Being a father to our 4-year-old son and a physician, I am so bothered with the news that the first confirmed reported death due to SWINE FLU outside Mexico specifically in Houston, Texas was a 23-MONTH-OLD TODDLER as I read it here . This is really alarming! I so hope that everyone will be on-guard not to further transmit the disease. There are reports that the virus had spread to Europe, Canada, and in the US. The following States that have laboratory-confirmed cases of swine flu : Arizona (1), California (14), Indiana (1), Kansas (2), Massachussetts (2), Michigan (2), Nevada (1), New York (51), Ohio (1), Texas (16) and 1 confirmed death.
This is according to CDC (Center for Disease Control) report dated April 29, 2009.
This has to stop before W.H.O. declares it, God forbid a pandemic.
“Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.” -Buddha.
DOCGELO’s Medical Dose : Preventive vaccines specific against this H1N1 species of influenza virus from pigs are yet to be discovered. Why are there NO available vaccines yet for the NEW and FUTURE species of influenza ? Because all types of FLU VIRUS mutates CONTANTLY. There are two concepts behind the continuous mutations of flu viruses. These are ANTIGENIC DRIFT and ANTIGENIC SHIFT. Antigen, to begin with, is any protein component of a foreign body, in this matter, it refers to the protein part of the flu virus that enables it to become VIRULENT and PATHOGENIC. Influenza viruses undergo mutation swiftly in a matter of minutes, days, weeks and it’s so called antigenic drift. And likewise, these RNA(ribonucleic acid) viruses also mutate annually and the process is known as antigenic shift. These two types of viral mutations make the process of vaccine invention against NEW and FUTURE strains of flu difficult UNTIL such time that microbiologist and other specialist have isolated and identified the specific H or HEMAGGLUTININ, and N or NEURAMINIDASE (enzyme) which are the protein components of flu viruses present in their cell surface. Drugs that inhibit this enzyme are used to treat influenza.
Common signs & symptoms of flu are :
- Fever over 38 ‘C in adults, and often as high as 39.5 ‘C to 40.5 ‘C in children
- Chills and sweats / diaphoresis
- Headache
- Dry cough
- Myalgia or muscular aches/pains, especially in your back, arms and legs
- Fatigue and weakness
- Nasal congestion
- Anorexia or loss of appetite
- Diarrhea and vomiting in children
SWINE FLU IS NOT TRANSMITTED BY EATING PORK. So it is safe to eat pork. Influenza spreads through direct contact with someone sick with it, usually airborne droplet so better cover mouth & nose while coughing or sneezing and DO PROPER HANDWASHING as it is still considered as the best universal precautionary measure.
BE EDUCATED before you become the next patient.
OPINION COUNTS…