The Victim
Unofficially, the swine flu pandemic is assumed to have claimed its first Filipino victim since it entered the territorial jurisdiction of the Philippines. A 49 year-old woman supposedly succumbed to the deadly clutches of the dreaded A(H1N1) virus. The woman died two days after the onset of flu symptoms have appeared. She died last Friday, June 19 after being hospitalized for dry cough, chills, difficulty in breathing, and high fever. However, according to the autopsy report, the immediate cause of death was “congestive heart failure and acute myocardial infarction aggravated by pneumonia.” Post-mortem examination has also revealed that the woman also had tuberculosis. It was only after a throat swab test that it was confirmed that she was indeed infected by the A(H1N1) virus. Health officials said that although it was not absolutely conclusive that the flu virus has direct link to the death of the woman, it was likely that her preexisting medical conditions were exacerbated by the A(H1N1) virus.
No Need to Panic
The secrtary of the Department of Health, Sec. Francisco Duque, has reassured the public that there is no need to panic. The secretary said that the swine flu or A(H1N1) virus is only fatal to those with preexisting and chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, tuberculosis, and weak immune system. It can be noted that out of the 445 presently reported cases, 84% of them have already recovered while the remaining are still being treated. The first presumed death due to A(H1N1) here in the Philippines is still unconfirmed as to the direct link of the infection. Health officials have also pointed out that although the the swine flu was already declared as pandemic, it has not shown any sign of becoming more lethal. Furthermore, the mode of transfer is of the swine flu virus is still relatively weak. It is not airborne and it is only contagious through direct contact with the infected. The mucus membranes in the eyes, nose, and mouth are the common entry points in the body. The virus can only last up to eight hours on inanimate objects such as door knobs, pay phones, computer keyboard, etc.
Clinical Background
The A(H1N1) virus or swine flu virus is a weaker strain that is similar to the flu virus of the 1918 Spanish Influenza Pandemic which killed about 100 million people worldwide. The present flu pandemic is the third of its kind but it is relatively less harmful than its predecessors. The nomenclature, A(H1N1), is derived from the specific virus type and form the names of the protein antigens found in the virus. The A stands for type A flu virus which commonly affects mammals. The H1 and N1 refers to hemagglutinin and neuraminidase proteins, respectively. The exact mechanism of lethal infection is due to cytokinine storm. This is a type of over-reaction of the immune system leading to systemic failure. For instance, the lungs might become flooded with mucus and the normal cell might be destroyed by phagocytic immune cells.
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