Swine Flu Pandemic Information Blog

What is Swine Flu - H1N1 Virus?

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:28:17 -0500

Swine flu, now called H1N1 influenza A, is a type of flu virus. It is a new strain of flu that has just recently been affecting people. It is not caught from pigs or by eating pork. It is a human influenza virus and is being spread by people. It is thought to be a combination of three different flu viruses - swine flu, bird flu and human flu. The new strain is extremely contagious and is quickly spreading across the globe.

H1N1 is different from other strains of influenza. This particular strain of influenza has not been previously exposed to humans before so there are no built up immunities to it. This is what makes it so serious. At the current time there is no preventative drug that you can take in order to avoid getting it. That is why people who are elderly, very young or those who have compromised immune systems must be extremely careful to avoid getting the flu.

Just how dangerous it will be remains to be seen. We are just beginning to see the start of the cases in the United States. It is thought to have originated in Mexico but has since spread globally. The worst cases of it seem to be in Mexico, likely because many people were unaware of the dangers of the flu and did not seek immediate medical treatment.

It was renamed H1N1 influenza A to avoid people making a connection to pigs. This is similar in some ways to the flu that hit the world decades ago. However it is proving to be more serious. The outbreak is becoming serious because nobody has any immunity to this particular strain of influenza. It is estimated that approximately 1 in 4 people who come into contact with swine flu with contract it.

The swine flu has similar symptoms to standard seasonal flu bugs. Swine flu is characterized by a high fever at first and extreme fatigue along with muscle aches. There are also typical cold symptoms that accompany the swine flu including a cough and a sore throat and stuffy nose. Some people additionally have reported nausea or vomiting and diarrhea. The severity of the symptoms is what leads most doctors to consider a diagnosis of swine flu.

Anyone who has the symptoms should seek medical attention right away. Those who get immediate treatment are most likely going to make a full recovery. Doctors take a nose and throat swab sample to send to the lab for testing. The results will be returned within several days. The treatment is a drug called Tamiflu. The doctor will prescribe Tamiflu if it is needed. Most people will get over the swine flu within just a few days. Once you have had swine flu your body will have an immunity from this particular strain in the future.

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The 2009 Outbreak of A-H1N1 Swine Flu Need Not Be Catastrophic

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:24:58 -0500

As spring 2009 arrived, there was nothing uncommon about the flu season. For weeks, the Mexican government had stated, "this year's higher flu caseload was nothing unusual."[1]

On April 2nd, a 5 year-old boy, Edgar Hernandez in Perote (Veracruz State), home of many pig farms including a mega farm of a million pigs-hogs fell ill experiencing flu-like symptoms. He quickly recovered, drawing no attention.

On April 13th, Gerardo Leyva-Lolis, a 39-year-old brick layer who lived in a two-room wood and cinderblock home in Xonacatlan (a Mexico City suburb) near three pig farms, with his wife and three teenaged sons fell ill. He went to a local clinic where no one was available to provide a check-up and diagnosis. After receiving a precautionary penicillin shot, he returned home. On the same day, a resident of Oaxaca State died from pneumonia-like symptoms.

Feeling better after a night's rest, Mr. Leyva-Lolis went to work on the following day despite a persistent cough. He made the 40-mile commute to and from Mexico City via bus and subway potentially exposing thousands.

By April 15th, Mr. Leyva-Lolis felt too miserable to return to work. Four days later, he experienced difficulty breathing and an irregular heartbeat. Concerned family members immediately took him to a public hospital for the poor in Toluca. By 8 AM on April 20th, Mr. Leyla-Lolis was dead. Cause of death was attributed to a pneumonia-induced heart attack.

Unbeknownst to him, his family, and the world, other suspicious deaths had been occurring over the last several days prompting Mexican health officials to send 14 mucous swab samples to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, GA. on April 18th.

The results did not come back until April 24th when the CDC determined that a disturbing new form of influenza that had never been seen before (combining human, swine, and avian genetic material) was the cause of the outbreak. By then deaths were mounting and hundreds had fallen ill across Mexico.

When the alarm was raised, prompt action began. Mexican schools, museums, tourist spots, entertainment and sporting events were shutdown to contain the spread. The streets were deserted and cities became ghost towns. However, despite the efforts, scattered cases began to pop up in the United States (first in California and Texas followed by New York and Ohio) and in Europe.

