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Introduction
What is Swine flu
History of Swine flu
Symptoms of Swine flu
Causes of Swine flu
Prevention of Swine flu
Diagnosing of Swine flu
Treatment of Swine flu
Alternative Treatment
Research
Social Impact
Emergency planning
Union health ministry new guidelines
India's own Swine Flu Vaccine
Yoga can help reduce H1N1 risk
WHO warned Swine flu virus could still mutate
Introduction
According to WHO, since July 22,
the virus has sprung up in places as remote as Afghanistan and Belize to holiday destinations like Marshall Islands,
Seychelles, Solomon Islands and Tonga.
Experts say it is almost clear that the virus has now spread to almost all
parts of the world and it is also a matter of time before it is found in almost all parts of India. H1N1, which is genetically a mix of human, bird and swine
viruses, has reached over 168 countries and killed 1,154 people. Till a month back, the number of deaths stood at around 816.
Two billion people that WHO has estimated will get infected with the deadly H1N1 influenza virus in the next
two years. WHO has already designated this as the “planet’s fastest-moving pandemic”.
What is Swine flu
The H1N1 virus is a novel strain of influenza.
Existing vaccines against seasonal flu provide no protection, and there is no vaccine for this strain.
Children showed no cross-reactive antibody reaction to the new strain, adults aged 18 to 64 had
6-9%, and older adults 33%. It was also determined that the strain contained genes from four different flu viruses: North American swine influenza,
North American avian influenza, human influenza, and two swine influenza viruses
typically found in Asia and Europe. Further analysis showed that several of the
proteins of the virus are most similar to strains that cause mild symptoms in
humans, leading virologist Wendy Barclay to suggest on May 1 that the initial
indications are that the virus was unlikely to cause severe symptoms for most
people. Scientists in Winnipeg completed the first full genetic sequencing of the virus on 6 May. |
February 15, 2013: 500 cases of swine flu from across the country
Swine flu news
Swine flu or H1N1 Virus
Swine flu mask |
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History of Swine flu
The influenza virus has a long
history and caused several pandemic threats over the past century, including the pseudo-pandemic of 1947, the 1976 swine flu outbreak and
the 1977 Russian flu, all caused by the H1N1 subtype. The recent outbreak was first detected in Mexico City on March 18,
2009, and health officials later confirmed an outbreak in Veracruz state in
February. Immediately after the outbreak was officially announced, Mexico requested material support from the U.S., sending samples to the U.S. and
Canada for testing. Within days of the outbreak, Mexico City was "effectively shut down," and some countries hastily canceled flights to Mexico
while others halted trade.
Symptoms of Swine flu
The World Health Organization (WHO)
issued a list of warning signs of possible severe disease in H1N1 flu patients, while adding its voice to the recent warnings about the virus's threat to pregnant women.
The WHO said signs that can signal a progression to severe disease include shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, turning blue, bloody or colored sputum,
chest pain, altered mental status, high fever lasting more than 3 days, and low blood pressure. In addition, particular danger signs in children include fast or
difficult breathing, lack of alertness, difficulty in waking up, and little or no desire to play, the agency said. Because a patient's condition can worsen very
quickly, medical attention should be sought when any of the warning signs appear, the WHO advised.
The agency noted that most patients continue to have mild symptoms and recover fully within a week, but a few people, usually younger
than 50, rapidly progress to severe and often fatal illness. "No factors that can predict this pattern of severe disease have yet been identified, though studies are under way," the statement said.
The agency said pregnant women should be treated with oseltamivir as soon as possible after symptom onset and should be a priority group for immunization.
Early signs of influenza A (H1N1) are flu-like,
including fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and runny nose, and may
vomiting or diarrhoea. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronicmedical conditions
Causes of Swine flu
Swine flu is transmitted by airborne droplets from an infected person's sneeze or cough; or from
germs on hands, or germ-laden surfaces. When infected people cough or sneeze, infected droplets get on their hands, drop onto
surfaces, or are dispersed into the air. Another person can breathe in contaminated air, or touch infected hands or surfaces, and be exposed.
Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with
germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or
sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Some viruses and bacteria can live two hours or longer on surfaces
like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks.Frequent hand washing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces. |
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Prevention of Swine flu
There
are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that
cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol based hand cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with people having respiratory illness.
If one gets sick with influenza, one must stay at home, away from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from
infecting them. However, if one is having any respiratory distress, one should report to a nearby hospital.
First and most important: wash your hands frequently. Try to stay in good
general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress,
drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. Avoid touching surfaces that
may be contaminated with the flu virus. Avoid close contact with people having respiratory illness.
