Swine Flu: Potential Threat to Human Species?

[Borek]

hey all.. in biology class tomorrow we are dissecting pigs is this a risk?

No, but it can be yummy. Don't forget salt, pepper and garlic. Some hot stuff won't hurt.

And beer.

 

[WhoWee]

I wonder how much the decision not to close the borders will cost us...in health care costs related to treating people fleeing Mexico into Texas thru California?

The baby that died was reportedly from Mexico City. The family isn't showing any signs of illness.

Apparently, the baby was first treated at a Brownsville, TX hospital, then transported to a Houston, TX hospital.

http://www.valleycentral.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=293340
"By Sergio Chapa
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at 9:25 a.m.

Health officials at a press conference in Houston have given a timeline in the swine flu death of a 23-month-old baby.

The toddler is from Mexico but became ill while visiting with family in Brownsville.

The child is believed is to be the first person to die from swine flu in the United States.

The disease had killed more than 159 deaths in Mexico and infected hundreds more.

During a Wednesday morning press conference, the following details emerged:

April 4th - Baby and family arrive in Brownsville

April 8th - Baby becomes ill with flu-like symptoms

April 13th - Baby admitted to Valley Baptist Medical Center in Brownsville

April 14th - Baby transferred to a hospital in Houston

April 27th - Baby died in hospital.

Action 4 News will post more information as it becomes available."

While this family arrives over 3 weeks ago, they chose to seek medical attention in Texas, rather than return to Mexico. The decision not to close the border will potentially cost US taxpayers a lot of money (and health care resources).

More importantly, I hope US citizens (with insurance) are given preferential treatment over (yes I'll say it) ILLEGAL ALIENS.

Close the border.

 

[WhoWee]

Mexico has a health care system
http://www.medtogo.com/mexico-health-care-system.html

"Mexico’s Health Care System in Plain English

Mexico fosters three unequal, yet parallel systems of health care. There are six government-run social security institutions that provide care for approximately 50 million of Mexico’s gainfully employed. The uninsured poor, comprised of about 40 million Mexicans, receive limited health-care benefits administered by the Ministry of Health of Mexico. The private sector, which represents about 3 million Mexicans, is comprised of individuals whose health-care funding is met through private insurance carriers. We will limit our discussion to the two health organizations that are accessible to travelers and expatriates living in Mexico.
Social Security

The largest and most notable social security organization is the Mexican Social Security Institute or IMSS. The IMSS is available to foreigners residing in Mexico and is funded by contributions from employers, beneficiaries, and the Mexican Government. (Click here to learn how to apply for IMSS health insurance.)

Hospitals and clinics that provide medical care for Social Security recipients vary in quality. While major urban institutions may provide adequate to advanced tertiary care, rural hospitals often have outdated equipment, long waits, and inadequate staffing. MedToGo did not review Social Security doctors or hospitals for this guide, so if you choose to see an IMSS doctor, you will have to do your own research. Please note that in the IMSS system, you cannot choose your primary care provider. Therefore, your access to care (and hospitals) is regulated by your assigned physician.

Many of the doctors we have listed in this guide see patients in an IMSS clinic as well as a private practice setting. One way to circumvent the IMSS referral process is to see a doctor with IMSS privileges in private practice. Then, have that doctor refer you to the best IMSS facility for care (through the IMSS system). Social Security costs for medical care and prescription drugs are far lower than in the United States.
The Private Sector

In general, private medical care in Mexico is preferred; up to 25 percent of patients with Social Security benefits or no coverage at all prefer to pay out of pocket for private care. Since health care in Mexico is generally much less expensive than in North America, cash payment is still an affordable option. The cost for a general medical consultation may begin as low as US$20 (of course, costs rise in major cities and tourist destinations). Very few Mexicans have private health insurance, but this sector is growing.

Private hospitals in Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Mexico City offer some of the most advanced tertiary care centers in the world. Tertiary care is advanced care (i.e., cardiovascular evaluation and surgery, neurological evaluation and surgery, orthopedic surgery, hemodialysis, organ transplants, among others) that requires highly specialized skills, technology, and support services. Most of the doctors in these hospitals have had excellent Mexican medical education, and many have trained abroad in Europe or North America.

Be warned: most private hospitals do not accept any form of foreign health insurance, and require cash or credit payment prior to admission or treatment. However, if you are injured or in grave health, a private hospital will attempt to stabilize your condition and then transfer you to a government or Social Security hospital.

There are also very good medical centers in many smaller cities frequented by tourists. Private “hospitals” or clinics in rural destinations tend to be owned by groups of local physicians with varying levels of training. Their facilities and technology are typically outdated, but are adequate to manage minor illnesses.