With the dead ranging in age from their 20s to 50s, people in the prime of their lives (similar to the start of the 1918-19 pandemic), the A/H1N1 swine flu being a new version (whose lethality is not known) to which humans have no natural immunity, and the outbreak of human-to-human transmission, concerns grew that the world could be on the cusp of its first pandemic in 40 years. Memories of past pandemics quickly surfaced:

1918-19: A/H1N1 Spanish Flu resulted in about 50 million deaths and infected up to 40% of the world population.
1957: A/H2N2 Asian Flu resulted in about 2 million deaths
1968: A/H3N2 Hong Kong Flu resulted in about 1 million deaths

As the world mobilized on April 25th, the World Health Organization (WHO) maintained a level 3 reading (No or very limited human-to-human transmission was occurring) on its pandemic alert scale stating that more information was needed. However, the organization warned that the A/H1N1 outbreak was of serious concern. In response, the United States declared a public health emergency on April 26th to allow release of 25% of flu-treatment stockpiles consisting of medicines, ventilators, and masks.

By April 28th, with the number of cases growing and spreading to more countries, the WHO raised its alert level to a 4 rating indicating that evidence of increased human-to-human transmission was taking place with regard to the new virus. At the same time, the WHO declared that containment was no longer an option since "the virus is already quite widespread in different locations."[2] Consequently, the organization declared, "no region in the world is safe from the swine flu virus."

On April 29th, the WHO raised its alert level to 5. Such a level indicates that human-to-human transmission is taking place in at least two countries in one WHO region and a pandemic is possibly imminent. Thus it is urgent that countries enact their pandemic plans in preparation.

With that said, per WHO Deputy Director-General, Dr. Keiji Fukuda, a pandemic is not inevitable. However, even if a pandemic does occur, medical technology, distribution networks, and communications capabilities (for the first time, the spread of a pandemic can be tracked in real-time) have evolved greatly since 1968 when the last pandemic occurred. In addition, international governments are better prepared in light of the SARs (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, 2002-03) and avian flu (1997 and 1999) scares, a fact mentioned by WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan during the organization's April 29th announcement raising the alert level.

However, even in a worst-case scenario, the overall global death toll does not have to be massive or come remotely close to levels of past pandemics for the following reasons:

1. Basic hygiene - the washing of hands with soap, use of a tissue to cover sneezes and coughs - can limit the spread of air-borne particles responsible for the spread of this flu virus.

2. Proactive coordinated national and local responses, which appear to be taking place in most countries. Such measures have resulted in the release of medical stockpiles, distribution of face masks in hard-hit areas, and public relations bulletins including the importance of basic hygiene, description of the symptoms (the presence of a fever, headache, aching muscles, cough, sore throat, runny nose, and fatigue) to recognize infection and steps to take to avoid contagion when one is infected.

3. Maintenance of calm so that hospitals and health organizations are not overwhelmed due to hysteria, delaying or diverting treatment from patients in real need.

4. Existence of flu-treatment drugs, Tamiflu® and Relenza® that are highly effective against this strain of swine flu.

5. Mechanical ventilators (that did not exist in 1918), that greatly reduce the mortality rate from pneumonia-related complications that arise from a strong immune response that elicits elevated cytokine production that fills the lungs with water.

However to minimize loss of life, the CDC, WHO, and other international health organizations will need to monitor cases closely watching for mutations that could create a more lethal strain and/or impair the effectiveness of existing anti-flu drugs. Furthermore, international financial, humanitarian, and medical organizations must be prepared to act swiftly in the developing world since outbreaks in much of the African continent and parts of Latin America and Asia will present significant financial and logistical challenges.

Although there can be no guarantee that the 2009 A/H1N1 Swine Flu outbreak will not become a pandemic, the consequences can be mitigated. With a continued absence of bureaucratic red tape, dissemination of pertinent information, exercise of precautionary steps, prompt isolation and effective treatment of infected victims, utilization and sharing of the latest medical technology, and constant vigilance, massive loss of life consistent with past pandemics and significant economic upheaval to a global economy already reeling from its worst downturn since the Great Depression of 1929, need not occur.

