TRICIA'S TIDBITS

There is some scary stuff going around, and they call it the bird flu. There is a lot of information out there, but here are some quick answers. As you can tell from reading, there are a lot of unknowns in this outbreak - that's because this is a brand new virus. As more information becomes available, we'll keep you up on it. Read on . . .





1. Whats the deal with animal flu's in humans?

The influenza virus constantly mutates that's why we can't get full immunity to the flu.
Flu virus' in animals - like the bird flu - swaps genes with other viruses a process called reassortment, and jumps to human beings.
The bird flu doesn't pass easily from human to human to another, and is a phase 3.
A phase 4 is a new virus that begins to pass easily from person to person.
Since it is apparently causing large-scale outbreaks in Mexico, along with cases in the U.S. and Canada and suspected cases in other countries, it looks like the criteria for phase 4 has already been met.
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2. What happens if this outbreak is classified as a pandemic?
Serious containment actions would have to be taken on the national and international level.
That could impact the global economy, and freak out the public, so doing that is a matter of not only science, but politics as well.
Meanwhile, the opportunity to contain the disease at its source has passes because the virus is already crossing borders easily.
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3. Why have the U.S. cases been so much milder than the ones in Mexico?
No one knows and what worries officials is that in Mexico, swine flu is killing young and healthy people who can normally fight off the flu.
Officials say the true severity of the swine flu is still not known.
A 1918 flu pandemic began with a fairly mild wave of infections in the spring, but a much worse strain of the virus came back a few months later.
The current swine flu virus could evolve also and become even more dangerous to people.
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4. How ready is the U.S. - and the world - to respond to a flu pandemic?
Better prepared than it has ever been, thanks to concerns over the bird flu.
Millions of doses of antivirals have been stockpiled.
We can identify new viruses faster than ever before, and we have life-saving technologies - like artificial respirators and antivirals - that weren't available back in 1918.
But we are also fighting against international air travel which means that infections can spread very quickly.
And even though a new swine flu vaccine can be developed quickly, it could take months for the pharmaceutical industry could produce its full capacity of doses - and even then, there wouldn't be enough for everyone on the planet.
The U.S. is particularly vulnerable because only one plant here makes flu vaccine which could pose the problem of trying to get other countries to give us some of theirs when their people need it too.





SYMPTOMS OF SWINE FLU

Swine flu symptoms are similar to regular flu symptoms and include cough, sore throat, fever, chills, headache, and fatigue. Some patients have also reported nausea and diarrhea. There is no easy way to distinguish swine flu from other types of flu or other germs. It takes a lab test to tell whether it's swine flu, so if you feel ill and are worried, call your doctor.


Scared yet? Don't be. Just keep an eye on the news, cover your mouth when you cough, and wash your hands!