Archive #8 - Earlier Flu in the News8:
The Claim: Garlic Can Be Helpful in Warding Off a Cold
THE FACTS For centuries, garlic has been extolled not just for its versatility in the kitchen but also for its medicinal powers.
Whatever the reason, studies seem to support an effect. In one double-blind study, published in 2001, British scientists followed 146 healthy adults over 12 weeks from November to February. Those who had been randomly selected to receive a daily garlic supplement came down with 24 colds during the study period, compared with 65 colds in the placebo group. The garlic group experienced 111 days of sickness, versus 366 for those given a placebo. They also recovered faster.Besides the odor, studies have found minimal side effects, like nausea and rash.One possible explanation for such benefits is that a compound called allicin, the main biologically active component of garlic, blocks enzymes that play a role in bacterial and viral infections. Or perhaps people who consume enough garlic simply repel others, and thus steer clear of their germs.In a report this year in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, scientists who examined the science argued that while the evidence was good for garlic’s preventive powers, more studies were needed.They pointed out that it was still unclear whether taking garlic at the very start of a cold, as opposed to weeks in advance, would make any difference.THE BOTTOM LINE Research is limited, but it suggests that garlic may indeed help ward off colds.CA Nurses to Strike over Swine Flu?
* Text Story by: AP * Reporter: Al Naipo * Posted by: Scott Coppersmith, Tony Spearman
Los Angeles (myFOXla.com) - A California nurses' union has threatened a one-day strike at 34 hospitals, accusing the providers of poor swine flu preparedness.
As many as 16,000 registered nurses will strike on Oct. 30 if state and federal swine flu protection recommendations aren't written into their contracts, said California Nurses Association spokesman Chuck Idelson.Nurses have complained about poor access to protective N-95 masks since a 51-year-old Sacramento nurse died in July after contracting swine flu. The gear is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for use while treating swine flu patients.The strike threat comes amid negotiations between the union and Catholic Healthcare West, the largest hospital system in California, which runs 28 of the 34 hospitals that would be affected by the walkout. Talks were ongoing Monday."We take this issue very seriously, as we do everything that can impact the health and safety of the patients we serve and the staff who cares for those patients," said Jill Dryer, spokeswoman for Catholic Healthcare West.In the event of a strike, hospitals would delay elective procedures and are pledging to maintain appropriate staffing levels to keep up with demand in care.Idelson said nurses would also be prepared to abandon the strike in the event of a major emergency."Almost all of the hospitals are 100 percent union shops, so we expect all nurses will be participating," said Idelson.Hitting early, swine flu claims 11 more kids in US
WASHINGTON — As the swine flu outbreak strikes the U.S. early and hard, health officials note a worrisome number of child deaths and warn that supplies of vaccine will remain scarce for at least the next couple of weeks.
Delays in producing the vaccine mean 28 million to 30 million doses, at most, will be divided around the country by the end of the month, not the 40 million-plus states had been expecting. The new count from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention means anxiously awaited flu-shot clinics in some parts of the U.S. may have to be postponed.It also delays efforts to blunt increasing infections. Overall, what CDC calls the 2009 H1N1 flu is causing widespread disease in 41 states, and about 6 percent of all doctor visits are for flu-like illness - levels not normally seen until much later in the fall.Federal health officials said Friday 11 more children have died in the past week because of the virus.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about half of the child deaths since September have been among teenagers.And overall for the country, deaths from pneumonia and flu-like illnesses have passed what CDC considers an epidemic level."These are very sobering statistics," says the CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat.This new strain is different from regular winter flu because it strikes the young far more than the old, and child deaths are drawing particular attention. Eighty-six children have died of swine flu in the U.S. since it burst on the scene last spring - 43 of those deaths reported in September and early October alone, said Schuchat.That's a startling number because in some past winters, the CDC has counted 40 or 50 child deaths for the entire flu season, she said, and no one knows how long this swine flu outbreak will last.Also in contrast to regular winter flu, swine flu sometimes can cause a very severe viral pneumonia in otherwise healthy young adults, the World Health Organization warned.Typically, influenza weakens people so they're vulnerable to bacterial pneumonia, especially those over age 65. But the new H1N1 can dive deeper into the lungs, in "small subsets" of patients who go into respiratory failure within days, said WHO medical officer Dr. Nikki Shindo."Do not delay the treatment," she said as WHO ended a three-day meeting of 100 international flu specialists gathered in Washington.The new swine flu strain also may have hit some pigs at the Minnesota State Fair in late August, animals possibly infected by some sick 4-H students. If the infection is confirmed, it wouldn't be a surprise: A sick farm worker first infected pigs in Canada last spring, and herds have been hit in Australia and Argentina, too. The virus doesn't spread to humans who eat pork.Fortunately, most people recover from the new strain with simple at-home care, just as with the regular flu. While there aren't precise counts, states have reported more than 2,000 deaths from pneumonia or flu-like illnesses to the CDC since Aug. 30. And Schuchat said other tracking systems show those deaths have reached the level that each year is used to declare an influenza epidemic, months early.As of Wednesday, states had ordered 8 million of the 11.4 million doses of swine flu vaccine the government has ready to ship. Just over half of the vaccine now available is in shot form and the rest as a nasal spray. First in line for scarce H1N1 vaccine are supposed to be pregnant women, anyone age 6 months to 24 years, health care workers and people under 65 with flu-risky conditions.CDC's Schuchat urged patience, saying eventually enough vaccine will be here for everyone who wants it.Regular winter flu kills 36,000 Americans a year, and around the country some clinics aren't getting shipments of seasonal vaccine as quickly as expected either, as manufacturers juggle the extra work. About 82 million doses of seasonal vaccine have been shipped, and 114 million eventually will arrive, enough for typical demand, Schuchat said.Swine flu a faster traveller than bird flu
The H1N1 influenza (swine flu) pandemic has taken over 17 times more human lives in seven months than the H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu) epidemic took in seven years.
Globally, over 4,500 people are officially confirmed to have died due to H1N1 since it broke out in epidemic form in Mexico this April. In contrast, the bird flu virus has taken 262 human lives worldwide since it was first reported in 2003.In India, the death toll due to swine flu has crossed 400, with Maharashtra alone accounting for over 170. Worldwide, more than 3,75,000 laboratory confirmed cases of swine flu virus have been reported by different countries to the World Health Organization (WHO).However, the actual count may be far higher, as many countries have stopped enumerating individual cases, especially of milder illness, due to the H1N1 virus, the WHO has noted.In India, the Union health and family welfare ministry had reports of 405 officially confirmed deaths due to H1N1 influenza in different states till October 14. The total count of laboratory confirmed cases of this malady has mounted to 12,486 through the country.As in other countries, in India, too, the actual incidence of sickness due to this influenza is believed to be far in excess of the reported cases. Many people, and even medical practitioners, do not report cases of milder infection to the authorities, ministry sources say.The latest ministry data puts the number of deaths due to this disease at 171 in Maharashtra, followed by 112 in Karnataka.Andhra Pradesh comes third, with 42 confirmed deaths, followed by Gujarat with 38 and Delhi with 15. Among other states, Kerala is the only one reporting a double-digit death list, of 10, due to swine flu.The highest number of laboratory confirmed cases of this pandemic disease, too, have been reported from Maharashtra, at 3,417. Though Delhi is not far behind with 3,206 laboratory confirmed cases, deaths in the national capital were relatively lower.Health ministry sources said incoming passengers at all 22 airports receiving international flights were being screened for the H1N1 virus.About 225 doctors and 172 paramedical staff were manning 83 screening counters on these airports. In all, over 61,88,560 passengers have been screened till October 14.H1N1 Flu Deaths Increasing in California
SACRAMENTO, CA - The number of H1N1 (swine) flu deaths in California is on the rise.
According to Dr. Mark Horton, Director of the California Department of Public Health, the number of people who have succumbed to the H1N1 virus stands at 219. That's up from 188 people last month."Over 3,000 hospitalizations have occurred as the result of H1N1 since April and May when we saw the first outbreak," Horton said. "So these numbers are continuing to rise."On a regular basis, more than 40 physicians report to the state how many of their patients are showing up influenza like illnesses. Horton said about 5 percent of those physicians patients have the flu.He also said 95 percent of the samples sent to the health department are testing positive for swine flu.California was expecting 400,000 doses of nasal spray vaccine. That shipment has come in and has been distributed to doctors in private practice.More vaccine continues to arrive. Horton said, "This week we received over 200,000 doses of vaccine for injection and 150,000 doses of the nasal vaccine."Before the end of the year, Horton said California "will get well over 20 million doses of vaccine."Horton reiterated the need to that those who are most vulnerable to the virus should be vaccinated. They includes infants over 6 months, children, caregivers of infants and children, the chronically ill and healthcare workers.New flu can kill fast, researchers agree
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The new H1N1 flu is "strikingly different" from seasonal influenza, killing much younger people than ordinary flu and often killing them very fast, World Health Organization officials said on Friday.
A review of studies done during the seven months the virus has been circulating shows it is usually mild, but can cause unusual and severe symptoms in an unlucky few, according to a WHO-sponsored meeting in Washington this week."Participants who have managed such cases agreed that the clinical picture in severe cases is strikingly different from the disease pattern seen during epidemics of seasonal influenza," WHO's Dr. Nikki Shindo told the meeting.Swine flu was declared a pandemic in June and has been circulating globally. WHO stopped trying to count cases, as there are nowhere near enough tests to formally diagnose everyone who gets sick.Separately on Friday, Dr. Anne Schuchat of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 86 U.S. children had died of swine flu, most in the 5- to 17-year old age group that normally escapes serious bouts with flu."In severe cases, patients generally begin to deteriorate around three to five days after symptom onset. Deterioration is rapid, with many patients progressing to respiratory failure within 24 hours, requiring immediate admission to an intensive care unit," Shindo said.While most such patients need to be put on ventilators right away, some are not helped by this treatment, Shindo noted.In some places, she said, emergency rooms have been overwhelmed with patients, many requiring critical care.The good news is that quick treatment with the antiviral drugs oseltamivir, made by Roche AG under the brand name Tamiflu, and zanamivir, made by GlaxoSmithKline as Relenza, helps a great deal, she said.Usually influenza is a disease of the upper respiratory tract, affecting the nose and throat. But H1N1 goes deeper, into the lungs."This virus really likes the lower respiratory tract. That means this virus is very likely to cause viral pneumonia compared to seasonal influenza," Shindo told a news conference.Among the doctors speaking to the WHO meeting was Dr. Anand Kumar of St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba, who reported swine flu's effects in the Journal of the American Medical Association this week."At one point, 50 percent of the available ICU (intensive care unit) beds in the entire city were filled with H1N1 patients," Kumar said in a telephone interview. "We basically maxed out our capacity.Shindo said WHO was struggling to understand what the risk factors are for a serious bout with swine flu."Although the exact role of obesity is poorly understood at present, obesity and especially morbid obesity have been present in a large portion of severe and fatal cases," Shindo said. "Obesity has not been recognized as a risk factor in either past pandemics or seasonal influenza."(With additional reporting by Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago; Editing by Doina Chiacu)H1N1 flu worrying due to its unpredictability: WHO
GENEVA (Reuters) - H1N1 pandemic influenza remains a cause for concern because of its unpredictable nature, even though it has killed fewer than 5,000 people so far this year, the World Health Organisation said on Friday.
A statement from the United Nations health agency said that more than 4,735 deaths attributable to H1N1, known as swine flu, had been reported, and that influenza activity in the northern hemisphere was much higher than usual.But WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said it was too soon to draw any conclusions from the death toll as experts needed to monitor a full year of the disease, which the WHO declared a pandemic in June after the strain was first detected in April."Although the death rate might not be enormous at the moment we do have to continue to be prepared for developments as we go through the winter in the northern hemisphere," Hartl said.In particular, health experts need to observe the behavior of the virus during the traditional January-February peak of the influenza season in the northern hemisphere, he told a briefing.Most people who catch the H1N1 virus suffer mild symptoms.But in contrast to seasonal flu strains which can be serious for elderly people, H1N1 can turn dangerous for some people with existing health conditions or otherwise healthy young adults."There is a small subset of cases that do and can progress quite rapidly to severe disease and this is sometimes in the space of less than 24 hours and it then becomes a big, big challenge to save the people," Hartl said."This disease continues to cause concern because it doesn't act exactly like seasonal influenza and because it doesn't affect the same groups who are affected by seasonal influenza."H1N1 flu causes unusual damage to lungs
WASHINGTON – The new pandemic H1N1 flu may cause blood clots and other unusual damage in the lungs and doctors need to be on the lookout, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.
