Drug-resistant super-flu threatens hospital patients

A new drug-resistant 'super-flu' may pose a serious threat to high-risk patients, scientists have warned.

The H1N1 2009 'A' virus is a strain that causes common seasonal flu outbreaks. But it carries an altered gene that makes it resistant to the anti-viral drug oseltamivir.
Marketed as Tamiflu, the drug is one of the first lines of defence used to protect people most vulnerable to flu.
Doctors today reported on the emergence of Tamiflu-resistant flu in the Netherlands and US.


They fear it could seriously threaten hospital patients with weakened immune systems.
Two separate teams of researchers highlighted the danger in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Jama).
The Dutch group led by Dr Jairo Gooskens, from Leiden University Medical Centre, said the rapid spread of resistant H1N1 flu strains had been observed since January 2008.
Viruses with the gene mutation, labelled H274Y, were originally thought to be less virulent and less easily transmitted.
The Dutch researchers wrote: 'However, current widespread circulation of oseltamivir-resistant influenza A (H1N1) viruses associated with typical influenza illnesses and viral pneumonia suggest that these viruses retain significant transmissibility and pathogenicity.'
Dr Gooskens' team identified four hospital patients with the resistant flu virus, and found they were most likely to have been infected in hospital.
Two patients were stem cell recipients and another was elderly. Three of those affected developed pneumonia and two died, all of whom had weakened immune systems.
Five health care workers also developed an influenza-like illness, but it was not possible to confirm whether they had picked up the virus.
The authors wrote: 'The study confirmed that circulating H274Y-mutated A (H1N1) viruses can retain significant pathogenicity and lethality, as shown in these elderly or immuno-compromised patients.. underlining the urgency for the introduction of new and effective antiviral agents and therapeutic strategies.'


The US team led by Dr Nila Dharan, from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, found that 12 per cent of influenza A (H1N1) viruses tested during the 2007-2008 flu season were resistant to Tamiflu.
But preliminary findings from the 2008-2009 season suggested much higher levels of Tamiflu resistance.
As of February 19 this year, resistant strains had been identified among 264 out of 268 - or 98.5 per cent - of influenza A (H1N1) viruses tested in the US.
The researchers examined data on 99 people infected with Tamiflu-resistant flu during the 2007-2008 influenza season. Five patients were hospitalised and four died.
'The emergency of oseltamivir resistance has highlighted the need for the development of new antiviral drugs and rapid diagnostic tests that determine viral subtype or resistance, as well as improved representativeness and timeliness of national influenza surveillance for anti-viral resistance,' the scientists wrote.


credit: dailymail.co.uk

Questions & Answers:Novel H1N1 2009 Influenza Vaccine

Q. What are the plans for developing novel H1N12009 vaccine?

A. Vaccines are the most powerful public health tool for control of influenza, and the U.S. government is working closely with manufacturers to take steps in the process to manufacture a novel H1N1 vaccine. Working together with scientists in the public and private sector, CDC has isolated the new H1N1 virus and modified the virus so that it can be used to make hundreds of millions of doses of vaccine. Vaccine manufacturers are now using these materials to begin vaccine production. Making vaccine is a multi-step process which takes several months to complete. Candidate vaccines will be tested in clinical trials over the few months.

Q. When is it expected that the novel H1N1 vaccine will be available?

A. The novel H1N1 vaccine is expected to be available in the fall. More specific dates cannot be provided at this time as vaccine availability depends on several factors including manufacturing time and time needed to conduct clinical trials



Q. Will the seasonal flu vaccine also protect against the novel H1N12009 flu?
A. The seasonal flu vaccine is not expected to protect against the novel H1N1 flu.

Q. Can the seasonal vaccine and the novel H1N1 vaccine be given at the same time?
A. Clinical trial results will be necessary to confirm that novel H1N1 and seasonal vaccine will be safe and effective if given at the same time. We expect the seasonal vaccine to be available earlier than the H1N1 vaccine. The usual seasonal influenza viruses are still expected to cause illness this fall and winter. Individuals are encouraged to get their seasonal flu vaccine as soon as it is available.

