SWINE FLU - Bookletramanweil.com/pdf/knowledge bank/SWINE FLU - Booklet.pdf · 2018-01-12 ·...
Transcript of SWINE FLU - Bookletramanweil.com/pdf/knowledge bank/SWINE FLU - Booklet.pdf · 2018-01-12 ·...
S wine � u had the world on tenter-
hooks in 2009. It was triggered
by the in� uenza A virus H1N1:
in� uenza viruses from birds, pigs,
and humans that blended together
to form a new kind of virus. How did
the pandemic progress, and how did the
international community react? What
follows is a timeline of the events.
MID-APRIL 2009
Mexican doctors begin to notice un-
usual cases of � u, with young people in
particular being severely affected. Some
of the patients have to be put on arti-
! cial respiration in intensive care. The
cases occur across the federal district
of Mexico City, as well as throughout
the states of Baja California, San Luis
Potosí, and Oaxaca.
APRIL 21
The ! rst two cases in the USA are re-
ported. The patients are two children in
California, near the Mexican border.
APRIL 23
American and Canadian laboratories
con! rm that a new virus called H1N1
is responsible for the recent in� uenza
epidemic.
APRIL 24
Mexico is in shock: the ! rst deaths
occur as a result of severe lung damage.
The government orders the closure of
all schools. A day later, the USA reports
eight patients with the virus, six of
whom are in southern California and
two in Texas. The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) equip
the US states with antiviral medication.
APRIL 25
The WHO in Geneva releases an of! -
cial statement warning of an in� uenza
pandemic. It divides pandemics of this
nature into six phases and determines
which measures individual countries
should implement to combat the
disease. This might include the pro-
duction of vaccines, the distribution of
protective masks, the closure of public
buildings, and the development of
national emergency plans. The world is
currently in Phase 4, which means there
is a growing risk of a pandemic.
APRIL 27
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger de-
clares a state of emergency in California.
The US President Barack Obama re-
quests that the Congress allocate 1.5 bil-
lion dollars to combating the pandemic.
Meanwhile, swine � u has reached
Europe. In Spain and the UK, doctors
detect the virus in three people who
have recently returned from trips to
Mexico. The British authorities require
all travelers entering the country from
Mexico to be tested for swine � u symp-
toms before they exit the airplane.
APRIL 28
The virus reaches further regions of the
world: in New Zealand, for instance, it
is detected in fourteen people, in Israel
in two. All of the patients had previ-
ously traveled to Mexico. Russia, Hong
Kong, and Taiwan impose a quarantine
on travelers in transit who demonstrate
symptoms of swine � u. Cuba discon-
tinues air travel to and from Mexico
for 48 hours. In Mexico City, factories,
cinemas, theaters, and universities are
now closed, too.
APRIL 29
The ! rst three cases are identi! ed in
Germany. The patients caught the virus
during a visit to Mexico. In the US state
of Texas, a young child from Mexico
dies of the virus. On the same day, the
German tabloid newspaper “BILD”
runs with the headline: “Swine Flu
Virus Can’t Be Stopped.”
APRIL 30
The WHO raises the pandemic risk to
Phase 5, the second-highest level. “All
of humanity is under threat during a
pandemic,” warns the Director-Gener-
al, Dr. Margaret Chan. According to
the WHO, there are now 236 con! rmed
cases around the world, 27 of which are
in the EU.
MAY 2
The Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
orders all pigs in the country to be
slaughtered. The WHO emphasizes that
this move is unnecessary. The planned
cull causes riots in Egypt.
MAY 4
There are now approximately 1,100
identi! ed cases of the illness in 21 coun-
tries, eight of which are in Germany.
In New Zealand, patients with swine
� u symptoms arriving at a hospital by
car are expected to honk their horn
three times to warn hospital staff of
their arrival. In Bangkok und Tokyo,
travelers are required to pass through a
thermal scanner. At the airport in Paris,
the baggage handlers refuse to unload
luggage from planes arriving from
Mexico or Spain.
MAY 7
Mexico slowly returns to normality.
The authorities reopen tourist attrac-
tions after days of being kept closed.
Supervisory staff in public buildings are
nonetheless instructed to continue to
wear protective masks and to prevent
large gatherings from taking place.