Two studies published in the American Journal of Roentgenology show the need to check X-rays and CT scans for unusual features, and also point out swine flu can be tricky to diagnose in some of the sickest patients.H1N1 flu is causing a pandemic, and while it is not particularly deadly, it is sickening many younger adults and older children who usually escape the worst effects of seasonal flu."It is therefore essential that clinicians be able to recognize possible cases of pandemic H1N1 influenza in high-risk groups so that they order the appropriate diagnostic tests, begin specific antiviral therapy, and prepare to provide intensive supportive measures as needed," Dr. Daniel Mollura of the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Maryland and colleagues wrote.One middle-aged man who died was not diagnosed until after death, but unusual findings on his X-rays may be able to help doctors save other, similar patients.Mollura's team found irregularities called ground-glass opacities in the patient's lungs using a CT scan. Although the patient was severely ill and had a fever, he tested negative for flu and doctors did not treat him for it.The man died five days after he went into the hospital and the autopsy confirmed he had swine flu. The lung lesions seen on his CT scan matched lung damage done by the virus, Mollura and colleagues said.In another study in the same journal, CT scans of patients with severe cases of swine flu showed many had pulmonary emboli, which block the arteries in the lungs, a team at the University of Michigan found.Anticoagulant drugs can break up these clots and save lives.Dr. Prachi Agarwal and colleagues examined 66 patients diagnosed with H1N1, 14 of them who were in the intensive care unit. All 66 got standard X-rays, which can show if a patient has pneumonia.They performed enhanced X-rays known as computed tomography or CT scans on 15 of the patients, 10 of them who were in the ICU on ventilators to help them breathe. Five of the ICU patients had the blood clots in the lungs, Agarwal reported"Our study suggests that patients who are severely ill with H1N1 are also at risk for developing pulmonary emboli, which should be carefully sought for on contrast-enhanced CT scans," Agarwal said in a statement."The majority of patients undergoing chest X-rays with H1N1 have normal radiographs (X-rays)," she added. Pulmonary emboli are also not normally seen in flu, she said."CT scans proved valuable in identifying those patients at risk of developing more serious complications as a possible result of the H1N1 virus, and for identifying a greater extent of disease than is appreciated on chest radiographs."(Reporting by Maggie Fox; Editing by Julie Steenhuysen and Cynthia Ostemran)Alternative meds won't cure swine flu, experts say
WASHINGTON — There are no magical cures for swine flu, no matter what you read online or see on TV.
Echinacea, ginger, turmeric, zinc, elderberry and other herbal supplements and remedies can boost your body's immune system, which can help ward off colds and the flu. But they won't magically cure you if you get infected by the H1N1 virus, according to practitioners of alternative and complementary medicine.Your best bet for avoiding swine flu, and recovering quickly if you get it, is to follow the advice of mainstream medical doctors and public health agencies, the practitioners say.Michael McGuffin, president of the American Herbal Products Association, cautioned people to beware of hucksters."There is a propensity on the part of unscrupulous marketers, every time there is a health scare, to say, 'I can take care of your problem for $39.95,'" McGuffin said in a recent interview. "If the promise sounds too good to be true, it probably is."His warning comes at a time when unconventional medicine and healing systems - ranging from herbal supplements to acupuncture to ayurveda - are gaining widespread acceptance.Some alternative medical approaches are new to Western medicine but have been practiced for thousands of years in the East. Ayurveda, for instance, is an ancient Indian system of healing and general well being.Alternative medicine, which is largely unregulated, is coming under closer scientific scrutiny. But it's already a booming business.About 38 percent of adults and 12 percent of children used non-mainstream medicine in 2007, according to a survey by the federal government's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Americans spent $34 billion on such products and services that year, or about 11 percent of all out-of-pocket health care spending in the U.S., the survey showed.In June, the Food and Drug Administration released a list of Web sites that the agency said fraudulently advertised products as capable of diagnosing, preventing or curing swine flu. FDA officials issued more than 50 warning letters to companies that sold products such as a shampoo that supposedly could ward off the H1N1 virus and a dietary supplement that the seller said could fight off swine flu within 8 hours.Fraud may be the downside. But educated Americans can benefit from alternative medicine's focus on preventing illnesses and improving general health, said Sara Thyr, a naturopathic practitioner in Petaluma, Calif.She tells her clients to take vitamin D and vitamin C supplements and probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that can boost general health. Taking zinc lozenges to fight off colds also doesn't hurt, she said.While such supplements may not specifically combat swine flu, they help the body become stronger - which, in turn, could keep the H1N1 virus at bay, practitioners say.Dr. Fred Pescatore, a New York City internist who has written six books about alternative medicine, said some unconventional medicines and therapies have gained acceptance among mainstream doctors after coming into wide use elsewhere.For example, Active Hexose Correlated Compound, a dietary supplement made from a blend of mushrooms, has been used in more than 700 Japanese hospitals for years to modulate the immune system, said Pescatore, who researches AHCC. Monolaurin supplements, marketed as a way to shield the immune system from infection, contain lauric acid, a key ingredient found in breast milk, he said.While vaccines are considered the most reliable protection against swine flu, they come with their own problems, Pescatore said."I am very skeptical of new vaccines because we don't know what the side effects will be," he said, reflecting a growing worry among parents and others outside the medical field. "It's nice to test vaccines on 100 patients. But when we start giving it to a million people, that's when we see the side effects."We have heard just about everything there is to know about the facts both good and bad surrounding our decision to have the flu shot...or, have we?Just when you think you've "heard it all' there's more. Here are some details I'd like to make sure that you - my Clients and Friends of Life Sources®, Inc. be made aware of in order for you to make an intelligent decision; if it's right for you. With that being said please allow me to point out a few more thoughts to ponder which include natural remedies that can and do work! These recommendations are at the end of this Newsletter.This month's Newsletter question comes from Dottie L. in Granite Bay, Ca.Q. "My doctor recommends that I have a flu shot. What do you think of these?"
A. Rather than give my opinion on this one, as many of you know I am personally opposed to vaccinations in general, I offer this quote from THE FLU AND THE FLU VACCINE (by the National Vaccine Information Center) . I have italicized for emphasis.
What is in this flu vaccine that makes so many people nervous?The flu vaccine is prepared from the fluids of chick embryos inoculated with a specific type(s) of influenza virus. The strains of flu virus in the vaccine are inactivated with formaldehyde and preserved with thimerosal, which is a mercury derivative.Every year, federal health agency officials try to guess which three flu strains are most likely to be prevalent in the U.S. the following year to determine which strains will be included in next year's flu vaccine. If they guess right, the vaccine is thought to be 70 to 80 percent effective in temporarily preventing the flu of the season in healthy persons less than 65 years old (the efficacy rate drops to 30 to 40% in those over 65 years old but the vaccine is thought to be 50 to 60% effective in preventing hospitalization and pneumonia and 80% effective in preventing death from the flu in the over 65 age group). However, sometimes health officials do not correctly predict which flu strains will be most prevalent and the vaccine's effectiveness is much lower for that year.Q. Does the flu vaccine protect against all throat, respiratory, gastrointestinal and ear infections?
A. The flu vaccine only protects against the three specific viral strains which are included in any given year's flu vaccine. Throat, respiratory, gastrointestinal and ear infections caused by bacteria or other kinds of viruses are not prevented by getting an annual flu shot.
Q. Why do doctors say I have to get a flu vaccine every year?
A. Like all vaccines, the flu vaccine only gives a temporary immunity to the virus strains or closely related virus strains contained in the vaccine. The only way to get natural and permanent immunity to a strain of flu is to recover naturally from the flu. Natural immunity to a particular strain of flu can be protective if that strain or closely related strains come around again in the future. However, because the vaccine only provides a 70 to 80 percent chance of temporary immunity to selected strains and those strains may or may not be prevalent each year, doctors say you have to get a flu shot every year.
Q. Are there reactions to the flu vaccine?A. The most common reactions can begin within 12 hours of vaccination and can last several days that include: fever, fatigue, painful joints and headache. The most serious reaction that has been associated with flu vaccine is Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) which occurs most often within two to four weeks of vaccination. GBS is an immune mediated nerve disorder characterized by muscle weakness, unsteady gait, numbness, tingling, pain and sometimes paralysis of one or more limbs or the face. Recovery lasts several months and can include residual disability. Less than 5 percent of GBS cases end in death.Q. What are the constituents within the vaccine itself? * Ethylene glycol (antifreeze)
* Phenol, also known as carbolic acid (this is used as a disinfectant, dye)
* Formaldehyde, a known cancer-causing agent
* Aluminum, which is associated with Alzheimer's disease and seizures and also cancer producing in laboratory mice (it is used as an additive to promote antibody response)
* Thimerosal (a mercury disinfectant/preservative) can result in brain injury and autoimmune disease
* Neomycin and Streptomycin (used as antibiotics) have caused allergic reaction in some people.
Vaccines are also grown and strained through animal or human tissue like monkey kidney tissue, chicken embryo, embryonic guinea pig cells, calf serum, and human diploid cells (the dissected organs of aborted human fetuses as in the case of rubella, hepatitis A, and chickenpox vaccines).Well, I refuse to put all of the above in my body, and I hope when your doctor starts telling you it's time for your annual flu shot that you'll require him to defend the annual injection. You or your insurance company's probably paying eighty bucks for a visit, so get your money's worth.Have your doctor read you the insert that comes with the vaccine.Then have him/her explain why it makes sense to inject toxic chemicals into the human body and how such substances can aid the delicate immune system.Chances are he/she will fall back on questionable statistical and demographic explanations that the medical establishment has used for decades to justify immunization.Try to engage your doctor in a non-confrontational discussion because this is an opportunity for him/her to actually give some serious thought to what he/she is injecting into bodies of patients day after day after day.Many traditional doctors who haven't studied diet and lifestyle aren't going to change unless we help to educate them to what drugs and vaccines may really be doing long-term to people.From personal experience for a moment, let's look over our shouldersIn years past, pregnancy was also contraindication to flu vaccine but, today, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) "recommends flu vaccine for women more than 14 weeks pregnant.""Results for the 1989-1990 season were described as "mixed at best," with "Medicare payments...significantly higher for those who had been vaccinated," noted Kidder and Schmitz in the 1993 report Options for the Control of Influenza II.Several studies and government projections from the Department of Human and Health Services confirm that, with or without a flu shot, pneumonia and influenza hospitalization rates for the elderly are less than 1 percent during the influenza season. This means that, regardless of vaccination status, more than 99 percent of people weather a bout of flu without requiring hospitalization. Even the past director of CDC's National Immunization Program, Dr. Walter Orenstein, reported at a 1981 influenza conference that the "at risk" population for influenza complications is small."In my opinion the best defense is a good offense.*There are several wonderful immune system boosters and natural ways to combat both viral and bacterial infections as follows*;My suggestion(s) are as follows to regain a healthy immune system, especially, if you have early symptoms of "the flu".1-2 capsules of Alpha Factor colostrum taken once or twice daily to bolster the immune system before and during the flu season; almost miraculous in its ability to "instruct" the body to thwart viral and bacterial infections which can include; allergies, sinus infections, sore throat, headaches, fever, upper respiratory congestion, dry cough and stomach aches.For mild to severe symptoms; Olive leaf extract - d-Lenolate - also has a powerful antimicrobial effect against viral and bacterial infections, and, in my own personal experience works wonders along with Sambucol, a specific elderberry extract from Israel in preventing flu infections and incredibly effective during a flu attack. (Did you know that Sambucol is the greatest tasting liquid and stops a cough in its tracks? Kids love it!) If anyone of my family members feels "flu-like" they pull out all the stops and do the whole regimen; 1- d-Lenolate (olive leaf extract) and Sovereign Silver or Argentyn 23 every two hours, followed by our Probiotic half an hour later and two to four OPC-165TM - the most powerful triple- antioxidants for energy and faster healing. I have heard from many clients, especially, teachers and nurses that these products work like a magic bullet! For those "aches, pains including headaches", naturally, our Immuzyme® is a wondrous pain reliever - yes, it can be taken with Advil for fevers! And, of course, always drink plenty of purified - magnetized water to keep hydrated and your kidneys ridding the toxins. You can also magnetize all fruit juices as well - even, your green tea!Our continued goal at Life Sources, Inc. is to educate, inspire, and ultimately lead you to living a healthier life-in-the healthiest-style. We also invite any comments, suggestions or testimonies you have to share. We hope that the information we send is of interest to you. Should you wish to unsubscribe, just hit "reply" with your request.The information is not presented as medical advice or treatment and is for informational purposes only. Please refer to your physician for any questions regarding advice or treatment.Do You Really Want That Flu Shot?
We have heard just about everything there is to know about the facts both good and bad surrounding our decision to have the flu shot...or, have we?
