Swine Flu – Pandemic alert?

One of the early instances noticed was thirteen years ago, where a 19 year old US army recruit at Fort Dix in New Jersey complained of feeling tired and weak. The very next day he died and four of his fellow soldiers were later hospitalized. The army doctors began to believe it to be 1918 ‘Spanish flu’ virus. 1918 Spanish flu was responsible for killing 20 million people worldwide.

The 1976 swine flu was later established as not linked to 1918 strain, but the strong resemblance was enough to send a chill through the spine. The US hurried into an ambitious inoculation programme. The programme never materialized with vaccine reaching only 24% of Americans.

The vaccine turned out to be defective and resulted in 500 cases of Guillian-Barre syndrome and at least 25 related deaths from pulmonary complications. The medical historians have a divided view on government’s handling of the outbreak, some believe it to be the worst reactionary medical policies in modern history and others arguing it saved the nation from a modern plague.

The experience of 1976 could help how to identify and handle the outbreak of swine flu. Since April 13, 2009 nearly 2000 people have been hospitalized in Mexico. Health experts have the view that virus comes from the same strain that causes seasonal outbreaks in humans, but newly identified virus contains genetic material from versions of flu that typically affect birds and pigs.

One of the origin theories of swine flu strain (H1N1), suggest that Asian and European traveled to Mexico either by migratory birds or through humans, which then combined with North American strains in Mexican pig factory farms. This is then assumed to jump to humans working on the farm. Currently no vaccine for the strain is available but can be treated by antiviral medication.

The virus is suspected to cause 152 deaths in Mexico but only 20 have been confirmed of death by the new strain. The virus is declared to be potential enough to cause pandemic flu.

Till date 50 case of flu have been reported in the US, six in Canada, one in Spain, and two in the UK, with at least five countries are testing patients for possible swine flu. In other case outside Mexico, mild cases of flu have been reported and the patients have recovered fully from it.

The US has declared public health emergency, while the UN has called an emergency meeting of health ministers to discuss the situation.

Countries worldwide are also taking various measures to prevent the spread of the virus, most acutely in Mexico where six million masks have been handed out in and around the country’s capital

Swine flu has similar symptoms to the common human seasonal form of influenza. It is one of many viruses that can cause illness among humans and animals, namely respiratory problems, fever and fatigue. In humans the symptoms for swine influenza can include fever, fatigue, lack of appetite, coughing and sore throat, alongside possible diarrhoea and vomiting. People who are around pigs are more likely to contract the H1N1 virus but the virus can also spread from person to person. Tests have so far shown that the human version of H1N1 can appear to be treated with antivirals such as oseltamavir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza).