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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 7 to 31 of 38. Go back in thread:
Posted by sowhysosad on April 28, 2009, at 2:42:46
In reply to Re: Confused about What Swine Flu Is And Meds To Treat » sowhysosad, posted by Larry Hoover on April 27, 2009, at 16:49:15
> No, it's resistant to amantadine. Susceptible to both Tamiflu and Relenza, though.
Ouch! Good that there's still a couple of viable options though.
Posted by Phillipa on April 28, 2009, at 2:42:46
In reply to Re: Confused about What Swine Flu Is And Meds To Treat » Phillipa, posted by Larry Hoover on April 27, 2009, at 16:54:02
Lar just got an update on my webmd that the tamiflu doesn't work???? Phillipa also said the young and old not affected how strange is that???
Posted by 10derHeart on April 28, 2009, at 2:42:46
In reply to Re: Confused about What Swine Flu Is And Meds To Treat » Larry Hoover, posted by Phillipa on April 27, 2009, at 20:57:32
Are they contradicting themselves over there?
"The new swine flu virus is sensitive to the antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza. The CDC recommends those drugs to prevent or treat swine flu; the drugs are most effective when taken within 48 hours of the start of flu symptoms. But not everyone needs those drugs; many of the first people in the U.S. with lab-confirmed swine flu recovered without treatment. The Department of Homeland Security has released 25% of its stockpile of Tamiflu and Relenza to states. Health officials have asked people not to hoard Tamiflu or Relenza."
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20090421/swine-flu-faq?page=2#treated
Remain calm. Wash your hands a few more times than usual. Pay attention to the news. Be extra cautions around folks who may be coughing or sneezing all over the place. Live your life as usual.
Those are some things I hope to do re: swine flu.
Posted by Phillipa on April 28, 2009, at 2:42:46
In reply to WebMD » Phillipa, posted by 10derHeart on April 27, 2009, at 21:11:52
I got an audio update on it but don't think I could copy and paste that. I'm not worried at all. I can try and find it in deleted and post but doubt if it will work. Love Phillipa
Posted by Phillipa on April 28, 2009, at 2:42:47
In reply to Re: WebMD » 10derHeart, posted by Phillipa on April 27, 2009, at 22:15:14
Tried to copy the audio no dice. Another thread but no mention of meds. I don't feel it's to fear. Phillipa ps there are about five articles on the update. Didn't read but will.
From Reuters Health Information
Seven People in U.S. Hit by Strange New Swine Flu
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By Maggie FoxWASHINGTON (Reuters) Apr 24 - Seven people have been diagnosed with a new kind of swine flu in California and Texas, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Thursday.
All seven people have recovered but the virus itself is a never-before-seen mixture of genetic components typical for human, swine and avian influenza viruses, the CDC said.
"We are likely to find more cases," the CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat told a telephone briefing. "We don't think this is time for major concern around the country."
Only one of the seven cases was sick enough to be hospitalized and all have recovered, Schuchat said.
CDC officials are unsure whether the cases are related to an unusually late and severe flu season in Mexico in which 20 people have died.
"Generally the period of infection ends during the last week of February and the first week of March, but this year there was an atypical situation where the transmission period was prolonged until April," Mexico's Ministry of Health said in a statement.
Canadian officials have asked doctors to keep an eye out for cases of respiratory illness among travelers from Mexico.
"Symptoms from those seriously ill in Mexico include high fever, headache, eye pain, shortness of breath and extreme fatigue with rapid progression of symptoms to severe respiratory distress in about five days," the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control said in a statement.
In the United States, the CDC reported the new strain of swine flu on Tuesday in a boy and a girl from California's two southernmost counties.
Now, five more cases have been found via normal surveillance for seasonal influenza. None of the patients, whose symptoms closely resembled seasonal flu, had any direct contact with pigs.
Two of the new cases were among 16-year-olds at the same school in San Antonio "and there's a father-daughter pair in California," Schuchat said. The boy whose case was reported on Tuesday had flown to Dallas, but the CDC has found no links to the other Texas cases.
The agency will issue daily updates at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/investigation.htm.