Just when you think you've "heard it all' there's more. Here are some details I'd like to make sure that you - my Clients and Friends of Life Sources®, Inc. be made aware of in order for you to make an intelligent decision; if it's right for you. With that being said please allow me to point out a few more thoughts to ponder which include natural remedies that can and do work! These recommendations are at the end of this Newsletter.This month's Newsletter question comes from Dottie L. in Granite Bay, Ca.Q. "My doctor recommends that I have a flu shot. What do you think of these?"A. Rather than give my opinion on this one, as many of you know I am personally opposed to vaccinations in general, I offer this quote from THE FLU AND THE FLU VACCINE (by the National Vaccine Information Center) . I have italicized for emphasis. What is in this flu vaccine that makes so many people nervous?The flu vaccine is prepared from the fluids of chick embryos inoculated with a specific type(s) of influenza virus. The strains of flu virus in the vaccine are inactivated with formaldehyde and preserved with thimerosal, which is a mercury derivative.Every year, federal health agency officials try to guess which three flu strains are most likely to be prevalent in the U.S. the following year to determine which strains will be included in next year's flu vaccine. If they guess right, the vaccine is thought to be 70 to 80 percent effective in temporarily preventing the flu of the season in healthy persons less than 65 years old (the efficacy rate drops to 30 to 40% in those over 65 years old but the vaccine is thought to be 50 to 60% effective in preventing hospitalization and pneumonia and 80% effective in preventing death from the flu in the over 65 age group). However, sometimes health officials do not correctly predict which flu strains will be most prevalent and the vaccine's effectiveness is much lower for that year.Q. Does the flu vaccine protect against all throat, respiratory, gastrointestinal and ear infections?A. The flu vaccine only protects against the three specific viral strains which are included in any given year's flu vaccine. Throat, respiratory, gastrointestinal and ear infections caused by bacteria or other kinds of viruses are not prevented by getting an annual flu shot.Q. Why do doctors say I have to get a flu vaccine every year?A. Like all vaccines, the flu vaccine only gives a temporary immunity to the virus strains or closely related virus strains contained in the vaccine. The only way to get natural and permanent immunity to a strain of flu is to recover naturally from the flu. Natural immunity to a particular strain of flu can be protective if that strain or closely related strains come around again in the future. However, because the vaccine only provides a 70 to 80 percent chance of temporary immunity to selected strains and those strains may or may not be prevalent each year, doctors say you have to get a flu shot every year.Q. Are there reactions to the flu vaccine?A. The most common reactions can begin within 12 hours of vaccination and can last several days that include: fever, fatigue, painful joints and headache. The most serious reaction that has been associated with flu vaccine is Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) which occurs most often within two to four weeks of vaccination. GBS is an immune mediated nerve disorder characterized by muscle weakness, unsteady gait, numbness, tingling, pain and sometimes paralysis of one or more limbs or the face. Recovery lasts several months and can include residual disability. Less than 5 percent of GBS cases end in death.Q. What are the constituents within the vaccine itself? * Ethylene glycol (antifreeze)
* Phenol, also known as carbolic acid (this is used as a disinfectant, dye)
* Formaldehyde, a known cancer-causing agent
* Aluminum, which is associated with Alzheimer's disease and seizures and also cancer producing in laboratory mice (it is used as an additive to promote antibody response)
* Thimerosal (a mercury disinfectant/preservative) can result in brain injury and autoimmune disease
* Neomycin and Streptomycin (used as antibiotics) have caused allergic reaction in some people.
Vaccines are also grown and strained through animal or human tissue like monkey kidney tissue, chicken embryo, embryonic guinea pig cells, calf serum, and human diploid cells (the dissected organs of aborted human fetuses as in the case of rubella, hepatitis A, and chickenpox vaccines).Well, I refuse to put all of the above in my body, and I hope when your doctor starts telling you it's time for your annual flu shot that you'll require him to defend the annual injection. You or your insurance company's probably paying eighty bucks for a visit, so get your money's worth.Have your doctor read you the insert that comes with the vaccine.Then have him/her explain why it makes sense to inject toxic chemicals into the human body and how such substances can aid the delicate immune system.Chances are he/she will fall back on questionable statistical and demographic explanations that the medical establishment has used for decades to justify immunization.Try to engage your doctor in a non-confrontational discussion because this is an opportunity for him/her to actually give some serious thought to what he/she is injecting into bodies of patients day after day after day.Many traditional doctors who haven't studied diet and lifestyle aren't going to change unless we help to educate them to what drugs and vaccines may really be doing long-term to people.From personal experience for a moment, let's look over our shouldersIn years past, pregnancy was also contraindication to flu vaccine but, today, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) "recommends flu vaccine for women more than 14 weeks pregnant.""Results for the 1989-1990 season were described as "mixed at best," with "Medicare payments...significantly higher for those who had been vaccinated," noted Kidder and Schmitz in the 1993 report Options for the Control of Influenza II.Several studies and government projections from the Department of Human and Health Services confirm that, with or without a flu shot, pneumonia and influenza hospitalization rates for the elderly are less than 1 percent during the influenza season. This means that, regardless of vaccination status, more than 99 percent of people weather a bout of flu without requiring hospitalization. Even the past director of CDC's National Immunization Program, Dr. Walter Orenstein, reported at a 1981 influenza conference that the "at risk" population for influenza complications is small."In my opinion the best defense is a good offense.*There are several wonderful immune system boosters and natural ways to combat both viral and bacterial infections as follows*;My suggestion(s) are as follows to regain a healthy immune system, especially, if you have early symptoms of "the flu".1-2 capsules of Alpha Factor colostrum taken once or twice daily to bolster the immune system before and during the flu season; almost miraculous in its ability to "instruct" the body to thwart viral and bacterial infections which can include; allergies, sinus infections, sore throat, headaches, fever, upper respiratory congestion, dry cough and stomach aches.For mild to severe symptoms; Olive leaf extract - d-Lenolate - also has a powerful antimicrobial effect against viral and bacterial infections, and, in my own personal experience works wonders along with Sambucol, a specific elderberry extract from Israel in preventing flu infections and incredibly effective during a flu attack. (Did you know that Sambucol is the greatest tasting liquid and stops a cough in its tracks? Kids love it!) If anyone of my family members feels "flu-like" they pull out all the stops and do the whole regimen; 1- d-Lenolate (olive leaf extract) and Sovereign Silver or Argentyn 23 every two hours, followed by our Probiotic half an hour later and two to four OPC-165TM - the most powerful triple- antioxidants for energy and faster healing. I have heard from many clients, especially, teachers and nurses that these products work like a magic bullet! For those "aches, pains including headaches", naturally, our Immuzyme® is a wondrous pain reliever - yes, it can be taken with Advil for fevers! And, of course, always drink plenty of purified - magnetized water to keep hydrated and your kidneys ridding the toxins. You can also magnetize all fruit juices as well - even, your green tea!Our continued goal at Life Sources, Inc. is to educate, inspire, and ultimately lead you to living a healthier life-in-the healthiest-style. We also invite any comments, suggestions or testimonies you have to share. We hope that the information we send is of interest to you. Should you wish to unsubscribe, just hit "reply" with your request.The information is not presented as medical advice or treatment and is for informational purposes only. Please refer to your physician for any questions regarding advice or treatment.Pig Flu Mutation Checks
Hong Kong's pig population should be monitored for human swine flu (H1N1), experts say, as the virus could possibly mutate again into a deadlier pandemic strain.
Hong Kong University chair professor of microbiology Malik Peiris broached the idea of pig surveillance because the animal is a natural mixing vessel for influenza viruses.If the flu strain goes back to pigs and mixes with human or bird flu viruses, it could reassort to become more severe, he said.The World Health Organization said the H1N1 virus is a reassorted mix of swine influenza A viruses from North American and Eurasian lineages (H1N1, H1N2 and H3N2).The virus has gene segments originating from swine, human and avian influenza A viruses.David Hui Sui-cheong, a specialist in respiratory medicine at Chinese University, agreed that monitoring the pig population for the novel H1N1 virus "will be a good surveillance measure."He said: "If you transfer the infection back to the pig, it is a very efficient vehicle to produce a new virus."Frederick Leung Chi-ching, of Hong Kong University's school of biological sciences, and his team said the predecessor of this year's pandemic "might have sporadically transmitted from swine to humans between 1999 and 2006."He said it is possible the new flu was undetected because symptoms were "virtually indistinguishable with that of seasonal flu infections.""The initial patients of H1N1 had no recent exposure to swine and the current surveillance data does not support the circulation of human H1N1 in North American pigs," he said.He said it is possible the new strain had been transmitted to North America through "a human carrier" from Asia.He said Asia and certain parts of the world could be "a missing link" in the evolution of the pandemic.But Takeshi Kasai, the WHO regional adviser for communicable diseases surveillance and response for the Western Pacific, said the organization is aware of these reports but "there is so far no evidence showing that the virus" came from Asia.Meanwhile, Centre for Health Protection controller Thomas Tsang Ho-fai said that pig workers, unlike poultry workers, will not be vaccinated against seasonal flu.For pandemic H1N1 the predominant mode of transmission is human to human, Tsang said. "You have a much ... higher chance of getting swine flu from a person near you than from a pig," he said.Tsang said poultry workers are being vaccinated for seasonal flu "to prevent co- infection with H5N1 by virtue of their profession."He added: " Although we are not facing an H5 pandemic, it is important to continue with [vaccination] because every year, especially every winter, we do have isolated cases of H5N1 in birds and persons and so on."Sickest swine flu patients require heroic measures
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Once swine flu patients are sick enough to need hospital care, they decline very fast, requiring ventilators and advanced treatments that quickly strain scarce hospital resources, several teams reported on Monday.
Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association they paint a picture of how younger, previously healthy people quickly developed severe respiratory failure, forcing doctors to use extreme measures to save them."The fact that they develop this very rapid, very severe respiratory failure means hospitals need to be prepared to manage these patients at any time of the day or night," said Doug White of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, who wrote a commentary in the journal.He said although the outbreaks in Canada and Mexico were relatively mild, they consumed a vast amounts of life-saving therapies.If the second wave of H1N1 now spreading across the United States is more severe or broad-based, it may mean some patients will not get the critical life support they need, White said in a telephone interview."Saying no will mean they will die," he said.'MAXED OUT'"This is one of the most difficult conditions I've ever had to treat," said Dr. Anand Kumar of St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba, a hotspot of infection during the first wave of the swine flu in May and June.Kumar said he normally sees only a few patients a year who become severely ill from an infection."In the case of Winnipeg, we saw 40 people on ventilators struggling for their lives simultaneously. It's a bizarre and somewhat frightening experience," he said in a telephone interview."At one point, 50 percent of the available ICU (intensive care unit) beds in the entire city were filled with H1N1 patients," Kumar said. "We basically maxed out our capacity."While 95 percent of the patients he studied had some underlying risk factor, most of these were very common, such as asthma, smoking, obesity or high blood pressure."If you'd asked them, they would have said, 'Yes, I'm a pretty healthy person.' That is surprising to me," he said.Researchers studying the outbreak in Mexico between March and June 2009 had similar experiences.They saw critical illness mostly among younger people, who developed severe respiratory failure. About 40 percent of them died.SALVAGE THERAPYTo help some of the very sickest patients who were struggling to breathe even with the assistance of a mechanical ventilator, researchers in Australia and New Zealand tried a type of life support called ECMO that adds oxygen to blood and circulates it throughout the body."Despite their illness severity and the prolonged use of life support, most of these patients survived," Dr. Andrew Davies of the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne and colleagues wrote.Kumar said doctors in Winnipeg used the system for some of their patients who were struggling despite being on ventilators."In about 15 to 20 percent of our patients, had to use salvage therapies - basically, stuff that is unproven. But you use them because you've got nothing left," Kumar said.Kumar said most people who get H1N1 will not have severe disease, which he said only occurs in about 1 in 1,000 patients. "The problem is, if you get half of your population with H1N1, that can turn into a lot of really sick people."Rough Flu Ride for Poor Countries
TORONTO - New studies suggest developing countries with limited high-tech health care may be in for a rough ride with the swine flu.
The studies compare what happened to people in Canada and Mexico who ended up in intensive care units with H1N1 infection.The death rate among the Mexican patients was double what was seen in Canada, with just over 40 per cent of the critically-ill Mexican patients succumbing.Dr. Rob Fowler, the senior author of both papers, suggests the survival rates is a sign of what might happen in developing countries which have few ICU beds and less access to the advanced respiratory treatments at the disposal of the Canadian patients.Fowler, who is a critical-care specialist at Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, says the studies also show that patients who were given antiviral drugs were seven times more likely to survive than those who did not.
The papers are being published online Monday by the Journal of the American Medical Association.Vitamin Option For Parents Who Don't Want H1N1 Flu Shot
PITTSBURGH -- The H1N1 flu vaccine is being made available to children in the Pittsburgh area, and health experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are recommending kids get it for protection.
Because the vaccine is so new, not all parents are sold on the idea of their children getting the shot."I haven't had enough information to actually know or make an actual decision on if I want to get my kids vaccinated," Donnie Harrison told Channel 4 Action News on Monday.Pharmacist Joe DiMatteo told Channel 4 Action News reporter Marcie Cipriani that the best protection to boost the immune system may come in bottles, not syringes."As a clinical nutritionist , as a pharmacist and as a naturopath, I take a little more of a natural approach," said DiMatteo, who recommends vitamins C and D and probiotics."If you use the right forms of vitamin C in adequate doses, vitamin C is a great immune support agent," DiMatteo said. "We know vitamin D -- it's replete throughout the literature -- is an immune modulator. It modulates your immune system, much like a thermostat does."DiMatteo has specific recommendations for each supplement -- cholecalciferol for vitamin D, L-ascorbate for vitamin C and Lactobacillus casei as the probiotic. And he says they should be used together."You're activating the immune system in multi-directional factions as opposed to just with the vaccine that is single-focused," he said.Whether parents choose the vaccine or the pills, or both, they should be warned that protection is essential because the H1N1 flu is spreading and has already killed 76 children -- more deaths than the seasonal flu.People who choose to try supplements should consult a clinical nutritionist and make sure they're getting the proper dosage, DiMatteo said.China Warns of More A/H1N1 Deaths
BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland is expected to see more serious and even fatal cases of the A/H1N1 virus as the weather cools and people return to work after the just-ended eight-day National Day holiday, a Health Ministry spokesman said Saturday.
"China's situation is still rather grim," Deng Haihua, spokesman with the ministry, told a press conference.
His words came just days after the mainland reported its first death from the disease, an 18-year-old woman in Maizhokunggar County, in Tibet's Lhasa City, who died on Oct. 4.
The virus was spreading from the eastern and southern parts of the country to the west and the north, and from urban areas to the countryside, Deng said.
