Swine Flu in Idaho (Boise: dorms, income, safety)

[Mtn. States Resident]

A few weeks ago I posted information released by the University of Pittsburgh. The full article was suppose to be out on 07/16/09 in the New England Journal of Medicine. There are a couple of articles from the 07/16/09edition (and several have been posted earlier for those who want to look). I'm posting my thoughts about one of them here for anyone to read.

"Historical Perspective — Emergence of Influenza A (H1N1) Viruses"
written by Shanta M. Zimmer, M.D., and Donald S. Burke, M.D.
New England Journal of Medicine - 07/16/09

PLEASE NOTE THE COPYRIGHT AT THE BOTTOM, THIS ARTICLE IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. If you have portions you want to discuss, my understanding from a site moderator, is it is appropriate to copy and paste the small portion you want to discuss here. It is NOT APPROPRIATE to post the entire article. I'm sure everyone who reads this thread knows all of that, but since the notice is at the bottom of the page, I wanted to reinforce this material belongs to the authors and was published by the NEJM.

Despite the housekeeping and making sure we don't violate the copyright rules, I think there is a tremendous amount for all of us to talk about, if anyone wants to. Post questions from what you read or what is confusing, as I plan to post what is confusing for me hoping someone will post their view and help me understand better.

Additionally, something I've been wondering about for treatment is also addressed in the article - serum of those who have been infected and survived. As the article states, "Shope furthered the notion that the human pandemic strain of influenza A (H1N1) and the infectious agent of swine influenza were closely related by showing that human adult serum could neutralize the swine flu virus."

Per the article, it says, Adult serum can neutralize N1H1. It doesn't say adult serum ALWAYS NEUTRALIZES THE VIRUS, RATHER IT CAN NEUTRALIZE the virus. At what age does a person "adult," enough to have antibodies? As has been posted here previously, there is the feeling that any survivors of the 1918 pandemic flu, which killed millions, have antibodies that may be protecting those who were alive in 1918. Other adults who weren't born prior to or during 1918 may be protected as well, but why?

Dr. Robert Shope, was the veterinarian who found in 1931 that he was able to infect healthy swine from the infectious agent he isolated from swine who were acutely ill with Swine Flu. Consequently, the previously healthy swine became sick with Swine Flu. Dr. Shope also found that some of the serum he obtained from human patients, ages newborn - 76 year olds, was effective at neutralizing the virus based on their age. Only serum of those ages 12-76 years old was effective at neutralizing the virus. The serum of those 12 years old and younger was not.

Math is important to remember in this article, as 12 year olds would have been born during 1919, since this work was done in 1931. Since millions were lost to Swine Flu in 1918, most likely all those alive either received passive immunity, such as a child who was in utero or possily one born and being breast fed by his/her mother, or immunity from having been exposed to Swine Flu in 1918. From Dr. Shope's work, the authors (Dr. Zimmer and Dr. Burke) write,

"The absence of antibodies against influenza A (H1N1) swine virus in children born in 1919 or later is evidence that the virus rapidly mutated to a new
antigenic variant." They continue saying there have been clear differences in how a human body reacts to human flu vs. swine flu. Sometimes the two influenzas are confused for each other as patients have many of the same symptoms, regardless of whether it is a Swine Flu or a Human Flu.

Drs. Zimmer and Burke write genetic analysis has shown there that between 1918-2006, "all eight segments of the virus have had generally congruent patterns of evolution over time. Thus, human influenza A
(H1N1) virus has not acquired new gene segments from avian or other sources." These conclusions were made from data learned from the samples provided by infected human patients in five different continents and 17 different countries.

You can read what changes the A/H1N1 made between 1918 and 1957 in the article. In 1957, patients were no longer infected by Influenza A/H1N1. Instead, what Drs. Zimmer and Burke are calling, "a new reassortant
virus that combined genes from the H1N1 strain and an avian virus." Named A/H2N2, the virus in 1957 had five gene segments still from the 1918 H1N1 influenza. However, the other three gene segments had "reassorted," and were from birds, or avian. Thus, A/H1N1 was not infecting patients until 1977.

In 1974, a volunteer involved with clinical monitoring of swine workers and their antibodies against Swine Flu was acutely ill with Swine Flu. This patient collected his/her own nasopharyngeal sample, which showed, " a triple reassortant H1N1 isolate (A/Iowa/CEID23/2005) of the genotype known to have circulated in swine in the United States since the late 1990s."

Some may remember the accidental exposure of soldiers at Ft. Dix, NJ in 1976 to A/H1N1. When cases of A/H1N1 flu appeared in Hong Kong, the former Soviet Union and elsewhere in China in Nov. 1977, 40 million people were vaccinated against the A/H1N1 flu. You can read the details and how the scientists were able to determine which sub-typed flu was accidentally released. Unlike the "normal flu," what went around in 1977 seemed mild, but more younger people were infected than usual.

About 1977, Drs. Zimmer and Bourne write, "Each pandemic strain of influenza replaced the previous circulating virus until influenza A (H1N1)
reemerged in 1977, when for the first time in known interpandemic influenza history, two serotype A viruses began to cocirculate..
That means two sub-type influenza A viruses were both infecting people.

Between 1998-2006, "Investigators have recently reported 11
known human cases of infection with the triple reassortant viruses between 2005 and 2009; most of these patients had been exposed to swine." In other words, the genetic sequence of the virus had been reassorted three times, as I understand it.

In April 2009, from the first two cases of Swine Flu in the U.S., when the regular flu season is ending in the Northern Hemisphere, "The CDC confirmed that these cases were caused by a genetically similar swine virus that had not been previously identified in the United States."
This particular reassortant virus version has never been identified in the U.S. previously.

From the "triple reassortant Swine Virus," prior to 2009, six of the genes segments had reassorted again. The remaining two genes of the
Novel A/H1N1 came from the Euroasian A/H1N1 virus.

This is much easier to understand if one looks at the article just for the graphs and different colors to see what species contributed which part to the eight gene segment of the 2009 A/H1N1.

The points of this article as I understand them are:
1. Give the history of what has happened to influenza since 1918 - 2009,
2. Describe in detail when major changes occurred in the seasonal influenzas,
3. Document the species to species transfer from prior studies and how there has been reassortant gene segments so many times. Hopefully, as more people start to understand how the A/H1N1 virus has changed genetically over time, as it has jumped species, there is every reason to believe it will continue to do so.

4. Document that there are other influenzas too. In some ways the seasonal influenzas that haven't changed are competing with the A/H1N1 for new hosts to infect to obtain the necessary compenents from the host to replicate and shed new virus (be it the same as the virus that infected the host, or slightly different). A virus has to have a host to use the host's cellular components so the virus can replicate. Clearly, there have been many genetic changes along the way - thus the words, "reassortant gene segments."

5. Encourage world communication - open communication - about what different countries are seeing in their outbreaks of influenza.

6. Hopefully, we'll learn more from this Pandemic so we can monitor better year round, for different viruses. As is mentioned in this article and I've documented in other posts, this Novel A/H1N1 thrives in heat and humidity and seasonal influenzas do not.

7. If we are better able to monitor changes in influenzas, hopefully, new technology can be utilized to develop vaccines faster. Baxter, one of the four pharmaceutical companies making vaccine for A/H1N1, is claiming they have new technology in place so they've made their vaccine quota for
A/H1N1. Simply put, they have found a way to bypass the chicken egg in making the vaccine. But, that is for a different post. However, I hope it will be one of the positive developments from this pandemic.

8. More research is needed and by many participants. This is not a U.S. or U.S./EU disease or project only. This virus involves the world as its laboratory to infect people. Consequently, I believe the world should be studying the virus and mutations that occur.

Those were the most significant pieces of information I got from this article. Please read it, or at least look at the graphs as so much information is easier to understand when one can see the different colors of various viral strains.

Please share your observations/understanding from this article.