HUMAN TO HUMAN
"We believe at this point that human-to-human spread is occurring," Schuchat said. "That's unusual. We don't know yet how widely it is spreading... We are also working with international partners to understand what is occurring in other parts of the world."
The CDC's Dr. Nancy Cox said virus samples from the seven appear to carry genes from swine flu, avian flu and human flu viruses from North America, Europe and Asia.
"We haven't seen this strain before, but we hadn't been looking as intensively as we have," Schuchat said. "It's very possible that this is something new that hasn't been happening before."
The influenza A strain is an H1N1, the same subtype as one of the seasonal flu viruses now circulating. Now that the normal influenza season is waning, it may be easier to spot cases of the new swine flu, Schuchat said.
The CDC is asking doctors to think about the possibility of swine flu when patients appear with flu-like symptoms, to take a sample and send it to state health officials or the CDC for testing.
Cox said the CDC is already preparing a vaccine against the new strain, just in case.
"This is standard operating procedure," he said.
Posted by Phillipa on April 28, 2009, at 2:42:47
In reply to Re: WebMD, posted by Phillipa on April 27, 2009, at 22:23:24
I'm afraid only the topics will be accessible. Phillipa not to worry as Mexico seems to be fairing the worse.
From Medscape Infectious Diseases
Swine Flu Alert Center
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Stay up to date and be prepared with the latest news, clinical perspectives, and reference material for clinicians on the swine influenza outbreak from Medscape and eMedicine.ALSO ON THIS PAGE: News Expert Video Commentary
News
WHO Raises Pandemic Level for Swine Flu, Mexican Death Toll Mounts
Medscape Medical News, April 27, 2009
Swine Flu Cases Rising in US, World
WebMD Health News, April 27, 2009
US Declares Swine Flu Emergency
WebMD Health News, April 26, 2009
3rd Possible Swine Flu Outbreak in Mexico: WHO
Reuters Health Information, April 24, 2009
New, Deadly Swine Flu Hits Mexico, May Spread
Reuters Health Information, April 24, 2009
WHO Concerned at New Swine Flu in U.S., Flu in Mexico
Reuters Health Information, April 24, 2009
Seven People in U.S. Hit by Strange New Swine Flu
Reuters Health Information, April 24, 2009
Swine Flu Detected in 2 Children; Human-to-Human Spread Possible
Medscape Medical News, April 22, 2009
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Expert Video Commentary
Swine Flu A Fast-Moving New Flu
Paul G. Auwaerter, MD, MBA, April 27, 2009
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Posted by Larry Hoover on April 28, 2009, at 4:55:47
In reply to Re: Confused about What Swine Flu Is And Meds To Treat » Larry Hoover, posted by Phillipa on April 28, 2009, at 2:42:46
Here's the link from the Centers for Disease Control: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/antiviral_swine.htm
Lots of other stuff available in the menu to the left. Consumer information, and technical info.
Lar
Posted by Dinah on April 28, 2009, at 8:04:16
In reply to Re: Confused about What Swine Flu Is And Meds To Treat » Larry Hoover, posted by Phillipa on April 28, 2009, at 2:42:46
Our local medical expert, an infectious diseases doc, was on the news saying that the young seem to be harder hit.
He said it's similar to viruses that have been around since the thirties, and older people might have built up some amounts of immunity to it.
What I wonder is if it's been around that long, why won't the vaccine take care of it?
He said not to panic, to take regular precautions, and to make sure to contact your doctor if you come down with the flu.
He also showed a nasopharyngsomething or another swab, which perhaps worked against his urgings to contact your doctor.
Posted by Phil on April 28, 2009, at 9:54:11
In reply to Re: Confused about What Swine Flu Is And Meds To Treat » Phillipa, posted by Larry Hoover on April 28, 2009, at 4:55:47
There are no cases reported in Austin but I've already seen some people(a few) already wearing masks. They were in a bank and had shotguns.
Posted by 10derHeart on April 28, 2009, at 11:46:18
In reply to Re: Confused about What Swine Flu Is And Meds To Treat, posted by Phil on April 28, 2009, at 9:54:11
Posted by obsidian on April 28, 2009, at 18:59:48
In reply to Lol. Vintage Phil :-) (nm), posted by 10derHeart on April 28, 2009, at 11:46:18
I drove by the school the other day where hundreds of high school students have come down with it. I only noticed because of the TV cameras!
I'm not worried about it though, they said a lot of those kids were already feeling better when they went on TV with the announcements.
funny how everything adapts in order to survive.
Posted by Phillipa on April 28, 2009, at 20:30:44
In reply to it's in my neighborhood...., posted by obsidian on April 28, 2009, at 18:59:48
Lar yes tamiflu is approved and the update I received today says if it gets bad that even unprofessionals volunteers can administer the IM injection I don't think that is tamiflu though. Posted on meds hope redireted to here more continuity. And today two here in Charlotte seriously. And some school in NY had quite a few come down with it. They were then testing those at a nearby public or was it private school? I didn't take it seriously until today. I think the injection is available for those over l year old. Seems to be targeting those above 7 why who knows and adults to age 40? Strange. Phillipa
Posted by obsidian on April 28, 2009, at 20:51:21
In reply to Re: Update Seriously, posted by Phillipa on April 28, 2009, at 20:30:44
there are about 300 people at a catholic high school near me (about 5 miles away) that came down with it (they only confirmed about 45?)- its seems that some had gone down to Mexico on spring break.
I think there are about 2700? total in the high school.then it went down the road to a public school for autistic children where about 80 have called in sick out of 380
I got a lot of this info from yahoo news, it also says they're checking another school in Manhattan.
Does the flu usually spread this fast??
Posted by Dinah on April 28, 2009, at 21:00:46
In reply to Re: Update Seriously » Phillipa, posted by obsidian on April 28, 2009, at 20:51:21
They are saying that the cases in the US are recovering more quickly than they had expected, based on what happened elsewhere. Some have been hospitalized, but most released. Maybe the flu shot is at least working well enough to give the body a head start in producing antibodies?
Flu does spread pretty rapidly. It's astonishing really how it used to move around the world even in the days before jumbo jets and easy travel. But even so, almost everything runs quickly through a school. They're always sending notices home with my son. A few a year, at least. And my mother caught ever single virus that came near her school. Yet oddly, we didn't catch nearly as many as she did, even though we shared a house with her. Schools must be special breeding grounds for viruses. Lots of people spreading them, lots of sneezed on surfaces.
Does it ever occur to anyone but me that it is insane to have magazines in doctor's offices? I thought about it a few years ago, and have been bringing my own reading material since.
Posted by Dinah on April 28, 2009, at 21:03:22
In reply to Re: Update Seriously » obsidian, posted by Dinah on April 28, 2009, at 21:00:46
Oooh. And public buses. I used to ride public transit part of the year. I caught *everything*.
Of course, I have a habit of rubbing my eyes. That's a huge no-no in disease prevention.
Posted by obsidian on April 28, 2009, at 21:09:52
In reply to Re: Update Seriously, posted by Dinah on April 28, 2009, at 21:03:22
and planes!! those flying petri dishes!
they say there is a 1-2 day day incubation period with the flu
the last time I took a plane (to New Orleans) a day or two later...bam! sick with the flu, it's bad enough being sick with the flu at home, in a hotel room it sucks even more
Posted by Dinah on April 28, 2009, at 21:19:21
In reply to Re: Update Seriously » Dinah, posted by obsidian on April 28, 2009, at 21:09:52
I remember that! I think...
Weren't we talking about getting together while you were here?
You're right. When I'm sick, I'd much rather be at home to be miserable.
Stuff spreads like wildfire in cruise ships too. That's one of many reasons this emetophobe has refused to ever take one.
Posted by obsidian on April 28, 2009, at 21:25:50
In reply to Re: Update Seriously » obsidian, posted by Dinah on April 28, 2009, at 21:19:21
yup, I was sick, sick, sick!!
one night I just sat on the cold floor in the bathroom just because it helped me feel better :-(
I remember heading toward the french quarter and thinking..."what is this sneezing about?"
Posted by Phillipa on April 28, 2009, at 21:58:33
In reply to Re: Update Seriously » Dinah, posted by obsidian on April 28, 2009, at 21:25:50
Well from what I've heard on the news today and newsletters the flu vaccine is useless as different strain. The CDC keeps changing things now they want to change the name as it has nothing to do with birds or pigs. There was a blog by nurses I read now some think it's manmade. Like chemical warfare. Others say that we the people and health care workers should be notified much sooner. Maybe we will all become addicted to the internet and be quaranteened at home. Sigi where are you. Humor please. Phillipa bearer of great news But wash your hands, stay out of crowds, a lot are cancelling travel plans. That's horrible about the schools and NY of all places.
Posted by TexasChic on April 28, 2009, at 22:21:55
In reply to Re: Update Seriously, posted by Phillipa on April 28, 2009, at 21:58:33
Has anybody in the US died from this? I've read that people in Mexico have, but isn't health care there sketchy?
-T
Posted by Dinah on April 28, 2009, at 22:35:39
In reply to Re: Update Seriously, posted by Phillipa on April 28, 2009, at 21:58:33
Dr. Lutz said there was no reason to panic. One day there may be the pandemic of pandemics they always predict, but this doesn't look like it.
You have to remember that it's probably a good idea to notch back what you hear a few degrees. There's an area in our city that floods very very easily. Whenever it rains hard, the news cameras congregate on that corner. I saw it once, and it was hilarious to see them jockeying not to include each other in the shot, while still pointing the camera in such a way to show a vista of floodwater. They aren't lying precisely. There probably is flooding. But they chose to use camera shots from the most dramatic spots.
It's probably wise to avoid the hottest hotbeds of germs if you have no need to be there. And people with compromised immune systems or weakened health should probably be more careful than normal. But I don't think I'll panic until Dr. Lutz does. Being wise and taking precautions can't do any harm.
Posted by Phillipa on April 29, 2009, at 0:00:12
In reply to Re: Update Seriously » Phillipa, posted by Dinah on April 28, 2009, at 22:35:39
No panic here. I'm too old. I do wonder if they will close schools down early. Wash your hands. Hummm a bunch of new OCDer's could be created from this and remember the pics from years ago the handkerchiefs people wore over ther mouths. But I remember seriously the flu of 76 as my kids were young and figured someone had to not get sick to care for them so got the vaccine the guilliane barr scare one was fine and no one got sick. Phillipa
Posted by Tabitha on April 29, 2009, at 2:31:33
In reply to Re: Update Seriously » Dinah, posted by Phillipa on April 29, 2009, at 0:00:12
So what if you get the swine flu? It's not really much worse than a common cold, is it?
Posted by 10derHeart on April 29, 2009, at 4:12:19
In reply to Re: Why is swine flu so scary?, posted by Tabitha on April 29, 2009, at 2:31:33
I think influenza can be more aggressive than a cold, especially in people who are already ill, the very young and the very old. At least that's what I remember from the seasonal flu. I used to work in a hospital ICU and occasionally saw severe cases. It weakens you and then other conditons may compound things.... Many thousands die every year from the flu or flu-related causes. A virus is a powerful and tricky thing when it mutates.
I'm guessing the "cold" virus (or is it more than one, probably) we all encounter is "weaker" only because our bodies have built up many antibodies to combat it....? It is not "new."
Mostly, I'd say the fear comes from the word death. I don't know if anyone's ever died from a cold. But you're right as far as the U.S. cases go so far - only about five of maybe 68(? - changes often) confirmed cases have been hospitalized, according to some media reports.
But in Mexico, possibly 150 or more people have died :-( It can be a pretty serious illness, but it can also be treated successfully, and/or not make a person very ill at all.
Fear of the unknown, and the accompanying feelings of powerlessness, are scary, perhaps?
Posted by Phillipa on April 29, 2009, at 20:01:35
In reply to Re: Why is swine flu so scary? » Tabitha, posted by 10derHeart on April 29, 2009, at 4:12:19
Latest. Have Link to CDC also received with vitamineshoppe. This is Medscape. Phillipa
From Medscape Medical News
WHO: Swine Flu Not Slowing Down
Emma Hitt
April 29, 2009 The swine influenza outbreak shows no signs of slowing down, but, for now at least, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stopped short of increasing the pandemic alert level from phase 4 to phase 5.
"Phase 5 is a significant milestone, and we are trying to make absolutely sure that we are dealing with sustained transmission in 2 or more countries," Keiji Fukuda, MD, MPH, assistant director-general ad. interim for Health Security and Environment at the WHO, said during a press conference today.
"In New York City, we are seeing a person-to-person transmission occurring in a high school, but we are looking for transmission among people in neighborhoods and communities before we move to phase 5," he said.
The worldwide pandemic alert level was raised on Monday of this week to phase 4, which is defined as confirmed person-to-person spread of a new influenza virus able to cause "community-level" outbreaks.
According to Dr. Fukuda, as of 11:00 am EDT today, 114 cases have been officially reported to the WHO. In Mexico, 26 confirmed cases and 7 deaths have been reported, although Mexican authorities are reporting that swine flu is now suspected in more than 100 deaths and nearly 2500 illnesses. Earlier today, the first American fatality was reported a 23-month-old toddler in Texas.
Swine Flu Mostly Similar to Seasonal Flu
Dr. Fukuda pointed out that the current outbreak is characteristic of typical seasonal influenza, with the possible exception of more diarrhea cases with swine flu than with seasonal influenza.
A WHO-led conference call of several influenza specialists across the globe was ongoing at the time of the press briefing. According to Dr. Fukuda, the discussion by participants on the conference call was helping to confirm their initial impressions of the outbreak. "There is nothing to suggest that our preliminary assessments are incorrect," he said.
Dr. Fukuda noted that the epidemiologic evidence clearly suggests that the virus is being transmitted from person to person. "Studies are underway to look further at the transmissibility of this virus, and I expect this info to unfold over days and weeks," he said.
He emphasized that the swine virus had moved from swine to humans, but that consumption of pork and other meats do not pose a risk. In addition, no coinfections are thought to be occurring with the swine flu infections.
Unanswered Questions
An important question that remains to be answered is the potential severity of the illness. Currently, the spectrum ranges from very mild to fatal, which is in keeping with other influenza infections. "We do not know the likelihood of developing mild vs fatal illness or the risk factors among those people who develop fatal illness," he said. Also unknown is information about mutations that might have allowed the virus to jump from swine to human transmission.
For the most part, the virus is in keeping with normal seasonal influenza viruses, but Dr. Fukuda emphasized that it is premature to think of this as a mild or severe pandemic, since "we cannot predict what the course will be. It is possible that this epidemic could suddenly stop, but it is unlikely."
He added that the worst pandemic of the past century, in 1918, started out mild in the springtime, was fairly quiet during the summer, and then in the fall it "really exploded into a much more severe form so we just don't know what the future is going to hold. The most important point now is that countries really have a warning and have time to prepare."
Myron S. Cohen, MD, director of the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases and associate vice chancellor for global health at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, noted that national guidelines will be developed shortly, but "in this transitional period, individual hospitals and physician clinics certainly need to evaluate their resources and manage their practices carefully."
"There are real decisions that need to be made on the ground," he told Medscape Infectious Diseases in a phone interview. "Who gets a mask and who doesn't get a mask? Who gets lab testing and who does not? Who gets [oseltamivir] or [zanamivir] and who does not?"
Dr. Cohen recommends that clinicians define potential case patients broadly, considering any patient with symptoms consistent with flu, not just those who have traveled to Mexico or who have been in contact with infected people.
According to Dr. Cohen, the outbreak could go away quickly or it could become a "sustained, pretty big problem."
"The good news is that there is no doubt we are going to be able to make a vaccine, and so the time frame in which we will have to deal with this is only a few months," he said. "There is a chance of resistance developing toward antiviral drugs, depending on how much the agent is used, but let's hope that does not happen."
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