Friday, May 08, 2009

Flu Fatigue


One of the most subtle, yet most dangerous symptoms of the recent H1N1 flu outbreak is Flu Fatigue. Flu Fatigue is weariness brought on by media hype fed through a 24-hour news cycle that is constantly seeking its next crisis. Flu fatigue results in a built-up immunity to care about future epidemics and a general malaise regarding pandemic preparedness. Assuming that this most recent outbreak is over and should be forgotten is dangerous. History has shown that pandemic diseases are likely to quietly die-down, only to emerge more virulent than ever a few months later. This phenomenon is known as the ‘second wave’.

Second Wave
The three major pandemics over the past 100 years have shared a common epidemiology. The Spanish Flu (1918), Asian Flu (1957) and the Hong Kong Flu (1968) each began as mild illnesses in the springtime. Each of the three pandemics emerged in the autumn as much more virulent killers.1,2 Will the recent H1N1 shift into a more deadly strain this Fall? Pandemic experts such as the World Health Organization’s Director General Margaret Chan are preparing for the worst. “We hope the virus fizzles out, because if it doesn’t we are heading for a big outbreak. I’m not predicting the pandemic will blow up, but if I miss it and we don’t prepare, I fail. I’d rather over-prepare than not prepare.”3

Age of Pandemics
Epidemiologist and Chairman of the National Biosurveillance Advisory Subcommittee Lawrence Brilliant says we’re heading into an ‘Age of Pandemics’. “The 2009 swine flu will not be the last and may not be the worst pandemic that we will face in the coming years. Indeed, we might be entering an Age of Pandemics. In our lifetimes, or our children's lifetimes, we will face a broad array of dangerous emerging 21st-century diseases, man-made or natural, brand-new or old, newly resistant to our current vaccines and antiviral drugs. You can bet on it.”4

Betting on the outcome of a particular epidemic is risky. But amidst the uncertainty, experts agree that humanity will face a deadly pandemic in the future. Hospitals, and especially Emergency Departments, will be inundated by the sick and their families. The time to prepare is now, and several measures must be integrated to provide the maximum protection against transmission of pandemic disease.

Clearing the air
Increasingly, scientists are unraveling the secrets of viral disease transmission. New research has determined that air plays an important role in how we ‘catch’ respiratory diseases.5,6,7 Exhaustive studies following the SARS outbreak in 2003 indicate that this virus was airborne and that it is likely to have spread via a ventilation system within an apartment building.8,9

Recognizing the role air plays in disease transmission, architects, engineers, hospital administrators and building managers are looking to VIGILAIR® technology to reduce airborne pathogens. Installed within a building’s Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, VIGILAIR® technology incorporates Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) and filtration to inactivate and remove pathogens within the HVAC air stream. UVGI damages the DNA/RNA of viruses, bacteria and fungi, preventing the microorganisms from reproducing and becoming infectious.

By disinfecting the air as it passes through the HVAC system, VIGILAIR® significantly reduces the amount of infectious microorganisms that are circulated throughout the building. Multiple hospital studies verify VIGILAIR® drastically reduces microbial contamination resulting in reduced infection rates.

VIGILAIR Systems, Inc. is the only UVGI manufacturer that has performed UVGI irradiation tests with live infectious agents including Anthrax, Avian flu (H5N1) and the SARS virus. The VIGILAIR® Biodefense system is the only UVGI technology to earn the Department of Homeland Security’s ‘designation’ as a Qualified Anti-terror Technology.

Fighting Flu Fatigue
Complacency can be costly--the time to make pandemic preparations is now. While no single measure can prevent disease transmission, VIGILAIR® is a technology that is proven to significantly reduce airborne pathogens. VIGILAIR® can play an important role in your comprehensive pandemic preparations. More information on pandemic preparations can be found at www.VIGILAIRsystems.com .