MAY 8
For the ! rst time, a German traveler is
infected during a trip to the USA. There
are now approximately 3,200 cases of
“All of humanity is under threat during a pandemic.”— Margaret Chan,
Director-General of the WHO
the disease around the world, and 44
people have died.
MAY 16
Swine � u reaches Japan. After just a
few days, the authorities report more
than 120 cases. Hundreds of schools
are closed. Marie-Paule Kieny, Director
of the WHO’s Initiative for Vaccine Re-
search, fears a vaccine shortage: “Even
if the production of the vaccine against
this new virus gets off the ground
quickly, we would still have a shortage
of billions of dosages if a severe pan-
demic were to occur. There would be
nothing left over for poor countries.”
JUNE 7
The Chinese authorities implement
strict safety precautions for the univer-
sity admission exams currently being
held across China: every exam room
has to be disinfected twice a day and
each of the ten million students taking
the exams must have their temperature
taken before the exam.
JUNE 11
The WHO categorizes swine � u as a
pandemic and raises its warning level
to Phase 6, the highest possible level.
Nearly 30,000 infections in a total of 74
countries have been reported. The epi-
center of the virus is in North America,
with more than 21,000 cases. In total,
over 140 patients have already died.
JUNE 16
The ! rst vaccine speci! cally developed
to protect people from swine � u is
about to hit the market. A US pharma-
ceutical company plans to begin selling
the medication in July.
AUGUST 19
The German government announces that
up to 35 million of its citizens are to be
vaccinated beginning in the fall – the ! rst
people to receive the vaccine will be the
chronically ill, pregnant women, medical
personnel, police, and ! remen. The in-
surance companies will cover the costs.
AUGUST 28
According to the WHO, the number of
swine � u infections is on the decline in
the southern hemisphere. The northern
hemisphere, on the other hand, should
brace itself for a second wave of the
disease.
SEPTEMBER 15
The US government gives the green
light for the use of vaccines to combat
swine � u and orders 250 million doses.
The vaccines are to be provided to
people free of charge.
OCTOBER 24
The American President Barack
Obama speaks of a national state of
emergency. “Our response to the H1N1
� u virus is to be prepared at all levels –
individually, in companies, and in the
government,” says the White House.
Meanwhile, there are signi! cant bottle-
necks in the delivery of the vaccine.
The media describe a state of chaos as
people attempt to get vaccinated.
OCTOBER 26
Mass vaccinations begin in Germany. It is
to be the largest vaccination campaign in
the country’s history. However, people are
skeptical: a survey conducted by the health
insurance companies indicates that 60 per-
cent of those surveyed do not intend to get
vaccinated. One of the reasons for this is a
debate about the side effects of the vaccine.
Meanwhile, a second wave of swine � u hits
Germany at the beginning of November.
Total number of deaths
Bird
Influenza A viruses
Mutation of the virus
Mutationof the virus
H1N1 virus
Pig
Human
1 – 10
11 – 50
51 – 100
101 or more
Countries affected Sources: WHO, Robert Koch Institute
SPREAD OF SWINE FLU UP TO AUGUST 2010Transmission from animals to humans
The origins of H1N1
2726
DISCOVERY + RESEARCHDISCOVERY + RESEARCH WHAT WE CARE ABOUT. The Magazine of the HARTMANN GROUP WHAT WE CARE ABOUT. The Magazine of the HARTMANN GROUP
S wine � u had the world on tenter-
hooks in 2009. It was triggered
by the in� uenza A virus H1N1:
in� uenza viruses from birds, pigs,
and humans that blended together
to form a new kind of virus. How did
the pandemic progress, and how did the
international community react? What
follows is a timeline of the events.
MID-APRIL 2009
Mexican doctors begin to notice un-
usual cases of � u, with young people in
particular being severely affected. Some
of the patients have to be put on arti-
! cial respiration in intensive care. The
cases occur across the federal district
of Mexico City, as well as throughout
the states of Baja California, San Luis
Potosí, and Oaxaca.
APRIL 21
The ! rst two cases in the USA are re-
ported. The patients are two children in
California, near the Mexican border.
APRIL 23
American and Canadian laboratories
con! rm that a new virus called H1N1
is responsible for the recent in� uenza
epidemic.
APRIL 24
Mexico is in shock: the ! rst deaths
occur as a result of severe lung damage.
The government orders the closure of
all schools. A day later, the USA reports
eight patients with the virus, six of
whom are in southern California and
two in Texas. The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) equip
the US states with antiviral medication.