Q. Who will be recommended as priority groups to receive the novel H1N12009 vaccine?

A. Based on what we're currently seeing with respect to the virus and epidemiologic data, states, communities, and health care providers should begin planning strategies for how they will vaccinate younger people (children and younger adults), pregnant women, healthcare personnel, and people who have underlying health conditions. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and other federal advisory bodies will continue to monitor the virus and review epidemiologic data over the summer. We'll be looking to the ACIP and other stakeholders, as well as the public, as we move forward in our planning. It is possible that vaccine priority groups will differ from earlier guidance as more data becomes available however it's very important for planning to continue based on information currently available.

Q. Where will the vaccine be available?


A. Every state is developing a vaccine delivery plan. Vaccine will be available in a combination of settings such as vaccination clinics organized by local health departments, healthcare provider offices, schools, and other private settings, such as pharmacies and workplaces.

Q. Are there other ways to prevent the spread of illness?

A. Take everyday actions to stay healthy.

•Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
•Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
•Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
•Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.


Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures. These measures will continue to be important after a novel H1N1 vaccine is available because they can prevent the spread of other viruses that cause respiratory infections.

Q. What about the use of antivirals to treat novel H1N12009 infection?

A. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaled powder) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. This fall, antivirals may be prioritized for persons with severe illness or those at higher risk for flu complications.

credit:cdc.gov

Safe from H1N1 2009: Food Safety Is Paramount

Stay Safe From The H1N12009: Food Safety Is Paramount


The standard USDA recommendations for food safety should be followed with even greater zeal during times of potential pandemic. To refresh everyone's memory, the guidelines are:

Clean: Always wash hands and surfaces that have come in contact with meat and poultry products before and after handling food.

Separate: Do not cross-contaminate. Keep raw meat, poultry, fish, and their juices away from other foods.

Cook: Using a food thermometer is the only sure way to know that meat and poultry have reached the proper temperature to inactivate bacteria and viruses.

Chill: Refrigerate or freeze all perishable food promptly.

However, there are some more practical tips that can help you stay safe from H1N1 or any other influenza type of virus, as well as other infectious agents. These tips are well worth paying close attention to and following religiously:


•Rare hamburgers should never be eaten. Ever!
•When dining at a buffet or potluck remember that you should never consume any type of perishable or refrigerated food that has been left at room temperature for a period of time which exceeds 2 hours. This time period decreases if it's warmer outside and becomes only an hour at 32 C / 90 F.
•One third of all people admit to eating pizza the next day that has spent the night at room temperature! Don't do it!
•With many supermarkets and delicatessens placing small samples of food out for tasting, most people don't realize that those tasty little nuggets have come into contact with the potentially contaminated fingers of countless other customers.
•There is a very easy rule for tartares, carpacci, sushi, sashimis, and raw shellfish: Don't eat them!
•Some dried or cured meats can harbour countless germs. Avoid them during times of potential pandemic.
•Who is the gourmet chef who decreed that duck at pricy restaurants should be served rare? He/she should be made to eat it! You should never attempt to eat any poultry unless all of its cooked juices are running clear and don't have a single trace of blood at all. Rare fowl, birds, or poultry of any kind is a one way express ticket to the morgue.
•Some old-world recipes such as Sauerbraten call for foods to be marinated at room temperature, some for as long as several days.
•Don't purchase produce with mould, bruises or cuts.
•Keep your foods fresh. Don't stock up at bulk stores.
Get a calibrated thermometer and use it whenever you're cooking
anything.

Egg casseroles: 160 F / 71 C
Egg sauces, custards: 160 F / 71 C
Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork: 160 F / 71 C
Ham Fresh (raw): 160 F / 71 C
Ham Fully cooked (to reheat): 140 F / 60 C
Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Goose: 180 F / 82 C
Stuffing, cooked alone or in bird: 165 F / 74 C

When you're preparing egg dishes, like quiche or casseroles, make absolutely sure that the entire preparation reaches a minimum of 160 F / 71 C all the way through.

Remember: Runny poached eggs, sunnyside ups, Caesar salad and sabayons using eggs that are either raw or barely cooked are a direct conduit for H1N12009 into your system.

credit:hubpages.com

Safe from H1N1 2009: Public Toilets Can Kill

In a pandemic situation great attention should be placed on avoiding the risk of H1N1 viral infection in schools, offices, public transportation and bathrooms: The places that are at very high risk.

H1N1 2009 can be present not only on public toilet seats but it may also be found on surfaces within the stall, on the toilet paper (especially if it's moist, which creates a nurturing environment for the health of the virus) and on the floor. In fact, H1N1 can be transmitted on virtually all bathroom surfaces.