"With people returning to their work places after the holiday, we are looking at a strong possibility of mass outbreaks of the disease," he said.
The mainland is expected to see "constantly" more serious and even fatal cases caused by the flu virus, he added.
By Friday, the mainland had reported a total of 22,830 cases ofA/H1N1, more than 17,000 of them reported in September alone.
Thirteen patients had been reported to be seriously ill, but nine of them had recovered. The others were still being treated, said Deng.
China was the first country in the world to issue a production license for vaccines against the A/H1N1 flu last month.
But all the vaccines so far produced in the country were stocked by the state and were not on the market, Deng said.
More than 300,000 people had been given the vaccine, of whom 150 showed adverse reactions including local swelling and pain, fever, vomiting and fatigue, he said.
"Most of the adverse drug reactions reported were mild," Deng said. "Generally speaking, our inoculations with the A/H1N1 flu vaccine have been successful."
As of Friday, 17.65 million doses of A/H1N1 flu vaccine had been approved for release in China in 108 batches, according to the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA).
The administration had issued production licenses for the A/H1N1 flu vaccine to eight domestic firms, said SFDA spokeswoman Yan Jiangying at another press conference on Saturday.
The SFDA gave the go-ahead for mass inoculations with the A/H1N1 flu vaccine on Sept. 8 after it approved on Sept. 3 a vaccine produced by domestic pharmaceutical company Sinovac.
Scientists Awaiting the Mutation of H1N1
Infectious disease experts are awaiting the mutation of the novel H1N1 influenza virus.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization are constantly monitoring the virus as it spreads,” says John Tudor, PhD, a microbiologist at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, “but there is no way to predict where, when or if mutation will occur.”Scientists do know how the virus can mutate. “The mutation, or antigenic shift, would occur in a cell when it is infected with two different strains of the H1N1 virus,” says Tudor. “When this happens, a reassortment of genetic information may end up in a single virus particle, making a new strain, which may be more or less virulent than the original.”Though known as “swine” flu, Tudor notes this may be a misnomer. “Analysis of the genome indicates it contains genetic fragments from Asian and European pigs as well as birds and humans of unknown source. Since the origin of the genetic elements came from four sources, it’s called a quadruple reassortment virus.”According to Tudor, “H” and “N” refers to two components of the virus: Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidase, which can occur in 144 possible combinations. Luckily, only three can infect humans – H1N1, H2N2 and H3N2. “The anti-flu medications Tamiflu and Relenza act by blocking the N component,” he notes.Tudor warns that the prophylactic use of Tamiflu could contribute to the virus becoming resistant. “Staff at a camp in North Carolina gave campers prophylactic doses, and later, when some became ill, Tamiflu didn’t help. Like any other medication, we need to use it appropriately for it to be effective. The CDC recommends against giving flu drugs to healthy people in order to prevent illness.”Historically, there have been other instances of seasonal flu designated H1N1. “Studies have concluded both seasonal flu virus and variants like the current H1N1 are probably descended from the 1918 influenza known as Spanish flu,” Tudor says.Though the 1918 flu caused millions to perish, Tudor says recent descendants of the virus appear to cause less severe disease. “This is apparently the case for the present pandemic.”In the meantime, Tudor is keeping his fingers crossed, hoping for the less virulent mutation, or no mutation at all.New Cases Of H1N1 Worldwide Up 24,000 In Two Weeks
The number of H1N1 (swine flu) cases reported in WHO regions worldwide has grown by at least 24,000 in two weeks to cross the 340,000 mark since the virus was first detected in mid-April, the CDC reported Monday, according to Agence France-Presse.
The agency also said there have been 191 deaths since September 20 -- "a marked slow-down from last month, when the WHO reported nearly 500 additional deaths from swine flu in the space of a week" -to bring the total deaths from H1N1 to more than 4,100.The increase in the number of new cases was "only the tip of the A(H1N1) pandemic iceberg," the news service reports. "Many countries focus surveillance and laboratory testing only on people with severe illness," according to the CDC (10/5).The Herald examines the limited capacity of clinics in Zimbabwe to test patients for H1N1. According to the WHO, Zimbabwe will need $12 million in order to effectively fight the virus (Chipunza, 10/5).Meanwhile, Cuban health officials on Monday requested the WHO and PAHO assist the country in accessing the H1N1 vaccine, AFP reports in a second story. "The new vaccine against the A(H1N1) virus, which has begun being administered in more developed countries, is highly effective, but also very expensive," Health Minister Luis Estruch said (10/5).This information was reprinted from globalhealth.kff.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Global Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at globalhealth.kff.org.© Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Doctors give warning signs of severe swine flu
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota's doctors are urging parents to watch for warnings signs that their child is having a bout of flu so severe it requires medical attention.
The Minnesota Medical Association says those symptoms include trouble breathing, bluish skin, not drinking enough water, not waking or interacting, a fever with a rash and being so irritable that the child does not want to be held.The assocation also says to watch for flu-like symptoms that improve then return with a fever and worse cough.Swine flu mild for now, but could worsen
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The new pandemic of H1N1 swine flu is causing a strong second wave of disease in many Northern Hemisphere countries, according to the World Health Organization.
While the United States, China and Australia have begun vaccination, other countries have not and it is unlikely many people will be protected from the virus before November. Here are some possible ways the pandemic could play out:BECOMING PART OF THE MIXThe new H1N1 virus is a distant cousin of an H1N1 strain that has been part of the seasonal influenza mix for decades. Early surveillance suggests the new swine flu strain may supplant seasonal H1N1 and become part of the common circulating viruses. This could be good news as the seasonal H1N1 had developed resistance to the antiviral drug oseltamivir, Roche AG and Gilead Science's pill sold under the Tamiflu brand name. But most viruses eventually mutate and health experts would not be surprised to see swine flu acquire resistance. That is why companies are working to develop newer and better influenza drugs.The U.N's senior technical expert on influenza, Dr. Julie Hall, said it takes two to three years for a new influenza virus to infect enough of a population to create broad immunity.ADDING A NEW DIMENSIONBecause flu viruses mutate and recombine to form new strains, people remain vulnerable to flu all their lives. This is why the vaccine must be reformulated each year. H1N1 has been remarkably stable since it began infecting people widely in March and April this year. But experts predict once it has infected a certain proportion of the population -- no one knows exactly what proportion -- it will start to change.Right now the H1N1 vaccine is a good match against the virus, and most adults and older children will get good protection with a single dose. If the virus "drifts," the vaccine will have to be reformulated to match, just as with the seasonal flu vaccine. The process takes about six months.Health officials will monitor closely for this to happen. In past pandemics, notably the one in 1918 that killed between 40 million and 100 million people globally, a first wave of relatively mild influenza was followed by a second wave of severe disease months later.WHEN PIGS FLYIt is also possible that the virus will recombine, swapping genetic material with other flu viruses, such as the seasonal H3N2 virus. A special concern is that someone could become infected with both the H1N1 virus and the H5N1 avian flu virus. They could then combine to create an especially virulent new virus "that would have very unpleasant consequences for humanity," United Nations special pandemic coordinator Dr. David Nabarro told a World Bank briefing on Sunday.Bird flu is still circulating and has infected 442 people, killing 262 of them, since 2003, the World Health Organization says. It is difficult for people to catch bird flu but when they do it is highly deadly. If a new virus had H1N1's infectivity and H5N1's deadliness, it could be devastating.Many companies are working on H5N1 vaccines, which could give the world a head start on a new vaccine if any eventual new mutant closely matches the strain being used to make it.LACKING VACCINESWhatever the virus does, the world lacks the capacity to vaccinate most of the population against flu. The WHO estimates worldwide production capacity for pandemic vaccines at approximately 3 billion doses a year, which would be enough to cover fewer than half the world's 6.8 billion people. The WHO is pressing rich countries to buy and donate vaccine to poorer countries.Hall told the World Bank gathering that the first wave of the swine flu pandemic affected wealthier nations like the United States, Australia and Japan, where it is still active."But what we are seeing now is that the virus is beginning to penetrate into some of the poorest communities in the world," she said. There it may cause "explosive outbreaks" among young and working-age adults -- a particular problem for countries with younger populations.Joy Phumaphi of the World Bank estimates that even a mild epidemic will reduce world gross domestic product or GDP by 0.7 percent. A more severe epidemic could reduce GDP by 3 percent, as it not only takes people out of the workforce for days or weeks, but requires them to seek expensive medical care.(Editing by Chris Wilson)Antioxidants may help, but not by themselves
First it was cranberries. Then blueberries. Then pomegranates. Then acai berries, whatever they are. Now there's more. ``Fight flu with the wonder fruit!!!'' says the ad by the New Zealand Blackcurrant Research Headquarters touting the antioxidant power of its dark-purple fruit. It's just one more antioxidant-rich ``superfood'' claimed to be a natural defense this flu season.
Reality, we're learning now, is more complicated.Fruits packed with antioxidants are great, and good for us, health experts say. But they won't, by themselves, bulletproof our immune systems and save us from the H1N1 influenza virus. Or anything else.Today's expert advice sounds discouragingly like what our mothers always told us.``A well-balanced diet minus too many sweets and artificial ingredients, with an adequate amount of protein, fruits and vegetables and vitamins is what we need,'' says Dr. Tracie Miller, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.It's not that antioxidants won't give you a little extra boost, experts say.``Antioxidants as a class have specific effects in enhancing the immune system,'' says professor Jeffrey Blumberg of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science at Tufts University. ``But it's a complex system. You also need a lot of other things to have good nutrition.''``The bottom line is that to have good immunity, you have to eat a variety of foods,'' says Sherry Mahoney, director of nutrition for the Mayo Clinic, Florida. ``Chronic dieters who omit a food group omit needed vitamins and minerals.''Mahoney suggests five servings of fruits and five of vegetables per day for women; seven of each per day for men.Dr. Michael Kolber, assistant chief of infectious diseases at the UM Med School, says our bodies' immune systems are strongest if we eat a normal, healthy diet that is not deficient in important nutrients.``Malnourished people have poorer immunity. You need to keep your organs healthy, and your immune system is just another organ.''Still, what's the single best thing we can do to avoid swine flu?``Get your flu shot,'' Kolber says. Get shots against the regular seasonal flu and also the H1N1 swine flu.And don't be discouraged.There may not be 10 superfoods that will turbocharge your immune system and help you blast through disease. But there is a nifty list of things that will help your immune system be all it can be.• Eat a healthy, balanced diet: This includes such antioxidant-rich foods as dark-colored berries, apples, cherries, red beans, artichokes, broccoli, green tea, red wine, almonds, ground cloves, oat-based products and, for dessert, dark chocolate, the Mayo Clinic says. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals that otherwise can damage body cells, fighting cancer and heart disease and boosting the immune system, the clinic says.Oily fish like tuna, salmon and sardines provide omega-3 fatty acids, which boost general health and help fight heart disease, macular degeneration and other maladies.• Take a one-a-day multivitamin. Even well-balanced diets can leave deficiencies in vitamins A, D and E, selenium, zinc and other nutrients, Miller says.``As we understand more about diet and health, we see that nutrition can be helped by a multivitamin.'' But don't overdo it. ``Don't overdose on one specific vitamin.'' • Lose weight if you need to: ``Fat creates a lot of inflammatory chemicals. Obese people are immuno-suppressed. Their immune systems don't work as well as people with lean body mass,'' Miller says.• Exercise: Both aerobic exercise such as walking and weight training, if your doctor permits, also improve lean body mass, Miller says. ``Half an hour a day is excellent.''• Stop smoking: ``If you smoke, get help to quit; smoking hurts your immune system,'' says Lillian Rivera, administrator of the Miami-Dade Health Department.• Avoid stress: Stress creates harmful oxidants in the system, decreasing the overall good health that maximizes your immune system, Miller says. How to fight it? Sing. Pet your dog. Get a hobby. Take up yoga. Whatever relaxes you.• Get enough sleep. ``Scientists have documented that when we are sleep-deprived our immune system suffers,'' says the Mayo Clinic web page on fighting stress.• Practice good hygiene: You've heard it a thousand times: Wash your hands, cough into your elbow, stay home if you're sick.All these ways of boosting your immune system are particularly important to fighting the H1N1 strain of influenza, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Asked how contagious swine flu is, CDC officials cite a University of Maryland experiment with ferrets that found the H1N1 swine flu virus was twice as contagious as regular seasonal flu. Not more virulent, just easier to catch.So is the bottom line that no matter how many healthy habits we follow, if we're directly exposed to swine flu, we're likely to catch it?``Absolutely,'' Miller says. ``But you may have a milder course.'' Boy's death deepens H1N1 worry
The state epidemiologist urged parents to seek urgent care if children's symptoms worsen.
It's a scenario that strikes terror in most any parent: A perfectly healthy first-grader dies of flu in the ambulance outside his home. How could it happen?