APRIL 25
The WHO in Geneva releases an of! -
cial statement warning of an in� uenza
pandemic. It divides pandemics of this
nature into six phases and determines
which measures individual countries
should implement to combat the
disease. This might include the pro-
duction of vaccines, the distribution of
protective masks, the closure of public
buildings, and the development of
national emergency plans. The world is
currently in Phase 4, which means there
is a growing risk of a pandemic.
APRIL 27
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger de-
clares a state of emergency in California.
The US President Barack Obama re-
quests that the Congress allocate 1.5 bil-
lion dollars to combating the pandemic.
Meanwhile, swine � u has reached
Europe. In Spain and the UK, doctors
detect the virus in three people who
have recently returned from trips to
Mexico. The British authorities require
all travelers entering the country from
Mexico to be tested for swine � u symp-
toms before they exit the airplane.
APRIL 28
The virus reaches further regions of the
world: in New Zealand, for instance, it
is detected in fourteen people, in Israel
in two. All of the patients had previ-
ously traveled to Mexico. Russia, Hong
Kong, and Taiwan impose a quarantine
on travelers in transit who demonstrate
symptoms of swine � u. Cuba discon-
tinues air travel to and from Mexico
for 48 hours. In Mexico City, factories,
cinemas, theaters, and universities are
now closed, too.
APRIL 29
The ! rst three cases are identi! ed in
Germany. The patients caught the virus
during a visit to Mexico. In the US state
of Texas, a young child from Mexico
dies of the virus. On the same day, the
German tabloid newspaper “BILD”
runs with the headline: “Swine Flu
Virus Can’t Be Stopped.”
APRIL 30
The WHO raises the pandemic risk to
Phase 5, the second-highest level. “All
of humanity is under threat during a
pandemic,” warns the Director-Gener-
al, Dr. Margaret Chan. According to
the WHO, there are now 236 con! rmed
cases around the world, 27 of which are
in the EU.
MAY 2
The Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
orders all pigs in the country to be
slaughtered. The WHO emphasizes that
this move is unnecessary. The planned
cull causes riots in Egypt.
MAY 4
There are now approximately 1,100
identi! ed cases of the illness in 21 coun-
tries, eight of which are in Germany.
In New Zealand, patients with swine
� u symptoms arriving at a hospital by
car are expected to honk their horn
three times to warn hospital staff of
their arrival. In Bangkok und Tokyo,
travelers are required to pass through a
thermal scanner. At the airport in Paris,
the baggage handlers refuse to unload
luggage from planes arriving from
Mexico or Spain.
MAY 7
Mexico slowly returns to normality.
The authorities reopen tourist attrac-
tions after days of being kept closed.
Supervisory staff in public buildings are
nonetheless instructed to continue to
wear protective masks and to prevent
large gatherings from taking place.
MAY 8
For the ! rst time, a German traveler is
infected during a trip to the USA. There
are now approximately 3,200 cases of
“All of humanity is under threat during a pandemic.”— Margaret Chan,
Director-General of the WHO
the disease around the world, and 44
people have died.
MAY 16
Swine � u reaches Japan. After just a
few days, the authorities report more
than 120 cases. Hundreds of schools
are closed. Marie-Paule Kieny, Director
of the WHO’s Initiative for Vaccine Re-
search, fears a vaccine shortage: “Even
if the production of the vaccine against
this new virus gets off the ground
quickly, we would still have a shortage
of billions of dosages if a severe pan-
demic were to occur. There would be
nothing left over for poor countries.”
JUNE 7
The Chinese authorities implement
strict safety precautions for the univer-
sity admission exams currently being
held across China: every exam room
has to be disinfected twice a day and
each of the ten million students taking
the exams must have their temperature
taken before the exam.
JUNE 11
The WHO categorizes swine � u as a
pandemic and raises its warning level
to Phase 6, the highest possible level.
Nearly 30,000 infections in a total of 74
countries have been reported. The epi-
center of the virus is in North America,
with more than 21,000 cases. In total,
over 140 patients have already died.
JUNE 16
The ! rst vaccine speci! cally developed
to protect people from swine � u is
about to hit the market. A US pharma-
ceutical company plans to begin selling
the medication in July.
