The thyroid gland makes and releases two hormones into the body called tri-iodothyronine and thyroxine. These hormones regulates functions in the body, including metabolism. Thyroid hormones also influence nearly every organ in the body, telling the organ how fast or slow to operate.

Hypothyroidism symptoms include weakness, depression, weight gain, and fatigue while hyperthyroidism symptoms include a rapid heartbeat, shaky hands, weight loss, and irritability. People who are living with either of these thyroid problems, face enormous challenges. A doctor may prescribe thyroid therapy, and suggest dietary changes that may help.

Fortunately, the development of new treatment methods has helped many people live comfortably with either condition.
A person with either hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism would likely be referred to an endocrinologist by their primary doctor. An endocrinologists treats diseases that affect the glands, which in turn involve many systems within the body. There are many resources online for anyone who believes they may be suffering from either of these two conditions, but only a doctor can complete the required tests to make an accurate diagnosis.

There are several steps you can take to prepare yourself and everyone around pandemic influenza. It is important to take into account problems that could face, particularly if the pandemic is severe.

Use a list of planning to ensure planning for the impact a flu pandemic could cause in your life, your family and your business development.

For more information relating to individuals, families and workplaces in particular, and for more information about schools, health care providers, community organizations and governments, see Plan and Prepare.

In addition, there are some actions you can take to stay healthy, such as washing hands frequently, cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, and avoid direct contact with sick people.

How are we preparing?

The United States is working with other countries and the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen systems to detect outbreaks of influenza that could start a pandemic. View activities worldwide.

The effects of a pandemic can be lessened if preparations are made well in advance. Are preparing information for the preparation and planning lists for various sectors of society, which includes information for individuals and families. View Plan and Prepare.

HHS and other federal agencies are providing funding, advice and other support to their state to assist with the planning and pandemic preparedness. In this site there is information on planning and co-state / federal, which includes links to state plans for a pandemic. View local and state planning.

The federal government provides the public with information and updated guidance through the public media and this website in case of pandemic influenza.

What would the impact of a pandemic?

A pandemic may come and go in waves, each of which can last six to eight weeks.

An especially severe influenza pandemic could lead to high levels of illness, death, social disruption and economic loss. Everyday life would be seriously affected because so many people in so many different places would be found seriously ill at the same time. Impacts can range from closing schools and businesses, to the interruption of basic services like public transport and food distribution.

A significant proportion of the world population will require some form of medical care. Health centers can overflow, producing a shortage of staff, beds, ventilators and other supplies in hospitals. It may be necessary to put non-traditional locations such as schools for use as hospitals cope with demand.

It is likely that the need exceeds the supply of vaccines and it is likely that the supply of antiviral drugs is not sufficient at the beginning of the pandemic. It must make difficult decisions regarding who gets antiviral drugs and vaccines.

Mortality rates are determined by four factors: the number of people have been infected, the virulence of the virus, the underlying characteristics and vulnerability of affected populations and the availability and effectiveness of preventive measures.

Currently not available a commercial vaccine to protect humans against influenza A (H1N1) influenza virus. The H1N1 virus of swine influenza is very different from the H1N1 virus in humans and, for this reason, vaccines against seasonal flu does not offer protection against H1N1 influenza virus.

Antiviral Drugs

If you get sick, antiviral drugs can relieve their illness and make you feel better quickly. They can also help prevent serious complications of influenza.

For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if you start taking them immediately after getting sick, and you may not take effect if you start making more than 48 hours after the onset of the disease.

The influenza antiviral medications can also be used to prevent influenza when administered to a person who is not sick, but that has been or is near a person with influenza virus.

When they are used to prevent the flu, antiviral drugs have an effectiveness of about 70% to 90%. When used for prevention, the number of days during which to be used varies with each person’s particular situation.

There are four different types of antiviral drugs permitted for use in the U.S.. UU. for the treatment of influenza. At this time, CDC recommends using oseltamivir (brand name Tamiflu ®) or zanamivir (brand name Relenza ®) for treatment and / or prevention of infection with swine influenza virus. Two other antiviral medications, amantadine and rimantadine, are effective in treating the most recent viruses of swine flu in humans.

