While cases of swine flu caused by the H1N1 virus are decreasing and its severity appears to be lessening, the CDC will continue to monitor the progress of this infectious disease - with a special focus on the Southern Hemisphere as their flu season kicks in during in next few months. As things heat up in the Northern Hemisphere, we generally see a break in the flu season because the flu virus tends to do best in cold and dry conditions. However, if you or your child are ill, it is still important that you stay home and avoid contact with others to prevent spreading your illness. See your health care provider so they can determine whether or not you in fact have Swine Flu - but wear a mask to the clinic. And if your child is ill, keep your child home.
Is swine flu gone for good? Certainly not. Remember, this is a new virus and the human population has not developed immunity to it. In previous cases of new viral outbreaks of flu - those in 1918, 1957 and 1968 - there was resurgence of the flu in the cooler seasons. In all three cases, the initial viral outbreak was mild, with more severe outbreaks months later.
A recently released report shows that over 100 people in Mexico have died from causes related to Swine Flu. There have been 73 confirmed cases worldwide with 40 cases documented in the United States, primarily in California, Texas, and Kansas. The last reported U.S. concern for this illness was in 1976, during the Ford Administration. Let’s take a look at an illness that is governing present news media coverage.
What is swine flu? This is a respiratory illness in pigs caused by a strain of Influenza A. This usually only affects pigs, but sometimes humans can get it from close contact with pigs. While it previously was not passed from human to human, this time the virus has mutated and is able to do so. This respiratory illness is spread from infected pigs and from humans through respiratory droplets. At this time, it is not known how easily it can be transmitted from human to human.
During the past week, the Emergency Department has seen a slight increase in the number of people with the flu. Because we have seen several cases of Influenza B this year, let’s look more closely at this specific disease.
What is the flu? It is important to remember that the flu is influenza, an upper respiratory illness. This is not a gastrointestinal or stomach illness, despite the fact that most people refer to stomach ailments in the same manner.
Many of us attended concerts this summer and picked up a few mementos that will stay with us for a while: a t-shirt, a ticket stub, maybe even a boyfriend or girlfriend. But did you ever imagine that one of the not-so-little mementos might just be a disease?
Health officials in several states are scratching their heads trying to find a link between a recent outbreak of Hepatitis A from outdoor “jam band” festivals and camping events, with the Center for Disease Control recently documenting 25 cases of Hepatitis A in nine states, including Wisconsin. Many of the infected victims have a common link to an outdoor music concert that involved large crowds with poor sanitation and camping facilities. Let’s look a little more closely at Hepatitis A, as this infection is not limited to concert-goers.
An aspirin a day helps keep the doctor away…well, not when you’re talking about children under the age of 16. There is an illness out there that some studies have found a common link with giving children an aspirin when they are fighting a viral disease. The condition is called Reye’s Syndrome, and usually strikes children under the age of 15 who are recovering from a variety of illnesses including respiratory, chicken pox or the flu.
Reye’s Syndrome is a very rare, but deadly condition and may catch your health care provider off guard. It needs to be considered, especially in ill-appearing children that are in the post-viral phase, and if suspected, your child needs to receive immediate care.
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