2009 swine flu outbreak

[Guest beentheredonethat]

A Birdy no pun intended told me vassar Brothers was on a Level 5, and that Putnam had a case in there ER as well. WTF

2009 swine flu outbreakMain article: 2009 swine flu outbreak Confirmed cases followed by death Confirmed cases Unconfirmed or suspected cases See also: Live map of swineflu, H1N1 live mapThe new strain of influenza involved in the 2009 swine flu outbreak strain is a reassortment of several strains of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 that are, separately, endemic in humans and in swine. Preliminary genetic characterization found that the hemagglutinin (HA) gene was similar to that of swine flu viruses present in U.S. pigs since 1999, but the neuraminidase (NA) and matrix protein (M) genes resembled versions present in European swine flu isolates. Viruses with this genetic makeup had not previously been found to be circulating in humans or pigs, but there is no formal national surveillance system to determine what viruses are circulating in pigs in the U.S.^[36]

The origins of this new strain remain unknown. One theory is that Asian and European strains traveled to Mexico in migratory birds or in people, then combined with North American strains in Mexican pig factory farms before jumping over to farm workers.^[37] The Mexican health agency acknowledged that the original disease vector of the virus may have been flies multiplying in manure lagoons of pig farms near Perote, Veracruz, owned by Granjas Carroll,^[38] a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods.^[39]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have stated that the symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of other strains of human flu, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A few patients have reported that they also suffered from diarrhea and vomiting

Edited April 28, 2009 by beentheredonethat

[WAS967 97]

http://www.ems1.com/columnists/robert-dono...-Scares-and-EMS

Swine Flu and EMS

By Robert Donovan

Related Resources:

* Read full coverage of swine flu pandemic concerns

* CDC: Swine Flu (Influenza)

About 60 people reportedly died of swine flu, with cases found in Mexico, the United States, and now Canada and Spain. To the general public, this certainly raises some concerns; but for the people on the EMS frontlines, this can be very sobering information.

To be honest, during my initial training as a doctor some years ago, I was frankly under whelmed by influenza as a disease. Sure it was contagious, and each year many elderly would have their deaths hastened by it, but I always figured that the average person might just feel sick for a while and would then get over it.

* Get the real facts about swine flu and what the experts recommend. The ONLY site I use is www.cdc.gov. A good link for the EMS provider is the CDC Interim Guidance page. It is sometimes hard to get the correct facts because of all of the media hype; the CDC is always the calm voice of reason.

* Use alcohol hand preps religiously, before and after patient contact. Use it again before you eat.

* Wear gloves with patient care, and change them afterwards.

* If the patient is coughing/sneezing, then put a mask on them, or one on yourself.

* Get the influenza vaccine yearly. It won’t give you protection against a swine flu necessarily, but sometimes you can get partial coverage from the vaccines.

* If you get sick, don’t go to work, and be sure to call your doctor. You might be a good candidate to start anti-viral medications; although, they are not a panacea against all influenza strains either.

The profession that we are in is not without risks, and swine flu is just one of the many that we face daily. Remember, one of the first lessons we learned was “scene safety.” So don’t enter a situation without assessing your own risks, then take reasonable precautions to mitigate those risks.

Edited April 28, 2009 by Chris192
Compliance with copyright policy

[WAS967 97]

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/guidelines_infection_control.htm

Interim Guidance for Infection Control for Care of Patients with Confirmed or Suspected Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection in a Healthcare Setting

April 27, 2009 07:45 PM EDT

This document provides interim guidance and will be updated as needed. State and local health departments should contact CDC Influenza Division Epidemiology and Prevention Branch at (404) 639-3747 (Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM or the on-call epidemiologist at (770) 488-7100 (all other times)

BACKGROUND

To date, human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection have been confirmed in residents of California, Texas, and Mexico. Illness signs and symptoms have consisted of influenza-like illness - fever and respiratory tract illness (cough, sore throat, runny nose), headache, muscle aches - and some cases have had vomiting and diarrhea. These cases had illness onset during late March to mid-April 2009. However, cases of severe respiratory disease, including fataloutcomes, have been reported in Mexico. The potential for exacerbation of underlying chronic medical conditions or invasive bacterial infection with swine influenza virus infection should be considered.

The swine influenza A (H1N1) virus that has infected humans in the U.S. and Mexico is a novel influenza A virus that has not previously been identified in North America. This virus is resistant to the antiviral medications amantadine and rimantadine, but is sensitive to oseltamivir and zanamivir. Investigations of these cases suggest that on-going human-to-human swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is occurring.

INTERIM RECOMMENDATIONS

For clinical care or collection of respiratory specimens from a symptomatic individual (acute respiratory symptoms with or without fever) who is a confirmed case, or a suspected case (ill close contact of a confirmed case) of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection:

Infectious Period

Persons with swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection should be considered potentially contagious for up to 7 days following illness onset. Persons who continue to be ill longer than 7 days after illness onset should be considered potentially contagious until symptoms have resolved. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods. The duration of infectiousness might vary by swine influenza A (H1N1) virus strain.

Non-hospitalized ill persons who are a confirmed or suspected case of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection are recommended to stay at home (voluntary isolation) for at least the first 7 days after illness onset except to seek medical care.

Case Definitions for Infection with Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus

A confirmed case of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection is defined as a person with an acute febrile respiratory illness with laboratory confirmed swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection at CDC by one or more of the following tests:

1. real-time RT-PCR

2. viral culture

A probable case of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection is defined as a person with an acute febrile respiratory illness who is:

* positive for influenza A, but negative for H1 and H3 by influenza RT-PCR, or

* positive for influenza A by an influenza rapid test or an influenza immunofluorescence assay (IFA) plus meets criteria for a suspected case

A suspected case of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection is defined as a person with acute febrile respiratory illness with onset

* within 7 days of close contact with a person who is a confirmed case of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection, or

* within 7 days of travel to community either within the United States or internationally where there are one or more confirmed swine influenza A(H1N1) cases, or

* resides in a community where there are one or more confirmed swine influenza cases.

Close contact is defined as: within about 6 feet of an ill person who is a confirmed or suspected case of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection.

Acute respiratory illness is defined as recent onset of at least two of the following: rhinorrhea or nasal congestion, sore throat, cough (with or without fever or feverishness)

Clinicians should consider swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in the differential diagnosis of patients with febrile respiratory diseaseand who 1) live in San Diego and Imperial Counties, California, or Guadalupe County, Texas, or traveled to these counties or 2) who traveledrecently to Mexicoor were in contact with persons who had febrile respiratory illness and were in the twoU.S. counties or Mexico in the 7 days preceding their illness onset.

Infection Control of Ill Persons in a Healthcare Setting

Patients with suspected or confirmed case-status should be placed in a single-patient room with the door kept closed. If available, an airborne infection isolation room (AIIR) with negative pressure air handling with 6 to 12 air changes per hour can be used. Air can be exhausted directly outside or be recirculated after filtration by a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. For suctioning, bronchoscopy, or intubation, use a procedure room with negative pressure air handling.

The ill person should wear a surgical mask when outside of the patient room, and should be encouraged to wash hands frequently and follow respiratory hygiene practices. Cups and other utensils used by the ill person should be washed with soap and water before use by other persons. Routine cleaning and disinfection strategies used during influenza seasons can be applied to the environmental management of swine influenza. More information can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/gl_environinfection.html.

Standard, Droplet and Contact precautions should be used for all patient care activities, and maintained for 7 days after illness onset or until symptoms have resolved. Maintain adherence to hand hygiene by washing with soap and water or using hand sanitizer immediately after removing gloves and other equipment and after any contact with respiratory secretions.

Personnel providing care to or collecting clinical specimens from suspected or confirmed cases should wear disposable non-sterile gloves, gowns, and eye protection (e.g., goggles) to prevent conjunctival exposure.

Masks and respirators: Until additional, specific information is available regarding the behavior of this swine influenza A (H1N1), the guidance in the October 2006 "Interim Guidance on Planning for the Use of Surgical Masks and Respirators in Healthcare Settings during an Influenza Pandemic" http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/healthcare...hc.htmlExternal Web Site Policy. should be used. These interim recommendations will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Interim recommendations:

* Personnel engaged in aerosol generating activities (e.g., collection of clinical specimens, endotracheal intubation, nebulizer treatment, bronchoscopy, and resuscitation involving emergency intubation or cardiac pulmonary resuscitation) for suspected or confirmed swine influenza A (H1N1) cases should wear a fit-tested disposable N95 respirator.*

* Pending clarification of transmission patterns for this virus, personnel providing direct patient care for suspected or confirmed swine influenza A (H1N1) cases should wear a fit-tested disposable N95 respirator when entering the patient room.

*Respirator use should be in the context of a complete respiratory protection program in accordance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. Information on respiratory protection programs and fit test procedures can be accessed at www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/respiratory. Staff should be medically cleared, fit-tested, and trained for respirator use, including: proper fit-testing and use of respirators, safe removal and disposal, and medical contraindications to respirator use.

Additional information on N95 respirators and other types of respirators may be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/resp...s/respfact.html, and at www.fda.gov/cdrh/ppe/masksrespirators.htmlExternal Web Site Policy..

[MoFire390 118]

is there some kind of shot for this??

[PEMO3 523]

is there some kind of shot for this??

April 28 (Bloomberg) -- GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Roche Holding AG stepped up production of antiviral drugs as concern spread that a swine-flu pandemic may develop, and vaccines to protect against the current strain remained months away.

[MoFire390 118]

well thats not good

[NJMedic 96]

is there some kind of shot for this??

No, this is a new strain and a vaccine has not been developed as of now but you can take Tamiflu after you are diagnosised with Swine flu to lessen the symptoms.