In the most recent H1N1 flu death in Minnesota, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office said that 6-year-old Nathanael Schilling of Corcoran died on Sept. 24 from an inflammation of the heart, a rare complication that can result from a flu infection.He was a first-grader at St. John's Lutheran School in Corcoran, according to his newspaper funeral notice.It was the seventh death from H1N1 in Minnesota, and the second time this year that an otherwise healthy child died after becoming infected with the new flu strain.Health officials say they still expect the new virus to be no more deadly than ordinary seasonal flu, which kills 36,000 Americans in an average year. What's different this year is that children appear to be more vulnerable to the new strain than to seasonal flu.The previous child fatality in Minnesota, which occurred in July, also involved an otherwise healthy child. That 2-year-old died because of a co-occurring bacterial infection -- pneumococcus, which causes pneumonia, said Dr. Ruth Lynfield, Minnesota state epidemiologist.Alone, it's not usually dangerous in someone who is healthy. But the flu virus opens a door, allowing the non-threatening agent to overwhelm the body and become lethal. It's the combination of the two that often kills otherwise healthy children and adults.If symptoms worsen, act"That's why we tell people who get the flu that if they are getting better and then symptoms get worse with high fever and bad cough, they should seek care right away," Lynfield said.A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that of the 36 children who died from H1N1 from April to August, six had no chronic health conditions. But all of them had a co-occurring bacterial infection.The most common co-occurring infection that causes flu-related deaths is staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as staph, said Pat Schlievert, a microbiologist at the University of Minnesota and an expert on staph-related deaths. A third of the population carries it on their body, most in their noses or on their skin. Often it's benign or causes minor skin infections. Schlievert has studied dozens of cases of children who died unexpectedly from flu combined with staph."The [flu] causes upper respiratory damage, which allows the staph to get where it's not supposed to be. It makes it's way into the lungs," he said.So far in Minnesota three of the seven deaths from H1N1 have been children and only the first, who died in June, had an underlying health problem that put her at greater risk. The other deaths were adults, one elderly, and three middle-aged, all with chronic health conditions such as asthma, obesity or suppressed immune systems.That's a sharp contrast to the pattern of fatalities seen with seasonal influenza. Most years, 90 percent of the people who die from complications of flu are elderly, and most others have chronic health problems that make them vulnerable.Most recoverThe vast majority of people who become infected with H1N1 recover, Lynfield said, "but some do get severe disease."The good news this week is that vaccine has arrived in Minnesota.The first shipment of nasal spray vaccine was distributed to staff at some hospitals, including Children's Hospitals of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and some area public health agencies. The rest of the first order of 28,000 doses is expected to arrive throughout the rest of the week.The nasal vaccine, which contains a live virus, is going to health care workers, who are third on the priority list for vaccine distribution. It's not safe for the two groups at the top of the list, young children or pregnant women, who are considered most at risk.Health care workers are at high risk of exposure to the virus, and are in a position to infect vulnerable patients.Injectable vaccines, which will go to those high risk groups first, are not expected to arrive in the state until mid-October.In the meantime, however, clinics are already gearing up for the deluge of people who want the vaccine. "People are asking about it," said Dr. Ron Jankowski, medical director of the Fremont Clinics in Minneapolis.Like many clinics across the country, Fremont now has a prompt on its phone line that leads patients to a long message about seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccine.Federal health officials have said that more than 150 million doses of vaccine will be available nationally, meaning everyone who wants the vaccine should be able to get it."The question is, will [swine flu] come and go before the vaccine is available to everyone?" said Jankowski. "Who knows?'Josephine Marcotty • 612-673-7394Deltona soldier dies of Swine Flu
The Army says an autopsy shows a soldier from Florida who died while at Fort Jackson in South Carolina passed away from pneumonia caused by the H1N1 flu virus.
Fort Jackson officials said Thursday the death of 23-year-old Spc. Christopher Hogg of Deltona, Fla., is the first such death at the Army's largest basic training site. Officials at the Pentagon did not immediately respond to questions whether it was the first such death in the military.Hogg died a week after he was taken to a the hospital with fever and respiratory problems. He was in his fifth week of basic training and would have graduated Oct. 15.Officials said that as of Wednesday, 51 of the Fort Jackson's 13,000 soldiers had flu-like symptoms. Swine Flu mutation potential keeps health officials on edge
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Swine flu is not a danger for what it is, the experts say. It's a danger for what it could be.
That's why officials are pushing swine flu vaccine, which should start arriving as early as Oct. 6.The new H1N1 virus arrived in the United States six months ago Sept. 21, and still creates enough doubts that experts nationwide don't know whether it will stay mild or become serious."So far the virus isn't that dangerous. It's more the potential than the reality that we're worried about," said Dr. Giorgio Tarchini, an infectious disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic in Weston, Fla.As the new bug circulates, health officials fear it may mix with others to create a new version that spreads faster or causes more deaths. For instance, the bird flu that appeared in Asia in 2006 kills most who get it but does not spread easily in humans. A bad scenario would be if that bird flu combined with the new, easily spread H1N1, said Virginia flu expert Richard Wenzel, past president of the International Society for Infectious Diseases.The mild nature of swine flu hasn't stopped some people from reacting sharply. At least two high school football games in Palm Beach County were canceled. Some emergency room doctors report entire families of healthy people have demanded treatment when children get sick.Such fears may get worse as the number of swine flu infections are expected to grow through fall. The virus is expected to be the prevalent strain this flu season. Only time will tell if such fears are justified.Experts have seen key differences between swine flu and seasonal flu:- Number of cases: Health officials estimate more than a million Americans caught swine flu so far and millions more will likely get it this winter — more than come down with seasonal flu.- Deaths: From all those infected, about 600 have died. That's a death rate half that of seasonal flu, which kills tens of thousands per year.- Hospitalizations: Rates in swine flu are 1 to 2 per 10,000 people, varying by age. That's about half the rate of seasonal flu in infants and seniors, but about the same or slightly higher for others.- Timing: The new virus took off and spread in spring and summer, breaking the normal pattern of flu going dormant in warm weather. That worries experts who fear it may signal H1N1 is especially strong.- Who gets it: People ages 4 to 25 have the highest rates of infection from swine flu; those over 65 have the lowest. That's opposite of seasonal flu, which mainly kills infants and seniors. Older folks may have partial immunity to the new flu from past exposures to a swine flu, but doctors worry there are other unknown reasons.Who dies: The young get it, but the new virus mainly kills middle-aged sick people. Sixty-six of 87 deaths in Florida (26 of 36 in South Florida) were in ages 25 to 64. Almost 80 percent of the victims had an underlying illness like heart disease, lung disease and immune weakness, the state Department of Health said."They die from the complications that flu causes," said Dr. Larry Bush, an infectious disease expert in Atlantis. "Maybe they get some other infection at the same time and they can't fight it all off."- Unexplained cases: Dr. John Livengood, director of disease prevention at the Broward County Health Department, said he has looked at the eight deaths in the county and can't find much in common between them. Six were middle-aged men, one was a baby boy, one was 22. A couple had no explanation, he said, just healthy people who didn't recover.Erika Dopazo has seen both sides of the new flu. At 25, the marketing assistant in South Beach had never had the flu until late July, when she developed a fever of 101 degrees with bad chest congestion, cough, chills, aches and nausea. The swine flu made her as sick as she has ever been, but she got some medication and was back to normal within a week.Weeks later, one of her friends died at age 27 after a monthlong illness complicated by swine flu.Some recent developments worry experts. A dozen cases of new flu were found to be resistant to Tamiflu, an antiviral drug that can lessen the severity.Also, the World Health Organization this week said two dozen cases of swine flu were resistant to the vaccine. On the plus side, everyone who had the flu will be immune to it.Swine flu 'second wave starting'
Swine flu cases have risen in line with a predicted 'second wave'
A second wave of those contracting swine flu is under way in Wales, according to public health officials.Latest figures show a sharp rise in the number of people contacting their GP with swine flu-like symptoms over the past seven days.Figures showed there was 783 cases this week compared to 459 the previous week. There have also been rises in suspected cases in England and Scotland.It has been expected that the illness would peak again after its July high.The latest report from the National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHS) suggests that there were 13.91 cases of flu like illness diagnosed by GPs out of every 100,000 people in Wales.But that figure is far lower than the estimated 4,200 people in Wales who had symptoms when numbers peaked in July.Dr Roland Salmon, director of the communicable disease centre at NPHS, said: "I think this sharp rise in people going to their doctor is instructive because we know it's a good way of following the progress of flu through Wales and over time and it's a method we have been using since the 1980s."Certainly we knew the virus hadn't gone away. We always expected that when people came back from their holidays that this would provide the opportunity for the virus to get going again."The picture across the UK nations also shows numbers are increasing.The number of new cases of swine flu in England has almost doubled in the last seven days to 9,000, official figures show. That compares with 5,000 the previous week, and 3,000 before that.In Scotland, the new weekly figures showed a slight increase from 6,180 to 7,034.The levels of swine flu are much lower in Wales and Northern Ireland. HYGIENE ADVICE
Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue where possible
Dispose of tissues promptly and carefully
Wash hands frequently with soap and water
Clean hard surfaces such as door handles regularly with a normal cleaning product
Help your children to follow hygiene advice
Source: National Public Health Service for Wales/Welsh Assembly Government
Washington OKs mercury in swine flu vaccine
OLYMPIA, Wash. — The state Health Department will allow more mercury than usual in some of the swine flu vaccine to make sure shots are available to pregnant women and children under three.
The department says mercury-free swine flu vaccine may not always be in stock, so it wants to give people the choice of using vaccine with the mercury preservative called thimerosal. While thimerosal is believed to be safe, most vaccines for children under six are thimerosal-free.The suspension of the mercury limit announced Thursday lasts six months and applies only to the swine flu vaccine expected to become available in October.Are You Ready for the Next Influenza Outbreak?
Conflicting reports in the media have healthcare professionals wondering exactly what this year’s influenza season will bring – a pandemic of novel H1N1 flu or a mild seasonal outbreak. In late August, the media seized upon a presidential advisory panel report that indicated as many as 90,000 U.S. deaths could be attributable to novel H1N1 influenza, that up to 50 percent of U.S. population could be infected this fall and winter, and that flu illnesses could trigger as many as 1.8 million U.S. hospital admissions.
The report issued by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology1 suggests that 30,000 to 90,000 deaths are projected as part of a “plausible scenario” involving large outbreaks at schools, inadequate antiviral supplies and the virus peaking before vaccinations have time to be effective. To keep this number in perspective, experts add that seasonal influenza can claim as many as 40,000 lives annually. Every year in the U.S., on average, up to 20 percent of the population is infected with seasonal flu. On average, more than 200,000 hospitalizations occurred each year from 1979 to 2001 as a result of flu and its complications. In addition, on average, approximately 36,000 persons died each year from 1990 to 1999 from the flu and its related complications; more than 90 percent of these deaths occurred among persons 65 years of age or older.The world first learned of H1N1 influenza in late April, and on June 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the H1N1 virus a global pandemic. More than 1,490 people around the world have died from the virus since it emerged this spring.Public health officials are unsure of what the fall will bring. CNN has quoted Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as remarking, “Even with the best efforts, this will cause some illness, some severe illness and unfortunately, some deaths... But a lot so far has gone remarkably right. There’s a vaccine well on its way to being distributed, diagnostic tests available in well over 100 laboratories, treatments pre-positioned around the country ... and guidance issued for healthcare providers, schools, businesses and other communities.The report caused CDC officials to retreat from some of the grim scenarios the statistics suggested and instead advised people to proceed carefully, lest a panic ensue. The New York Times quoted Anne Schuchat, MD, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, as saying, “We don’t necessarily see this as a likely scenario.” Times reporter Donald G. McNeil Jr. also reported, “A press officer for the disease centers, speaking carefully to avoid a feud with the White House press office, said, ‘Look, if the virus keeps behaving the way it is now, I don’t think anyone here expects anything like 90,000 deaths.’”2While some believe that H1N1 fears are fading, others are concerned that the U.S. will be hard hit if complacency is allowed to undermine preparedness efforts.“We definitely have to be on guard and prepared,” says William Schaffner, MD, chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine and professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “It’s a convergence, with the reopening of schools and colleges, so I think we will see an early H1N1 influenza season. What that means to all of us in healthcare, of course, is that we must be prepared to manage increased patient loads in hospitals’ emergency, outpatient and inpatient departments.“Hospital capacity in a potential pandemic scenario is a concern. “This infection has sought out children and young adults, so by and large, when those people get ill it’s a relatively minor illness and they get over it,” Schaffner says. “However, if a vast number are infected — even though the proportion of serious illness is low — if there are many, many people infected, that means there is going to be a substantial number of people who are seriously ill who will be showing up at healthcare facilities. Older persons are much less affected, probably because they have seen a relative of this virus 40 or 50 years ago and they have some residual protection. So I think that’s where this concept of a ‘mild’ flu season comes in, but nonetheless, there will be some turbulence in our society — there will be some school closings and that means parents have to stay home, and hospitals will have workers who are sick or who will have to take care of their children, etc.” Hospital Flu ReadinessSome healthcare professionals are nervous about hospitals’ readiness for another, potentially more serious outbreak.A survey of 190 U.S. hospitals compiled by registered nurses in eight states finds that a number of healthcare facilities are not prepared for a potential novel H1N1 flu pandemic, according to survey results released in late August by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee. The data reflects a survey conducted over the past four weeks by RNs in hospitals in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Texas.What the RNs reported are wide gaps in safety gear, infection prevention and control training, and post-exposure procedures. Among key findings:At more than one-fourth of the hospitals, nurses cite inadequate isolation of swine flu patients, increasing the risk of infection to others.Nurses at 15 percent of hospitals do not have access to the proper respirator masks, exposing nurses and patients to infection; at up to 40 percent of the hospitals, nurses are expected to re-use masks, in violation of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.At 18 percent of the hospitals, RNs report that nurses have become infected; one Sacramento, Calif. RN has already died. Hand-washing is good to prevent colds, but swine flu? Maybe not so good
A handful of scientists, so to speak, say that washing your hands routinely may not be a good way to prevent transmission of the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus, according to an article in Newsweek. There is no question that sanitizing hands is very useful for preventing the spread of germs that cause colds and other respiratory diseases, experts say. But influenza, both the seasonal and swine varieties, is spread primarily through aerosol droplets, and washing your hands does little to prevent that.
