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Health is Easy to Reach - Know Before You Decide

 
Medicine is to heal from the inside
Recently, there is a rumor in Indonesia that a lizard can cure HIV/AIDS. This rumor is spread from mouth to mouth. Is this just a hoax or not?
AIDS

AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is caused by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), this virus will infect our immune system thus make our immunity become weaken, can't encounter infectious agents. Until now, scientists especially in developed countries haven't discovered the cure for AIDS. The Latest invention is Anti Retro Viral (ARV) to limit virus spread or replication in our body, but can't eradicate the virus. Also until know, there is no vaccine for HIV, because the virus is highly mutability.


Eventhough ARV drugs can't cure the disease, but for who has HIV/AIDS, ARV is needed to slow the disease progression. And make their life depend on ARV. Issues in AIDS also a sensitive thing. There is a group of people that don't want AIDS to have a cure. Because if AIDS has a cure, there will be an increase in free sex, drug abused. That will further breakdown human morality and spirituality. How about you?
It is up to you, everyone has own argument about that issue.

Because of clinical progression of the disease, person who has HIV usually depressed, stressed, and so being expelled from community. They are weaken not only immune but also mind and mental. So, they also need our supports.

Many rumors about cure for AIDS from having sex with teenagers, God's Crown fruit, and the latest one is a lizard ,especially Tokek. Just like other rumors about cure of terminal disease, it becomes phenomenal sensations and easy to spread.

Tokek

We don't know from who or where this rumor began. Tokek is used to be a cure for skin diseases, asthma, typhus, and prevent aging. And the price for each tokek is around US$10-20.
When the rumor a tokek can cure AIDS occurs, the price increase significantly becomes US$250 each ons, and can reach US$ 10000 for bigger size. And people in my country begin to hunt tokek.
Tokek is believed can increase our immunity, whether it effective for AIDS is unknown.


Traditional Medicine
l
Until know, there is no evidence that a tokek (lizard) can cure AIDS, and recently because of the rumor, tokek is under studied by WHO.
About God's Crown fruit (Mahkota Dewa) has been studied by scientist that this fruit contain high level of antioxidant that help to slow the progression and minimize symptoms in AIDS, but doesn't eradicate the disease itself.
Mahkota Dewa fruit

Indonesian people are easier to believe traditional medicine that use plants, stones, and animals eventhough there is no evidence about its benefits, because of the cultural background of indonesian people.


Conclusion
I don't state that traditional medicine is bad, but we should use evidence to decide.
But according to phylosophy of Eastern medicine that more emphasize on empirical, while Western medicine more emphasize on logical, A treatment maybe irrational but empirically proved.

Whether, it is hoax or not, we better wait for scientific evidence about it.

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Swine Flu, The next pandemic?

May 10th 2009 12:06
Introduction
Many resources and scientist warn us about next flu pandemic, possible cause by swine flu. World have ever had three previous influenza-pandemics — A/H1N1 from 1918 through 1919 also known as Spanish Flu, A/H2N2 from 1957 through 1963 also known as Asian Flu, and A/H3N2 from 1968 through 1970 also known as Hongkong Flu. And Spanish Flu become the worst ever flu pandemic, caused nearly 50-100 millions people death, worldwide. And from that pandemic, we learn about prevention, preparedness, management, and policies should be made to reduce the impact of the pandemic. It can be saw from total case and death of next pandemic was less than Spanish flu.
Spanish Flu

Past pandemics were characterized by a shift in the virus subtype, shifts of the highest death rates to younger populations, successive pandemic waves, higher transmissibility than that of seasonal influenza.

Swine Flu vs Avian Flu

H5N1 or Avian influenza subtype has spread to avian populations in more than 30 countries and infected nearly 400 persons from 1997-2004, and about 80% persons who get infected die from it, compare to Swine Flu eventhough the human cases is bigger than Avian Flu, but only 20% person who get infected will die from it. It's far below than Avian Influenza. So, the hazard or virulence levels of Swine Flu is lower than Avian Influenza.
In the different point of view, Pandemic Potential is determined by transmissibility rather than virulence or case fatality rate. Because a highly pathogenic virus does not usually adapt well to its host, since it tends to kill faster than it can be transmitted, and that's why pandemic level of Avian Influenza is below Swine Flu.
Swine Flu, now has reached level 5 Pandemic, while Avian Flu only level 4 pandemic..
Pandemic Levels

The death toll of a future pandemic depends not only on the virulence of the virus in question but also on the rapidity with which we are able to introduce effective preventive and therapeutic measures.

World Strategy
- Active real time viral surveillance on a global scale for the effective exchange of genomic, clinical, and epidemiologic data that will give us data of pandemic wave and preparing for second (lethal) wave with vaccine and other biomedical tools.
- Reducing transmission by social distancing, promote hygiene, and vector eradication.
- Identifying high risk people
- Multinational collaboration in addressing the initial and successive waves of illness and deaths.

Principle
Pandemic can't be prevented or avoided, but we can reduce the amplitude of the wave or in the other words Reduce the impact of Pandemic.
We can achieve that, but we must work together in coordination.

Swine flu Cartoon

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Swine Flu, New Hazards

May 2nd 2009 14:42
About Influenza Virus
Actually, many kinds of influenza virus around the world. And not all strain can infect human. Because of mismatch antigen. Influenza virus also responsible for millions death worldwide. High mutability and high frequency of genetic reassortment and resultant antigenic changes in the viral surface glycoproteins make influenza viruses formidable challenges for control efforts.

What is H1N1 (swine flu)?
H1N1 (referred to as “swine flu” early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in April 2009 in the United States. Other countries, including Mexico and Canada, have reported people sick with this new virus. This virus is spreading from person-to-person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.


Why is this new H1N1 virus sometimes called “swine flu”?

This virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs in North America. But further study has shown that this new virus is very different from what normally circulates in North American pigs. It has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europe and Asia and avian genes and human genes. Scientists call this a “quadruple reassortant” virus.


Is this new H1N1 virus contagious?

CDC has determined that this new H1N1 virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it is not known how easily the virus spreads between people.
Influenza virus

What are the signs and symptoms of this virus in people?
The symptoms of this new influenza A H1N1 virus in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. Also, like seasonal flu, severe illnesses and death has occurred as a result of illness associated with this virus.

What makes a virus dangerous?
At least, two factors involved in it. First is agent factor (virus), influenza virus with known ability to change its antigen and genetic material become more pathogenic plays important role in determining severity of the illness. Like seasonal flu compare to Avian influenza. The other factor is host factor, our immunity to virus also plays major role in determining the severity of the illness. For example, Healthy adults suffer mild symptoms compare to old ages. Also, people who already vaccinated will experienced milder symptoms.

How does this new H1N1 virus spread?
Spread of this H1N1 virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

Can I get infected with this new H1N1 virus from eating or preparing pork?
No. H1N1 viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get this new HIN1 virus from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.

Is there a risk from drinking water?

Tap water that has been treated by conventional disinfection processes does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. Current drinking water treatment regulations provide a high degree of protection from viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of the novel H1N1 flu virus to conventional drinking water treatment processes. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels typically used in drinking water treatment are adequate to inactivate highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as novel H1N1 would also be similarly inactivated by chlorination. To date, there have been no documented human cases of influenza caused by exposure to influenza-contaminated drinking water.

Red Flag
If you live in areas where swine influenza cases have been identified and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact their health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.

If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.
If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.
In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
* Fast breathing or trouble breathing
* Bluish or gray skin color
* Not drinking enough fluids
* Not waking up or not interacting
* Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
* Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
* Fever with a rash

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
* Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
* Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
* Sudden dizziness
* Confusion
* Severe or persistent vomiting
Swine flu Cartoon

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