________

[1] Why Is Swine Flu A Killer Only In Mexico? CBS News. 27 April 2009. 27 April 2009. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/27/health/main4970352.shtml

[2] Donald G. McNeil, Jr. W.H.O. Issues Higher Alert on Swine Flu, With Advice. The New York Times. 28 April 2009. 28 April 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/health/28flu.html?_r=1&ref=europe

William Sutherland is a published poet and writer. He is the author of three books, "Poetry, Prayers & Haiku" (1999), "Russian Spring" (2003) and "Aaliyah Remembered: Her Life & The Person behind the Mystique" (2005) and has been published in poetry anthologies around the world. He has been featured in "Who's Who in New Poets" (1996), "The International Who's Who in Poetry" (2004), and is a member of the "International Poetry Hall of Fame." He is also a contributor to Wikipedia, the number one online encyclopedia and has had an article featured in "Genetic Disorders" Greenhaven Press (2009).

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Swine Flu - Symptoms and Aid

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:22:52 -0500

In a world where a global economy is a given, where worldwide travel is routine, and borders are increasingly less defined, the recipe for a global pandemic is just right. All that is needed to bring humanity to its knees is the perfect disease. Historically, this "perfect disease" has been a particularly deadly version of the common flu. In 1918, a version of swine flu threatened to decimate humanity, killing somewhere between 50 and 100 million people, approximately one-third of our species. Today, fear of a similar global outbreak of swine flu is high; in order to sort everything out, here is a good introduction to the symptoms and possible aid of persons infected with swine flu.

As seen today, the dangerous variant of Influenza A Type-H1N1 swine flu is really not much different than any other flu that you may have had in the past. The big game changer is how our bodies react to the disease once it infects us: It is simply unable to deal with the symptoms. Our bodies generally have some resistance to the flu from infections that we have dealt with in the past or that our ancestors survived. This level of immunity helps our body to work against the symptoms that could kill us and helps fight off the flu. What results is a relatively mild flu that keeps us home sick for a few days. However, the H1N1 swine flu virus seen today is really a mix of swine, bird, and human influenza.

Swine flu is believed to be contracted through contact with an infected person. This type of influenza has been observed to readily spread from person to person. A person infected with H1N1 swine flu will not immediately notice any changes. Depending on the person's immune system, it could take 24 hours or more for him or her to start feeling the effects of the infection. These symptoms mirror the effects of the common flu, but are much more severe: body aches, headaches, fever, sore throats, coughing, chills, and fatigue are often present. Infected people with H1N1 flu are also highly likely to suffer from vomiting, diarrhea, and the associated dehydration. Although these effects are severe enough, the real killer comes from pulmonary edema, which is the filling of the lungs with fluid, which causes coughing. In the 1918 flu pandemic, victims literally drowned in their own body fluids. These symptoms take a toll on the body and can also aggravate existing conditions or allow new ones, such as tuberculosis or pneumonia, to take hold.

Luckily for us, it appears that swine flu may not be as deadly as originally believed. Modern medicine has played a key factor in the ability of most infected people in developed countries to make complete recoveries. Ensuring that an infected person is identified early and receives the proper care also seems to be important in ensuring survival. Anti-viral drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza are currently highly effective at fighting off the H1N1 swine flu. It is also important to keep an infected person warm and well-hydrated, ensuring that they receive plenty of rest and are not stressed needlessly, as this helps his or her body to work against the infection and avoid complications such as dehydration. A full recovery is possible with proper treatment.

It is important for us to remember that we can take steps to prevent the spread of swine flu. Simple steps such as washing your hands and covering your mouth while coughing or sneezing do have a big effect on controlling the spread.

If you are experiencing [http://www.globeme.net/swine-flu-symptoms-and-aid]flu-like symptoms, avoid situations in which you could infect others and consult a doctor. It is better to be safe than sorry. Looking out for the symptoms of swine flu and seeking aid when needed can help keep you healthy.

You can always get updates about this disease and read about it at [http://www.globeme.net]GlobeMe, The first global blog.

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Could the H1N1 Swine Flu Kill a 100 Million People?

