2009 North American H1N1 Influenza A Virus
AKA Swine Flu: Caution and Options

Martin Dayton D.O. - May 25, 2009

The 2009 swine flu, first recognized in April, 2009 is a H1N1subtype of the influenza A virus. As of May 25, 2009, 12 U.S. and 91 world wide deaths have been confirmed. Tens of thousands of have been sickened.

H1N1 virus gets it name from two of its components. H refers to hemagglutinin, a substance used by the virus to adhere to tissue cells and N refers to neuramindase, a substance used by the virus to facilitate invasion of tissue cells and infectious spreading. The numeral 1 refers to the type of hemagglutinin and also the type of neurarimidase present. Influenza A differs from influenza B and C in that it has been associated with influenza pandemics. 2009 refers to the year the 2009 strain of H1N1 flu appeared. Swine refers to the containing of components of a virus found in swine, the ability to infect swine, and the ability for the virus to be transferred to people from swine and vice versa.

The virus has mixture of genes from four different flu viruses: North American Mexican influenza, North American avian influenza, human influenza, and swine influenza virus typically found in Asia and Europe. The symptoms of this virus are similar to the symptoms of common human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Diarrhea and vomiting have also been reported.

Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing, sneezing and by touching surfaces contaminated with flu virus followed by touching of the mouth, eyes or nose. Thus, to prevent infection avoiding close contact with people who are sick with the flu virus, not touching contaminated surfaces, and washing of hands with soap and water or alcohol are helpful in addition to following general measures to maintain good health, inclusive of adequate sleep and nutrition. Cleaning surfaces suspected of contamination with viracidal substances such as bleach or alcohol as well as wearing air filtering masks may also be helpful. Infected Swine may transmit influenza to humans but it is not considered common. Swine flu is not spread by eating pig. It derives its name because H1N1 Influenza A viruses are found in swine.

CDC recommends the use of the prescription medicines oseltamivir, Tamiflu®, or zanamivir, Releza ®, for the treatment and/or prevention of infection. When used to prevent the flu, antiviral drugs are about 70% to 90% effective. When given within 48 hours of onset of symptoms they offer a modest reduction in duration and severity. The drugs reduce viral spread and replication. Potential benefits need to be weighed against the potential for undesired side effects before prescribing.

If you become ill with the flu the CDC suggests:

· Stay home if you are sick for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. This is to keep from infecting others and spreading the virus further.

· Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

· Then, clean your hands and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

· Limit your contact with other people as much as possible.

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
The 2009 swine flu strain thus far has not proven to be as severe as the 1918 Spanish Flu. The 1918 “Spanish Flu Virus” another H1N1 subtype was responsible for the pandemic of 1918-1919 killing 20,000,000 to 100,000, 000 people world wide, that is, 5-20% of world population estimated to be 500 million people at the time.

However, the influenza virus is known to undergo recombinant genetic modification which impacts the ability of human and swine hosts to address it immunologically. During the Spanish flu pandemic, the disease initially was relatively mild. A year later the disease was highly lethal. No vaccine against the Swine Flu is presently available.

The Spanish flu in contrast to most influenza outbreaks was more prominent in the summer than the winter and was more devastating for the healthy young adult than the juvenile, elderly, and otherwise immune weakened. The disease killed between 2 and 20% of those infected, as opposed to 0.1% for usual epidemic flu strains. In the United States, it is estimated that of the 28% of the population who were symptomatic died (500,000 to 675,000 people). Onset was often rapid and with death ensuing in less than 48 hours of the appearance of the first symptoms. In rapidly progressive cases the response of the victims’ own immune system was so strong that the resultant inflammation would cause tissue damage. Resultant lung consolidation (pneumonia) often leads to death due to inability for oxygen to be absorbed. Secondary bacterial infections also took to take their toll.

Quarantine and other measures to avoid viral contact were the most effective methods of dealing with swine flu in 1917-19. Another measure involved homeopathy. Homeopathy is a system of medicine involving the stimulation of the body’s innate regulatory systems with non toxic medicines called remedies to prevent and overcome illness. The remedies were administered in the form of small pellets or liquid drops periodically placed under the tongue. The remedies were selected by skilled homeopathic physicians or practitioners based on clinical history and patient appearance. In cases of viral infection the remedies do not directly kill virus. They modify the body’s response to the virus. Homeopathic remedies are regulated by the US government FDA. Homeopathic medications like their pharmaceutical counterparts may be taken preventively as well as therapeutically.

