Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Hysteria at fever pitch

By Peter Curson - posted Thursday, 30 April 2009


Here we go again. Just when we thought it was safe to go outside, the threat of another potential flu pandemic raises its head and hysteria builds again. Once again there is talk of quarantine, airport surveillance, travel restrictions and public closures.

The epidemic of a unique strain of swine flu raging in Mexico is suspected of causing more than 1,600 cases of illness and about 150 deaths. It has affected at least 40 people in parts of the US as well as producing suspected cases in Britain, Canada, Spain, France, Colombia, Israel and Australia. In New Zealand some students from an Auckland secondary school who recently visited Mexico City also are suspected of having swine flu.

In a world where millions of people cross international borders by air every day, it appears that no one is safe. Flu recognises no international border constraints and moves at will.

Advertisement

In Mexico, universities, schools and public buildings have been closed, and in Mexico City authorities have been distributing free surgical face masks to commuters on the city's subway and buses. People have been urged to avoid public places and not to demonstrate any overt signs of affection, such as handshakes and kissing.

Air travellers are being screened for flu symptoms. Most of those affected have been young adults rather than the very young and the very old, the normal victims of flu outbreaks. Most of the deaths seem to be of people who sought medical attention at the last possible moment.

Are we confronting a re-run of the 1918-19 flu pandemic, when young, healthy adults bore the brunt of the outbreak? Most probably not, but the fear remains.

Although swine flu is known periodically to infect people, it has normally occurred where the virus has jumped to people directly exposed to animals, such as pig farmers. Remember bird flu? Much the same applied, where people living cheek by jowl (feather?) with poultry were the most at risk.

The latest virus is a new strain not previously encountered in animals or humans. Disturbingly, it seems to combine bird, swine and human viruses in a manner not seen before, and is spreading from person to person.

Pigs are wonderful mixing vessels for respiratory viruses and this time they seem to have really stirred things up. There is no specific vaccine for this strain and it remains unclear how useful contemporary human flu vaccines will be in offering protection, although the virus seems sensitive to the drugs Tamiflu and Relenza.

Advertisement

Swine flu has a long and interesting history. While there is no record of it causing a human flu pandemic, this latest outbreak stirs memories of the 1976 public health debacle in the US when 200 soldiers at Fort Dix in New Jersey and Fort Meade in Maryland fell ill with what turned out to be swine flu, causing a wave of panic to spread through the community and public health authorities.

In response the US government began a nationwide vaccination campaign. When a pandemic never eventuated the program was halted, but not before hundreds of people had developed Guillain-Barre syndrome as a result of vaccination, including at least 33 deaths. It seems that even when we act with the best intentions we can unwittingly cause human tragedy.

If nothing else, this outbreak demonstrates how easily human perception and reaction can transform an epizootic (animal epidemic) or a localised human outbreak into something resembling human Armageddon.

  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. All

First published in The Australian on April 29, 2009.



Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

12 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Peter Curson is Emeritus Professor of Population and Health in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Macquarie University.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Peter Curson

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of Peter Curson
Article Tools
Comment 12 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy