It Got Me!

Just a heads up that even the most well-informed and prepared people succumb to illness, and I am one of them.
After months of touting how easy it is to prevent yourself from the flu (basic hand-washing and sanitary precautions, people!), I unfortunately found out that it is much easier to catch the flu.
I don't know how or when or where, but all I know is that it got me! And it got me good!
So be warned, but don't panic. You will not die from the "swine flu."
I called my primary care doctor to ask whether or not I ought to come in and they told me it's really up to the person. If you think you WILL die from the flu, please go see your doctor. If you're confident in your abilities to care for it on your own (i.e. drinking fluids, getting rest, taking Tylenol to control fever), then you're probably A-okay.
One tip my doctor's office gave me I found to be particularly helpful is keep track of your daily/hourly body temperature fluctuations with a thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, go buy one from your local pharmacist. Persistent fever is a key indicator of whether or not you need to see a doctor.

More to come as I'm "on the mend"...

Elmo Says, "Swine Flu is BAD!"

I've been a fan of Sesame Street since the beginning. And by "the beginning," I mean my beginning, not Sesame Street's.

Thousands of children have learned the alphabet, counting, lessons on sharing, friendship, and diversity from colorful puppets. And now, Sesame Street characters are getting in on the Public Health action by helping the Department of Health and Human Services with a flu prevention and hygiene campaign directed at small children. And I must say, I am a fan.

Check out the CNN article!

Watch the new Elmo (and Gordon) flu videos! (I'm a sucker for Elmo's cuteness)

HIV: The Elephant in the Room

Human Immunodeficiency Virus, aka HIV, is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). HIV/AIDS lives up to its namesake – causing a deficiency (aka lack or absence) of the immune system. This means the body is unable to fight off infections, from strep throat to cancer.

As of 2007, there were 33 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the world. In the United States along, it’s estimated that there are 1.2 million adults and children living with HIV/AIDS (World Health Organization, 2008 http://www.who.int). About 80% of people living with HIV/AIDS in the US contracted the virus through high-risk sexual contact (e.g. unprotected sex), around 13% through injection drug use (e.g. needle/paraphernalia sharing), and the remainder through a combination of both or other means (CDC, 2006 http://www.cdc.gov).

I wanted to comment on two recent HIV-related news stories, one I posted last week. The United States House of Representatives voted to lift the ban on using taxpayer dollars to fund needle exchange programs. Needle exchange programs work to prevent the spread of HIV by allowing IV drug users to exchange used needles for clean ones. However, there are many opponents to such programs because they believe that by allowing drug users to exchange their needles that we are encouraging them to continue using drugs. I wonder if these are the same people who believe we shouldn’t hand out condoms in schools because it will promote pre-marital sex. My argument is we (and by “we” I mean people who support comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention) are not promoting copious drug use, we’re promoting SAFE drug use. Similarly, we’re not telling teenagers “Here’s a condom, now go have lots of sex,” we’re teaching them to have SAFE sex. HIV/AIDS is a global problem that requires multi-point and multi-method intervention. Why not “nip it in the bud” at the points of transmission in addition to antiretroviral therapy (medicinal treatment for HIV/AIDS) after diagnosis. Additionally, thousands upon thousands of people around the world are living with HIV but don’t know they have it. Antiretroviral therapy is only good if a person is diagnosed. We need to take measures to prevent transmission of HIV, particularly HIV that is unknown.

In other HIV news, researchers have identified a new strain of HIV that is derived from gorillas. Check out the article here. What are the implications of this? HIV is ever-changing. Microbiologically, we need to be aware of the different variants that may emerge in the next few years. Anthropologically, the face of HIV/AIDS has changed and will continue to change. It is not longer a virus that affects vagrants, druggies, prostitutes, and homosexual men. It affects EVERYONE.

Healthiest Nation in One Generation

I think this little video is very clever - check it out!



To find out more, visit http://www.generationpublichealth.org/

Travel Woes

I’ve finally returned from a long week of travel. After 8 flights and 6 airports, I’m thankful to be back to my stomping grounds.

In traveling, I only saw a handful of people wearing masks covering their mouths and noses. I had been expecting more based on the swine flu media frenzy. Of course, it’s unclear whether these mask-donning folks were trying to avoid swine flu, allergy or respiratory disease sufferers, or immuno-compromised.

Perhaps all air travelers should wear masks since international hubs like Dulles pack a lot of people in small terminals and the recycled air on planes may make us all more susceptible to infection.

If I had a nickel for every time someone told me they got sick after air travel, I’d be a millionaire. But the looming question is “why?” Why does air travel make us sick? I’ve already mentioned recycled air and small terminals, but I think there are key mistakes travelers make that cause them to be more susceptible to illness.

