" It’s best to wearplastic gloves whiledealing with theblood and meat. Ifblood touches anypart one should washit away immediately,"Dr Akhtar Sheikh.

LAHORE: People should take extra care not to make direct contact with the blood and organs of animals sacrificed on Eidul Azha as a precaution to avoid the Congo virus, which can lead to the deadly Congo Haemorrhagic Fever, say doctors.

There have been no recent confirmed cases of the disease in Pakistan, but the lethality of the disease – it has a mortality rate of 30 per cent – means people should take extra care when handling animal parts, said Prof Mahmood Shaukat, head of paediatric surgery at Mayo Hospital.

He said that the symptoms of the disease are similar to dengue, including high grade fever and bleeding from the skin and mucous membranes. Another symptom is mood swings. “A person’s mood goes from hyperactivity to depression during the course of the disease,” he said.

Pakistan Medical Society Chairman Dr Masood Akhtar Sheikh said that many animals were asymptomatic, meaning they could carry the virus without showing any symptoms of the disease.

“To avoid the virus people should check that they don’t have any cuts or bruises on the hand when slaughtering an animal so that the animal’s blood doesn’t touch that part. It’s best to wear plastic gloves while dealing with the blood and meat. If blood touches any part one should wash it away immediately. Once the meat is cooked, the virus is killed,” said Dr Sheikh.

Too much red meat will kill you

Doctors also suggested that people try to avoid too much red meat, salt and chillies, which increase stomach acidity and can be dangerous for those with stomach ulcers, diabetes, hypertension, hepatitis, or other liver, renal and cardiac problems. He added that fatty meat could lead to hypertension and heart disease.

Dr Sheikh said that the average adult should not eat more than 200 to 250 grams of red meat a day. “Red meat increases the level of uric acid in the blood. this puts a burden on the kidneys and can lead to gout,” he said. “People with kidney or liver problems should be extra careful.”

Also, when barbequing meat to make tikkas or sajji, he said, try to avoid overcooking. “Excessive burning of the meat can produce chemicals that can be dangerous for the health, and some of these are carcinogens,” he added. “The use of cola or other fizzy drinks with spicy food can do extra harm.”

Family physician Dr Israr Hussain Asif said that certain dishes like brain masala, and siree paye were very rich in cholesterol and should be avoided by those with a high cholesterol level.

He added that the blood and gore of an animal sacrifice could have harmful psychological effects on the young. “Children should be kept away from the slaughter scene as this can lead to future phobias,” he said.

Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Prof of Surgery Dr Latif Aftab said that another health hazard of the day was the threat of injury by sharp knives or the animal itself during the slaughter ritual. “There are such instances every Eidul Azha,” he said.

He said that mutton and beef were high in protein and nutritional value but should be eaten in combination with yoghurt and vegetables. He said that meat should be kept in a cool place before freezing. It must also be cooked thoroughly or can cause various infections.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th,  2011.

A new suspected case of Ebola has been reported in Bugiri District, hardly a week after a 12-year-old girl died of the disease, the ministry of health said in a statement yesterday.the patient, who is admitted to Bugiri Hospital had fever, measles-like rashes and a bleeding gum—all symptoms of Ebola. Meanwhile, 25 people in Luweero, who had direct contact with the deceased girl remain under close monitoring.

The ministry said one person who got in contact with the girl was treated for malaria and is improving. in a statement yesterday, the ministry said, two other people who got in contact with the girl “have their samples being analysed for Ebola”.

Dr Denis Rwamafa, the commissioner for national disease control, said districts that are at high risk of the disease are, Luweero, Wakiso, Kampala, Mukono, Nakaseke and Nakasongola.

“We are enhancing surveillance and have expanded the monitoring to all the six-risk districts until the 42 days expire as the mandatory period to declare an area Ebola free,” said Dr Rwamafa.

A team of health experts on Tuesday visited Luweero to reinforce the emergency health teams set up to respond to the Ebola outbreak in the district and possible outbreaks across the country.

Ebola is a highly-contagious disease that spreads fast when one gets in contact with body fluids of an infected person.All district task forces have been asked to reactivate their responses to any possible outbreak of the virus.

