SWINE FLU: WILL IT BECOME PANDEMIC?

By Henrylito D. Tacio

“The pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.”

This statement, taken from the Bible (Leviticus 11:7-8), comes to mind as the world watches the outbreak of swine influenza among humans in the Mexico and the United States. More than 100 Mexicans have been reported to have died.

In New Zealand, twenty-five students and teachers, some with flu-like symptoms, were quarantined and tested for swine flu after returning from a trip to Mexico. In London, a British Airways cabin crew member was taken to the hospital as a precaution after developing flu-like symptoms on a flight from Mexico City.

The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) reported that some of those who died are confirmed to have a unique strain of flu virus that is a combination of bird, pig and human viruses. Because of this, the UN health agency declared the outbreak as a “public health emergency of international concern.”

WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan admitted the outbreak “has pandemic potential” because it is apparently being transmitted from human to human. But she added it is far too early to predict whether a pandemic will occur. Pandemic happens when the virus is spread all over the world.

At the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, Dr. Anne Schuchat said containment of the outbreak was “not feasible.” As she told reporters in a telephone news conference, “Having found the virus where we have found it, we are likely to find it in many more places. It is clear that this is widespread, which is why we do not think we can contain spread of this virus.”

In the Philippines, the government is doing its best to prevent a domestic outbreak of swine flu. As the virus could be spread by infected traveler, the Manila International Airport Authority stepped up the monitoring of incoming passengers. Air travelers with fevers who have been to Mexico may be quarantined. “Together with other airport authorities abroad, we are heeding the call of the World Health Organization,” said Herminia Castillo, the international airport’s officer-in-charge.

In addition, the government has already banned the import of hogs and all other pork products from the US, which accounted for 27 percent of the 109.36 million kilograms of pork products imported last year. Mexico is not a major source of pork products for the country.

Pork and pork products sold in the market are safe to eat as no swine flu outbreak has been reported in the country yet, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry. In addition, swine-flu viruses are not transmitted by food, according to the CDC.

“So you cannot get swine flu from eating pork or pork products,” said the National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. in a statement. “Eating properly handled and cooked pork or pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills all viruses and other foodborne pathogens.”

The Department of Health confirmed that there is no case of swine flu yet in the country. “However, we advise the public to still observe any preventive measures to avoid contraction of the virus,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III urged during a recent press conference.

An advisory from the health department said people should cover their nose and mouth with tissue when coughing or sneezing, wash their hands regularly with soap and water especially after coughing or sneezing, and avoid close contact with sick people or crowded places.
A sick or feverish person should be closely monitored and stay at home to limit contact with others. When the fever and flu persists, doctors should be consulted immediately. “Refrain first from kissing or shaking hands with one another,” urged Dr. Eric Tayag, chief of the health department’s National Epidemiology Center.
There is no vaccine specifically protects a person against swine flu, and it is unclear how much protection current human-flu vaccines might offer. However, Dr. Duque pointed out the government has enough stockpile of the Tamiflu (oseltamivir), the anti-viral drug used to treat various types of flu.

Swine flu – shorter version for swine influenza – is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease of pigs, caused by one of several swine influenza A viruses. Although the morbidity rate is high, mortality is low and becomes higher only in complicated cases.

Swine flu viruses are most commonly of the H1N1 subtype, but other subtypes are also circulating in pigs (example: H1N2, H3N1, H3N2). Pigs can also be infected with avian influenza viruses and human seasonal influenza viruses as well as swine influenza viruses. The H3N2 swine virus was thought to have been originally introduced into pigs by humans.

“The virus is spread among pigs by aerosols, direct and indirect contact, and asymptomatic carrier pigs,” the WHO explains. “Many countries routinely vaccinate swine populations against swine influenza.”

Among pigs, the usual signs of swine flu are anorexia, fever, chills, and prostration. “Thumps or jerky breathing is observed, together with sneezing and coughing,” informs The Science and Practice of Swine Production. “Eye and nasal discharges are watery in the beginning, but later becomes sticky and mucoid. The condition may worsen and precipitate into bronchopneumonia which can lead to death.”

Sometimes pigs can be infected with more than one virus type at a time. “Although swine flu viruses are normally species specific and only infect pigs, they do sometimes cross the species barrier to cause disease in humans,” the WHO states.

Dr. Tayag said the swine flu virus is spread via aerial droplets and could be passed from pig to human or human to human. He said infected individuals could exhibit symptoms of the illness three to five days after being infected.

The symptoms of swine flu in people, the CDC says, are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

The WHO says people usually get swine flu from infected pigs. Human-to-human transmission occurs when a person has in close contacts with people who have the virus. It can pass from human to human via coughing, sneezing or touching infected people or surfaces, then touching the mouth, nose or eyes.

“If a swine virus establishes efficient human-to human transmission, it can cause an influenza pandemic,” the WHO warns. Dr. Tayag claims a pandemic usually occurs every 10 to 40 years, and that the last pandemic happened in 1968 (which killed about one million people around the globe).

Health experts claim a pandemic would deal a major blow to a world economy already suffering its worst crisis in decades, and experts say it could cost trillions of dollars