• Not drinking enough water. The truth of the matter is when you fly on an air plane you become dehydrated. Staying hydrated may help you avoid upper respiratory and GI illness.

My suggestion: bring a water bottle with you on the plane. The flight attendants can only provide you with so much water on a flight, so bring your own. Yes, it means you may have to ask your neighbor to move so you can get to the lavatory, but trust me, it’s worth it.

• Not eating enough or healthful foods. Many travelers choose to not keep a regular meal schedule when traveling. Yes, airport food prices are expensive, but not getting the calories and nutrients you need for your body to properly function can be detrimental to your health.

My suggestion: bring snacks from home. Many travelers are under the impression that you are not allowed to bring outside food through security. Well, this is not a movie theater, and that rule never stopped you before. Granola bars, nuts, and dried fruit hold up really well and will also provide nutrition that will help keep you “regular”.

• Being stressed out. I get it. Air travel is a stressful thing. Between rushing to a connecting flight, delays, lost baggage, and squishing into a tight space between strangers, air travel can be a major trigger of elevated blood pressure and anxiety. Did you know that elevated stress levels are related to weakened immune functioning? It has to do with elevated hormone (Cortisol) levels and inflammation and little things called cytokines. It’s kind of complicated so I won’t explain in detail, but all you need to know is that stress can make you susceptible to disease.

My suggestion: deal with your stress! I know, easier said than done. Try some deep breathing in your seat. Close your eyes and focus on how your stomach expands and contracts with every breath. Take a walk in the terminal or find a space to do some stretches. Exercise is a great way to combat stress, not to mention it feels great to stretch your legs after sitting for several hours.

If you have any travel tips for avoiding illness, please comment!

Outbreak!

When I was much younger, I saw a movie called, “Outbreak”. You know – the one with Renee Russo and Dustin Hoffman. Monkeys. Virus. Panic. That’s the one.

I LOVED this movie. This movie made me want to be on the front lines of infectious disease control. And, consequently, as an adult, I decided to bravely enter into the field of public health – though much less on the infectious disease side of public health. But my life-long fascination with microscopic organisms has hardly diminished.

Yes, the physiology and adaptability of microbes is something to ogle in amazement. But what really fascinates me is the human reaction to infectious diseases. And I don’t mean immuno-response. Think about it. When people hear any word ending in “demic” (e.g. epidemic, endemic, pandemic), they panic.

So now life is imitating art. Except instead of monkeys the culprits are pigs, and there’s no Renee Russo or Dustin Hoffman to save us. Yes, I’m talking about the Swine Flu. People are panicking worldwide. And why? Because that’s what people do – react before understanding the facts. So here are some facts about Swine Flu that might dispel any myths you may have heard:

1. The swine flu is not a “new” virus. In fact, the CDC estimates about 75% of swine farmers and exhibitors carry antibodies for the swine flu. This means, they were infected with the swine flu at some point in their life.

2. This is not the first swine flu outbreak. In 1976, there was an outbreak of the swine flu among soldiers at Fort Dix, New Jersey.

3. You cannot get the swine flu from eating pork. Swine flu spreads just like any other form of the flu or common cold. So go ahead and eat your BLTs!

4. Your doctor cannot diagnose you with swine flu on the spot. If your doctor suspects swine flu, a blood sample must be sent off to a CDC lab for confirmation.

5. Swine flu is treatable. There are 2 antiviral medications that can treat the current strain of swine flu.

*Source: www.cdc.gov

The CDC gives the following tips for avoiding contracting the swine flu:

· Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the used tissue away immediately.

· Thoroughly and frequently wash your hands with soap and water

· Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth

· Avoid close contact with sick people

· If you get sick, stay home from work or school to avoid contact with other people

These are not ground-breaking tips. They are the same tips given to avoid the common cold. It’s common sense, not rocket science.

In addition to the CDC’s tips, I’d like to offer my own:

1. Avoid over-washing your hands with antibacterial gels and soaps. Viruses can easily adapt and quickly become resistant to antibacterial products if these products are overused.

2. Thorough hand-washing includes making lots of friction and soap suds. I tell kindergartners to sing the alphabet song while they wash their hands so they know they’ve lathered them enough. A simple squirt-and-rinse will not do.

3. Do simple things to boost your immune system. Exercise regularly, eat lots of fruits and veggies, drink plenty of water, and get plenty of sleep.

4. Finally, DON’T PANIC. Learn the facts, and trust that there are professionals trained in infectious disease control doing their job to protect you and your family.

So don’t pack your bags and move to Antarctica. Do what you can to protect yourself and trust that others are doing what they can to protect you too.