I'm curious if anyone knows whether or not U. of Idaho is doing any work with A/H1N1? I specifically asked about U. of Idaho, both because it just dawned on me I haven't heard of any research the university may be doing. However, that doesn't mean they aren't involved looking at something. Especially, with WSU and the Veterinary Medicine program at WSU so close by, it is likely collaborations maybe occurring currently. Also, it was U. of Idaho that has cloned the mules. So molecular biology and recombining of genetics should not be foreign ground for those scientists, if they are still at the U. of Idaho.

Got a headache after reading all I've written? Me too. But, it was worse when I read this article the first time - all seven pages and thought about how to try to explain what I understood from the article in more words easier to understand. There is a lot of information brought together in this article and I anticipate in the future those who write will refer to this article for conculsions printed here that further their research and discovery.

Take care of yourselves. It's not good news to read a headline that says, "Four states experience their first A/H1N1 deaths," all in the same day. Worse yet, Indiana, one of the four states named, experienced a second death faster than some of the media could update their headlines.

PLEASE stay on top of the risk factors, when the vaccine will be out and decide what your plan will be for fall. In the meantime, stay as well and happy as you possibly can. I don't plan to dissect another paper like this again here............hopefully forever. It's not just you who doesn't want to see another post like this. - It's me too.

That being said, I also want it said that I posted access to this article so anyone could read it, print it for your own personal use, discuss aspects with your doctor and prepare. I made information available to those who were ready to learn and accept what is happening in our world. It's a lot of information, I know. People tend to make better decisions with more information and understanding. I have confidence the readers will learn from this article.

Please stay well and take the precautions to either see your doctor if you're sick, and STAY HOME IF YOU'RE SICK, plus take any medications your doctor recommends you take.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/reprint/NEJMra0904322.pdf

I'm looking forward to your thoughts, feelings and comments about this article and key points in it.

MSR

[Mtn. States Resident]

"Baby delivered prematurely from swine flu patient dies "

Despite this being in FL where several pregnant women have tested positive for A/H1N1, I believe this is important to post here, even though it's not directly or regionally connected with Idaho for three reasons.

First, it once again emphasizes what I've posted earlier, from the U. of Pittsburgh study. PREGNANT WOMEN ARE AT HIGH RISK OF A/H1N1, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN REGULAR FLU.

Secondly, from the NEJM article where Dr. Shope showed how infants born in 1919 (thus their mother's were pregnant with them in 1918 when the pandemic hit), they were protected by the mother's antibiodies). That is not the situation here. The babies don't necessarily get protection from their mother's naturally forming antibodies.

Third, this was a healthy mom who was infected with A/H1N1 and her baby was taken by C Section 14 weeks early to give the mom a better chance at survival and perhaps the baby too. I don't know if anyone knew if the baby was infected or not.

This virus doesn't select victims based on the normal factors, as I've tried to document. Pregnancy, asthma (or pulmonary disease) and heart disease are the three major risk factors the CDC has been able to abstract to date.

Baby delivered prematurely from swine flu patient dies - CNN.com


This is not the only baby in the world to die from this pandemic. However, I believe it hits home a little stronger when the infected baby and infected mother are in the U.S. This could be someone's grandchild and daughter the next time we see this who lives in ID or in the area. I believe this deserves some extra thought

I offer my sincere condolences and prayers to the family. I am not certain the mother is going to live through this, but I'll be in her corner doing what I can do to help.


How about you?

MSR

[Mtn. States Resident]

I've been watching the prison situation, like most prisons around the country. Some will say they have a case, then say they don't. But, it looks like now with so many media sources reporting it that they must have positive evidence that four prisoners south of Boise are A/H1N1 +.


Also, is anyone paying attention in NID besides, PIMIT2?

From "Swine flu hits Shoshone Base Camp"

Swine flu hits Shoshone Base Camp - KXLY.com: News, Weather and Sports for Spokane, WA and Coeur d'Alene, ID |


This part of the following piece made me want to laugh in that sarcastic type of way.

"COEUR D'ALENE -- It's been largely out of recent headlines, but swine flu is still a very real risk as campers and counselors at a North Idaho camp learned firsthand earlier this month."