It's a good idea to keep these tips in mind:

•Don't use a toilet that looks dirty or wet, or one that has not been flushed. If they're available, use a paper seat cover.
•There is always the option to not sit right down on a toilet seat. Try squatting without touching the seat.
•To avoid germs on the toilet's flush handle always use a piece of toilet paper to flush. I usually flush the toilet with my foot!
•Don't use toilet paper that's wet or looks like it has been wetted.
•Don't use toilet paper that's anywhere but on the roll fixture. Rolls sitting on the shelf or on top of the toilet may have been on the floor.
•The cleanest toilet paper is the one you bring with you. Failing that, the best are the type that is almost totally encased in a plastic or metal container protecting it from spray and splatter. If you have to use paper from less protected rolls, tear off the exposed paper and dispose of it.
•Avoid touching the soapscum that accumulates in a soap dish or on the sink. If there is nothing but a bar soap, use it anyway, but rinse off the bar very well before using it. It's definitely better to wash with bar soap than not to wash at all.
•Lather longer than you would with liquid soaps which are the best ones to use. The friction of handwashing will remove many of the germs from bar soap. Granular soaps require even longer handwashing as they generally don't lather as much.
•If there's no soap, rinse hands in hot water and rub your hands together as you do it. This helps rinse away contamination, but it's still no substitute for a good soapy wash!
•You should spend at least fifteen to twenty seconds washing your hands. A good rule of thumb is to hum the "Happy Birthday" song twice. That's about the right minimum amount of time to rub your hands.
•Don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth until you wash and dry your hands thoroughly. Keep a bottle of alcohol hand sanitizer with you at all times. It's by far the best option!
•Don't touch anything directly. Remember that only 15 percent of all people even bother wash their hands after they are finished using a public toilet! Yuck!


You should also avoid using hot-air-dryers. They claim that they are sanitary alternatives to paper towels
, but the only reason they are installed is because they are a cheaper alternative for the building management than the cost of buying, refilling and disposing of a mountain of paper towels. The reasons why most of these hot-air dryers are unsanitary is that pull their air but from the floor of the bathroom which is usually teeming with germs. Furthermore, most people don't stand there long enough to dry their hands thoroughly with the dryer, which can cause chapping, cracking and, hence, more chance of picking up an infection. Use a hot-air dryer only if you have absolutely no alternative. Or use toilet paper or your emergency supply of tissues.

Public bathrooms are definitely the place where you will confront the most concentrated sampling of germs, but it is not by any stretch of the imagination the only one. And wherever people are or have been, they have left their H1N12009 behind.

Public Toilets Can Kill

In a pandemic situation great attention should be placed on avoiding the risk of H1N1 viral infection in schools, offices, public transportation and bathrooms: The places that are at very high risk.


H1N1 can be present not only on public toilet seats but it may also be found on surfaces within the stall, on the toilet paper (especially if it's moist, which creates a nurturing environment for the health of the virus) and on the floor. In fact, H1N1 can be transmitted on virtually all bathroom surfaces.


It's a good idea to keep these tips in mind:

•Don't use a toilet that looks dirty or wet, or one that has not been flushed. If they're available, use a paper seat cover.
•There is always the option to not sit right down on a toilet seat. Try squatting without touching the seat.
•To avoid germs on the toilet's flush handle always use a piece of toilet paper to flush. I usually flush the toilet with my foot!
•Don't use toilet paper that's wet or looks like it has been wetted.
•Don't use toilet paper that's anywhere but on the roll fixture. Rolls sitting on the shelf or on top of the toilet may have been on the floor.
•The cleanest toilet paper is the one you bring with you. Failing that, the best are the type that is almost totally encased in a plastic or metal container protecting it from spray and splatter. If you have to use paper from less protected rolls, tear off the exposed paper and dispose of it.
•Avoid touching the soapscum that accumulates in a soap dish or on the sink. If there is nothing but a bar soap, use it anyway, but rinse off the bar very well before using it. It's definitely better to wash with bar soap than not to wash at all.
•Lather longer than you would with liquid soaps which are the best ones to use. The friction of handwashing will remove many of the germs from bar soap. Granular soaps require even longer handwashing as they generally don't lather as much.
•If there's no soap, rinse hands in hot water and rub your hands together as you do it. This helps rinse away contamination, but it's still no substitute for a good soapy wash!
•You should spend at least fifteen to twenty seconds washing your hands. A good rule of thumb is to hum the "Happy Birthday" song twice. That's about the right minimum amount of time to rub your hands.
•Don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth until you wash and dry your hands thoroughly. Keep a bottle of alcohol hand sanitizer with you at all times. It's by far the best option!
•Don't touch anything directly. Remember that only 15 percent of all people even bother wash their hands after they are finished using a public toilet! Yuck!