AUGUST 19
The German government announces that
up to 35 million of its citizens are to be
vaccinated beginning in the fall – the ! rst
people to receive the vaccine will be the
chronically ill, pregnant women, medical
personnel, police, and ! remen. The in-
surance companies will cover the costs.
AUGUST 28
According to the WHO, the number of
swine � u infections is on the decline in
the southern hemisphere. The northern
hemisphere, on the other hand, should
brace itself for a second wave of the
disease.
SEPTEMBER 15
The US government gives the green
light for the use of vaccines to combat
swine � u and orders 250 million doses.
The vaccines are to be provided to
people free of charge.
OCTOBER 24
The American President Barack
Obama speaks of a national state of
emergency. “Our response to the H1N1
� u virus is to be prepared at all levels –
individually, in companies, and in the
government,” says the White House.
Meanwhile, there are signi! cant bottle-
necks in the delivery of the vaccine.
The media describe a state of chaos as
people attempt to get vaccinated.
OCTOBER 26
Mass vaccinations begin in Germany. It is
to be the largest vaccination campaign in
the country’s history. However, people are
skeptical: a survey conducted by the health
insurance companies indicates that 60 per-
cent of those surveyed do not intend to get
vaccinated. One of the reasons for this is a
debate about the side effects of the vaccine.
Meanwhile, a second wave of swine � u hits
Germany at the beginning of November.
Total number of deaths
Bird
Influenza A viruses
Mutation of the virus
Mutationof the virus
H1N1 virus
Pig
Human
1 – 10
11 – 50
51 – 100
101 or more
Countries affected Sources: WHO, Robert Koch Institute
SPREAD OF SWINE FLU UP TO AUGUST 2010Transmission from animals to humans
The origins of H1N1
2726
DISCOVERY + RESEARCHDISCOVERY + RESEARCH WHAT WE CARE ABOUT. The Magazine of the HARTMANN GROUP WHAT WE CARE ABOUT. The Magazine of the HARTMANN GROUP
The shape of the H1N1 virus
under the microscope varies
from image to image.
NOVEMBER 25
The hajj – the pilgrimage of Muslims
to Mecca – begins in Saudi Arabia.
Three million pilgrims from 160 coun-
tries are expected. This time, when
they arrive, they are given surgical
masks and disinfectant. As a precau-
tion, however, the Tunisian government
prohibits its citizens from traveling
to Mecca.
DECEMBER 6
Panic breaks out in the Russian city of
Saratov, where 30 people have died of
swine � u. A student spreads the rumor
that they actually died of pneumonic
plague. It takes the authorities days to
reassure the terri! ed citizens.
DECEMBER 30
The Robert Koch Institute reports that
the number of infections in Germany
has been steadily decreasing since
mid-November. A study conducted by
researchers in the UK likewise provides
grounds for cautious optimism, stating
that only 0.02 percent of swine � u
infections thus far have resulted in
fatalities.
MARCH 5, 2010
The number of swine � u cases around
the world has decreased sharply. The
German government consequently
decides to sell the millions of leftover
doses of the swine � u vaccine Pandem-
rix to other countries. The negotiations
come to nothing, however, and in 2011,
16 million expired doses of the vaccine
are incinerated in Germany.
AUGUST 10
The WHO of! cially declares an end to
the pandemic. In total, 18,400 people
died of swine � u around the world, 258
of them in Germany – it was originally
predicted that at least two million
people would die. Even so, the swine � u
virus has not been eradicated, and ex-
perts warn that resistant versions of the
pathogen could spark new epidemics
anywhere in the world. •
SPANISH FLU
Soldiers as carriers
Spanish fl u ravaged every
continent in the world from 1918
to 1920. It cost 50 million people
their lives and is still the worst
pandemic in modern history.
The patients presented typical fl u
symptoms; in the worst cases,
they also had pneumonia. After
the pandemic, doctors observed
an increased number of cases of
Encephalitis lethargica, a kind
of meningitis that can cause
paralysis, involuntary twitching,
and psychosis. Doctors assumed
that these symptoms were after-
effects of the fl u virus. Modern
analyses indicate that the
pathogen that caused Spanish
fl u is closely related to the swine
fl u virus.
Although the name suggests
otherwise, the roots of Spanish
fl u were in the USA. During the
First World War, infected soldiers
spread the virus throughout
Europe. The disease was known
as Spanish fl u because it was
primarily the media in Spain that
reported on it, while censorship
prevented more extensive report-
ing in other countries: the fear
was that headlines of a pandemic
would lower the morale of the
soldiers at the front.