Patients with advanced care requirements should always be transferred to one of the tertiary medical centers listed in the Mexico: Health and Safety Travel Guide. You should consider any hospital with a 4/5 or 5/5 MedToGo rating as advanced (see book for rating system criteria). Because of the great variability in physicians and hospitals, we highly recommend that you use a reference such as this guide prior to consulting with a private, rural physician.
Ministry of Health

Nearly half of Mexico’s 100 million inhabitants have no health insurance benefits at all. Their preventive care is limited to vaccinations and oral rehydration programs for children. Care in this sector is extremely limited. For example, infant mortality is ten times higher here than in the parallel private sector. Red Cross or Cruz Roja hospitals service the poor and are accessible to anyone in Mexico regardless of their ability to pay. We cannot recommend that travelers seek care in this sector unless there are no other options."

 

[Borek]

While this family arrives over 3 weeks ago, they chose to seek medical attention in Texas, rather than return to Mexico.

Do you have kids?

 

[turbo]

No, but it can be yummy. Don't forget salt, pepper and garlic. Some hot stuff won't hurt.

And beer.

Unfortunately, in the US fetal pigs are usually marinaded in formaldehyde or something similar. Maybe the non-toxic preservatives are tasty, but I doubt it.

Now if they were going to dissect some suckling pigs that had been preserved in beer, vinegar, salt, brown sugar, garlic, onion, and hot sauce, I'd fire up a Hibachi and grade all the lab-work.

 

[The_Absolute]

Have there been any reported/confirmed cases of swine flu in Arizona?

 

[WhoWee]

Do you have kids?

There are 7 people in my house, including my 4 children and their insulin-dependent grandfather. I have very good private health insurance and want to make sure health care will be available to us if this turns ugly.

I've waited in the emergency room, under normal circumstances, with a broken wrist and waited behind people without insurance who were there for cold symptoms.

Close the border and send medicine to Mexico. Keep our medical resources for Americans first...that's my point.

 

[buffordboy23]

Have there been any reported/confirmed cases of swine flu in Arizona?

Yes. See http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/ for continual updates on confirmed cases in the U.S.

 

[Borek]

While this family arrives over 3 weeks ago, they chose to seek medical attention in Texas, rather than return to Mexico.

Will you start traveling with your kids when they start to be ill, or will you seek medical assistance immediately?

 

[WhoWee]

Will you start traveling with your kids when they start to be ill, or will you seek medical assistance immediately?

If I were in their position, I WOULD DO EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID...couldn't agree with you more.

However, there are 100 million Mexicans (in Mexico) without insurance.

Gov Perry of Texas just declared a State of Emergency.

It's time to close the border.

 

[CRGreathouse]

The N95 (and I believe the N100) masks have measurable efficacy. I'm not sure that they are "good" at stopping the virus, but yes, they are helpful.

N95 respirators are excellent at stopping virus-sized materials.* If that were the major concern, they would provide great protection. In fact the risk is not breathing in a single airborne virus but breathing in a droplet of saliva containing viruses. These can get through (if they're really tiny, say a few hundred nanometers**) or possibly even soak through (if big enough).

But the viability of this particular strain is so low that even a dust mask should provide enough protection for people not working directly with infected people, according to the US CDC. (Doctors and others working with patients should wear N95 or N99 respirators.)

* Yes, viruses are far smaller than the pores in a respirator. They're stopped by interception, not impaction: they adhere to the fibres.

** 100 nm is the bad size for respirators: hard to intercept, hard to impact. The failure rate is about 5% for particles of this size (95% stopping power, thus the 95 in "N95"). But most saliva droplets are bigger than this and thus easier to impact.

 

[BoomBoom]

The decision not to close the border will potentially cost US taxpayers a lot of money (and health care resources).

More importantly, I hope US citizens (with insurance) are given preferential treatment over (yes I'll say it) ILLEGAL ALIENS.

Close the border.

The politics discussion is down thataway [V] ...this is a biology forum.

 

[Astronuc]

Swine flu spreads in 10 US states, Europe
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090429/ap_on_he_me/med_swine_flu

The World Health Organization said the outbreak is moving closer to becoming a full-scale pandemic.

Dr. Keiji Fukuda, the organization's top flu expert, told reporters in Geneva that the latest developments are moving the agency closer to raising its pandemic alert to phase 5, indicating widespread human-to-human transmission. That's just one step below level 6, a full-fledged pandemic.

NY has 51 confirmed cases, and several yet to be tested. Many are centered around a private school where one of the classes went on a trip to Mexico.

The concern is that this version of the flu spreads rapidly beyond those exposed to the source, i.e. it's highly transmissible, and perhaps more so than the so-called normal flu, and few people will have immunity to it.

"The disease is not a food-borne illness," Rear Adm. Anne Schuchat, CDC's interim science and public health deputy direct, told the Senate Homeland Security Committee.
. . . .
She said the strain is particularly worrisome because "it's a virus that hasn't been around before. The general population doesn't have immunity from it."

 

[Iron_Brute]

I'm not sure if this has already been asked, but guessing by the name of the flu I'm sure it has, if you eat pig products i.e. bacon, or ham, are you more susceptible to getting the swine flu.