School and college goers and people who go out to work are at a higher risk of contracting the infection.
People who live in air-conditioned, closed environments are more likely to catch the disease.
Use disposable tissues, always cover your mouth and nose while coughing and sneezing, and dispose of your waste carefully.
here is always some virus on tabletops, telephones and computers. So try not to touch your eyes, nose and mouth frequently.
Drink loads of water and get enough sleep. Sleep derivation is an unhealthy habit and can affect your immune system too.
Gargle once or twice a day with warm salt water as a good low-cost alternative to mouthwash. A good mouthwash will do the job also.
Consider taking Vitamin C, with added zinc. Increase your intake of orange juice and other foods that boost your immunity.
Drink extra warm liquids to rinse those viruses into the stomach where they can’t survive. Coffee, tea, hot apple cider, or soup broth will all do the job.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
Stay away (3-feet distance) from people who have a respiratory infection.
H1N1 2009 flu pandemic vaccine
WHO does not expect the swine flu vaccine to be widely available until the end
of 2009, noting that current production "yield" was only about half as much as expected and would cause timeline delays.[245] Vaccine producers can normally
produce about a billion doses of any single vaccine each year and as a result WHO anticipates a "global shortfall," Keiji Fukuda said in May.
Diagnosing of Swine flu
Many epidemiologists have pointed out that, in reality, millions of people have had swine flu, usually in a mild form, so the
numbers of laboratory-confirmed cases were actually meaningless. But the laboratory test when confirms positive sign than a regular
treatment is essential under the guidence of an expert doctor.
Treatment of Swine flu
Oseltamivir is the recommended anti viral drug for the treatment and/or
prevention of infection with the influenza A H1N1. The Mayo Clinic and Medline list a number of ways to help ease symptoms,
including adequate liquid intake and rest, soup to ease congestion, and over-the-counter drugs to relieve pain. Aspirin, for instance, "is very
effective for treating fever in adults" although in children and
adolescents, aspirin is not usually given due to the risk of Reye's syndrome While over-the-counter drugs relieve symptoms, they do not kill
the virus. Most patients were expected to recover without medical attention, although those with pre-existing or underlying medical conditions
were more prone to complications.
According to the CDC, antiviral drugs can be given to treat those who become
severely ill, two of which are recommended for swine flu symptoms: oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza). To be most useful, they must be taken within
2 days of showing symptoms. They work by deactivating an enzyme the virus needs to grow and spread. Therefore, when taken soon after symptoms are noticed, "they
may shorten the illness by a day or so," according to the Mayo Clinic. Oseltamivir is an oral medication, but zanamivir is inhaled through a device
similar to an asthma inhaler and shouldn't be used by anyone with respiratory conditions, such as asthma and lung disease.
Alternative Treatment
Homeopathy
Homeopathy can both prevent and cure swine flu, sans any side effects, say doctors who practise this alternative medicine system
in India where 'Homeopathy can prevent, cure swine flu' over 700 people have been diagnosed with the disease.
"Based on the symptoms, homeopathy can offer an effective cure to swine flu. Moreover, it does not have any side effects," says Harcharanjeet Kaur, a homeopath at Baksons homeopathy clinic.
"Gelsemium and Bryonia were the two homeopathic remedies that proved to be effective against the H1N1 strain back then.
Homeopathy can not only prevent but also cure H1N1, said Dr Rajesh
Patel, a practising homoeopath. As they have no side-effects, homeopathic medicines can be administered to people falling under the
high risk category, including infants, pregnant women, and the elderly, he added.
Ayurveda
The Panchgavya Medical Research Centre, Jodhpur, which deals
with Ayurved have formulated an alternative remedy Swine flu. It claims to be more effective and safe then the conventional
allopathic treatment. It focus on Panchgavya - the traditional Indian therapeutic practice which uses the five products of cow -
its milk, curd, ghee, urine and dung. "The preparation we have developed at our centre will not only treat swine flu but will also
act as a preventive medicine", claims head of centre, Rajkumar Singh Bhandari. Vaidya NK Tripathi informed that the preparation has
been named as "Flu-go."
Nature Cures: More Herbs for Flu
Wonder herb Tulsi
(Holy Basil) can not only keep the dreaded swine flu at bay but also help in fast recovery of an afflicted person, Ayurvedic practitioners claim.
Dr Bhupesh Patel, a lecturer at Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar
says "Tulsi can control swine flu and it should be taken in fresh form. Juice or paste of at least 20-25 medium sized leaves should be consumed twice a day on an empty stomach."
