By Dr. Claire Celiz, M.D.

All of us have heard of the flu before but it was only recently that it has caused quite a scare. As a pediatric resident, I have seen swarms of people come into the emergency room, some of them in near panic, demanding to know if they have it. The Mexican Swine Flu, a type A, subtype H1N1, has reached pandemic proportions, crippling work and academic institutions. The question to ask is: what should we do about it?

The Mexican Swine Flu is a highly infectious disease transmitted by virus-laden droplets, which, in turn, are formed when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets are not suspended in the air for a long period of time, they drop to the ground by gravity.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has established guidelines on identifying and caring for swine flu infection. A previously healthy person needs to be in close contact with a person for less than 1 meter for transmission to occur. All respiratory droplet-contaminated surfaces can be a medium for the disease, and almost all bodily fluids should be considered potentially contagious.

A person is suspected to have swine flu if he or she has a recent onset of at least two of the following: nasal congestion, sore throat, and cough with or without fever. Suspicion is heightened for persons with these symptoms and who, within 7 days of onset,

1. have traveled to a community in the US or internationally where there are one or more cases of confirmed swine flu.
2. have had close contact (within 6 feet) with an ill person who is a confirmed swine influenza case
3. reside in a community where there are one or more confirmed swine flu cases.

If you’re sick right now or know someone who is having these symptoms, and your heart is pounding with fear, relax. There are institutions that can assist you in confirming whether or not you have the disease. The San Lazaro Hospital and the Research Institution for Tropical Medical are our infectious disease centers that are currently equipped with handling and diagnosing swine flu cases. A blood test or nose/ throat swab is all it takes. However, you may be required to be in isolation pending these results.

Should your tests turn out to be positive, consult a specialist immediately. An antiviral medicine will be prescribed for 5 days. Nonetheless, you will still treat it like you would a common flu: drink lots of fluids, take vitamins, and get lots of rest. No hospitalization is required for cases with no complications, but if you have other accompanying illnesses, or if it doesn’t get better despite the treatment, consult a specialist once more.

Flu shots should be given once a year on a regular basis, because different strains become predominantly infectious on an annual basis, based on World Health Organization reports. No vaccine is available at this time for the Mexican Swine Flu.

We in the medical field are currently doing the best we can to control and eradicate this disease. But it is ultimately up to the general populace to help us by prevention through proper hygiene, prompt consultation and taking care of oneself.

Acknowlegment: Medical information herein is from the lecture of Dr. Robert Dennis Garcia, Head of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Section, Makati Medical Center dated July 2, 2009.

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