Swine Flu

[DHonks]

"I heard (the Mexican papers, and through WHO announcements) that this flu is attacking those who are in their 20s to 50s, so it isn´t necessarily attacking the weak, as indicated earlier in the thread, but the healthy part of society. "

 

that's a fact of previous pandemics. The 1918 flu killed many 20-somethings. Supposedly the really healthy folks in their 20s saw their body's defenses kick into overtime to drive out the flu strain, resulting in lots of fluid in the lungs and pnemonia.

[pitchleague]

I went to school yesterday and all I got was this lousy 103.4-degree fever.

 

Seriously, it sucked. That was a LONG night. I'm down to 100.2-degrees now and thus I feel much better to actually be on the internet.

 

I don't know if it's the swine flu or what, but this week I've came into close contact with about 1,000 different people due to directing our school's musical theater. Two shows, 500 people for each (some with masks in the audience), equals that maybe I got it from them.

 

It was really weird, too. I felt crappy all week. Then on Friday I felt pretty much fine all day until about 3:30 and then it hit me hard. At one point, my eyeballs felt like they were burning up and I was walking around like a 90-year old, my joints ached so bad. It was probably pretty funny to see me shuffling around the house the few times that I got up. No vomiting, though, so, again, I'm guessing it's not the swine flue. In fact, I was hungry for most of the night.

[strawbossisevil]

The most prevalent symptom of the swine flu is the fever, so I would get it checked out. They have been turning away everyone who doesn´t have the fever down here in Mexico, but if you have a fever you are admitted immediately.

 

Never hurts to check, and it is far better to be safe than sorry.

[LouisEly]

My fear right now is that this strain could find it's way to Africa or Southeast Asia where people living with malnutrition or in areas of high instances of HIV/AIDS. It could wipe out millions in such environments.

 

And that is the big difference between the flu of 1918 and today. While there was no such thing as AIDS/HIV in 1918, malnutrition was far more rampant in 1918 (especially after four years of world war) and in 1918 there was no such thing as "medicines" that people of today don't even consider medicines because they have been over-the-counter their whole lifetime to prevent things such as dehydration when you have the flu. Unless someone has a compromised immune system (examples mentioned above), it is highly unlikely that this flu will be deadly.

 

And as for the flu attacking people 20-50 in Mexico, unfortunately malnutrition/dehydration and lack of access to basic medicines are hardly rare in Mexico.

[davego]

The war also greatly increased travel of large populations of people that would have not traveled otherwise. My great-grand mother died in the 1918 flu, about 6 months after my grandmother was born.

[ewizabeff]

according to our campus health center, vomiting and diarrhea are possible symptoms, but aches and fever are the telltale signs. Get it checked out, pitchleague.

[Mr QL]

I don't think they're overblowing it. The scariest thing about this is that it can kill young people with healthy immune systems. It's A LOT better the be proactive than reactive to this. It may not be very deadly now but the flu mutates a lot and that could change. I wouldn't want to take my chances either way.

 

A lot more people than reported are infected with it Mexico. If 150 people died from it, then the actual number of infected it probably closer to 20k+.

 

I'm thinking this might get pretty bad.

[LouisEly]

Prior to getting sick, did anyone get head congestion/pressure for a day or two? I have had head congestion all day, specifically some pressure/clogging of the right ear/Eustachian tube, and have an eerie feeling that it is an omen for more serious things to come.

[Invader3K]

Well, my sinuses usually get bad this time of year, but more due to seasonal allergies. A benadryl or something usually clears mine right up.

[theavrock]

Can someone please explain how this is different from the normal flu? I'm not saying this in a snotty way, I'm honestly curious. I just haven't read anything that has shown this is different other than the fact that its not happening during normal flu season. The flu kills a lot of people every year. I'm just wondering how this is any different. Does anyone have any links to something I am missing?

[Patrick425]

theavrock[/b]]Can someone please explain how this is different from the normal flu? I'm not saying this in a snotty way, I'm honestly curious. I just haven't read anything that has shown this is different other than the fact that its not happening during normal flu season. The flu kills a lot of people every year. I'm just wondering how this is any different. Does anyone have any links to something I am missing?

From what I have read, there does not seem to be a big difference. The symptoms are very similar. I believe the issue is how easily it is spread. I think we have built up some immunities to the usual flu viruses, but we are much more susceptible to the swine flu virus.