This increases the resistance of the body and, thereby, reduces the chances of inviting swine flu," believes Patel.
The yoga guru Baba Ramdev asked people to go the ayurvedic way to combat swine flu and said consumption of the extract of
'giloi' plant (tinospora) along with 'tulsi' leaves can help strengthen the
respiratory and immune system to keep the disease away.
Amid growing panic in the wake of rising death toll from swine flu,
yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Tuesday said that yoga had the power to cure Influenza
A(H1N1). While addressing a press conference Baba Ramdev said, “There is no need to
panic.” He further assured the masses that the way he had successfully treated many
patients suffering from diseases like chicken pox and dengue with the help of
Indian medicinal plants, swine flu also can be treated with the help of these.
He also urged everyone to opt for a healthy lifestyle with lots of exercise. As
the killer swine flu virus hits the immune system of a person hard, healthy
people will have a better chance to fight with flu, he added. Further, while explaining the role of ‘yoga’ in battling the A(H1N1) virus, he
said, “If we keep our respiratory organs healthy, then not only we can fight the
swine flu but also can stay fit to fight any other disease.”
Government Hospitals
All India toll free H1N1 helpline: 1075 or 800-11-4377
Delhi: Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital: 011-24525211, 23404328, 23365525
Deen Dayal Hospital: 011-2512 5259
Chennai: Communicable Diseases Hospital - 044-25912686.
Coimbatore Medical College Hospital - 09442012555
Kolkata: Infectious Diseases Hospital: 09433392182/ 09434009077
Hyderabad: AP Chest Diseases Hospital: 040-23814939
Mumbai: Kasturba Hospital: 022-23083901, 23083902, 23083903, 23083904
Pune: Dr Naidu Infectious Disease Hospital - 09923130909
Bangalore: Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases - 91-80-26632634
Government also designated several prominent private hospitals in every states for screening and treatments for Swine- flu. |
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WHO does not expect the swine flu vaccine to be widely available until the end of 2009,
Wearing a well-fitted mask in public places is also advisable. But only a mask can’t save you from the disease. |
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Research
Swine flu can infect cells deeper in the lungs than seasonal flu, thus
helping to boost the severity of the illness, a study released on September
10, 2009 said. The paper provides the first laboratory corroboration of reports from front-line
doctors that some patients with A(H1N1) virus suffer worse symptoms compared to
those with run-of-the-mill seasonal flu. Influenza viruses penetrate cells by attaching themselves to molecules called
receptors, located on the outside of the cell wall. The virus' docking spike and the receptor are like a key and a lock. Some
viruses only open a few cells, while others have something rather closer to a pass key, making it possible to infect a larger cell variety.
Once inside, the virus uses the cell's machinery to replicate, eventually
bursting the cell and going on to attack others. Seasonal strains attach themselves almost exclusively to cells found in the
nose, throat and upper airway, producing a some of influenza's signature symptoms: runny nose, scratchy throat, a dry cough.
But the new research, published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, shows that
the new swine flu -- by sticking to a greater range of receptors -- can also
breach cells deep in the lungs. Lab-dish experiments were carried out by Ten Feizi of Imperial College London
and colleagues in which 86 different receptors were exposed to both seasonal and
pandemic flu. The seasonal strains only locked onto the kind of receptors found in the upper respiratory track.
Social Impact
Swine
flu is a mild disease, hence stop the panic. There is no
need to close the schools. It is lot less than many other disease such as:
Tuberculosis --- 2 deaths every 2minutes
Heart disease ----6301 deaths a day
Diabetes --- 5479 deaths a day
Smoking/Tabco -- 2740 deaths a day
cancers
---1507 deaths a day
The latest toll by Swine flue in India is 20, which is
insignificant. Stop the panic and follow the proper precautions and prevention.
Emergency planning
To combat the virus, WHO and the U.S.
government are gearing up for a massive vaccination campaign later this year,
To help prepare for contingencies, some medical experts in the U.S. suggest that every county should
create an "influenza action team" to be run by the local health department,
parents, and school administrators.
Emergency planning would include some of the following: Asking people with
symptoms, and members of an ill person's household, to voluntarily remain at
home for up to 7 days; sending students home from school, including public and
private schools as well as colleges and universities, and recommending
out-of-school social distancing; and recommending social distancing of adults
which could include cancelling public gatherings or changing workplace
In a bid to find a cost-effective testing kit for swine flu, the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) will explore the possibility of developing low-cost kits which can later
be distributed across the country. This was announced by Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. Mr. Azad said the
government has already taken steps to procure adequate testing reagents by deciding to immediately procure another 22,000 kits in addition to the 27,000 kits recently procured.