[b]Ya Think Its been out of the headlines or that the local NID Media (The Bonner County Daily Bee excluded) hasn't followed it?[b] Sheez - the amount of media that is finally covering the story even in Idaho now, but especially nationally and regionally. Spokane and other western WA media outlets have had many articles about NID patients who have had H1N1. But, it always takes someone or a bunch of people getting fairly sick, hospitalized and/or dying to really get someone's attention locally.

Pimit2, Sage, MistyRiverRanch and others, wanna tell someone at this station about this forum? Then maybe the station won't feel so isolated like no one has kept track. Seriously, what's the deal that CDA is seemingly out-of-the loop when there is an Infectious Disease doctor there, yet smaller counties in NID which had residents sick earlier, addressed it front and center of the newspaper?

I do realize they held this story until a count of how many of the campers and staffers got sick, so I don't know if the influx of sick campers is what made Idaho go well over 100 at the last CDC count or if they have been added yet.

" 'We have a preventative plan as far as screening kids when they come in. Have they been sick or have they been around kids who are sick,' " Smith said."

"Then two weeks ago a camper from California showed up carrying the H1N1 virus."

" 'We had a girl come in with a little bit of sickness and it kind of spread from there,' " Camp counselor David Baker said."

"Baker was one of four people that later tested positive for the swine flu, a diagnosis that took him by surprise especially since he felt OK."

" 'I didn't feel too bad but I was dead tired all week, I'd get 12 hours of sleep and still be really tired," Baker said.' " Newsflash - so is everyone else who had a sub-clinical case. They can't understand why they are sooooooooo tired.


We'll see what else comes from these infections and how many others they infect. One thing we've been watching, and I'm blitzing on the name, is how many people a truly sick (hospitalized) patient infects in "normal flu," compared to this flu. I know of one case where the number was 8 times the expected amount, with a hospitalized patient. For example, if the math calculation was such that say 2 healthcare workes would get sick and taken out of the workforce, as they now were patients, given how many staff were exposed to just this one A/H1N1 positive patient and the formula used, then 16 healthcare givers got sick, due to one patient. Or if the ratio would have yielded 4 normally, then 32 got infected. The point is this is very contagious when people are caring for a sick patient.

I have to be careful to not violate information about this patient and/or staff members who became patients. All I can say, is there is an unexpected percentage of staff who become infected secondary to the patient. When the infectious disease team for the hospital started counting how many were sick, after the patient was air-lifted to a different hospital to be in a negative pressure room, the number of sick staff was at least 8 X the normal amount.

For those who have been faithful readers of this thread, you probably remember very early on how I explained that Swine Flu is very infectious from person to person contact. It's called "droplet contact," or at least some call it that. Thus, the 6 foot rule. Infected people, or even carriers, can't sneeze or cough on you nearly as easily at 6 ft. away as they can if you are standing directly in front of them. Also, if others aren't going to cover their mouth and nose when they sneeze/cough, COVER YOURS to help create a barrier so you don't get their "droplet particles." and why repeated handwashing or hand sanitizer is the first protective action most mention for one to be proactive. Hand sanitizer, if one can get it with Aloe, is much easier on the skin.

NID, this isn't over yet. You all stay healthy up there doing whatever you do to stay healthy. I would encourage you to keep an extra week's worth of food and supplies like a fever reducer (Acetominophen or Ibuprofen around. How can an extra bottle in your house hurt anyone, if stored properly? If not for you, maybe a neighbor or friend. Generics work just as well as brand names in these medicines). Also, while we were initially told G.I. symptoms, like regular flu would be part of A/H1N1, many people have gotten extra Pepto or Imodium etc. However, we haven't seen the G.I. portion in the vast majority of patients. It's been pulmonary and high, high temperatures.

So you may want to keep extra tissues and even masks so you help limit who is infected by others, should you be the unfortunate "winner," to get this disease. Encourage visitors to stay away and if you are sick, PLEASE STAY HOME FROM WORK! Latex or Vingyl gloves for anyone who may be caring for the patient directly can help. What good does it do to take precautions and then handle a used tissue, for example, and expose yourself if you haven't been sick, or expose others?

I encourage you to talk to your doctor or other healthcare provider to see what s/he recommends. My concern is the physicians in NID haven't seen enough cases to really know compared to some others who have been in this trench for a while. Some people like me who talk to others daily about sick patients, are finding definite patterns. If you can't afford to put extra medicines/food away, think about asking someone to go in with you to get some extra supplies.

When I brought a A/H1N1 positive patient home from the hospital, I switched to paper plates, disposable forks, spoons etc. so everything could be thrown away. I wear gloves when I touch this recooperating patient to decrease my risk, although I am 99.9% positive I'd test positive for Swine Flu having been in the epicenter of epicenters. And gloves to remove all the trash etc.

As I confided in some at CDF, and everyone of them kept my request to not tell others about the hospitalization at the time, I told them one night I counted 17 isolation rooms on one side of the hospital floor. The way that hospital is built, there are two sides with the nurses desks (3 of them) up and down the hall. So I don't know how many patients were isolated in the other hall or at the rooms that linked the halls at either end.

Also, Clorox or any other REAL Bleach, regardless of it's generic, will inactivate the virus on surfaces etc. the patient touches. Unfortunately, it would kill patients to drink Clorox. But, please do be careful about surfaces and papers others hand you. I read labels last week closely of many cleaners advertised to kill, "The flu and other viruses without bleach." I don't understand how that is possible. Perhaps some wise person here can explain it to me. For me, it's bleach, bleach, bleach, including the person's clothing. Trust me, the recovering patient isn't exactly wearing red and purple to go out dancing if s/he has been very ill. Most people have old T shirts or gowns that can be bleached safely.

Someone handed me either a magazine or important documents last week. I thought to myself, should I wear gloves or not? How do I know if they coughed or sneezed on these? Ultimately, my decision was made on the fact I'm positive I've had a sub-clinical case of A/H1N1 already, so I have the immunity to fight further infection. That is, until A/H1N1 mutates. Not everyone will have the "luxury" I did in making those decisions. Anyway, think about papers and other items people hand you too. Items such as staplers, photocopiers lids, fax machines, telephones, light switches etc. Did someone cough, wipe their nose, sneeze etc. when around surfaces or papers you might receive? If so, you can always use a canned spray containing bleach to spray those items, and keep yourself healthier. I remember someone suggesting to me that open windows would help. At the time it wasn't an option as the hospital windows didn't open. Think of whether or not fresh air would help you.

If one plans ahead and knows how to reach his/her doctor as soon as one feels sick, the chances of having a mild A/H1N1. I'd sure like to hear about folks here having mild cases, vs. people here having to be admitted to the hospital, or even been severly sick at home.

So please, 1. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, YOUR FAMILY/FRIENDS and others who matter to you, such as those in a church congreation, neighbors, or social clubs. Get plenty of rest and do what you can preventively to protect yourself from this virus

2. ALSO, BE AWARE of where outbreaks are happening in Idaho (your district laboratory or state laboratory, as well as your doctor/doctor's office will know more). Idaho's State Lab has a special website for A/H1N1. The link is: H1N1 Influenza (swine flu)

This national newspapers are calling a A/H1N1 a "deadly virus," as it can infect you, your relatives and your friends, even if you are healthy. It is the great leveler.......it knows no difference between socioeconomic status, how a person looks and from what I know (although I don't know much about this), no race is safe from this virus. Look at the international headlines or WHO statistics. Now, after the U.S., Argentina is the country with the most deaths worldwide. Other countries lost infants to A/H1N1 before the U.S. did.

3. Prepare for what you'd do for a week without going to the grocery store. The state health department's link has a section to Emergency Preparedness. Utilize that or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or your healthcare providers, as your official sources of what you may need.

Unofficially, some information I've learned is one infected patient I know had stocked up on chicken and beef broth. Some patients recommend easily digested foods, whatever those may be for you or a patient for whom you'll provide care. Also, frozen foods like Popsickles, sherbert etc. help with the high temperature too. The inside has to cool off too. And Gatorade or other fluids to replace the electrolytes is helpful to many. Nutritionally, this flu is like the seasonal flu, so think of how you take care of yourself, or others, with normal flu.

These comments come from my personal observation of others infected with A/H1N1, or information relayed to me by patients I know, or RNs/MDs/therapists who have directly cared for A/H1N1 patients. This information is not from any official source. They are simply observations of people I trust and I decided to relay those observations on this site. Others may know tricks/hints of what people who have already been infected and what they did. I'd encourage you to share any tips here.

The number of A/H1N1 cases keeps rising in Idaho. The 149 confirmed cases, as of 07/16/2009 compared to 115 reported by the CDC on 07/10/2009 and 92 on 07/02/2009 seems like a lot of community spread is happening, given ID's population. In two weeks, that is 57 more cases, if my math is correct. Almost 1/3 of the confirmed cases have been reported the last two weeks. Of course, we have no way to know how many were hospitalized and how many experienced mild symptoms. It will be interesting to see the numbers at this week's CDC briefing increase again. Although, both the CDC and WHO have announced they will no longer track how many cases each state has, given the overwhelming amount of patients who have had this illness.

I hope this information helps someone. Please feel free to share it with anyone you think will benefit, or direct them to this thread, if it is easier.

And make sure you wash your hands!

MSR

[Mtn. States Resident]

"Four Confirmed Cases of Swine Flu at Idaho Prison"

Four Confirmed Swine Flu Cases at Idaho Prison - KIVITV.COM | Boise. News, Breaking News, Weather and Sports-

According to a spokeswoman for the 1,805 bed prison:

" 'As part of precautionary measures, ' " she added, " 'all transports in and out of the facility are cancelled. Visitation, which is normally scheduled for Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, will be cancelled. No one will be allowed to enter the facility other than staff who are scheduled to work. Visitors and volunteers will not be able to access the facility during the lockdown.' "

I hope this works! Every other prison or group living, such as the Air Force Academy have started with a few then have gone to 100+ in about a week. The prisoners have already been exposed, at least those who have been in contact with these four. Whether or not they will be treated with a prophylactic anti-viral, I don't know. This could increase Idaho's A/H1N1 numbers greatly!

If you know of inmates or workers, please share what you know for them to be able to take what precautions they can. This is a bad situation which could get much worse.

MSR

[Mtn. States Resident]

Just a quick linke to let everyone know the first clinical trials with the new Swine Flu vaccine begin on 07/22 in Australia. It is a good country to initiate a trial, as it has been hard hit. There are probably better sources of information, but I could find this quickly. PLEASE feel free to ADD anything you would like.

CSL Limited: First to Begin Swine Flu Vaccine Trial - Mike Havrilla -- Seeking Alpha

Hemispherx Biopharma is the pharmaceutical company initiating this trial. It should be a trial and company worth watching as the company is using Ampligen, a technology used in immunosuppressed patients. Hopefully, it will boost immunity against A/H1N1 as well.

Good luck to the pharmaceutical company, the P.I. and Teams, and patients who will teach us a lot.

MSR

[Mtn. States Resident]

Do you remember the Utah headlines from the last two weeks stating the peak was over? Perhaps it is, but when two more deaths are reported, I'm still concerned.

I'm not surprised, given information I had. What I can't stand, if you read the SL Trib article, is there are not even a hint of when the one patient died. I suppose it is possible that tissue samples and other samples the lab had to analyze weren't done until this past week, but that doesn't make sense.

I'm greatly sadden to see the pattern I've drawn attention to so many times, including the articles here from the NJM and the pregnant moms in FL, all of whom are sick with A/H1N1. So it doesn't surprised me that one patient was between the ages of 18-39 years old. Again, this age group isn't who is typical to die during the regular flu season. Also, I am really tired of reading, "underlying illnesses." Asthma is considered an underlying illness. If you have allergies or asthma and have been in Salt Lake County to see an Allergy/Asthma specialist, who knows if you were breathing the same air as these patients?