THE PLAGUE
The Black Death
The plague fi rst appeared in
Egypt in the sixth century. From
there, it reached Constantinople
and eventually spread across the
entire Mediterranean region. In
the Middle Ages, another wave
of the plague – then known as
the Black Death – carried off
a third of Europe’s population.
Between 1347 and 1352 alone,
approximately 25 million people
fell victim to the disease. The most
recent plague pandemic broke
out in southern China in the late
19th century and had cost approx-
imately 12 million people their
lives by the end of the Second
World War.
The pathogen that causes the
bubonic plague is a bacterium
known as Yersinia pestis, named
after its discoverer, Alexandre Yer-
sin. Originally, the plague was a
disease found in rodents that was
generally transmitted to humans
by the rat fl ea. Person-to-person
transmission occurs by way of
droplet infection. If the plague
goes untreated, the concentration
of bacteria in the blood increases
to such a degree that the body’s
immune system fails. The result is
septic shock. Today, the illness,
which still occurs in isolated
outbreaks in the USA and Africa,
can be treated with antibiotics.
If caught early, the chances of
recovery are good.
SMALLPOX
Danger now eradicated
Smallpox, or variola, is believed
to have come to Europe in 165
CE when Roman legionnaires
returned from a campaign in Mes-
opotamia. The disease then spread
from the Danube to the Rhine, and
the result was widespread death
over the course of 24 years.
Beginning in the 15th century,
European conquerors carried the
smallpox virus to America, where
it triggered devastating epidemics
among the indigenous popula-
tion, killing millions. Right up to
the 1950s, smallpox epidemics
still occurred in Europe, such as in
Heidelberg in 1958.
The symptoms of those in-
fected were pustules and blisters
that broke out all over the body.
In severe cases, patients would
go blind, deaf, or suffer brain
damage. 30 percent of those
infected died.
In 1967, the WHO made
vaccination against smallpox
mandatory. The last known
smallpox outbreak occurred in
Somalia in 1977.
CHOLERA
The longest pandemic
Strictly speaking, the cases of
cholera that occurred in the 19th
century weren’t a pandemic, but
a series of localized epidemics.
These epidemics occurred
throughout Europe over the
course of the century and cost
many thousands of lives. The
disease originally came to Europe
from India in the late 18th century.
Then in 1830, Russian troops car-
ried cholera from Asia to Europe,
where it repeatedly devastated
entire regions.
The Greek word choléra means
biliary vomiting and diarrhea.
The pathogen that causes the
illness is the Vibrio cholerae
bacterium. Infection generally
occurs as a result of contaminated
food or drinking water. People
infected with cholera have severe
diarrhea and vomiting, which can
lead to dehydration. It is therefore
particularly important to provide
patients with suf cient fl uids,
sugar, and salts – usually intrave-
nously. In severe cases, patients
may also need antibiotics.
The disease is still prevalent
in Latin America and Africa. It
caused particular devastation in
2010, after the earthquake in Haiti.
SCOURGES OF HUMANITYThe fear of pandemics is thousands of years old. Before scientists tracked down the causes of
these diseases and discovered cures, people had few options besides prayer. Here’s an overview
of the most devastating pandemics.
Pathogens that cause dangerous
diseases are now stored in protected
laboratories.
28
DISCOVERY + RESEARCHDISCOVERY + RESEARCH WHAT WE CARE ABOUT. The Magazine of the HARTMANN GROUP WHAT WE CARE ABOUT. The Magazine of the HARTMANN GROUP
The shape of the H1N1 virus
under the microscope varies
from image to image.
NOVEMBER 25
The hajj – the pilgrimage of Muslims
to Mecca – begins in Saudi Arabia.
Three million pilgrims from 160 coun-
tries are expected. This time, when
they arrive, they are given surgical
masks and disinfectant. As a precau-
tion, however, the Tunisian government
prohibits its citizens from traveling
to Mecca.
DECEMBER 6
Panic breaks out in the Russian city of
Saratov, where 30 people have died of
swine � u. A student spreads the rumor
that they actually died of pneumonic
plague. It takes the authorities days to
reassure the terri! ed citizens.
