If you have a TV or the internet – which if you are reading this article, you obviously do – and if you have used either of those tools in the last two weeks, then you have seen and heard much about the now infamous ‘swine flu’, or A(H1N1). And, if you are like many people, this disease is both frightening and surprisingly mysterious considering the wide media coverage associated with it.

The words “pandemic,” “worldwide,” and “lethal” send shivers down one’s spine but it seems that the only advice on avoiding infection is to wash your hands and cross your fingers. Many of us watch the local news at night awaiting confirmation that this deadly disease has come to our region. But the questions still abound. Where did it start? How many have died? Is it even that serious or that deadly?

For every announcer proclaiming imminent disaster, there are dozens saying that the threat is overstated. Who are we to believe? And how do we shuffle through all the facts and figures to get a good grasp on the real situation? Like many circumstances, it isn’t a lack of information or even incorrect information that is the issue. It’s simply a matter of organizing and analyzing the information that is out there and then applying it to your specific situation.

For the next couple of minutes I would like to clarify some of the questions I had concerning this virus and the stigma around it, as well as look at what proactive measures are being taken to confront this situation. So lets all douse ourselves with hand sanitizer and dive in shall we?

Pandemic panorama

There are certain words in our English language whose mere use in a sentence sends up little red flags of anxiety and distress. These words often sound intimidating, mysterious, tragic or troublesome. Pandemic is one such word. Whether plastered across the front page in black in white or uttered in reverence on TV, the word pandemic conjures up mass destruction, frighteningly overcrowded hospital scenes and diseased and destroyed populations.

But what is a pandemic? Is it a disease affecting millions? Is there a qualification based on number of countries, continents or reported cases? Is it defined by medical or logistical terms?

For the answer I went to the WHO or the World Health Organization. They define a pandemic as having three major qualifications:

1. Emergence of a new disease to a population.

2. Agents infect humans, causing serious illness

3. Agents spread easily and sustainably among humans

There was surprisingly no mention of cross-continental infection nor were there any qualifying number of cases reported. What this means is that a disease can be pandemic within a region, a country, a continent or the world. It isn’t so much a question of where as of how it is transferred and how easily it is transmitted.

Previous influenza pandemics

Having now defined the nature of the beast it is prudent to consider the history of pandemics in order to understand the fear related to them. There have been many pandemics in the history of the world ranging from typhoid to malaria to HIV/AIDS, but to more accurately compare the current situation to the situations of the past I want to look at the influenza pandemics and their historical influence.

Influenza, or more commonly known as the flu, is a tricky little virus with a varied and elaborate history. It dates back to the very beginning of medicine. Hippocrates described the virus in 412 BC. But our long history with this little virus hasn’t given us much concrete information. All we know for sure is that it is bound to change and it is bound to change quickly. The virus itself constantly mutates and is therefore almost impossible to destroy or vaccinate against. Exports say that influenza pandemics have been around since 1580 and have occurred every 10 to 30 years since then.

While the pandemics have ranged between simple outbreaks and society- destroying magnitudes, the worst of the worst is easy to point out. Between the years of 1918 and 1919 a strain of the flu known as the Spanish Flu killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide and infected 1/3 of the Earth’s entire population. Now that, my friends, is truly devastating.

More recently, we have dealt with the Avian Flu and the worries of a serious pandemic caused by that variation of influenza. As early as 2004, scientist identified cases in Vietnam. Soon ripples of worry and concern turned to tidal waves of panic as people prepared for an imminent outbreak. However, those worries have, for the moment, proven futile. According to the WHO, Avian Flu is not considered pandemic currently because the virus has not shown a sustained ability for human-to-human transmission.

So what about this swine flu? Is it capable of a Spanish Flu sized destruction? Or is it just another hyped-up worry caused by over-analytical scientists? If I had those answers I wouldn’t be writing here today. I would be in some very important meeting with some very important people. Because the fact is that we simply don’t know. And that fact is scary in itself.

But before we lose sleep over whether or not to travel, eat pork or shake hands with the local pig farmer, let’s get a better grasp on the disease itself.

Pearls in Pigs Ears

Here’s what we do know: The ‘swine flu’ or A(H1N1) was first reported in Mexico. Since the initial occurrence, there have been 898 confirmed cases in 18 countries. Total deaths as of May 3, 2009 were 20 with 19 occurring in Mexico and 1 in the US.

Scientists can tell us that the term swine flu usually refers to an influenza virus that occurs in pigs. These viruses are common in pigs in many parts of the world, however, until the recent outbreak, the spread of swine flu to humans was very rare and the spread of the virus by human to human transmission was unknown. This current virus is considered to be a mutant strand of influenza and its ‘newness’ is a big part of the concern in the scientific community.

We know the symptoms are similar to those of seasonal flu – chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pain, headaches, etc. – but beyond that the virus is simply too new to give us many facts.

Concerned?

Does this mean that we are up the creek without a paddle?

Not exactly.

WHO: No need for panic

Unlike some individuals, the human race as a whole has learned some things from past mistakes. The World Health Organization was created in 1948 to combat diseases and provide a higher level of health to all people worldwide. As part of this mission, the WHO has focused efforts to prevent pandemics and to address them quickly and efficiently if they occur.

How does an organization go about these lofty goals? The WHO states on their website that they desire to “improve public health infrastructure through pandemic planning and to strengthen coordination mechanisms at national and international levels.” Basically, they desire to provide greater planning prior to pandemic emergencies and better communication during those emergencies.

To do this they have set up 120 National Influenza Centres in 90 countries. These centers track, research and identify strains of influenza. They also help participating countries prepare pandemic plans.

So while we may not have all the facts about this virus, we can sleep well tonight knowing that there are people out there searching for those facts and responding to the crisis at hand.

The world is an ever-changing place and so it is only fitting that the beings in it be ever-changing as well. And that means humans, animals and, yes, even viruses. Adaption is the name of the game and while influenza may have the upper hand today the cure or preventive measure may be just around the corner. So for now, wash those hands and cross those fingers. Hopefully the ‘swine flu’ will soon be just a short paragraph in the pages of pandemic history.

Swine flu masks in Mexico, photo by Cristiano Oliveira

Charlsea Ewing · Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Charlsea Ewing is a traveling gypsy in search of a good story. Originally from Texas, she has pursued her culture shock addiction across nine countries and has recently moved to Cambodia to work with farmers. When she’s not working on a farm or traveling, she enjoys a good book, great conversation and learning as much about as many cultures as possible.

charlsea@antillean.org