Masks have also not been found to be very effective, particularly the cheap surgical masks most people favor. In the absence of a swine flu vaccine then, perhaps the only thing left is to cough into your sleeve or elbow to prevent those aerosols from attacking your neighbor.-- Thomas H. Maugh IIHand-Washing Won’t Stop H1N1
It's become conventional wisdom that simple soap and water can protect against the flu, but the science suggests otherwise.
In a speech to schoolchildren last week that had some conservative opponents up in arms, President Obama delivered at least one line that seemed incontestable: "I hope you'll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don't feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter." The Disney corporation is now marketing Musical Hand Wash Timers featuring characters like the Little Mermaid, and encouraging parents to "take precaution against swine flu" by teaching children to wash their hands correctly. "Studies prove that regular hand-washing dramatically reduces the spread of infection," says the Disney Web page, which links to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site.
Thanks in part to this and other campaigns run by the CDC, it has become conventional wisdom that hand-washing is the best way to protect yourself from the H1N1 strain of influenza. But while hand-washing has been shown to be a great defense against the common cold and other respiratory diseases, it might not actually be that helpful against the influenza virus, including the H1N1 strain.That's because there is virtually no evidence that people can catch the influenza virus from germs that they pick up on their hands, according to Arthur Reingold, head of epidemiology at the University of California, Berkeley, and codirector of the CDC-funded California Emerging Infections Program. Instead, humans are most likely to catch influenza by breathing in microscopic particles exhaled by infected people.Reingold and other epidemiologists don't discount hand-washing as an important tool in public health: there is plenty of evidence that it prevents other nasty bugs, including the common cold, many respiratory infections, and viruses that cause diarrhea. But Reingold is bothered by the lack of science supporting the CDC's message, and he worries that the emphasis on a simple measure like hand-washing creates a false sense of security from H1N1 and tamps down the discussion of more difficult preventive measures. He said as much in an e-mail to the CDC this May. "I wouldn't care so much that we might be getting folks to improve handwashing . . . with what is likely to be incorrect information about its ability to prevent influenza" if the media and the court of public opinion weren't so quick to embrace it as the only solution at the expense of things like surgical masks, wrote Reingold in his letter to the CDC. While Reingold admits he doesn't know if masks would reduce transmission of the virus, he hypothesizes that they're more likely to be helpful containing exposure to the airborne virus than hand-washing, and should not be so easily discounted. (Other experts are skeptical of face masks because it's difficult to ensure proper use, or that people will wear them in the first place.)Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, says the CDC's emphasis on hand-washing is guided by the "science that supports hand-washing against respiratory infections in general." In particular, she cites a study conducted in Pakistan that showed that hand hygiene measures cut the rate of pneumonia in half. One of the unique features of swine flu—the fact that it causes diarrhea—also suggests to some that it could be transmitted on the hands like other diarrhea-causing diseases that do not belong to the influenza family. Schuchat stresses that the best way to protect yourself will be to get the vaccine once it becomes available in October, but adds that the CDC continues to believe that "contact precautions are useful with this flu."But the ferrets and guinea pigs tell a different story, says Dr. Michael Osterholm, of the National Institutes of Health-supported Minnesota Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance, and head of the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. Researchers in the Netherlands used ferrets to study the transmission of H1N1 and found that the disease was efficiently transmitted by small airborne particles. An earlier study examining a different flu strain in guinea pigs found that the animals did not pick up the virus from contaminated cages. That suggests that you're not really safer from the flu virus if you scrub your hands, paws, or cages because the virus travels through the air. While there's not enough evidence to conclusively say the flu works the same way for humans, the current research suggests that the H1N1 flu travels mostly by air, not via hand-to-hand contact—and therefore won't be prevented through hand-washing."We don't want to create a crisis in confidence," Osterholm says, "but we have to be honest: the evidence doesn't show that hand-washing prevents the spread of the influenza virus."Nevertheless, hand-washing is still your best defense against getting sick generally this fall—colds and other respiratory diseases are no fun, even if they don't sound as scary as swine flu. For that and other flu viruses, don't seek solutions at the sink: your best chance of avoiding H1N1 this fall is to get the vaccine once it becomes available.H1N1 gets more virulent
HYDERABAD: Virus not giving any chance to doctors to treat patient’ The H1N1 virus, ‘imported’ to Hyderabad from overseas, is showing signs of getting ‘mutated’ into a more virulent form. Clinical observation of experts in the State capital indicate that the genetic make up of H1N1 virus has ‘changed’ and is now more ‘potent’ after coming into contact with the local existing viral forms.
This is the ‘second wave’ of swine flu virus, coinciding with the rainy season, which is still active. There is a possibility of onset of a third and more virulent form in the upcoming winter season. The virus is getting more ‘time’ to stay in the atmosphere because of low temperatures, experts opine. A pattern, among the fatalities has been detected. “Patients are dying within 24 to 48 hours after getting infected with H1N1. The virus is not giving any chance to the doctors to treat the patient. That’s why we are losing patients who have good immunity,” said Gandhi Hospital Superintendent E.A. Ashok Kumar.Between May and August, when H1N1 virus was ‘imported’ from other countries, it did not cause severe illness to patients. “These days, the patient’s condition is deteriorating within 24 hours. There is a definite shift in the genetic make up of the virus. It might have genetically changed after coming into contact with local influenza virus,” Superintendent of Chest Hospital S.V. Prasad.Pregnant H1N1 flu patient dies in Denpasar
A 19-year-old woman died after being treated for the H1N1 flu virus for almost a week at Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar, Bali.
Ken Wirasandhi, a spokesman from the hospital, said Friday that Ni Wayan Siti of Tampaksiring, Gianyar, died on Thursday night. Ken said the patient, who had tested positive for the H1N1 infection, had also had pneumonia.Siti was eight months pregnant when she was admitted to the hospital on Saturday last week. She had a miscarriage three days later.The hospital also suspected that Siti was infected with bird flu, but had yet to receive test results to confirm it.Separately, chief of the Bali Health Agency I Nyoman Sutedja, said Siti's death was the first H1N1-related death on the resort island. So far, 83 people, 42 of them foreigners, have been treated for the H1N1 virus infection.German authorities warn of swine flu mutation risk
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's federal agency for infectious diseases said on Tuesday there were signs the H1N1 swine flu virus had started to mutate and warned it could spread in the coming months in a more aggressive form.
Experts were concerned about how the flu was developing in Australia and South America, said Joerg Hacker, head of the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases."It's possible the virus has mutated. In autumn the mutated form could spread to the northern hemisphere and back to Germany," Hacker told a news conference in Berlin.The World Health Organization raised swine flu to pandemic status earlier this month. According to its latest figures, more than 230 people have been killed by the flu worldwide from 52,000 confirmed cases, mostly in the United States and Mexico.Symptoms of swine flu are typically fairly mild, but doctors have said the virus could evolve into something more aggressive.According to WHO figures, Germany has the third highest rate of swine flu infection in Europe with 275 confirmed cases.German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the conference that Germany was as prepared as it could be for any surge in cases."We are in contact about it internationally," she said. "Now all we have to do is coordinate internationally who should be vaccinated and how we should do it, in case things get worse."The WHO has advised governments to prepare for a long-term battle against the new pandemic it officially calls A(H1N1).WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan said recently the virus is currently "pretty stable," but warned it could still change into a more deadly form, perhaps mixing with the H5N1 bird flu virus circulating widely in poultry.Hog farmers wary of reporting new flu: OIE
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It will be difficult to boost surveillance of hogs for the new pandemic strain of H1N1 flu unless farmers are confident they won't be penalized if the disease is found in their barns, an official with the World Organization for Animal Health said on Tuesday.
Farmers will be discouraged from participating in monitoring programs by bans on pork trade sparked by the human outbreak of flu and the cull of hogs on the only farm so far found with the disease, said Alex Thiermann, senior advisor to the OIE's director-general."What we have seen so far, it's going to be difficult to get pig farmers and veterinarians in some countries in the world that depend on trade to be very aggressively pursuing this if we look at the consequences that existed on trade," Thiermann said in a telephone interview.The new H1N1 flu, a mixture of swine, bird and human viruses, has killed 165 people and infected more than 37,000 around the globe, the World Health Organization has said.The virus was first called "swine flu" when public health officials flagged it as a concern in April, but was officially renamed after complaints from the hog industry.The virus is not spread by meat, but importers like Russia and China have slapped trade bans on pork, steps world health and trade officials have called unwarranted."While the world wants more transparent notification (of new flu strains in pigs), they're going to have to respect the international standards on safe trade," Thiermann said.In Canada, health officials had believed a sick farm worker passed the flu to a hog herd where H1N1 was detected, but have since ruled out that theory with blood tests.The Canadian farmer was punished for doing the right thing, Thiermann said. After the herd was quarantined for more than five weeks, causing overcrowding in his barn, the farmer decided to cull his herd because he could not find any buyers for the animals or meat."The stigma attached was such that not even rendering facilities wanted to touch this thing, for the consequences," Thiermann said.FLU CAUSES MILD ILLNESS BUT MAJOR STIGMASwine flu, common in hogs around the world, causes fever and coughing in pigs, which usually recover from the illness.The airborne virus can pass back and forth between people and pigs, although such transmission is uncommon.Unlike deadly strains of avian flu, which rapidly kill birds and people, swine flu has been more passively monitored by officials, and there is no requirement to report new strains to national or world animal health groups, Thiermann said.Researchers who examined the genetic sequence of the virus have said it likely circulated and evolved in pigs for years, undetected because of a lack of systematic surveillance.Some researchers have stockpiled samples of flu strains in freezers over the years, unable to test them all because of a lack of funding, he said.The OIE has told its 174 member countries to boost surveillance for the H1N1 strain of flu, but has not added it to its list of more than 100 diseases that are mandatory to report because it appears to have a low level of infectivity and mortality rates, Thiermann said.Thiermann said researchers probably will find H1N1 in other hogs if they spend more money and time looking for it, though he said there is no evidence it is common. He stressed farmers need "guarantees" they won't be hurt if they find the virus."The public at large wants more information and wants to know everything that there is in animals. But we're getting worse instead of better in terms of respecting the international standards for trade, and those who report are paying a very high price," Thiermann said.The U.S. Agriculture Department is set to begin a pilot surveillance project to look for new strains of flu in pigs. Participation in the program will be voluntary.Thiermann said the project is "commendable," and said he is unaware of any similar programs launched in other nations.The world needs to spend more on building basic systems for monitoring animal diseases in developing countries, he said, noting at least 120 members of the OIE don't have enough resources for the most basic infrastructure.Many developing countries have people and different species of livestock living close together, creating ideal conditions for flu viruses to mutate, he said."None of these pandemic threats have resulted in shifting resources in that direction," he said.(Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Marguerita Choy)Pigs an underestimated source of flu: study
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Global health officials underestimated the risk that pig herds might be a source of new influenza strains, choosing instead to focus on the threat of bird flu, researchers in Mexico said on Thursday.
They analyzed samples from people infected with the new H1N1 swine flu virus, which has been confirmed in more than 19,000 people in 64 countries, killing about 120. U.S. health officials say this number reflects only a fraction of the true number of cases."This virus most likely evolved from recent swine viruses," Gerardo Nava of the National Autonomous University of Mexico and colleagues wrote in their report, published in the online journal Eurosurveillance."These findings indicate that domestic pigs in North America may have a central role in the generation and maintenance of this virus."The global pork industry has rushed to defend pig products, saying pig meat is no danger to people. But health experts have also noted there is very little surveillance done to track influenza among pigs -- even though the virus is very common in the animals and just as transmissible as it is among people.Flu viruses have also been shown to pass from pigs to people and from people to pigs."These observations also reiterate the potential risk of pig populations as the source of the next influenza virus pandemic," Nava and colleagues wrote."Although the role of swine as 'mixing vessels' for influenza A(H1N1) viruses was established more than a decade ago, it appears that the policy makers and scientific community have underestimated it."GENETIC ANALYSISNava's team looked at all available genetic sequences of H1N1 viruses circulating in North America for the last two decades. H1N1 has been around since the 1918 pandemic, infects both people and pigs, and mutates regularly.They did not find very many samples, something Nava said reflects how little testing is done to monitor influenza in swine herds."I think that we forgot about swine farms," Nava said in a telephone interview.Experts began calling for better surveillance of influenza in swine in 1998, he said.He called for stepped-up testing of swine and said farmers, producers and government officials will have to consider the expensive possibility of mass slaughters of infected swine.Quick slaughter of entire poultry flocks has been credited with helping to control outbreaks of avian influenza, but pork farmers usually wait out outbreaks of influenza among herds, because it rarely makes pigs very sick."The problem is not that the pig is going to die or even pass the virus to a human," Nava said. "The problem is that the virus is recombining (in the pig's body) and getting new sequences, new genes."By concentrating on avian flu, Nava and colleagues said, officials ignored a possibly bigger source of new influenza viruses -- pigs and the people who work with them.Global health experts have been warning of a pandemic of influenza and the chief suspect has been H5N1 avian influenza, which has infected 433 people since 2003 and killed 262."We understand the commercial interests," Nava said.This week the U.S. Agriculture Department said it would launch a pilot surveillance project to look for new strains of flu virus in pigs.Swine Flu vs. Bird Flu: An Equal Threat?