[BuckyBrewer61]

I believe the issue is how easily it is spread. I think we have built up some immunities to the usual flu viruses, but we are much more susceptible to the swine flu virus.

This is exactly right. Most of the population, particularly in America, have at least partial immunity to the "standard" flu virus from year to year due to immunizations and previous exposures to similar strains. This virus is a completely new strain that has never before been seen by the human population, so essentially no one is immune to it. There was some concern that this strain may, in fact, be more virulent than the standard flu (such as the 1918 and bird flu strains were), but those concerns are, as of yet, unconfirmed. That's not to say the possibility doesn't still exist though.

[theavrock]

I believe the issue is how easily it is spread. I think we have built up some immunities to the usual flu viruses, but we are much more susceptible to the swine flu virus.

This is exactly right. Most of the population, particularly in America, have at least partial immunity to the "standard" flu virus from year to year due to immunizations and previous exposures to similar strains. This virus is a completely new strain that has never before been seen by the human population, so essentially no one is immune to it. There was some concern that this strain may, in fact, be more virulent than the standard flu (such as the 1918 and bird flu strains were), but those concerns are, as of yet, unconfirmed. That's not to say the possibility doesn't still exist though.

 

So we should be aware but the media is blowing this way out of proportion?

[BuckyBrewer61]

So we should be aware but the media is blowing this way out of proportion?

The media is sensationalizing it a bit, but it is a legitimate public health concern. The flu is not entirely benign and kills thousands every year (like I mentioned earlier, usually those with weak immune systems), so a particularly contagious strain could cause a lot of mortality. Because of that fact alone the response of the state public health departments to be very cautious with expected cases is appropriate. Is there more to it than that? There's no way to be certain at this point, but judging on evidence so far I'd venture to guess not.

[DatHoser]

Bump.

 

We're getting hit with it at the moment. All three of my boys have it (the youngest is special needs, so we're more than a bit worried). My wife called me earlier to tell me that Hartland South elementary is closed for the rest of the week. Plus I heard on the radio that a few others were closed today.

 

EDIT: Link to JSOnline article

[Patrick425]

We are going to FL next week for a family vacation. I'm on pins and needles waiting for this thing to hit our house. I'm thinking my family should all wear face masks for the next week.

[Flood Pants]

I believe the issue is how easily it is spread. I think we have built up some immunities to the usual flu viruses, but we are much more susceptible to the swine flu virus.

This is exactly right. Most of the population, particularly in America, have at least partial immunity to the "standard" flu virus from year to year due to immunizations and previous exposures to similar strains. This virus is a completely new strain that has never before been seen by the human population, so essentially no one is immune to it. There was some concern that this strain may, in fact, be more virulent than the standard flu (such as the 1918 and bird flu strains were), but those concerns are, as of yet, unconfirmed. That's not to say the possibility doesn't still exist though.

As I understand it, the very fact that the virus jumped from swine to human shows that it has quite the ability to mutate. Meaning that, whatever strain it is now, it could develop a new strain more easily than other influenzas. Meaning you could develop the antibodies for one, only to be attacked by the next in a relatively short time. They don't know if this will actually happen or not, but the behavior of the virus suggests it as a possibility. I think this is the main concern for it becoming a pandemic. At least, that's how my physician friend explained it to me.

[pretendastronaut]

All the best to your boys DatHoser.

 

My wife and I had a long talk last night about if we should vaccinate our twins. She's not for it because they don't go to daycare, so they're not at as much risk. However, she is a teacher and there are several kids out with it at her school. Reading that link doesn't make me much more comfortable about her being in schools and our boys not being vaccinated.

[DatHoser]

Thanks pretend!

 

An update. Since Hartland South is closed for the week, we don't have to worry about sending them back. The two older ones are pretty much back to normal, albeit still easily tired. The youngest (special needs) woke up this morning without a fever, but we had to supply extra oxygen to his ventilator Monday for the first time in months - I also bumped up the rate last night. But it looks like he'll come through it relatively ok.

[southpaw121505]

I had a weird experience just yesterday..I woke up feeling a little under the weather and by that night I was completely miserable, high fever and bad body aches, sore throat, no vomiting. I was planning on going in this morning, but I woke up feeling a lot better, not 100% but better than last night. It scared me how quickly it went from initial symptoms to bad and then was strange to me to wake up feeling better already.