What you need to know about the ongoing Swine Flu Epidemic
Q: Please give us basic information on the ongoing swine flu epidemic that is threatening to become a pandemic. What causes it? What can we do to prevent it? If a person has been vaccinated with flu vaccine, is he/she immune from the disease?
–Cynthia R., Manila
A: Swine influenza or swine flu is a highly contagious and often fatal acute respiratory infection of pigs that is caused by any of a number of strains (types) of the influenza A virus.
A swine influenza virus normally affects pigs only. But in the presence of other strains of the virus in the same pig, it can swap genes with the other strains and mutate to a form that can jump species and affect humans. The current swine flu outbreak is caused by a new H1N1 strain of the swine virus that has done exactly that.
The new H1N1 strain was first noticed after a woman died in the southern state of Oaxaca, Mexico on April 13. Since then, the epidemic has evolved rapidly. As of April 28, Mexico has reported nearly 2,000 cases of the disease in humans that have resulted in 152 deaths. Six other countries have officially reported confirmed cases of the disease, but with no deaths: US, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Israel and Spain.
The current swine flu epidemic has a greater chance of becoming a pandemic than the bird flu outbreak that has been going around the last few years, because the swine flu virus has been verified to be capable of sustained human-to-human transmission.
In humans, the swine flu virus is transmitted by droplets or aerosols that are coughed, sneezed or exhaled by people with the disease. It enters the body via the nose or the mouth. It can also be transmitted by direct contact with secretions from infected people or by touching contaminated objects and then touching the nose or mouth with the hand, but it cannot be transmitted through eating properly cooked pork.
The signs and symptoms of swine flu appear after an incubation period of 24-48 hours. They include fever, cough, runny nose, chills, cough, sore throat, body malaise, muscle pain and headache.
There are two classes of antiviral medicines that are presently used in the treatment of flu but, at present, experts do not have enough information to make recommendations on the use of these antivirals in the treatment of swine flu.
The best way to prevent swine flu is by active immunization or vaccination against the disease. However, and this is in answer to your last question, flu vaccines are strain specific and the current available vaccines are, most likely, ineffective against the swine flu virus. Experts say that it will take 6-7 months to develop a vaccine that is specific for swine flu. So, what can the public do in the meantime?
The following are the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO):
• Avoid close contact with people who appear unwell and who have fever and cough.
• Wash your hands with soap and water frequently and thoroughly.
• Practice good health habits including adequate sleep, eating nutritious food, and keeping physically active.
If there is an ill person at home:
• Try to provide the ill person a separate section in the house. If this is not possible, keep the patient at least 1 meter in distance from others.
• Cover mouth and nose when caring for the ill person. Masks can be bought commercially or made using the readily available materials as long as they are disposed of or cleaned properly.
• Wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly after each contact with the ill person.
• Try to improve the air flow in the area where the ill person stays. Use doors and windows to take advantage of breezes.
• Keep the environment clean with readily available household cleaning agents.
