Swine flu – use a hanky
As everyone is aware the threat of an influenza pandemic is very much in the news. Indeed, this article may be quite out of date by the time it is in your hands on Friday morning.
After the recent worries about the spread of bird flu, there are now confirmed cases in the UK after the virus caused many deaths in Mexico and is spreading.
As I write, we are at World Health Organisation phase 4 alert on a scale of one to six, where six is a full blown pandemic with sustained human-to-human spread over many countries of a new and serious virus (Editor's note: This is now at phase 5 alert].
There are three types of influenza virus, A, B and C. Influenza A viruses are found in humans, birds and animals, whereas B and C are found only in man. Influenza A virus possesses two surface proteins, haemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N).
The haemagglutinin is responsible for the virus's entry into host cells lining the respiratory tract, while the neuraminidase is involved in the way that a new virus duplicates or buds out of host cells. These two proteins are used to classify the virus into subtypes. Thus the bird flu that caused concern in the 2007-2008 season was an H5N1, and this swine flu is an H1N1.
Swine influenza is a contagious respiratory infection in pigs. Most outbreaks occur in late autumn and winter, with a mortality rate of between one and four per cent. The great problem about flu viruses that spread from pigs to humans is that the animals can harbour several flu viruses at once, allowing them the opportunity to swap genes and become more dangerous.
Swine flu spreads to humans in two ways. Firstly, there can be initial direct contact with infected pigs. Then there is spread from person to person like normal flu.
It is important to understand that there is no danger in eating pork or eating pork products.
This current virus appears to be spreading very fast and it does seem to be very virulent, although initial findings suggest that the cases in Mexico have been more virulent than those in the USA.
The seasonal flu jabs that people will have been receiving over the winter are unlikely to be effective against this, because it is designed against human flu, rather than swine flu.
According to the government there are enough supplies of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to treat up to 50 per cent of the population. It is a neuraminidase inhibitor, so that it works by preventing the virus from reproducing itself inside your body.
If swine influenza does spread to the UK, then the best thing the individual should do is take care with coughs and sneezes.
Use a handkerchief to cover your mouth to stop the spread, wash your hands repeatedly, use anti-septic gels, and keep your hands to yourself. That is, avoid shaking hands and kissing people in greeting.
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Weather for Wakefield
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North
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Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
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