Swine Flu which is also known as H1N1 type a influenza, is a human disease. People get the disease from other people, not from pigs.

The disease was named as Swine Flu because the virus which causes the disease transmits through pigs to the humans. the virus is a mix of genes from swine, bird, and human flu viruses. Most people know it as the H1N1 swine flu virus.

The H1N1 swine flu viruses that usually spread among pigs aren’t the same as human flu viruses. Usually Swine Flu doesn’t infect people but in recent past few cases have occurred in which people who were having direct contact with pigs got affected.

It’s caused by a new swine flu virus that has changed in ways that allow it to spread from person to person, among those who haven’t had any contact with pigs.

Many people have at least partial immunity to seasonal H1N1 viruses because they’ve been infected with or vaccinated against this. These viruses “drift” genetically that is why the flu vaccine has to be repeated time to time.

What are the symptoms of Swine Flu?

The initial Swine Flu Symptoms are fever, sore throat, body ache and fatigue. some patients also complained about the symptoms of running nose, diarrhea and vomiting.

People traveling to other countries should take extra precautions and should immediately rush to physician if they suffer from any Swine Flu Symptoms. But these symptoms alone would not suggest that a person is infected by Swine Flu, as it can be confirmed only after testing a respiratory specimen, that’s taken from the suspected case within the first four to five days. So it is important to seek medical help if one feels that he/she has Swine Flu Symptoms.

Swine Flu Treatment –

The person with Swine Flu Symptoms should seek immediate medical help from doctor for Swine Flu Treatment. Isolate the patient from others to protect others as a part of Swine Flu Treatment to protect others. One should drink plenty of fluids and Rest frequently. use medicines other than aspirin, to treat symptoms of patients above 4.

Swine Flu Treatment includes medicines like Tamiflu (orally for twice a day for 5 days) or Relenza (an inhaled medication taken twice a day for 5 days) on the Doctor’s prescription.

Read More:Swine Flu: Symptoms and TreatmentInfluenza Treatment ? Causes, Symptoms and Potential TreatmentThe Symptoms of Swine Flu In People

My friend has swine flu and i was with her for long periods of time before and during symptoms showing, how long, if at all will it take for me to get symptoms if i have caught it? and how long do these last for?
ta

To start off with, your first question may be “What is swine flu anyway?” in short, it’s a respiratory disease that originally showed up in pigs. The strain that is affecting humans is a new strain of the virus dubbed novel H1N1 by the United States government.

Obviously, discovering how is swine flue transmitted means understanding that swine flu normally does not infect humans. only those who were in constant, direct contact with infected pigs was at risk.

Now this particular strain of the virus is airborne and is passed on through person-to-person contact.

And another thing, the swine flu incubation period can last for up to 7 days after you’ve been in contact with an infected person.

More explanations in the link below.

Hope it can helps.

Jon

I'd say 24-72 hours for incubation period – and for first symptoms to start displaying themselves. If you've not displayed any after 72 hours you should be fine. and as a bonus, your body may have fought of the infection without you actually getting it – and you'll have some immunity.

I caught Swine Flu from a friend (although I went to her house because I WANTED to catch Swine Flu, and to get it over and done with before I went on my holiday (a cruise)). Within 24 hours my temperature was up, and 36 hours later the cough developed.)

I only suffered for about 72 hours after my temperature went up. Spent an extra two days at home after temperature returned to normal to ensure I was better and that I wasn't at risk of infecting anyone else.

It was like having a bad cough, and I'm not quite sure what all the fuss is about.

What you're asking about is the incubation period that infections have. The incubation period for swine flu is 2-4 days. The primary symptoms last about 5-7 days but the cough and weakness may persist for 10 days and up to 2 weeks. your friend will continue to be contagious for about 5 days after her first symptoms appeared.

