by bintangkecil on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 | Health, News | No Comments

People who think they may have H1N1 flu need to stay away from work, avoid sneezing on their spouses and children. Now, they have to worry about their pets.

U.S. vets reported this week that a pet cat had been infected with the pandemic swine flu virus, apparently by its owners, who had reported flu-like illness in the days before.

Two pet ferrets also caught flu, again apparently from their owners, and several herds of pigs around the world have been reported infected.

Animals have long been known to be a source of new infections. Influenza itself originates in birds, possibly domestic ducks. AIDS appears to have come from chimpanzees and possibly gorillas. Ebola virus comes from bats while rabies is spread by many different species.

And this strain of H1N1 very likely originated in pigs although it is now infecting almost exclusively humans.

But with flu, at least, it can go the other way, too.

“This is just another illustration of why influenza viruses are so tricky and frustrating and interesting at the same time, is this ability to occasionally jump species,” said Dr. Carolyn Bridges of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Bridges said it is impossible to know how many pets may have been infected — this particular cat lived near a sophisticated animal laboratory in Iowa where vets ran an influenza test out of curiosity. The good news is that the cat survived.

Even for people, it is difficult to find out if a fever, cough and stuffy nose was the swine flu or something else because ordinary flu tests can miss H1N1 and doctors do not have easy access to the more sophisticated test needed to diagnose it.

NO KISSING

So no one knows how often pets might get infected. But if there is a season for it to happen, this would be it, says Bridges.

“We have a great deal more disease now than we have in a typical flu season,” she said in a telephone interview.

“With the higher numbers of infected people, that increases the possibility of seeing these transmissions.”

Cats were known to get H5N1 avian influenza, which is still circulating and which has killed snow leopards and tigers that were fed infected chickens. A strain called H3N8 can sicken and kill pet dogs, Bridges added.

“It is hypothesized that dogs got it from horses. There is potential, certainly, for cross-species infection,” she said.

This is bad news for sick pet lovers.

“Even though I think when I am sick in bed the best thing I can have is my cats piling in with me, we realize that is no longer a risk-free activity,” said Dr. Julie Levy of the University of Florida, a specialist in pet diseases.

“When a pet is sick we should use common sense — wash hands, not let them kiss us in the face,” Levy added.

According to the World Health Organization, H1N1 has killed at least 6,071 people worldwide and likely far more.

The Sweden-based European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control projects the virus could kill up to 40,000 people across Europe and be followed by seasonal flu waves that could kill the same number.

The international veterinary disease agency, the OIE, says it is compiling reports of H1N1 in animals.

“It is very likely that there will be additional findings of other influenza strains,” OIE Director Dr. Bernard Vallat said in a statement.

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by wildcherry on Friday, October 16th, 2009 | Health, News | No Comments

L.A. County is seeing the highest levels of flu since the H1N1 flu strain was identified in the spring, said Dr. Jonathan Fielding, the county’s health officer.

Until last week, 276 people had been hospitalized for flu this year. But in the last week alone, 91 additional people were hospitalized.

“Outbreaks are definitely way up,” Fielding said. “It’s a very significant situation.”

The H1N1 flu strain is by far the predominant flu strain circulating in California. It accounts for 95% of the flu samples tested by the state.

L.A. County saw a surge in flu cases beginning in September, just as schools resumed classes.

Children and young adults are being hit disproportionately hard by the strain.

Most of those who have died from H1N1 had underlying medical problems, such as asthma or chronic lung disease. Chronic illness reduces the strength of the immune system to combat the flu. Pregnant women are also at risk because the fetus reduces the expectant mother’s lung capacity.

Because the H1N1 strain grows in a patient’s airways, the lungs become inflamed, limiting the body’s ability to absorb oxygen into the bloodstream.

Most people who get the flu can recover in less than two weeks without seeing a doctor or taking antiviral drugs.

Although officials have been urging the public to get seasonal and swine flu shots, the supply of the latter is limited for now.

California has received 750,000 swine flu doses in the last two weeks, a tiny fraction of the 20 million expected to be delivered to health agencies and private clinicians this flu season.

The swine flu doses are being directed to those considered at highest risk for infection, including children older than 6 months; adults up to age 24; pregnant women; adults between ages 25 and 64 who have underlying medical conditions; and healthcare workers.

Because infants younger than 6 months cannot be vaccinated, their parents and caregivers are encouraged to get the inoculation.

Initial studies of the swine flu inoculation have indicated no major side effects.

“The vaccine has a very good safety profile,” Fielding said.

“It’s made the same way the seasonal vaccine is made.”

L.A. County will begin holding free swine flu shot clinics for the high-priority populations who have no regular source of healthcare on Oct. 23.

Source:LaTimes

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by wildcherry on Thursday, October 15th, 2009 | Health, News | No Comments

As of October 9th, 19 Illinoisans have died as a result of H1N1, according to the state Department of Public Health.

From a public health point of view, there hasn’t been much seasonal flu in the community,” said William Werner, the president of the Chicago Medical Society. “So I don’t think there should be a sense of panic.”

But some families have complained about not finding the vaccine at their own trusted doctor’s office, and many pharmacies are not allowed to administer flu vaccine to children younger than 14. So some parents have had to search among pharmacies or wait for a later shipment to a doctor’s office.

On Wednesday, Gov. Pat Quinn’s office announced it would lower the age at which children can be vaccinated by pharmacists to 9. The action would apply to both seasonal and H1N1 flu, but only for 30 days unless state officials extend the period.

Walgreens, the largest pharmacy chain nationwide, already has given 4 million seasonal flu shots since Sept. 1, compared with 1.2 million seasonal shots the entire flu season last year, according to Walgreen Co. representative Vivika Vergara.

Grant, the CDC spokesman, said 77 million seasonal flu vaccine doses have been shipped out across the country and 37 million more are expected to be delivered.

Across the Chicago area, the delay has meant some doctors’ offices have received only part of their shipment, if any at all.

Six free clinics will be opened in Chicago to help combat the H1N1 swine flu pandemic, the city’s health department said Tuesday.

Health officials said free clinics will be set up at six City College locations (all except Harold Washington) to administer the two million doses of swine flu vaccine the city expects to get from the federal government. A first shipment of 16,000 nasal-spray vaccines arrived last week and is being administered to the most at-risk. The city expects weekly shipments of between 50,000 to 150,000 doses of the vaccine.

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by wildcherry on Monday, July 13th, 2009 | Health, Life | No Comments

As fears of swine flu rise, and it’s confirmed as a global pandemic, children are amongst those most worried about the illness. It’s the little things they catch from the news which worry them, or the headlines in the newspaper (yes, it’s good they can read, but it also opens up a scary world).

The video below will explains about Swine Flu to your children.

Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza, according to the CDC. It does not normally inflect humans, but cases have occurred among people, especially those who have had direct exposure to pigs. There have also been cases in the past of one person spreading swine flu to other people, the CDC said.

The most common swine flu symptoms include:

* Cough
* Congestion
* Nasal Congestion
* Body aches
* Joint Pains
* Fevers
* Sore throat
* Headaches
* Fatigue
* Decreased energy
* Rarely death

Transmission

The viral infection is transmitted to humans who are in contact with swine, although there are several cases of swine flu in people who had no known exposure to either infected people or pigs. Once the species barrier is crossed, human to human transmission can occur with casual contact or airborne transmission, like when one sneezes or coughs. Eating pork products will not cause one to develop the swine flu.

Read More about Swine Flu How to fight Swine Flu.

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