infection in general – so long story short, it’s not an issue of “your child will die of this flu” – more, “if you are an employer, the workforce may be hugely impacted if everyone is out sick for a day” and “if you have an immune system-compromised loved one, keep an eye out” kinda thing. so your kid just had the flu.

  10. laura says:

    kaboom – that is so funny AND TRUE!!!

    still self-vigilance is good – this thing is getting a little kooky – not regularly killing people – just giving them THE FLU!