SWINE FLU, A Public Health Care Emergency !!!

Tonight I am going to talk about a potential health problem called the Swine Flu. Although the initial symptoms of Swine Flu are pretty similar to the Flu we are all used to it can rapidly get out of hand because humans don't have any immunity to it. It is called Swine flu because it is usually found in pigs.
Even when a person does not get a Flu shot, because of years of exposure to human Flu strains they have a certain ability to withstand the worst symptoms of the flu but with Swine flu there is no innate protection. This is why the World Health Organization has announced the possibility of a pandemic.
A pandemic is worse than an epidemic in the sense that it involves a much wider area of the globe and many more people and thus can take a lot longer to get under control.
There have been 40 confirmed cases of Swine Flu in the US so far. 7 in California, 2 in Kansas, 28 in New York City, 1 in Ohio and 2 in Texas. As you can see there is no defined geographic distribution of the spread and it is assumed that most cases are from travel or contact with a traveller, in these days where thousands of people fly from A to B daily it could just be a couple of days before we are in the throes of an epidemic. Currently this Swine Flu Outbreak is defined as a Public Health Emergency .
PREVENTION is always better than cure!

Wash your hands frequently, avoid sick people. Try to stay in good health, take vitamin C, get plenty of sleep. Drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious food.

If you have an 'Flu-like" illness be seen quickly. Symptoms may include high fever, chills, sore throat , sweats, body aches and cough.

If you get sick antiviral medication can make the illness milder so you can feel better faster. They can also prevent the more serious complications. The problem is that if you don't start the medication within 48 hours it may not be effective. Because of this we will most often treat a patient 'empirically' before the culture result is obtained. It is important to avoid all aspirin products including peptobismol when you have the flu especially in children under 18.

The medicines that treat the Swine Flu, Tamiflu and Relenza are 70 to 90 percent effective at preventing the Swine Flu.

A person is contagious for 7 to 10 days with the Swine Flu.

In children, according to the CDC emergency warning signs are:
Fast breathing
Bluish skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Lethargy
irritability
Fever with a rash
Seeming to get better and then return of fever and worsening cough

In adults, emergency signs requiring urgent medical attention include:
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Sudden Dizziness
Confusion
Persistent vomiting

I hope this information is helpful. Please feel free to call our office for any further assistance you may need.

Dr Tuakli