Argentina - Preventive measures for the A flu

Ministry of Health of the Nation spot. 

The development of influenza A global pandemic is considered by the World Health Organization (WHO), which has raised the alert level of health level 6, the maximum. In Argentina, there are already more than 1,000 people infected. Address the spread of H1N1 virus, the Ministry of Health of the Nation, and his provincial health care have strengthened and enabled free telephone lines to evacuate doubts. The important thing is to keep calm, maintain minimum health behaviors such as washing hands frequently, avoid sneezing without covering their mouth and, above all, no self versus symptoms that could correspond with those presented by the disease. In this situation, we must come to the doctor, who determined the action to take.

Then a list of clear and accurate information about the main characteristics of the disease, preventive measures and ways of contact and treatment.

What is swine flu / A H1N1?
Is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by the influenza virus, which causes the common flu outbreaks among animals. The virus went from a pig to a human and, through mutation, it became a flu that spreads from human to human. According to the researchers, this new virus combines features of avian influenza, swine and human. Therefore it is no longer correct to speak of flu but swine influenza A H1N1.

How is it spread?
The virus enters airway, from sneezing or coughing of infected patients or, more importantly, the virus left on doorknobs, handles subtes or collective, money, etc.., They may change hands . To take their hands in their mouth, nose or eye infection occurs. Most cases are simply located in a cold upper respiratory system, but sometimes the virus reaches the lungs and produces an "interstitial pneumonia" or after the infection the patient with a bacterium that sobreinfecta creates a "bacterial pneumonia." This can lead to respiratory failure and death. The elderly, patients with respiratory or heart diseases and malnourished children or very young are the most frequent serious complications.

The virus is not spread by eating pork, but it is recommended that you always be very good cooked to eliminate all types of viruses and parasites.

What are the symptoms?
Fever over 38 ° C, cough or sore throat, muscle and joint pain, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.

How is the disease diagnosed?
Take a sample of nasal secretions, is grown in cells, extracted RNA viruses, it turns into DNA, amplifies it and provides the same sequence, ie it determines how it is formed this "genome" . Thus one can say whether the virus is isolated from the swine influenza virus or another influenza already known.

Does the common flu vaccine is useful?
The current vaccine against influenza, which is applied every year does not protect against the new virus of swine influenza as our immune system has never been in contact with this virus and is not "warned" of their existence. Therefore it does not produce antibodies quickly but the new virus in late, when the illness is over.

What to do?
1. Do not panic, but information, solidarity and sharing knowledge people have on this epidemic and the virus that causes.

2. Influenza vaccine, like every year, especially at-risk groups: health workers, people older than 60 years or with a history of respiratory or cardiovascular diseases. While this will not prevent vaccine against swine flu, will eventually make better diagnosis, and if the patient had been vaccinated and also submit a picture flu, the suspicion that it is swine flu would be high. Remember that children, especially malnourished and elderly populations are more likely to have serious complications.

3. In the case of symptoms such as fever greater than 38 º C, muscle pain, conjunctival congestion, decay or shortness of breath, come immediately to a health center. Do not swallow in any case, aspirin or steroids on their own account. The doctor who will make the diagnostic and possibly therapeutic.

4. Avoid contact with people suffering from acute infectious respiratory diseases.

5. Isolating patients in their homes (quarantine) for at least 10 days.

6. Use safety chinstrap. Viruses, by their size, can pass through the pore of the chinstrap, but what these tools are effectively stop microdroplets of saliva through which the virus is transmitted. Chinstrap is preferable to use disposable and at least 2 per day.

7. In the case of sneezing, cover your mouth and fold of the elbow or with a disposable tissue and then throw it in the toilet (not in waste baskets that are on the streets, because the virus can survive for a considerable time).

8. In the case of "blowing" the nose, do so and remove them as disposable handkerchiefs indicated.

9. Wash hands with soap and water or alcohol and glycerine soaps. Sneezing and then return to the streets where they have touched doorknobs, subway or bus handrails, money, etc .-. Rercordar this is the main source of infection.

10. On the street, at work or school, try not to scratch your eyes or put their hands in their mouth or nose. It insists: frequent hand washing is the best prophylaxis. If you have symptoms, contributes to the doctor first and then stay home and avoid spreading the infection.

Is there treatment?
There are 2 effective drugs that can only be prescribed by a medical prescription, that is, not OTC. Operate efficiently if they are administered 48 hours before the start of symptoms. It is important, therefore, contribute to the health center near a table where flu with fever of 38 ° or more, muscle aches, congestion of the eyes, cough and / or mucus in the nose or marked decay. We reiterate: it must not ingested aspirin or corticosteroids. There is that self. Should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Where do I find?
The Ministry of Health enabled 0-800-222-1002 for 24 hour care. The Ministry of Health of the Province of Buenos Aires is 0-800-333-8876, serving Monday through Friday from 8 to 18 pm.

Sources:
Prof. Dr. Norberto Sanjuán - Microbiology Department - Faculty of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires-CONICET
Ministry of Health of the Nation
Ministry of Health of the Province of Buenos Aires

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