H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)

Morphology of H1N1Flu virus ( Swine Flu)

Swine flu is an infection caused by a virus. It's named for a virus that pigs can get. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. The virus is contagious and can spread from human to human. Symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.


There are antiviral medicines you can take to prevent or treat swine flu. There is a vaccine available to protect against swine flu. You can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza by

• Covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

• Washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. You can also use alcohol-based hand cleaners.

• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.

• Trying to avoid close contact with sick people.

• Staying home from work or school if you are sick.

More details see: Clinical Management Protocol and Infection Control Guidelines.

BIOTERRORISM

The threat of Bioterrorism focuses attention on overall preparedness to address the challenges posed by new and reemerging infectious diseases.

What is a Biological Weapon?

The perfect biological organism or biologically derived bioactive substance (BDBS) for use as a weapon should have the following characteristics:

• Highly infectious; requiring only a few organisms to cause the desired effect (e.g. smallpox) or highly effective; requiring a small quantity of material to cause the desired effect (e.g. botox).

• Efficiently dispersible, usually in the air; contagious or effective on contact.

• Readily grown and produced in large quantities.

• Stable in storage; preferably in a ready-to-deliver state.

• Resistant enough to environmental conditions so as to remain infectious or operational long enough to affect the majority of the target, but not so persistent as to affect the occupying army.

• Resistant to treatment; e.g. antibiotics, antibodies, pharmaceutical drugs etc.


Causative agents of Bioterrorism

• Viral agents

1. Encephalitis

2. Haemorrhagic Fever

3. Non-Haemorrhagic fever

• Bacterial agents

• Ricketsia


Approaching towards tackling Bioterrorism: Vector Borne Diseases

Phase I: Data-basing of indigenous parasites/pathogens and vectors

• Surveillance and data-basing of indigenous parasites/pathogens and vectors and their geographical distribution

• Identification of parasites/pathogens and vectors having potential as bioweapons

• Assessment of their relative risks; highly pathogenic v/s less pathogenic vis-a-vis damage.

• Documentation of exotic parasites/pathogens and vectors with potential as bioweapons.

Phase II: Differentiation of Exotic and indigenous parasites/pathogens and vectors: Data Base.

Differentiation of exotic parasites/pathogens and vectors from indeigenous ones. Information base establishment.

• Morphological

• Serological and

• Molecular data-basing of exotic and indigenous parasites/pathogens and vectors.

• Development of protocols for collection, packing, transportation, processing and safe disposal of suspected materials.

Phase III: Infra-structure development and establishment:

Development/establishment of diagnosic techniques for parasites/pathogens and vectors.

• PCR assays: Listing of primers, synthesis and reagent banking: PCR and reference (+ve and -ve) reagents and other essential chemicals.

• Optimization of PCR assays.

• Institution/Organization Indentification, Human resource Development and Net-working

• Establishment of Biosafety facilities: P3 and P4 facilities according to level of risk involved, to handle high-risk pathogens/parasites.

Source: Thanks to VCRC