As global health authorities scramble to contain the swine flu outbreak in the face of limited medical treatment options, it may be useful to note there are dietary supplemtns which may be effective in protecting against the infection.

According to the acting CDC director Dr Richard Besser, the swine flu strain is a mutant of H1N1, containing a combination of pig, bird and human DNA, and currently there is no effective vaccines against it.

Besides frequent hand washing, wearing masks and avoiding crowded places authorities say little more can be done to prevent the spread of the virus.

However, according to American BioSciences, a fermented mushroom extract known as Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC) has been extensively studied in animals and humans and shown to support NK cell activity in people with low NK cell function, improving the coordination of many aspects of immune response and improving health.

NK (or Natural Killer) cells identify and kill any non-self cell, foreign antigen or abnormal cell, without prior exposure and are therefore are key in infections such as the swine flu for which humans have no natural immunity, it says.