By  Dr.P.M.Sharma  

"The world is moving into the early days of its first influenza pandemic of the 21st century," Margaret Chan, the WHO's director general, said at an afternoon news conference in Geneva on Friday June 12, 2009.

Introduction

According to the WHO, this is a new strain of influenza virus A/H1N1. There have been reports of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe pneumonia cases in Mexico and the United States of America. Cases began to appear on 17 March 2009 in Mexico. Two cases in children were reported in Southern California in the United States on 17 April, 2009. Neither child had contact with animals. Between 17 March and 25 April 2009, clusters of outbreaks have appeared in multiple locations in Mexico and USA. These clusters were consistent with human-to-human spread.

 There are four main influenza types A swine flu viruses that have been isolated in pigs: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1. The classic swine flu virus (an influenza type A H1N1 virus) was first isolated from a pig in 1930. Most of the flu viruses recently found in pigs have been H1N1 and H3N2 strains. Current swine flu H3N2 viruses are closely related to human H3N2 viruses, because they were introduced into pigs from humans in the late 1990s. But H1N1 swine viruses have been known to circulate in pigs at least since the 1930s.

How common is swine flu infection in humans?

Although swine influenza viruses are normally species-specific and only infect pigs, they do sometimes cross the species barrier to cause disease in humans. Since the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) in 2007 and prior to the current outbreak, WHO was notified of swine influenza cases from Spain and the United States. Following are some documented cases in the United States.

The most well-known outbreak of swine flu was in 1976 among soldiers in Fort Dix, N.J. The virus caused illnesses in at least four soldiers and one death. In September 1988, a healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman was hospitalized for pneumonia and died eight days later. A swine A (H1N1) influenza virus was detected. Four days before getting sick, she had visited a county fair swine exhibition where there was widespread flu-like illness among the pigs.

Twelve cases of human infection with swine flu were reported in the United States from December 2005 to February 2009. Five of the 12 cases occurred in patients who had direct exposure to pigs, six in patients reported being near pigs, and the exposure in one case was unknown.

Who is affected?

Seasonal influenza primarily affects people in younger or older age groups, whereas novel A (H1N1) affects all age groups. Most of the cases in Mexico have been found in healthy young adults between the ages of 4 and 45 years old.

How does it spread?

This novel influenza A (H1N1) is thought to spread in the same way as seasonal flu, which is mainly by person-to-person transmission through coughing or sneezing of people infected with the flu virus. People may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

What are the symptoms of swine flu?

Although uncomplicated influenza-like illness (fever, cough or sore throat) has been reported in many cases, mild respiratory illness (nasal congestion, rhinorrhea) without fever and occasional severe disease also has been reported. Other symptoms reported with swine influenza A virus infection include vomiting, diarrhea, myalgia, headache, chills, fatigue, and dyspnoea. Conjunctivitis is rare, but has been reported. Severe disease (pneumonia, respiratory failure) and fatal outcomes have been reported with swine influenza A virus infection. The potential for exacerbation of underlying chronic medical conditions or invasive bacterial infection with swine influenza A virus infection should be considered.

Case definitions

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

·                          real-time RT-PCR  (Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction)

·                          viral culture

·                          four-fold rise in swine influenza A (H1N1) virus-specific neutralizing antibodies

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.

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.

Close contact is defined as: within about 6 feet of an ill person who is a confirmed case of swine influenza A virus infection

Acute respiratory illness means rhinorrhea (Persistent watery mucus discharge from the nose as in the common cold) or nasal congestion, sore throat, cough (with or without fever or feverishness)

The ayurvedic postulation:

The knowledge that is available so far indicates that the malaise is pro vat-shleshmik condition associated with Pitta.

|| STAIMITYA PARVANAM BHEDO NIDRA GAURVAMEV CHA||

|| SHIROGRIHAH PRATISHYAYAH KASAH SWEDAPRAVARTANAM||

|| SANTAPO MADHYAVEGASHCHA VAT-SHLESHMA-JWARAKRUTI||

(SUSHRUT SAMHITA UTTAR TANTRA CHAPT 39/ 15-16)

Means when VAT-SHLESHMIK fever grabs then it manifests with lethargy-ness, headache, rhinitis or rhinorrhea, cough, fever etc.

The cause of flu can be different but the symptoms will remain almost same. This stanza from sushrut samhita proves that the flu is not a newborn disease, this ailment has a prolonged history behind this.  

Management

Medicinal

MAHA-LAXMI VILAS RAS, ABHRAK BHASM, SHRUNG BHASM, RAS SINDUR, SHRUNGYADI CHURNA, TALISHADI CHURNA, TRIBHUVAN KIRTI RAS, GAUJIWHYADI KWATH are some important medicines.

Prophylaxis or preventive and curative HARBAL PREPARATION for swine flu:

SAPTAPARNA (Alstonia scholaris), KUTAKI (Picrorhiza Kurroa) CHIRAITA (Swertia Chirata), the seed powder of LATA KARANAJ (Caesalpinia Crista) and GILOY SATWA, take all of them in equal proportions and make powder. Take 2 Grams of this powder in morning and evening with honey or lukewarm water.

Ayurveda has very good and safe medication and management of any kind of disease. This has been proved many time like against chicken guinea, Tinea worm infestation, Malaria and many other.

But this is an informative article and please take advice from your Doctor or ayurvedic physician for the treatment.

Editor

J.A.Y (Journal of ayurveda and yoga)

Mail: info@ayurvedic-healings.com