The following is an extract from an article entitled "Homeopathy in Influenza A Chorus of Fifty in Harmony" by W. A. Dewey, MD that appeared in the Journal of the American Institute of Homeopathy in 1920.

Dean W. A. Pearson of Philadelphia collected 26,795 cases of influenza treated by homeopathic physicians with a mortality of 1.05%, while the average old school mortality is 30%.

“Thirty physicians in Connecticut responded to my request for data. They reported 6,602 cases with 55 deaths, which is less than 1%. In the transport service I had 81 cases on the way over. All recovered and were landed. Every man received homeopathic treatment. One ship lost 31 on the way”. H. A. Roberts, MD, Derby, Connecticut.

“In a plant of 8,000 workers we had only one death. The patients were not drugged to death. Gelsemium was practically the only remedy used. We used no aspirin and no vaccines.” Frank Wieland, MD, Chicago.

“I did not lose a single case of influenza; my death rate in the pneumonias was 2.1%. The salycilates, including aspirin and quinine, were almost the sole standbys of the old school and it was a common thing to hear them speaking of losing 60% of their pneumonias. ”Dudley A. Williams, MD, Providence, Rhode Island.

“Fifteen hundred cases were reported at the Homeopathic Medical Society of the District of Columbia with but fifteen deaths. Recoveries in the National Homeopathic Hospital were 100%.” E. F. Sappington, M. D., Philadelphia.

“I have treated 1,000 cases of influenza. I have the records to show my work. I have no losses. Please give all credit to homeopathy and none to the Scotch-Irish-American! “-T. A.McCann, MD, Dayton, Ohio.

Besides homeopathy, Native American herbal therapy was also found to be useful. Lomatium dissectum, Biscuit Root or Indian Consumption Plant was eaten by the Nevada Washoe Indians during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, not a single Washoe died from influenza or its complications. Other tribes living in Nevada in areas where the plant was not consumed experienced deaths, (Bulletin of the Nevada State Board of Health, No. 1, Carson City, Nevada, January, 1920. Dr. Ernst T. Krebs) Lomatium is known to have antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects.

The successful use of dilute intravenous hydrogen peroxide in treating viral pneumonia during the Spanish flu epidemic was documented in a prestigious medical journal. (Oliver TH, Cantab BC and Murphy DV. Influenza / Pneumonia: The Intravenous Injection of Hydrogen Peroxide, Lancet 1, 1920:432-433) Military physicians who treated Indian Gurkha soldiers during the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic, in which only 20% of soldiers who developed pneumonia typically survived, reported 52% survival among soldiers who received intravenous hydrogen peroxide. (Of 25 military patients treated with intravenous hydrogen peroxide 13 survived where only 5 would have been predicted 260% increase in survival over that expected.) Considering the 1918 Spanish flu was a strain of H1NI influenza such therapy would be expected to be applicable in treating the 2009 swine flu, another strain of H1N1 influenza.

Other potential non-pharmaceutical options include vitamin D, which is commonly sold as a vitamin but is actually a hormone, which increases the production of antimicrobial peptides while simultaneously reducing the production of inflammation causing chemicals, cytokines, by the immune system in the infected lung tissue. Oregano oil is antiviral as well as anti-inflammatory. Vitamin C, skullcap, green tea and resveratrol are natural neuraminidase inhibitors. Resveratrol is found naturally in Japanese Knotwood root (richest source), peanuts, mulberries, raisins and red grapes. (Neuraminidase inhibition is the mechanism by which the antiviral drugs, oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) and zanamivir (Relenza®) advocated by the CDC for treatment and prevention of 2009 H1N1 swine flu work.) Colloidal Silver has been shown to kill various types of viruses without development of resistant strains. The aforementioned potential options need to be administered appropriately to be effective. However, none of have knowingly been formally studied in relation to the 2009 H1N1 virus. The protocols for administration proven by formal study are lacking.

Herbals which stimulate inflammatory cytokine release, such as Echinacea and elderberry used for non-H1N1 forms of influenza, are not recommended in the treatment of swine flu because of the potential of the H1N1 virus to kill by causing a “cytokine storm” which can overwhelm the lungs with inflammation resulting in fatal pneumonia. Drugs such as corticosteroids and potentially less potent herbs such as tumeric may be used to counter such inflammatory threats.