I have no idea what the underlying health issues were for each person. I'm simply trying to illustrate how worn out and outdated, those words are. People want to know where in Salt Lake County these victims resided, worked etc. I don't blame people who want to know some more detailed information. No one is asking for names, or specific medical details. But, naming the neighborhoods and a general statement about whether or not the person was employed and in what (such as healthcare, retail, data processing etc.) that would help many others feel better. However, I won't hold my breath. And I personaly don't agree with the statement given by, health department spokesman Tom Hudachko. I don't think UT's peak is over.

When the state lab stopped counting cases in early June, there was no way to track which areas or neighborhoods in the state were being the most severly exposed, except for those who closed church services/regular camp and other activities limited to certain areas.

Utah is also up in the amount of new patients admitted to hospitals this past week: 14 new patients were admitted to the hospitals the week ending 07/17/09. The previous week it was 10 with no deaths. Certainly, it is a slight change, but hospitals that had finally emptied of A/H1N1 patients are starting to fill up again. This virus is far from over in UT! And as I've written here and told forum members, I don't see how the state border will decrease the amount of cases in eastern, southeastern and southern ID.

I still believe UT is an epicenter to watch for Idaho, WY and MT in particular.

Oh, sorry. Here's the link: "2 more Utahns die from H1N1 flu"

2 more Utahns die from H1N1 flu - Salt Lake Tribune

My empathy for the families and others struggling with the loss of these two women.

PLEASE, stay aware, prepare and take care as A/H1N1 hasn't stopped claiming victims. Who knows who the next one will be? Please take precautions to protect yourself. And please remember to see a doctor ASAP if you or a family member etc. start to experience symptoms.

I want all that have access to this information to please be careful. I for no other reason, if something happened to one of you, the rest of us would have to post about you. Don't you want the chance to post your response back?

Stay cautious, alert and as well as possible. YOU matter to me.

MSR

[Mtn. States Resident]

Props again to KIFI - Channel 8 in Idaho Falls. While the posts are only the AP releases, as I've stated before, I'm glad some media in eastern ID is following the epidemic level of A/H1N1 in Utah! More Idaho residents will be better informed because of it.

Nice work, KIFI. Keep it up.

Deaths related to swine flu in Utah reach 16 - KIFI - Idaho Falls, Pocatello, Jackson WY - Weather News Sports-

MSR

[pimit2]

Hello MSR,

I really enjoy the fresh fruits and vegetables available at this time of the year. I always wash them well in soapy water (usually in Dawn dish soap) and rinse them off well in plain water, but I have a concern. It's possible that people with unclean hands who may have the H1N1 virus are gathering that produce for me. Should I be using additional cleaners? How can I know they are safe to eat? Should I just stay away from them? I need your help with some answers. Thank you.


pimit2 (Bob)

[Mtn. States Resident]

[quote=pimit2;9902757]Hello MSR,

I really enjoy the fresh fruits and vegetables available at this time of the year. I always wash them well in soapy water (usually in Dawn dish soap) and rinse them off well in plain water, but I have a concern. It's possible that people with unclean hands who may have the H1N1 virus are gathering that produce for me. Should I be using additional cleaners? How can I know they are safe to eat? Should I just stay away from them? I need your help with some answers. Thank you.

pimit2 (Bob)

Hi Bob,

Like you, I enjoy the fresh fruits and vegetable available to us during the spring/summer/autumn seasons. It depends on the specific fruit or vegetable, and which months each is available. I probably have less of a passion for many fruits and some vegetables than others, given my severe allergies to them. However, for those fruits and vegetables I can eat, I share many of your concerns.

I'm not qualified to advise you what to do. It sounds like you already work harder cleaning fresh fruits/vegetables than I do. I'm not really sure what additional cleaners you could use that wouldn't be harmful to YOU.

For example, we know Clorox inactivates viruses. However, we don't give Clorox to patients as it would kill them, or do very serious harm to many organs..........I can't even think about that possibility of someone living through a Clorox dosing.

I'd recommend you talk to the University of Idaho extension in CdA. I looked and they have natural science programs as well as nutrition programs. Probably, if it were me, I'd start with those who teach in the four year nutrition program. If they can't help you, then I'd contact the professors who teach in the natural science program at the U. of I. Extension. The U. of I. has extensions in CdA, Twin Falls and Idaho Falls. Certainly, people are contacting them for advice about a lot of garden and outdoor issues. My undstanding is that is part of what the U. of I. faculty is suppose to do in Outreach to the citizens in the area.