References

1. Pandemics and Pandemic Threats since 1900. PandemicFlu.gov. Retrieved May 6, 2009 from http://www.pandemicflu.gov/general/historicaloverview.html
2. .Hellerman, C. April 30, 2009. Scientists dig for lessons from past pandemics. CNNHeath.com. Retrieved May 6, 2009 from http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/30/swine.flu.1918.lessons/index.html
3. Jack, A.. May 3, 2009. Chan hits back at WHO critics. Financial Times. Retrieved May 6, 2009 from http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e6260d9a-37d4-11de-9211-00144feabdc0,dwp_uuid=819fc44c-33e2-11de-9eea-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1
4. Brilliant, L. May 2, 2009. The Age of Pandemics. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 6, 2009 from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124121965740478983.html
5. Li Y, et al. Role of ventilation in airborne transmission of infectious agents in the built environment—a multidisciplinary systematic review. Indoor Air 2007; 17: 2-18.
6. Tellier, R. Review of aerosol transmission of influenza A virus. Emerging Infectious Diseases 2006; 12: 1657-1662.
7. Beggs, CB. The airborne transmission of infection in hospital buildings: fact or fiction? Indoor and Built Environment 2003; 12: 9-18.
8. Li, Y, et al. Multi-zone modeling of probable SARS virus transmission by airflow between flats in Block E, Amoy Gardens. Indoor Air 2004; 15: 96-111
9. Yu, I. Evidence of airborne transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome virus. New England Journal of Medicine 2004; 350, 1731–1739
Flu Chart- Taubenberger, J, Morens, D. 1918 Influenza: the Mother of All Pandemics. Emerging Infect Dis. Volume 12, Number 1, January 2006. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol12no01/05-0979-G1.htm

11 comments:

ATWUSSD said...

It is important to have some kind of disaster preparation if the virus becomes a true global scale pandemic.

Anonymous said...

Great article as for me. It would be great to read more concerning this topic.
BTW look at the design I've made myself High class escorts

Unknown said...

Dear Vigilair,

Happy Holidays! My name is Joe Ned and I am the assistant editor of Infection.org. I am contacting you today in hopes of developing a strategic partnership with your website; as we have seen your site and think your content is great. Infection.org is an online gateway for people to find information regarding the prevention, diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment of infections -- and is continually adding content. More specifically, Infection.org is starting a campaign to promote awareness about infection prevention.

There are a number of different ways you can partner with our website:

* We can provide you with an eating disorder links bar, which contains many useful eating-disorder links for your users in one spot.
* We can offer your website free content on the subject of your choosing.
* We can add you to our "featured resources" section and, in return, you would add Disorder.org to your resources/links section.
* We can give your website and your content additional publicity by quoting your content on our website -- usually in an article.
* Our websites can exchange and share content. In essence, our website will provide content on the subject of your choosing to your website (which links back to us) and, in return, your website will provide content to us (which will link back to you). We would each have editorial discretion over any content put on our respective websites.

We are impressed by your blogs and recognize them as an excellent source of information on airborne infection prevention. We'd really like to do a featured article on the subject.

If any of these options interest you, please contact me ASAP for more information.

Regards,
Joseph Ned
Junior Editor
Infection.org
joe.infection@gmail.com

Oxygen Generator said...

this is back fighter coz we never know if the air we breathe has an airbourne. In this manner, the reason lot of people used air purifier. believe me, better to expend money for prevention than curing.

Electronic Medical Records said...

Virul diseases are scary and the way they spread it get out of control.Good to read the statistics of the past but another pandemic expected is scary again.

Unknown said...

Hi,

This is Vicky Silvers, I am an editor for Hospital.com. We are a medical publication whose focus is geared towards promoting awareness on hospitals, including information, news, and reviews on them. We would like to have our site included within your blog and offer our information to your readers, of course we would be more than happy to list your website within our directory as well.

vicky silvers
vicky.silvers@gmail.com
www.Hospital.com

Medical Transcription Service said...

Interesting post....
Thank you for the post..

Jim Gabriel said...

infection protection
Patient Ready partners have extensive experience specific to the healthcare environment. As part of our selective sourcing program, each partner’s area of expertise represents a key ingredient to achieve success in every aspect of patient care and hospital improvement we undertake. Let our experienced partners help you maintain an edge in a fiercely competitive and ever changing market to make certain your hospital is Patient Ready when you need it to be.
infection protectionin

best erectile dysfunction pills said...

If you want to improve your familiarity only keep visiting this website and be updated with the most up-to-date news update posted here.

best ed pills said...

May I simply just say what a comfort to find someone who truly knows what they are talking about on the internet. You actually know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people must look at this and understand this side of the story. I was surprised you are not more popular since you definitely possess the gift.

ed meds said...

It's not my first time to pay a visit this web page, i am browsing this web site dailly and get pleasant data from here everyday.