DECEMBER 30
The Robert Koch Institute reports that
the number of infections in Germany
has been steadily decreasing since
mid-November. A study conducted by
researchers in the UK likewise provides
grounds for cautious optimism, stating
that only 0.02 percent of swine � u
infections thus far have resulted in
fatalities.
MARCH 5, 2010
The number of swine � u cases around
the world has decreased sharply. The
German government consequently
decides to sell the millions of leftover
doses of the swine � u vaccine Pandem-
rix to other countries. The negotiations
come to nothing, however, and in 2011,
16 million expired doses of the vaccine
are incinerated in Germany.
AUGUST 10
The WHO of! cially declares an end to
the pandemic. In total, 18,400 people
died of swine � u around the world, 258
of them in Germany – it was originally
predicted that at least two million
people would die. Even so, the swine � u
virus has not been eradicated, and ex-
perts warn that resistant versions of the
pathogen could spark new epidemics
anywhere in the world. •
SPANISH FLU
Soldiers as carriers
Spanish fl u ravaged every
continent in the world from 1918
to 1920. It cost 50 million people
their lives and is still the worst
pandemic in modern history.
The patients presented typical fl u
symptoms; in the worst cases,
they also had pneumonia. After
the pandemic, doctors observed
an increased number of cases of
Encephalitis lethargica, a kind
of meningitis that can cause
paralysis, involuntary twitching,
and psychosis. Doctors assumed
that these symptoms were after-
effects of the fl u virus. Modern
analyses indicate that the
pathogen that caused Spanish
fl u is closely related to the swine
fl u virus.
Although the name suggests
otherwise, the roots of Spanish
fl u were in the USA. During the
First World War, infected soldiers
spread the virus throughout
Europe. The disease was known
as Spanish fl u because it was
primarily the media in Spain that
reported on it, while censorship
prevented more extensive report-
ing in other countries: the fear
was that headlines of a pandemic
would lower the morale of the
soldiers at the front.
THE PLAGUE
The Black Death
The plague fi rst appeared in
Egypt in the sixth century. From
there, it reached Constantinople
and eventually spread across the
entire Mediterranean region. In
the Middle Ages, another wave
of the plague – then known as
the Black Death – carried off
a third of Europe’s population.
Between 1347 and 1352 alone,
approximately 25 million people
fell victim to the disease. The most
recent plague pandemic broke
out in southern China in the late
19th century and had cost approx-
imately 12 million people their
lives by the end of the Second
World War.
The pathogen that causes the
bubonic plague is a bacterium
known as Yersinia pestis, named
after its discoverer, Alexandre Yer-
sin. Originally, the plague was a
disease found in rodents that was
generally transmitted to humans
by the rat fl ea. Person-to-person
transmission occurs by way of
droplet infection. If the plague
goes untreated, the concentration
of bacteria in the blood increases
to such a degree that the body’s
immune system fails. The result is
septic shock. Today, the illness,
which still occurs in isolated
outbreaks in the USA and Africa,
can be treated with antibiotics.
If caught early, the chances of
recovery are good.
SMALLPOX
Danger now eradicated
Smallpox, or variola, is believed
to have come to Europe in 165
CE when Roman legionnaires
returned from a campaign in Mes-
opotamia. The disease then spread
from the Danube to the Rhine, and
the result was widespread death
over the course of 24 years.
Beginning in the 15th century,
European conquerors carried the
smallpox virus to America, where
it triggered devastating epidemics
among the indigenous popula-
tion, killing millions. Right up to
the 1950s, smallpox epidemics
still occurred in Europe, such as in
Heidelberg in 1958.
The symptoms of those in-
fected were pustules and blisters
that broke out all over the body.
In severe cases, patients would
go blind, deaf, or suffer brain
damage. 30 percent of those
infected died.
In 1967, the WHO made
vaccination against smallpox
mandatory. The last known
smallpox outbreak occurred in
Somalia in 1977.
CHOLERA
The longest pandemic
Strictly speaking, the cases of
cholera that occurred in the 19th
century weren’t a pandemic, but
a series of localized epidemics.
These epidemics occurred
throughout Europe over the
course of the century and cost
many thousands of lives. The
disease originally came to Europe
from India in the late 18th century.
Then in 1830, Russian troops car-
ried cholera from Asia to Europe,
where it repeatedly devastated
entire regions.