You should also avoid using hot-air-dryers. They claim that they are sanitary alternatives to paper towels, but the only reason they are installed is because they are a cheaper alternative for the building management than the cost of buying, refilling and disposing of a mountain of paper towels. The reasons why most of these hot-air dryers are unsanitary is that pull their air but from the floor of the bathroom which is usually teeming with germs. Furthermore, most people don't stand there long enough to dry their hands thoroughly with the dryer, which can cause chapping, cracking and, hence, more chance of picking up an infection. Use a hot-air dryer only if you have absolutely no alternative. Or use toilet paper or your emergency supply of tissues.

Public bathrooms are definitely the place where you will confront the most concentrated sampling of germs, but it is not by any stretch of the imagination the only one. And wherever people are or have been, they have left their H1N1 behind.

สัญญาณเตือนภัย ไข้หวัด2009

สัญญาณเตือนภัยไข้หวัด2009

ในเด็ก หากเด็กมีอาการหายใจเร็ว หรือหายใจลำบาก ผิวหนังเป็นจ้ำสีน้ำเงิน ดื่มน้ำน้อยไม่เพียงพอ ปลุกไม่ตื่น หรือไม่มีอาการตอบสนอง มีอาการงอแงไม่ยอมให้อุ้ม มีไข้เฉียบพลัน หรือมีอาหารหวัด ไออย่างรุนแรง หากมีอาการเหล่านี้ไม่ควรนิ่งนอนใจ ต้องรีบเข้ารับการรักษาทันที ในผู้ใหญ่ สัญญานเตือนภัยที่จะต้องรีบรักษาเช่นกันคือ อาการหายใจลำบาก หรือหายใจถี่ เจ็บ แน่นหน้าอกหรือช่องท้อง วิงเวียน หน้ามืด และอาเจียนอย่างรุนแรง หรืออาเจียนเป็นเลือด หากมีอาการเหล่านี้ต้องรีบรักษาอย่างเร่งด่วน


โอกาสในการรับเชื้อ ไข้หวัด 2009

การกระจายและการติดเชื้อของเชื้อไข้หวัด 2009มี 2 ทาง คือ
ทางแรก เกิดจาการสัมผัสกับหมูที่ติดเชื้อ หรือการอยู่ในสิ่งแวดล้อมที่ปนเปื้อนด้วยเชื้อไข้หวัด 2009

ทางที่สอง การเกิดจากสัมผัสระหว่างคนกับคนที่ติดเชื้อ การกระจายและติดเชื้อระหว่างคนสู่คนนั้นได้มีการมีบันทึกไว้ และ ถูกคาดการณ์ว่าจะเกิดขึ้นในช่วงฤดูที่มีไข้หวัดระบาด (Seasonal flu)

สาเหตุให้ที่จะทำให้เชื้อแพร่กระจายจากคนสู่คนถือการไอ หรือจาม ของผู้ติดเชื้อ

ข้อมูล : men.mthai.com

ไวรัส A H1N1

มีลักษณะพันธุกรรมหรือยีน ที่ประกอบด้วยเชื้อไข้หวัดใหญ่ 3 สายพันธุ์รวมอยู่ด้วยกัน ได้แก่

เชื้อไข้หวัดใหญ่ในมนุษย์
เชื้อไข้หวัดนกที่พบในทวีปอเมริกาเหนือ และ
เชื้อไข้หวัดหมูที่พบบ่อยในทวีปยุโรปและเอเชีย