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:19:50 -0500

The Mexico City Swine Flu is a highly dangerous challenge for humanity in that it is a re-combined virus made up of many strains that affects multiple species including pigs, birds and humans. But the chances of European, Asian bird and swine flu combining are, well, like 1/10 Th of 1 percent chance in nature. In other words this one might be human engineered.

Was this Swine Flu virus genetically engineered by human scientists? Who would do such a thing and why? Is it possible that this is something of a test by bio-weapons scientists? It is known and highly documented in the human record, including on Wikipedia that: "Swine flu, dubbed Spanish flu, killed 50 million people worldwide in 1918."

This is a rather strange virus, and very curious, and one wouldn't have to be a bio-weapons expert or former Russian advanced bi-weapons scientist to figure that it is most likely not natural occurring. Further it should be noted that this strain and outbreak could turn into one of the worst, if not the worst ever human pandemic. Could the Mexico City H1N1 Swine Flu kill a 100 Million People? Unfortunately yes, in fact, maybe more.

It so far appears that the virus is 10% to 15% deadly and that healthy adults are the most likely to die from it, not very young or very old that are most at risk of influenza. Since the virus has already traveled to major US Cities, one has to ask if it is too late to control. Is it that bad? Well it could be, quarantine is one way, another is zone defense, it could shut down civilization and society for a while it runs its course.

Yes, it is that serious, so think on this, because even if this one blows over, another could wipe out huge numbers of people and change the World we live in forever. Think on that.

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Swine Flu Virus - Is it Anything More Than Media Hype?

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:17:43 -0500

European Newspapers reported already on April 28, that the numbers of casualties in Mexico were sharply corrected downward form "over 150" to a mere 5 confirmed deaths. The 2,500 suspected cases became 26 cases on April 29. Even those reports are not conclusive and anyone familiar with healthcare in Mexico knows that the conditions are conducive to rapid spread of any diseases.

But the real interesting thing is that the U.S. media is completely dodging these and other potentially fear abating facts; CNN's web site on Wednesday morning showed a womans' face with a blue mask and obviously frightened eyes and the story read: "A two-year-old child in Texas has become the first fatality from swine flu in the United States, officials said Wednesday. The child is the first person to die of swine flu outside of Mexico where it is blamed for more than 159 deaths and roughly 2,500 illnesses.".

According to the U.S. CDC (Center for Disease Control) on Wednesday at Noon, there were 94 confirmed cases in the entire nation of 300 million , not thousands or even hundreds, and even these may turn out to be common flu cases..That begs the question: do networks like CNN have no access to the same news sources as the European media? Of course they know the facts - so what do they want you to believe and why? Then - of course - there is the pharma-biotech industry and Wall Street to benefit, the stock price of BIOTA, an originator of one of the two anti-flu drugs (Relenza and Tamiflu) that were sold by the millions to treat the avian-flu - shot up 85% on Monday, but then surrendered most of these gains on Tuesday and Wednesday. Obviously, some folks know more than others.

Before anyone caves in to media induced panic and fear mongering it is recommended that they do their own non-partisan research. The popular Radio Talk Show Host Michael Savage chimed in the fear mongering for hours on Monday and Tuesday, touting his epidemiology background to render credibility to his call for closing the border. His spin is that the virus is laboratory made and probably by Al Khaida.

This "pandemic" is reminiscent of the infamous Doomsday SARS and Avian flu that were "going to kill millions", it seems at least highly distorted and blown out of proportions. But meanwhile the WHO is making sure the hype will gain momentum: at an impromptu meeting in Geneva they "wheighed the facts" and raised the pandemic alert level to a 5 (Phase 6 is the highest level in the scale and is a "full-scale pandemic"). At their meeting on Saturday, April 25, the pandemic alert level was already raised to level 4. Dr.Nikki Shindo, a WHO "flu expert" told the Associated Press that "hundreds of thousands" of people in Mexico could theoretically be infected with swine flu. Now, what are theoretical infections - and how does the WHO construe their numbers, when the Mexican officials are constantly downsizing their cases?