I'm kind of paranoid right now as I usually eat a slice of ham or bacon at least twice a week for breakfast.

 

[CRGreathouse]

I'm not sure if this has already been asked, but guessing by the name of the flu I'm sure it has, if you eat pig products i.e. bacon, or ham, are you more susceptible to getting the swine flu.

No. The danger is contact with infected people, especially their saliva (sneeze, kiss, vomit). It's not believed to the transmitted by food at all, certainly not by properly cooked food.

 

[Count Iblis]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8025931.stm"

The UN's World Health Organization has raised the alert over the spread of swine flu to level five - one short of a full-blown pandemic.

A phase five alert means human-to-human transmission in at least two countries.

 

[BoomBoom]

I'm kind of paranoid right now as I usually eat a slice of ham or bacon at least twice a week for breakfast.

Eat your pork and do not be afraid! ...this is not a food-borne pathogen.

 

[gravenewworld]

1,000,000 people die from malaria every year. Why isn't the media covering malaria outbreaks?

 

[buffordboy23]

Pittsburgh-Area Researcher Tracking Swine Flu Online (http://www.wpxi.com/health/19315326/detail.html ):

"Niman is the researcher responsible for a computer-generated map that shows how and where the swine flu is spreading worldwide. He spent his career studying the evolution of viruses.

The map shows instances of suspected and confirmed cases, and its up-to-the-minute tracking of the virus has the government interested in the information it can provide."

Link to map: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...39375,-110.390625&spn=15.738151,25.488281&z=5

 

[jreelawg]

"Reflecting heightened concerns that international outbreaks of the swine flu could accelerate, the World Health Organization has increased its global alert status, and some governments are discouraging travel to affected areas. But Dr. Keiji Fukuda, the WHO's assistant director-general, said on Monday that there is little point in imposing travel bans "predominantly because this virus has already spread quite far and at this time, containment is not a feasible operation.""

http://www.voanews.com/english/Science/2009-04-29-voa55.cfm

 

[Evo]

I know they are saying that there is only one med that is really helping the "cure" of the swine flu. They have been telling the pharmacies not to hord all the meds, but buy only when it is needed. Is there a home remedy yet, that they know of??

There are two medicines that have been suggested as effective for this strain, but my crummy connection will take me too long to look them up.

McKnia, there is no such thing as a "home remedy" for the flu, never has been. What you are thinking of is something that will help relieve minor symptoms such as a cough and fever, or a runny nose.

 

[Phrak]

1,000,000 people die from malaria every year. Why isn't the media covering malaria outbreaks?

You tell me.

 

[Evo]

1,000,000 people die from malaria every year. Why isn't the media covering malaria outbreaks?

Because people at trendy resort hotels in Cancun aren't likely to get it. Who cares what horribly impoverished people in third world countries die from? Yes, this media hype disgusts me.

 

[Phrak]

Because people at trendy resort hotels in Cancun aren't likely to get it. Who cares what horribly impoverished people in third world countries die from? Yes, this media hype disgusts me.

Malaria is not news. It is not a changing dynamic, so it isn't news worthy. As such, it isn't a commonly salable product--it could harm their Nielsen ratings. Every once and a while some reporter will manage to make news from no news, or introduce a 'special interest story' but it's not the norm. Next time you watch the news, watch for these. As for the rest of the media, who knowns how much is diseminated on this matter? The mass media is too large.

 

[gravenewworld]

You tell me.

Because it happens everyday?

Over 3 billion people are in danger of being infected with malaria. Ya don't hear it about it 24/7.

 

[DaveC426913]

Just heard these today. Had to share.

I survived ...
... the snoutbreak.
... the epigdemic.
... farmageddon.

 

[russ_watters]

Malaria is not news. It is not a changing dynamic, so it isn't news worthy. As such, it isn't a commonly salable product--it could harm their Nielsen ratings. Every once and a while some reporter will manage to make news from no news, or introduce a 'special interest story' but it's not the norm. Next time you watch the news, watch for these. As for the rest of the media, who knowns how much is diseminated on this matter? The mass media is too large.

That's reasonable, but I'm also disgusted by public and government reactions to these issues. Ie, is it really worth the WHO's time to put effort into swine flu when there are much, much bigger problems out there - especially problems with spectacularly easy solutions?

 

[CRGreathouse]

That's reasonable, but I'm also disgusted by public and government reactions to these issues. Ie, is it really worth the WHO's time to put effort into swine flu when there are much, much bigger problems out there - especially problems with spectacularly easy solutions?

Yes. Swine flu is more likely to get funding for the WHO than malaria, so they focus on it.

 

[Phrak]

Yes. Swine flu is more likely to get funding for the WHO than malaria, so they focus on it.

Who pays the WHO to do what they are paid to do?

 

[buffordboy23]

There are two medicines that have been suggested as effective for this strain, but my crummy connection will take me too long to look them up.

I believe that you are referring to Tamiflu and Relenza.