Also, your county or regional health department should be able to answer your questions. And you always have your doctor or local hospital Registered Dieticians who can help you.

Sorry I can't be of more help, but I will share a true personal story. Years ago when I was a kid, my grandmothers both made sure my siblings and I knew to wash every piece of fruit or vegetables before we ate them given what they knew about the seasonal workers who picked so much of that fruit.
I don't want to generalize, I just know many migrational workers don't try to obtain the same level of cleanliness that many here do. Some may be neat freaks and make the rest of us look like wimps. Each worker is different.

Growing up on a potato farm (with several other farms part of the acre planted yearly), let me just say after I watched some workers, I'd advise EVERYONE to scrub their delicious Idaho Russets prior to bakingn or cooking another way.

If it were me and I was eating something that came from CA, AZ or UT, let alone Mexico, I'd just assume someone along the way (from field to sorting into boxes/crates etc. to displaying at the grocery store) had been infected with swine flu. A/H1N1 is spreading too fast for the WHO or CDC to keep with the numbers. If you assume someone along the way was either sick or at the least, a carrier of A/H1N1, I don't see how you lose anything. If no one was a carrier, great for you. If they were and you took precautions, it is honestly going to be more and more difficult to localize now where people are exposed, as Idaho's number of confirmed cases is increasing.

I said this very early on in this thread. Doorknobs and openings for doors are my object I focus on. I think more germs/viruses/ and all sorts of bugs/slim/mold and disgusting things get put on door handles as people open doors. Using a hand sanitizer after one touches public doors, or using plastic gloves, or even a tissue or paper towel to open the door makes a lot of sense to me. Not to be grapic or gross here, but to illustrate a point. How many people go to a restroom, wash their hands with soap and water, then open the same door they came through earlier with dirty hands (and so did everyone else), with their freshly washed hands? Has the person improved their potential to NOT be exposued to some bug because they washed their hands? Or, does opening the door with their bare hands negate the careful cleaning in the restroom?

I also think computer keyboards, fax machines, telephones etc. all have same potential when more than one person uses those electronic staples in today's world. Bugs can be everywhere.

I hope this helps. Keep reading and asking questions as we all learn from them.

Thanks and take care of yourself.

MSR

[Mtn. States Resident]

Today is the weekly and last detailed CDC Report to be Released. Unfortunately, the U.S. has gone over 300 people dying from this virus.

CDC H1N1 Flu | CDC H1N1 Flu Update: U.S. Human Cases of H1N1 Flu Infection

Idaho now has 166 confirmed cases - 0 deaths.

Montana has 94 confirmed cases - 0 deaths.

Oregon has 524 confirmed cases - 5 deaths.

Utah stopped counting community cases in early June around 700. The additional 288 cases to make 988 confirmed cases, are from those hospitalized or who died from the virus.

So Utah has 988 confirmed cases - 16 deaths. (I heard about another death, not sure if it is included in the 16 or if it is an additional person who lost his/her life to A/H1N1). These numbers show 2 more deaths since last week.


Washington has 658 confirmed cases - 7 deaths. This is two more deaths than last week.

Wyoming has 111 confirmed cases - 0 deaths.

In Idaho, the seem to be more cases. Fortunately, no one has died. I'd still watch the border states closely, especially WA and UT as both have had two deaths this past week. I'd worry what populations are now being infected and sick enough to be hospitalized.

I guess the good news is the CDC won't break it down by state anymore. However, I think that is bad news. How will we know if one state or area of the country is having a much more severe strain than other areas?

I do understand they have to prepare for all the other influenzas and other infectious diseases during regular flu season. I think the CDC has done the best they can. When states won't sent their data to them, what can the CDC do?

Take care of yourselves and know this wave of the virus is not over yet. We had hoped the heat would inactivate the viurs. We were wrong. It loves the heat. Stay aware of what is happening in your area and neighboring states.

MSR