Union health ministry new guidelines
Union health ministry has clearly spelt out as to who should go for the testing. Accordingly, even those with high fever
or sore throat need not go for the test. Only those with breathlessness, chest pain and low BP must undergo the test.
To prevent and contain Influenza-A H1N1 virus for screening, testing and isolation, the following guidelines are to be followed.
At first, all individuals seeking consultations for flu-like symptoms should be screened at healthcare
facilities — both government and private — or examined by a doctor. These will be categorized as under:
Category A
Patients with mild fever plus cough/sore throat with or without body ache, headache, diarrhoea and vomiting will be categorised as Category-A. They do not require Oseltamivir and should be treated
for these symptoms. The patients should be monitored for their progress and reassessed at 24 to 48 hours by the doctor.
No testing of the patient for H1N1 is required. Patients should stay home and avoid mixing up with public and
high-risk members in the family.
Category B
In addition to all the signs and symptoms mentioned under Category-A, if the patient has high-grade fever and severe sore throat, may require home isolation and Oseltamivir
In addition to all the signs and symptoms mentioned under Category-A, individuals having one or more of the following high-risk conditions shall be treated with
Oseltamivir.
Children less than 5 yrs old, Pregnant women, Persons aged 65 or more
Patients with lung diseases, heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, blood disorders, diabetes, neurological disorders, cancer and HIV/AIDS; patients on long-term cortisone therapy.
No test for H1N1 is required for Category-B (children below 5 yrs) and (pregnant women).
These patients should stay home and avoid mixing with public and high risk members in the family.
Category C
In addition to the above signs and symptoms of Category-A and B, if the patient has one or more of the following:
Breathlessness, chest pain, drowsiness, fall in blood pressure, sputum mixed with blood, bluish discolouration of nails
Irritability among small children, refusal to accept feed
Worsening of underlying chronic conditions
All these patients mentioned above in Category-C require testing, immediate hospitalization and treatment.
India's own Swine Flu Vaccine
India has developed its first indigenous vaccine against H1N1 swine flu in the form of a nasal
spray in May 2010..
On June 4, 2010 the H1N1 vaccine officially introduced by
Vaxiflu-S, is the country’s first indigenous vaccine to counter influenza A
H1N1 or swine flu. The vaccine, priced at Rs 350 each, provides immunity for one year, but
can be used only by people in the age group of 18 to 60 years. It will be available in all chemist shops but one would need to produce a
registered doctor’s prescription to the chemist. Those who can’t be given the vaccine shots include children, elderly and
pregnant women. “The vaccine will be available in markets across the country from June 4, 2010
on producing a valid prescription,” said Patel.
So far vaccines were imported and were exorbitantly priced — the
imported H1N1 vaccine cost anywhere between Rs 900 and Rs 1,000. Three more companies — Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad, Panacea Biotec, New
Delhi, and Serum Institute, Pune, — are also bringing out vaccines. Serum Institute is expected to come up with the vaccine by the end of
this month. On June 3, 2010, Union Minister of Health Ghulam Nabi Azad took a shot of
the vaccine
Yoga can help reduce H1N1 risk
“Yoga is the best method to maintain a strong immune system, which
can help in getting rid of various infectious diseases including swine flu. Some stretching postures, breathing exercises
(pranayama) and meditation will keep your immune system in a better shape.” says a Yoga expert.
Yoga empowers the lymphatic system that helps in flushing out of the toxins from our
body. Yoga pranayamas (breathing exercises) are also helpful in preventing swine flu.
Breathing exercises will help in massaging the thymus gland and thus activate the
lungs. Many doctors also believe that yoga can help in preventing the H1N1 influenza.
WHO warned Swine flu virus could still mutate
The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned the global swine flu pandemic is not
yet over and the virus could still mutate. Dr Margaret Chan said it was important to "guard against
complacency" despite signs the disease had peaked in North America and parts of Europe.
She said the virus was still active in countries including India and Egypt.
More than 11,500 people are believed to have died in more than 200 countries and territories because of swine flu. However Dr Chan said it would take at least two years before a true
death toll could be established. The WHO's director general said the US, Canada and the
UK were among those countries where the worst of the swine flu outbreak had appeared to have passed.
But she added: "It is too premature and too early for us to say we have come to an end of the pandemic influenza worldwide."
She said experts needed to continue monitoring the pandemic for another six to 12 months as it could mutate into a more dangerous strain.
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