I just want to get people aware of this swine flu more and more and take precautions accordingly. oh man this has killed so many people.
If you are interested check the article below to know all about swine flu (I have collected around 200 links to good articles and sites about swine flu)
markthispage.blogspot.com/2009/06…

What to expect if you have Human Swine Flu

Day 1–3:
Sudden fever (temperature over 38° C), headache, muscle pain and weakness, dry cough, sore throat and sometimes stuffed nose.

pc

depends how severe the case in you is. I'd say about 24 hours

i'm in the same situation

A cold sore is a small lesion like a blister that normally appears around the mouth.  It is caused by the herpes simplex virus and the strain that usually causes them around the mouth is herpes simplex  type 1 (HSV-1).

The herpes simplex virus is very contagious and can easily be passed from person to person by close direct contact.  Once you have been exposed to this virus it remains inactive most of the time.

Certain trigger can activate the virus every so often and cause an outbreak of cold sores.  these triggers vary from person to person.  Some people have recurring cold sores two to three times  year while others will have one cold sore and then have no more.  There are some people who may never ret a cold sore at all because the virus does not become active.

SYMPTOMSIn many cases of herpes simplex infections the primary infection does not have any symptoms and you might not know you have contracted the virus unless you get an outbreak of cold sores later on.  However, if the primary infection does show symptoms they can be quite severe:

swollen  and irritated gums with small painful sores in and around the mouth (herpes simplex gingivostomatitis)sore throat and swollen glandsExcess salivationfeverdehydrationnauseaheadaches

Herpes simplex gingivostomatitis can last between 7-14 days and it can take up to 3 weeks for the sores to heal.  Gingivostomatitis does not often occur  after the primary infection however.  It is more common in young children but it is possible for adults to get it.

If an adult has a primary infection it normally presents itself as pharyngotonsillitis (sore throat, swollen tonsils) or a glandular fever-like illness.  as well as a sore throat and possibly swollen glands, you may also have foul-smelling breath and painful sores in and around the mouth.  these sores can develop into ulcers with grey or yellow centres.

If you are infected with the herpes simplex virus at an early age, it can be triggered periodically later on in life and cause recurring bouts of cold sores.  the symptoms are usually reduced to just the cold sores themselves after the primary infection.

Symptoms of Recurrent InfectionThese infections are usually shorter and less severe than the primary infections.  the outbreak of cold sores themselves are usually the only symptom but there may also be swollen glands in some cases.

An outbreak of cold sores normally begins with a tingling, itching or burning sensation around the mouth.  Then, most commonly on the outer edges of the lower lip, small fluid-filled sores appear.

You might find that your cold sores appear in the same in the same place every time if you have recurring infections.  the cold sores might grow in size and cause you a lot of pain.  they may weep and a crust or scab grow over them within 48 hours of the initial tingling sensation.

CAUSESThe herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is usually the cause of cold sores.  In most cases, the virus is passed on at childhood when you are kissed by someone with a cold sore, such as a family member.  the virus goes through the skin before it travels up your nerves.  Here it lies dormant (inactive) before being triggered at a later date. 

There are several factors which are believed to trigger outbreaks of cold sores  and these can be different for each person.  these include:

emotional upset or psychological stressfatigue and tirednessan injury to infected areastrong sunlightmenstruation

TREATMENTAntiviral TreatmentAntiviral cold sore creams can help to speed up the healing time of a recurrent infection, if used correctly.  these creams usually contain medication known as aciclovir or penciclovir.

These creams can be bought over-the counter from pharmacies with no need for a prescription.  It is important that they are applied as soon as the first signs of a cold sore appear, for them to be effective.  this is when the herpes simplex virus is spreading and replicating itself.  It is unlikely that using an antiviral cream after this period will have any effect on the cold sore.  also, these creams only help to heal a current outbreak of cold sores.  they can not cure the virus which causes them or prevent future outbreaks

You should apply the cream up to five times a day for 4-5 days.If you have cold sores which are especially severe or if you have a damaged immune system, you might be at risk of further complications, such as encephalitis (swelling of the brain) or the infection might spread to other parts of your body.  you should see your GP if this is the case and he may prescribe you antiviral tablets and refer you to get specialist treatment.  what treatment you receive will depend upon how severe your cold sores are or the particular complication causing you problems.  For example, if you have herpetic keratoconjunctivitis, which is an infection that affects the eye, you may need to see a ophthalmologist (specialist eye doctor).