With Swine Flu (H1N1) being covered so much in the news lately, it was only a matter of time before someone found a way to relate it to the World of Warcraft. After all, swine flu exists in WoW as well.

So where would a self-respecting expert find a model that is more like the real world? In the virtual world, of course, in the online society created by the game World of Warcraft.

Researchers in Canada and around the world are using the lessons learned from a virtual plague that tore through World of Warcraft's community four years ago to better prepare for the mass quarantines that could be part of a full pandemic.

You can find all the details here.