New research hints at why swine flu overshadows bird flu in pandemic potential.
As health officials around the globe continue to monitor the swine flu outbreaks that have occurred within the past month, comparisons with the periodic bird flu outbreaks over the past decade are difficult to avoid.Specifically, some may find themselves asking the question: Since the bird flu failed to spark a full-blown pandemic, should we really worry about swine flu?Infectious disease experts say there are numerous key differences between the two viruses and their pandemic potential, and a new study published on Friday in the journal PLoS Pathogens hints at just one of these differences. In the study, British and U.S. researchers revealed that the bird flu virus becomes impaired at 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit -- the temperature of the human nose -- therefore making it less likely that it can spread from person to person.The human nose, in other words, may simply offer too cold a climate to encourage the spread of the avian flu virus. Whether this will always be the case is not yet known, but the researchers said that a substantial mutation would have to occur in the bird flu virus before it would become a pandemic threat for humans."Bird viruses are out there all the time, but they can only cause pandemics when they undergo certain changes," said Wendy Barclay of the Imperial College in London, one of the study's authors. "Our study gives vital clues about what kinds of changes would be needed in order for them to mutate and infect humans, potentially helping us to identify which viruses could lead to a pandemic."The study may also provide scientists with the mechanisms of virus mutation in general, allowing them to predict which viruses are more likely to spread to humans.Dr. William Schaffner, chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tenn., called the study "very nice work that adds another explanation why the bird flu is not being transmitted readily in people."Swine Flu Beats Bird Flu in Human-to-Human Transmission"Previously it has been shown that the avian influenza viruses did not attach to the cells of the upper respiratory tract, but could attach lower down," Schaffner said. "The current study provides an additional potential explanation."Ed Hsu, associate professor of public health informatics at the University of Texas School of Health Information Sciences and School of Public Health, agreed. "This study renders potential explanations for why Avian Flu virus does not effectively transmit from human to human -- an important indicator for raising pandemic level."But Dr. Pascal Imperato, dean of the Graduate Program in Public Health at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., warned that the fact that this was an in vitro study -- in other words, one that took place in a Petri dish -- meant that more research would be needed to determine whether the findings are an accurate reflection of what happens in humans."The findings would need to be corroborated in order to have credibility," Imperato said. "That said, there are many other variables that determine the infectivity of a pathogen. While these findings are of interest, they really do not alter our current understanding of the pathogenicity of influenza viruses."Bird Flu vs. Swine Flu: Differences in Pandemic Potential?As the human nose is a crucial site of infection for any flu bug, the new research might help explain why, even at the height of the bird flu scare, there was little evidence of human-to-human spread.According to the World Health Organization website, since the bird flu virus re-emerged in 2003, there have been only 423 reported cases -- on average, about 60 cases per year worldwide.Most avian flu cases occur after the victims had had close contact with live poultry. Few cases are currently suspected to have occurred through human-to-human contact, and in most cases the spread was successfully contained through the systematic destruction of bird populations.The avian virus seems instead more suited for the balmy 104-degree conditions found in the gut of a bird. Exclusively human influenza viruses also do well under those conditions, but unlike the bird flu virus they are not as adversely affected when placed in colder temperatures.Health Officials Still Warning of Swine Flu ThreatViruses that are not affected by the colder temperatures are more likely to become a problem, the researchers said. The swine flu virus, for example, may be able to thrive in a wide range of temperatures, and that may explain its quicker spread. There have been 4,694 cases so far across 26 countries, including the U.S., Canada, Malaysia, and the U.K. Although the flu strain is mild, a more virulent mutation can prove to be devastating.Take, for example, the virulence of bird flu. Despite the relative paucity of human cases of bird flu among humans, Hsu said, 258 people have died since 2003 as a result of the bird flu virus -- a case fatality rate of more than 60 percent."Once [bird flu] viruses get passed the proximal pathway, low temperature 'barrier,' they replicate so quickly that they often overpower the host and thereby cause high fatality," Hsu said.And if the viruses were to somehow be able to bridge this barrier, there is a chance that they could become more problematic."As more people are exposed to the [bird flu] strains, it is possible that mutations may occur that lead to more efficient bird-to-human transmission," said Ella Nkhoma, a researcher and epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "However, whether such a mutated virus would maintain sufficient fitness to efficiently sustain human-to-human transmission is unclear. So far, human-to-human transmission has been very rare."Indeed, infectious disease experts largely agree that the outbreaks at hand may warrant more worry than the bird flu."Many experts now think that, after 4-5 years, because the current H5N2 bird virus has not mutated into a human-transmissible strain, that it is unlikely to do so," Schaffner said. "At the moment, the H1N1 [swine flu] virus has a much greater potential for producing a pandemic."This threat has not been lost on international health officials. On Friday, WHO cautioned against a false sense of security from the dwindling and seemingly mild outbreaks of swine flu, saying the worst may not be over for the newly-discovered virus.WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said there remained "great uncertainty" about the strain that could pose particular threats in Southeast Asia.The Associated Press contributed to this report.A Timeline of Events in the Swine Flu Outbreak
A timeline of events in the swine flu outbreak:
— December 2005 to January 2009: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention receives reports of 12 cases of human infection with swine flu. Five of these 12 cases occurred in patients who had direct exposure to pigs and six reported being near pigs. Exposure in one case is unknown.
— March 28: Believed to be the date of the earliest onset of the swine flu cases in the U.S., Dr. Nancy Cox of the CDC said in an April 23 press briefing.
— April 2: A 4-year-old boy contracted the virus before this date in Veracruz state, Mexican Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova later said citing test results. A community in Veracruz has been protesting pollution from a large pig farm.
— April 6: Local health officials declare a health alert due to a respiratory disease outbreak in the Mexican town of La Gloria in Veracruz state. Health officials record 400 cases of people who sought medical treatment in the previous week in the town. About 60 percent of the town of 3,000 are affected.
— April 17: CDC determines that two children in adjacent counties in southern California had illnesses caused by infection with swine flu. Both children became sick in late March.
— April 22: CDC confirms three additional cases of swine flu in California and two in Texas, near San Antonio.
— April 22: The Oaxaca Health Department indicates that 16 employees at the Hospital Civil Aurelio Valdivieso have contracted respiratory disease.
— April 24: Mexico's Minister of Health confirms 20 deaths from swine flu, but 40 other fatalities were being probed and at least 943 nationwide were sick from the suspected flu. Mexico City shuts down schools, museums, libraries, and state-run theaters across the capital.
— April 26: The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. climbs to 20 in five states. Mexico reports suspect clinical cases have been reported in 19 of the country's 32 states. Canada confirms six cases.
— April 27: The World Health Organization raises its pandemic alert status to Phase 4, meaning there is sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus causing outbreaks in at least one country.
- Cordova said 1,995 people have been hospitalized with serious cases of pneumonia since mid-April and about half of those have been released. The government does not yet know how many were swine flu. The CDC reports the suspected death toll in Mexico has climbed to 149.- The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. climbs to at least 42 in five states.- Spain reports its first confirmed swine flu case.—April 28: The number of confirmed swine flu cases in the U.S. is up to 68 and more than a dozen suspected cases, including two probable cases in South Carolina and a confirmed case in Indiana.
- There is a suspected case in Orlando, Fla., but the CDC has yet to confirm it.- The number of worldwide cases reportedly climbed to 93, including two confirmed cases in Israel and a second case in Spain.- Meanwhile, the WHO says U.S. swine flu patients may have transmitted the virus to others in the United States, indicating that the new strain is spreading beyond travelers returning from Mexico.- Mexico's capital orders restaurants to serve only take-out food in the widening swine flu shutdown.- World stock markets fall as investors worried that any swine flu pandemic could derail a global economic recovery.- Cuba suspends flights to and from Mexico for a 48-hour time period as a precautionary measure.- Carnival Cruise Lines announced it canceled Mexico stops for three ships scheduled to visit the country Tuesday. It hasn't yet announced a decision on future stops there.- Swine flu has been ruled out as the cause of one of two recent deaths being investigated by the Los Angeles County coroner's office. Coroner's Assistant Chief Ed Winter said Tuesday that swine flu was not found in a La Mirada man. Winter says lab testing is pending in the case of a Long Beach man but swine flu is now not suspected.— April 29: A 23-month-old boy from Mexico died at a Houston, Texas hospital Monday night from a variant of H1N1 swine flu.
- Probable swine flu cases are being reported in Illinois, Nebraska and Minnesota.- Germany, which confirmed three cases, is the latest country affected.- In Cairo, the Egyptian government says it will slaughter all pigs in the country because of swine flu.- A Massachusetts health official says two siblings in that state have tested positive for swine flu after traveling to Mexico.- There is a total of 91 confirmed swine flu cases in the U.S., inlcuding Michigan, Arizona, Nevada and Indiana.- South Carolina health officials have identified eight additional 'probable' cases of swine flu, bringing the total number to 10.- In California, 39 Marines were confined to their base in California after one came down with the disease.— April 30: Mexico orders a halt to nonessential business and federal government activities.
- Switzerland and the Netherlands are the latest countries to report swine flu infections.- In the Swiss case, a 19-year-old infected student was mistakenly released from a hospital before being hastily readmitted.- European Union health ministers are planning emergency talks in Luxembourg to coordinate national efforts in preventing the spread of swine flu in Europe.- In the U.S., fears over the flu have forced nearly 300 schools to close.- Vice President Joe Biden is arguing that there would be no practical benefit in shutting down the country's border with Mexico.- State officials confirmed cases in Minnesota, Georgia, New Jersey, Delaware, Utah, New Jersey and Colorado.- At least 130 cases are confirmed in 20 states.- The WHO reports that the number of confirmed swine flu cases worldwide has reached 236.- Biden says people should avoid planes, subways and trains.- Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle declares a public health emergency after two more probable cases of swine flu were identified.- A pediatrician in Washington state sees 22 patients with flu-like symptoms before she develops series symptoms and goes to the emergency room, according to reports.- A security aide helping with arrangements during President Barack Obama's recent trip to Mexico become sick with flu-like symptoms and three members of his family later contracted probable swine flu, the White House says.- The World Health Organization says it plans to no longer call the deadly flu "swine flu" to avoid confusion over the risk from pigs and eating pork.— May 1: Confirmed U.S. cases reach 141.
- Germany's top public health authority confirms the first case of swine flu transmission within the country.- U.S. authorities pledge to eventually produce enough swine flu vaccine for everyone but the shots won't begin until fall at the earliest.— May 4: Mayor Michael Bloomberg says New York City has 73 confirmed and six probable cases of swine flu. That's 10 more confirmed cases than the city reported on Sunday.
- Students in New York return to St. Francis Preparatory School, which had been closed after a swine flu outbreak.- Infections in the United States spread to 35 states.- Dr. Richard Besser of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says it's too early to say the threat of a swine flu pandemic has leveled off, as Mexican officials have claimed.- New infections reported in Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, El Salvador and New Zealand.- Mexico will allow most businesses to reopen Wednesday nationwide, citing ebb in flu outbreak.- The heads of the United Nations and the World Health Organization say there are no imminent plans to raise its pandemic level to its highest alert.- There were now 1,003 confirmed cases of swine flu in 20 countries.- CDC confirms four cases of swine flu in the state of Maryland.—May 5: U.S. swine flu tally jumps to 403 Cases in 38 states.
- U.S. health officials are no longer recommending that schools close because of swine flu.- The government last week advised schools to shut down for about two weeks if there were suspected cases of swine flu. Hundreds of schools around the country have followed that guidance and closed schools.- Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Tuesday that the swine flu virus had turned out to be milder than initially feared. She says the government is changing its advice on closing schools.- Sebelius says parents should still make sure to keep sick children at home.- Mexico announces that swine flu will cost the country about $2.2 billion, much of which is due to reduced tourism. The country pledges a $1.3 billion stimulas package as well as tax breaks to help businesses offset revenue stemming from the outbreak.— May 6: Haiti turns away a Mexican ship carrying desperately needed food aid because of swine flu fears.
- Dozens of Mexican nationals quarantined in China despite having no swine flu symptoms arrive in Mexico City on a government-chartered jet.- U.S. Navy cancels the deployment of a San Diego-based ship and orders its crew of about 370 to be treated with antiviral drugs after a crew member's illness is confirmed as swine flu.- U.S. health officials say it took only two weeks to identify the genetic characteristics of the strain, and they are in good position to quickly produce a vaccine if the flu takes a turn for the worse. They say there are still elements of the virus they don't understand.— May 7: Mexico's health secretary says tests have confirmed two more deaths from swine flu, bringing the toll to 44.
- Diplomats and officials say the World Health Organization intends to shorten its annual meeting in Geneva later this month because health ministries around the world are busy working on the outbreak.- Mexico City lets all businesses reopen, including sports arenas, dance halls, movie theaters and restaurants, but they must screen for ill people and make surgical masks mandatory for employees and customers.- Swine flu survivors in Mexico complain they've been shunned and discriminated against.— May 8: Asian countries, which have had few cases so far, pledge on Friday to increase stockpiles of flu medicine and cooperate in an emergency, taking no chances this time after the damage wrought by SARS and bird flu in recent years.