Human Infection with Swine Influenza Virus

The swine flu viruses usually do not infect humans. However, there have been cases of swine flu infection in humans sporadically. Mostly, these cases occur in people who have direct contact with pigs (eg, children near the pigs at a fair or swine industry workers).

The spread of swine flu among humans is also possible. It is believed that this occurs in the same way that develops a seasonal flu in people, ie mainly through coughing and sneezing of those infected with influenza virus. People can be spread by touching something infected with influenza virus and then touching their mouth or nose.

Previously, CDC received reports of approximately one case of human infection with swine influenza virus every one to two years in the U.S.. UU. But from December 2005 until February 2009, reported 12 cases of human infection of swine influenza.

The swine influenza virus is not spread through food. No swine influenza can be spread by eating pork or pork products. Eating pork is properly cooked and handled securely. Cooking the pork to an internal temperature of 160 ° F will kill the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.

Symptoms

It is estimated that symptoms of swine flu in humans are similar to typical symptoms of seasonal influenza in humans and include fever, lethargy, loss of appetite and cough. Some people with swine influenza have also shown symptoms as runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Diagnosis

To diagnose the spread of swine influenza A, usually necessary to collect a breath sample within the first 4-5 days of illness (when the infected person is more likely to be contagious). However, some people, especially children, may still be contagious for 10 days or more. To confirm the presence of swine influenza virus requires sending the sample to the CDC laboratory for testing.

A pandemic is an outbreak of a disease that spreads worldwide. An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus to which people have little or no immunity and for which no vaccines are available.

The disease spreads easily from person to person, causes serious illness and can spread throughout the country and the world in no time. An influenza pandemic may be caused by swine influenza virus (pigs) or avian (bird)

Currently, there are cases of human infection with swine influenza virus A (H1N1) worldwide, including in the United States. A health professionals are concerned about the possibility that this virus becomes a pandemic for the following reasons:

* It is a combination never before seen in the human influenza virus, swine and avian.
* It spreads from person to person.
* The age group most affected is young and healthy adults (unlike seasonal flu)
* Like other types of influenza virus continues to evolve.

In late March and early April 2009, the first reported cases of human infection with swine influenza virus type A (H1N1) in Southern California and near San Antonio, Texas. Since then, other states in the U.S.. UU. have reported cases of swine flu infection in humans and also has been reported internationally.

The latest information on EE. UU. can be found on the website Swine Influenza Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, for its acronym in English).

The World Health Organization is coordinating a global response to cases of swine influenza H1N1 in humans and monitoring the corresponding threat of an influenza pandemic. Enter website Swine Influenza WHO information on the current international situation.

Phase 1: The viruses that affect animals do not cause problems in humans. In addition, it has not been detected any subtype.

What should I do?

Be prepared for the detection and control of any epidemic at all levels of government.

Phase 2: A virus that affects animals could affect some people, making it a potential threat. Although not yet identified any subtype.

What should I do?

Avoid possible infection of humans and quickly alert health officials if this ocrurre.

Phase 3: The disease begins to occur sporadically in humans, but although it has given full capacity there is no transmission from person to person. The important thing is to avoid contact between people.

What should I do?

Ensure the identification of virus subtype that represents the threat and be aware of the presence of more cases.

Phase 4: The virus is adapting to humans and begins to have the transmission capacity from person to person and cause major outbreaks. However, significantly expands the problem, despite growing risks of a pandemic.

What should I do?

Contain the epidemic within an area and population and prevent its spread enough time to determine appropriate measures to combat the disease and, if possible, to develop a vaccine.

Step 5: Extending the number of cases and occurs when the virus is spread from person to person in two countries, this means that the pandemic is imminent.

What should I do?

Maximize efforts to contain spread of the disease and awaiting responses from the health authorities of the world against an imminent pandemic.

Phase 6: Pandemic is present.

What should I do?

Minimize, where possible, the impact of the pandemic.

The best option is vaccination, this requires:

• Do not be sick.
• Do not be allergic to egg protein.
• Do not have a history of severe reactions to vaccination.
• Not having had Guillain-Barré syndrome 6 weeks before being vaccinated.

Moreover, to reduce the risk of contracting the influenza virus, take the following preventive measures:

• Stay away from people who have any respiratory infection.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially when in contact with a patient, and before eating or preparing food.
• Avoid greet and kiss your hand if you’re sick.
• Do not share food, cups and cutlery.
• Ventilate and allow the entry of sun in your house, offices and all enclosed places.
• Keep clean the kitchen and the kitchen and bathroom, door handles and railings, as well as toys, telephones, computers and items of everyday use.