Is the Virus a product of biotechnology engineering, deliberately or accidentally emitted? We don't know - yet, however the known facts about the origin of previous "apocalyptic pandemics" (that never happened) like SARS and Avian Flu, but also HIV and AIDS - plus the declared intention of militant groups to develop and deploy biological weapons - seem to fuel the fear. For all that - it is not time for panic and no need to buy face masks or useless drugs that impair your immune system - in fact, the best defense against any virus is a strong immune system, promoted by healthy food, clean water and lots of sleep.

Swine Flu Outbreak - How to Protect Yourself

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:14:53 -0500

What is Swine Flu?

Swine Flu, is a sickness that is common to pigs in the, Mid Western USA, Mexico, Canada, South America, Europe, Sweden, Italy, Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan and other parts of Eastern Asia. While, Swine Flu is not normally found in humans, the flu has been making news and headlines all over the world as the number of infected people and death tolls rise.

How to protect you and your family:

#1. Wash, or sanitize your hands regularly! Most germs, viruses and infections are created by not washing your hands on a regular basis.

#2. Cough into your elbow rather than your hands. This will keep infectious germs from spreading to your hands, then to others.

#3. Keep commonly used surfaces (counter tops & where food is prepared) sanitized and clean, as this can spared the virus as well.

#4. Stay inside your home and go out as little as possible until the outbreak subsides.

#5. If you do go outside, wear a surgical mask to help keep you from breathing in any contamination if you do have contact with others who are infected.

Effects of, Swine Flu on business & economy:

Swine Flu, has created a major scare out there in the media and many businesses, jobs and economy resources are no longer in operation due to the flu. Store owners, businesses, schools, and child care facilities are closed down and no longer in operation until the diseases subsides. This will drive many to shop online and not leave their homes in fear of retracting the sickness.

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Preventive Medicine For Swine Flu

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:10:03 -0500

As the threat of Swine Flu dominates the news, many people are becoming concerned about how they would protect themselves against infection and how they might treat such an infection should one occur. This outbreak of Swine Flu offers a unique opportunity for people to consider how healthy they really are and what changes they could make to improve their overall health and immune function. The fact is that people generally survive pandemic illnesses when they have good health practices already in place.

The most important place to start is the health of your cells. On the most basic level, our bodies are cells, put together to form organs and blood and skin. If our cells are sickly, full of inflammation, depleted of essential nutrients or dehydrated, they will be far more susceptible to disease. Viruses depend on the ability to get into and disrupt cell function in order to take hold in the body. In fact studies demonstrate that even a simple deficiency of glutathione increases the ability of viruses to take hold in the body.

There are only a few reliable ways to increase glutathione in the body. One formula Max GXL offers one of the only proven reliable ways to increase cellular glutathione. It is a patented combination of nutrients that support glutathione production and contains a particular compound that helps deliver glutathione into the cell. Since Swine Flu is a virus, it also will exploit the population wide deficiency of glutathione in order to produce magnified infections. However, taking necessary steps to increase glutathione may offer increased protection.

Nutrient depletion is also an extremely important factor in predicting disease outcomes. If basic vitamins and minerals are in short supply, the body will not have necessary cofactors needed to supply immune response, inhibit virus transcription and increase defenses. Many of my patients have demonstrable nutrient deficiencies. Often this occurs even when they have been taking what are considered to be high quality vitamins. This can be due to reduced digestive absorption, insufficient dosage or gut inflammation. One way to bypass that is to use a nanotech liquid multi such as Max N fuze. Vitamins like this have used technology to make the particles small enough to begin to be absorbed in the mouth. This ensures absorption, and thus utilization of the nutrients, improving immune function.

Outside of nutrient levels and antioxidant levels, there are a few necessary health practices everyone should do. Drinking water at an average volume of 1/2 body weight in ounces helps cells retain membrane fluidity. Essential fatty acids like those found in fish, krill, and plant oils should be used to supplement omega 3 levels. Everyone should engage in exercise that is supportive of health such as yoga, tai chi, qi gong, walking, jogging, and moderate aerobic activity.

Pandemic illnesses demonstrate that we live in a global world, where nothing can be contained. The only and best protection that we have is prevention using appropriate nutrient support and lifestyle habits.

Julie TwoMoon is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor and Acupuncturist with a practice in Plymouth MI. In her practice she focuses on chronic and acute disease treatment and prevention. Her practice website is http://www.breathingwaters.net

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