- The CDC reports 896 confirmed cases in 41 states.- Mexico's confirmed death toll ticks up to 45 and the total number of people sickened is 1,319.— May 9: The CDC says the U.S. now has 2,254 confirmed cases of the H1N1 swine flu in 44 different states.
— May 10: Washington state health officials confirm a man in his 30s has died from what appears to be complications from the H1N1 virus. In addition to the heart conditions, the man had viral pneumonia at the time of his death, but swine flu was considered a factor in his death.
Swine flu constant worry for hog farmers
Posted Apr 30, 2009 @ 12:02 AM
MORRISONVILLE — The threat of a swine-flu outbreak — and daily precautions needed to prevent it — should never be far from a hog producer’s mind, says third-generation farmer Dereke Dunkirk.
His family has 4,500 animals on their farm near Morrisonville, about 40 miles southeast of Springfield.“We’re not doing more than we usually do, but I have been fielding a lot of questions from friends from a non-farm background,” Dunkirk said.Usual precautions for any producer include routine vaccination of pigs when they arrive at the farm, regular respiratory checks, hand washing and showers for workers who come into regular contact with the animals, and limiting public access, he said.The major difference since the swine-flu outbreak has been heightened vigilance, he said.“We watch people coming off and on the farm. We watch for flu symptoms,” said Dunkirk, who added there have been no problems with either people or animals.Groups such as the National Pork Board and the Illinois Pork Producers Association have launched campaigns intended to reinforce assurance from federal health officials that the virus is not spread by consumption of pork or any other food.Even so, Illinois pork producers president Phil Borgic said his employees had questions when they arrived for work Monday at his 2,800-head farm near Nokomis.“We anticipated there would be questions as far as the proper protocol, and we were prepared for that,” Borgic said.In addition to using latex gloves and hand washing, Borgic said employees receive flu vaccines each year.Borgic said producers also use netting to keep birds out of hog-confinement areas, because the swine-flu virus can be spread that way.Health officials have identified the latest flu as a “hybrid” of human, bird and hog viruses that is spread only through human-to-human contact.“There are no swine who have this (hybrid) virus today,” Borgic said.Rochester hog farmer Robert Young said the hogs he is raising under an agreement with Cargill Corp. have already been vaccinated against swine flu. The hogs are being raised in a climate- and environmentally controlled barn called a confined animal feeding operation. As a precaution, Young said he also is limiting access to his facility.“We’re being careful about who we let inside,” Young said.A University of Illinois analysis released earlier this week said the outbreak already has begun to affect the prices of pork, corn and soybeans, even though the virus has not been linked to food consumption.“Such a negative reaction is typical with episodes that create this much uncertainty,” U of I farm economist Darrel Good said in the report.Correspondent Debra Landis contributed to this report.Bird flu, SARS, prepared WHO chief for flu battle
GENEVA (Reuters) - Experience of fighting bird flu and SARS in her native Hong Kong has steeled World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan for the ultimate challenge of tackling a potential global flu pandemic.
When bird flu first jumped to humans in 1997, Chan -- then serving as Hong Kong's health director -- issued orders within days to slaughter the entire poultry population of 1.5 million birds.In her nine years in that job, she also had to deal with an Asian epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Along with other top Hong Kong officials, she defended herself under fire in a legislative inquiry on the handling of the disease that killed nearly 300 people there."She has the courage to make decisions and make the right decisions based on the scientific evidence," said David Heymann, a former WHO assistant director-general who takes over as chair of Britain's Health Protection Agency on Friday.At the WHO's Geneva headquarters, Chan, 61, is leading the response to the outbreak of a new strain of flu that began in Mexico and has spread to North America, Europe, Israel and New Zealand. A U.S. official on Wednesday said a 23-month-old child had died in Texas, the first swine flu death reported outside Mexico.Chan, the first Chinese national to head a major United Nations agency, is an infectious disease specialist who has worked more than 30 years in public health. She began her career as a teacher before obtaining her medical degree in Canada.She joined the WHO in 2003, rose to head its pandemic flu program, and formally took the helm in January 2007 after the sudden death of Lee Jong-wook. She has frequently warned that viruses similar to bird flu and SARS could sweep the world and cause a deadly pandemic."BAD SURPRISES"Upon her election as WHO director-general, the top job in international public health, Chan warned: "Infectious diseases have staged a dramatic comeback. HIV, Ebola, SARS and avian influenza will not be the last bad surprises delivered by the ever-changing microbial world."In the past week, with the world anxiously watching the spread of swine flu, Chan kicked the WHO "war room" into high gear."Dr Chan is running the show. She is holding morning and evening briefings. She is very much driving the process," said Mike Ryan, who oversees the Strategic Health Operations Center.That underground "SHOC room" is staffed round-the-clock by experts trying to coordinate the world's defenses against the new virus, and to keep track of its spread.Chan's assessment of the outbreak will influence decisions by the WHO Emergency Committee about whether to increase the pandemic alert level again to phase 5, on a 1-to-6 scale. This would represent a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent."We have to keep the world informed through the director-general," Ryan said. "She has to know the situation, what her options are, and has to be able to communicate clearly."(Editing by Laura MacInnis and Mark Trevelyan)Could Swine Flu Be the Next Spanish Influenza?
Forget the swine flu outbreak of 1976. Today’s outbreak may turn out to be more like the 1918 Spanish influenza epidemic, which started off mild then reemerged to kill millions.
Swine Flu Eerily Similar to Spanish InfluenzaSwine flu continues to affect Mexico, the United States and other countries around the world. The outbreak has confounded experts who wonder how the flu is spreading and what it will do next.One possibility is that the flu could behave like the 1918 Spanish influenza—a terrifying prospect as estimates put the death toll from that flu strain at anywhere from 20 to 50 million, or more. There are striking similarities between the two outbreaks. Swine flu, like the 1918 pandemic, began in the spring. Both outbreaks have also mostly been reported in healthy adults; the elderly and the very young, usually the hardest hit by the flu, have not been significantly affected.In 1918, the flu did not immediately incite hysteria. According to PBS, a Spanish wire service announced late that spring that "A strange form of disease of epidemic character has appeared in Madrid," but that "The epidemic is of a mild nature, no deaths having been reported."But the Spanish flu didn’t remain mild, to say the least. As summer became fall, the flu—which had at first seemed “benign as the common cold,” according to a Stanford University report—changed. People began to die around the world in huge numbers, most likely due to a mutation in its makeup, making it more virulent. The Spanish flu became known for its high mortality rate compared to previous influenza outbreaks, and its quick onset. One anecdote from 1918 involved four women playing bridge late into the night; overnight, three of them died from the flu.Background: Predicting the course of swine flu
Could the current outbreak of swine flu follow a similar pattern? After being declared a somewhat low risk to the world population, could it become more virulent? Or will the flu behave more like it did during a 1976 outbreak among 500 soldiers (only one of whom died) at Fort Dix, N.J. ?According to a 2003 Washington Post article that compared the 1918 flu to SARS, both the Spanish flu and SARS appear to have arisen from animal sources and gained the ability to infect humans “through mutation or genetic reassortment.” Swine flu undoubtedly arose from an animal source—pigs—and now is able to spread not only from animal to human, but from human to human. Time will tell how the swine flu will pan out, but if it follows the course of its distant relative, the 1918 influenza, the results could be disastrous. According to Bloomberg, which compared the two, “A flu pandemic that’s similar in scope to the 1918 pandemic could kill 71 million people worldwide and push the economy into a ‘major global recession’ costing more than $3 trillion.”In 1997, a group of researchers announced that they had discovered genetic material from the Spanish flu in the formaldehyde-preserved lung tissue of a 21-year-old soldier who died of the flu.The discovery helped scientists figure out what made the 1918 outbreak so deadly, The New York Times reported. One part of the puzzle was the discovery that it passed from birds to pigs to humans, which is believed to create the most deadly strains of the flu.When the research was conducted, some predicted that an epidemic of 1918 proportions would affect the world again. Such a flu outbreak ''can come again, and it will,'' Dr. Robert Webster, chairman of viral and molecular biology at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, told the Times.Dr. Joshua Lederberg, a Nobel laureate geneticist and president emeritus of Rockefeller University, said that influenza is “the most urgent, patently visible, acute threat in the world of emerging infections.'' He added that the sooner the world can learn what to anticipate in another appearance of deadly influenza, the better.2 swine flus in Kan., US total 11; 8 likely in NYC
NEW YORK — Two cases of the human swine influenza have been confirmed in Kansas and one more in California, bringing the U.S. total to 11. At least eight students at a New York City high school probably have swine flu also, but health officials said Saturday they don't know whether they have the same strain of the virus that has killed people in Mexico.
New York Gov. David Paterson on Saturday directed the state Department of Health to mobilize its infectious-diseases, epidemiology and disaster preparedness workers to monitor and respond to possible cases of the flu. He said 1,500 treatment courses of the antiviral Tamiflu had been sent to New York City.A strain of the flu has killed as many as 81 people and sickened more than 1,000 across Mexico, where authorities have extended school closures in the capital and two neighboring states with outbreaks. The World Health Organization chief said Saturday the strain has "pandemic potential" and it may be too late to contain a sudden outbreak.Kansas health officials said Saturday they had confirmed swine flu in a married couple living in the central part of the state after the husband visited Mexico. The couple, who live in Dickinson County, were not hospitalized, and the state described their illnesses as mild.Dr. Jason Eberhart-Phillips, the state health officer, said, "Fortunately, the man and woman understand the gravity of the situation and are very willing to isolate themselves."The man traveled to Mexico last week for a professional conference and became ill after returning home. His wife became ill later. Their doctor suspected swine flu, but it wasn't confirmed until flu specimens were flown to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A flu viruses, the CDC's Web site says. Human cases of swine flu are uncommon but can happen in people who are around pigs and can be spread from person to person. Symptoms of the flu include a fever of more than 100 degrees, body aches, coughing, a sore throat, respiratory congestion and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhea.At least nine swine flu cases have been reported in California and Texas. The new California case, the seventh there, was a 35-year-old Imperial County woman who was hospitalized but recovered. The woman, whose illness began in early April, had no known contact with the other cases.The 11 U.S. swine flu victims range in age from 9 to over 50. All recovered or are recovering; at least two were hospitalized.Health officials are worried because people appear to have no immunity to the virus, a combination of bird, swine and human influenzas. Also, the virus presents itself like other swine flus, but none of the U.S. cases appears to involve direct contact with pigs, said Eberhart-Phillips, who called the strain "a completely novel virus.""It appears to be able to transmit easily between humans," Eberhart-Phillips said. "It's something that could potentially become very big, and we're only seeing, potentially, the very beginning of a widespread outbreak."New York health officials said more than 100 students at the private St. Francis Preparatory School, in Queens, had come down with a fever, sore throat and other aches and pains in the past few days. Some of their relatives also have been ill.New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden said nose and throat swabs had confirmed that eight students had a non-human strain of influenza type A, indicating probable cases of swine flu, but the exact subtypes were still unknown.Samples had been sent to the CDC for more testing. Results were expected Sunday.Parent Elaine Caporaso's 18-year-old son Eddie, a senior at the school, had a fever and cough and went to a hospital where a screening center had been set up."I don't know if there is an incubation period, if I am contaminated," Caporaso told the Daily News. "I don't want my family to get sick, and I don't want to get anybody else sick."The symptoms in the New York cases have been mild, Frieden said, but the illnesses have caused concern because of the deadly outbreak in Mexico, where classes in Mexico City, neighboring Mexico state and the northern state of San Luis Potosi have been canceled until May 6 and where up to 81 deaths are suspected and 20 have been confirmed.Health officials were trying to determine if any of the New York students or their relatives had visited Mexico.Frieden said that if the CDC confirms that the students have swine flu, he will likely recommend that the school remain closed Monday "out of an abundance of caution."One factor, he said, is that the illness appears to be moving efficiently from person to person, affecting as many as 100 to 200 people in a student body of 2,700."We're very concerned about what may happen," he said, although he noted that the pattern of illness appeared different from in Mexico, where much larger groups of people have become much sicker. Overall, he said, flu cases have been declining in the city in recent weeks.The school was being sanitized over the weekend but still was holding a reunion featuring cocktails, dinner and dancing for hundreds of alumni from as far back as 1939. A health department spokeswoman said the sanitization was just a precaution because it's not really the environment that passes the flu.Alumna Joyce Kal, of the Class of 1979, said she wasn't worried about getting sick."I did think about it, but I didn't, you know, worry, because if it's the kids, I don't think it's going to linger," said Kal, a physical therapist from the Bayside neighborhood.The city health department has asked doctors to be extra vigilant in the coming days and test any patients who have flu-like symptoms and have traveled recently to California, Texas or Mexico.Investigators also were testing children who fell ill at a day care center in the Bronx, Frieden said. And two families in Manhattan had contacted the city, saying they had recently returned ill from Mexico with flu-like symptoms.Frieden said New Yorkers having trouble breathing due to an undiagnosed respiratory illness should seek treatment but shouldn't become overly alarmed. Medical facilities in the part of Queens near St. Francis Prep, he said, had already been flooded with people overreacting to the outbreak.Associated Press writer John Hanna contributed to this report from Topeka, Kan.