โดยมีการสันนิษฐานในเบื้องต้นว่า น่าจะเกิดจากการเปลี่ยนแปลงทางพันธุกรรม Antigenetic Shift โดยมีหมูเป็นพาหนะนำโรค โดยหมูได้ติดเชื้อ ไข้หวัดนก ไข้หวัดหมู และไข้หวัดใหญ่ต่อมาเซลล์ในตัวหมูถูกไวรัสตั้งแต่ 2 ชนิดขึ้นไปโจมตี ทำให้หน่วยพันธุกรรมไวรัสดังกล่าวผสมปนเปกันระหว่างการแบ่งตัว กลายเป็นเชื้อพันธุ์ใหม่ขึ้นมา

แต่ทว่า โรคไข้หวัด2009 จะตั้งต้นมากจากการติดเชื้อของหมู แต่การแพร่ระบาดของไข้หวัด2009เป็นการแพร่จากคนไปสู่คน ดังนั้นการบริโภคหมูจึงไม่เกี่ยวข้องกับการติดเชื้อแต่อย่างใด


ข้อมูล: chaoprayanews.com

ไข้หวัด 2009 จะรักษาอย่างไร?

ยา ที่จะใช้รักษาอาการไข้หวัด 2009นั้น CDC แนะนำให้ใช้ตัวยา oseltamivir หรือ zanamivir

สำหรับการบำบัดรักษา การป้องกันเป็นอีกทางเลือกหนึ่งที่จะไม่ทำให้เกิดการติดเชื้อไวรัสนี้ ยาต้านไวรัส (Antivirus drug) ตามคำสั่งยาของแพทย์ไม่ว่าจะเป็นยาเม็ด ยาน้ำ หรือ ยาชนิดสูดดม ที่มีฤทธิ์ต้านหวัดช่วยได้โดยการป้องกันการเจริญและพิ่มจำนวนในร่างกาย (ยังคงมีไวสหลงเหลือในร่างกาย) ถ้าหากมีอาการป่วย ยาต้านไวรัสเหล่านี้สามารถทำให้อาการป่วยลดลงและสามารถทำให้รู้สึกดีขึ้น เร็วขึ้น และอาจใช้ป้องกันอาการหวัดที่รุนแรงได้ สำหรับการรักษานั้นยาต้านไวรัสทำงานได้ดีที่สุดถ้าใช้ตั้งแต่เริ่มมีอาการ ป่วย โดยเฉพาะในช่วงประมาณ 2 วันแรกที่มีอาการเหมือนเชื้อหวัด..ไม่มีวัคซีนในการรักษา อย่างไรก็ตามหากการกระทำใดๆในชีวิตประจำวันที่ผู้คนสามารถใช้ช่วยป้องกันการ แพร่กระจายของเชื้อจุลินทรีย์ซึ่งเป็นสาเหตุของโรคระบบทางเดินหายใจได้ก็ สามารถนำมาใช้ป้องกันเชื้อไข้หวัด 2009 นี้ได้

ข้อปฏิบัติเพื่อป้องกันไข้หวัด2009

1. ใช้กระดาษทิชชูปิดจมูกและปากของคุณเมื่อไอ หรือจาม และทิ้งกระดาษทิชชูที่ใช้แล้วลงในถังขยะที่มีฝาปิดหลังการใช้ทันที

2. ล้างมือให้สะอาดด้วยน้ำและสบู่ หรือล้างด้วยผลิตภัณฑ์ที่มีส่วนผสมแอลกอฮอล์ (เช่นเจลล้างมือ) บ่อยๆ โดยเฉพาะหลังการไอ หรือ จาม

3. พยายามหลีกเลี่ยงการพบปะ และสัมผัสกับผู้ป่วย ถ้าหากป่วยเป็นหวัดควรหยุดพักอยู่บ้าน เพื่อจำกัดการพบปะผู้อื่น เพื่อป้องกันการแพร่เชื้อไปสู่ผู้อื่น

4. หลีกเลี่ยงการสัมผัสตา จมูก หรือ ปาก เพราะเชื้อโรคสามารถเข้าสู่ร่างกายทางอวัยวะเหล่านี้ได้

ไม่จำเป็นต้องเป็นกังวลกับการจัดเตรียมและรับประทานเนื้อหมู เชื้อไวรัสไข้หวัด 2009 นี้ไม่สามารถแพร่กระจายได้ทางอาหาร
การรับประทานเนื้อหมูที่ผ่านการเตรียมที่ดีและผ่านการปรุงสุกจะช่วยให้ มีความปลอดภัยจากเชื้อโรคไข้หวัด 2009


ข้อมูล : men.mthai.com