The Greek word choléra means
biliary vomiting and diarrhea.
The pathogen that causes the
illness is the Vibrio cholerae
bacterium. Infection generally
occurs as a result of contaminated
food or drinking water. People
infected with cholera have severe
diarrhea and vomiting, which can
lead to dehydration. It is therefore
particularly important to provide
patients with suf cient fl uids,
sugar, and salts – usually intrave-
nously. In severe cases, patients
may also need antibiotics.
The disease is still prevalent
in Latin America and Africa. It
caused particular devastation in
2010, after the earthquake in Haiti.
SCOURGES OF HUMANITYThe fear of pandemics is thousands of years old. Before scientists tracked down the causes of
these diseases and discovered cures, people had few options besides prayer. Here’s an overview
of the most devastating pandemics.
Pathogens that cause dangerous
diseases are now stored in protected
laboratories.
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DISCOVERY + RESEARCHDISCOVERY + RESEARCH WHAT WE CARE ABOUT. The Magazine of the HARTMANN GROUP WHAT WE CARE ABOUT. The Magazine of the HARTMANN GROUP
BODE PRODUCTS: BEST AMMUNITION AGAINST ‘SWINE FLU’
As you know, Swine flu virus is a new Influenza Virus, which for the first time, has been detected in pigs and has been confirmed that it transmits from human to human. Infective time is primarily 5 days. Effective vaccine against this virus has not been derived. In the meanwhile, the WHO has raised an alert to “phase 5” and preventively called on all countries to make provisions for an influenza pandemic. Influenza A virus is the most frequent causing agent of influenza epidemics
Influenza A virus:
Orthomyxovirus of type A; is the most common pathogen of influenza epidemics.
Influenza A viruses damages the mucous membrane, thus facilitating bacteria to enter the body. They have a spike-like surface structure formed by the glycoproteins hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). So far, there have been 16 hemagglutinin and 9 neuraminidase subtypes identified, which may occur in any combination. Influenza A viruses are able to remain infectious on inanimate surfaces for 24 hours. From there, they may be transferred and spread via the hands. Influenza virus: (incl. A(H1N1), A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2), A(H5N1), A(H5N5), A(H5N6), A(H5N8), A(H7N9), A(H10N8)) (enveloped virus). These viruses have glycoproteins on their envelope, which are potential targets for external influences. Influenza virus is classified in three genera (A, B, C) and belongs to the family of Orthomyxoviridae. It is enveloped and has a spherical shape. Influenza viruses trigger influenza and respiratory infections respectively. The symptoms depend on the virus genus (A and B severe courses, C less severe courses). Severe influenza can cause primary viral pneumonia. Infections can be triggered by seasonal and zoonotic influenza viruses. Influenza viruses of the A and B genera may elicit epidemics and pandemics periodically. Zoonotic infections, for example avian or swine flu, are caused by influenza A viruses. So far, the avian and porcine subtypes of the influenza A viruses have not well adapted to humans. However, they may be transmitted to humans when having close contact with infected, ill or dead animals.
Transmission mainly occurs via droplets or particles in the air. Hygiene Recommendations: German Robert Koch-Institute recommends that separate rooms should be provided in hospitals, persons having direct contact to the patients should protect themselves with a protective gown, disposable gloves, and a tight multilayer mouth / nose protection. The Influenza A / H1N1 is an enveloped virus. Disinfectants with proven virucidal activity against enveloped virus can be used here. Hand Disinfection:
1) Hand disinfection products recommended are Sterillium, and Sterillium Gel. 2) Disinfection of hands after direct contact with patients, contact with pathogenic
material, or contaminated objects before and after removing gloves, prior to leaving the air lock.
Surface Disinfection:
1) Daily wipe disinfection of the hand surfaces near the patients. (e.g. Bedside tables, wet areas, door knobs, etc.).
2) Other surfaces also have to be decontaminated. Medical devices that are used in patients directly should be disposable type or must be disinfected after use. Products recommended are Kohrsolin Extra (Bacillocid Extra), Mikrobac Forte, Bacillol 25, Korsolex Plus (Fogg), Bacillocid Special, etc.
Instrument Disinfection: 1) Instruments to be rinsed and then dipped in prepared solution, of Korsolex Rapid, or Korsolex Plus, as per the directions given in the literature. 2) Then re-rinse with potable drinking water, before use.