• Avoid crowded places or major events such as film, theater, shopping, bars and public transport.

• Avoid exposure to environmental pollutants.

• Do not smoke indoors or around children and elderly.

• Avoid sudden temperature changes.

• Consult the doctor if you experience high fever, dry cough and muscle aches.

The diagnosis of influenza is usually suspected based on clinical features found, particularly if the flu has been reported in the community.

The virus can be isolated in the nasopharyngeal and tracheal swabs obtained within 3 days of onset. The cultivation is done by amniotic sac inoculation of chick embryos or growing in certain cells that support viral replication.

A minimum of 48 hours are needed to demonstrate the virus, and one or two additional days to identify the type of virus. As a result the crop is useful to define the etiology of local epidemics, but not individual cases.

Serological confirmation of influenza requires demonstration of a significant increase in IgG. The sample in the acute phase should be taken within 5 days of onset of symptoms and the convalescent sample should be taken from 10-21 days (preferably 21 days).

Complement fixation (CF) and hemagglutinin inhibition (HI) are the most commonly used serological tests. The key is HI test, which depends on the ability of the virus to agglutinate human erythrocytes or chicken and inhibition of this process by specific antibody. The diagnosis requires at least four increases in antibodies.

Recently, rapid diagnostic test for influenza A antigen, is becoming available and the clinic allows assessing the need for antiviral use in patients infected with influenza A in a faster way.

COMPLICATIONS

The most frequent complication of influenza is pneumonia, most commonly secondary bacterial pneumonia. (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, or Staphylococcus aureus) Primary viral pneumonia is a rare complication with a high number of mortality.

Reye’s syndrome is a complicaciónque occurs almost exclusively in children, primarily in asocciación with influenza B (or varicella zoster) and presents with severe vomiting and confusion that may progress to coma, or develop a swelling in the brain.

Other complications include myocarditis (heart inflammation) and worsening of chronic bronchitis and other chronic lung disease. Death is reported in 0.5 to 1 per thousand cases. Most deaths occur in people over 65 years of age.

IMPACT OF INFLUENZA

An increase in mortality typically accompanies an epidemic of influenza. The increased mortality is not only the influenza and pneumonia, but also from cardiopulmonary and other chronic diseases that can be exacerbated by influenza.

In studies of influenza epidemics occurring from 1972 to 1995 (years with only a derivation), excess mortality associated with influenza epidemics occurred during 19-23. An estimated 20,000 or more influenza-associated deaths occurred during five of these epidemics, and other 40 000 deaths occurred during six epidemics.

Another 90% of deaths attributed to influenza or pneumonia occur in people 65 years of age or older.

Approximately 110,000 hospitalizations per year are attributed to influenza. Nursing homes in the attack can be as high as 60% over 30% of fatalities. The cost of this epidemic have been estimated at 12 billion dollars.

An influenza pandemic could affect more than 200 million people and resulting in over 400,000 deaths. From 1918-1919 it was believed that influenza was the cause in the deaths of at least 500 000 Americans in less than a year.

The influenza virus is a single-stranded helical shape is an RNA virus of the family of Orthomyxoviruses. The core antigen types A, B and C are determined by the nuclear material.

Inluenza type has subtypes that are determined by surface antigens hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). Three types of human hemagglutinin (H1, H2 and H3) have a role in the attack of the virus to cells. Two types of neuraminidase (N1 and N2) have a role in the penetration of viruses into cells.

Influenza A causes moderate to severe disease, and affects all age groups. The virus infects humans and other animals such as pigs and birds.

Influenza B generally causes milder disease than type A, and primarily affects children. Influenza B is more stable than influenza A, with less volatility antigenic and immunological consequences on stability. This affects only humans. It may be associated with Reye syndrome.

Influenza C is rarely reported as a cause of human disease, probably because most cases are subclinical. It has not been associated with epidemic disease.

The nomenclature to describe the type of influenza virus is expressed in this order: (1) type of virus, (2) geographic site where it was first isolated, (3) strain number, (4) years of isolation, and ( 5) subtype virus.