Does swine flu (H1N1) always show the clinical features?

Swine flu (H1N1) infection has clinical features like seasonal flu in it’s early stage. However, patients show the devastating symptoms at the progressive stage of viral pathogenesis inside the body. The neurological symptoms are shocking in the advanced stage. Recently, it is shown that some H1N1 patients have negative symptoms, revealing no clinical features all around it’s pathogenesis period. One report from Japanese high school students’ survey suggest that 20% of students and teachers infected with swine flu displayed no symptoms. Then, antibody testing confirmed the positive for H1N1 for those symptomless students. It is known that H1N1 flu possesses rapid replication capacity inside the body after primary pathogenesis; however, rapid multiplication might be one reason to show symptoms among some patients and/or it might be due to person to person physiological variations. The obvious mechanism is yet to be studied. Therefore, ‘clinical screening’ might be a good option for symptomless patients.

Do we overlook ‘white coat hypertension’?

Sometime, to determine ‘clinical hypertension’ is a troublesome task for the physicians. It is said that atleast several consecutive measures should be taken to determine ‘clinical hypertension’ at both office and home. Home monitoring of blood pressure is differed from office monitoring, should be problematic one and to determine the final interpretation. Therefore, it is important to consider about ‘white coat hypertension’, revealing a rise in blood pressure at physician’s office or clinic. There should be certain mechanism; however, it is known that anxiety is responsible for the rise in blood pressure in the office, demonstrating ‘white coat hypertension’. Now, the question is to determine the fundamental measurement procedure to establish blood pressure measure among normal subjects and patients. It is known, the morbidity is higher among sustained hypertensive patients than white coat hypertensive patients; however, there is higher morbidity among the white coat hypertensive patients than clinically normotensive patients. So, it is necessary to consider this ‘white coat hypertension’ among normal population. Therefore, this suggests, home-monitoring of blood pressure is suitable to determine ‘clinical hypertension’ after considering different predisposing factors.

Risk of lung cancer and it's prevention!

Lung cancer is the one the leading causes of death among all malignancies. It is acknowledged that smoking is an important factor to develope this cancer. Usually, bronchogenic type lung cancer is common among smoking induced lung cancer, which can be diagnosed with conventional radiological examination (normal chest X-ray). However, it is suggested that lung cancer, located in the peripheral region is difficult to diagnose by normal chest x-ray. The another problematic issue is, sometime, this peripheral lung cancer is symptomless among patients. This type of lung cancer is diagnosed in the fatal stage. For early diagnosis, radiological examination, computed tomography (CT) is useful for the better treatment and prognosis.

Myths of pancreatic cancer!

Pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose in its early stage that contending most lethal among all malignancies of humans. In addition, this cancer mass in the pancreas is not vascularized (no vessel), which causes hampering of chemotherapeutic drugs to enter into cancer cells. The peculiar anatomical location of pancreas and size also makes it difficult to localize that lies deep to the abdomen between stomach and lumber vertebra. Therefore, even little irritation can enhance inflammation of this gland. So, it is important to provide early ‘screening’ prior to any fatality.

H1N1 outbreak in Japan: a recent report!

H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak was already declared an epidemic by NID (National Institute of Infectious Disease of Japan) in August. In the middle week of Aug, the average number of flu (H1N1) patients per hospital was 1.69 (1.00 or >1.00 suggests epidemic), demonstrating epidemic, exceeding the number to be about 110,000. According to August report, 3 fatalities were confirmed from H1N1. 1.00 case/week has been reported by the hospitals of 44 districts in Japan excluding Hokkaido island.
It is obligatory to use facemask in the densely populated area especially in outside and during traveling. Japan already started vaccination from middle of Oct after observing any adverse effects of vaccines; however, initially H1N1 vaccine has been reported mild headache after initial stage of vaccination in the trial and local redness at the site of injection. The winter season should be peak to spread this flu in Japan and as well other Asian countries, so special precautions must be taken.

Mystery of swine-flu (H1N1): an update.

Swine flu (H1N1 virus) has aggressive effects on humans due to its rapid replication. Though swine-flu attacks the lung parenchyma in the early phase of inflammation initiating severe lung pneumonia, recently it is studied that other vital organs (liver, kidney and brain) are brutally affected, showing its fatality. It is investigated that in the pathogenesis step inside the body, this influenza virus (swine-flu, H1N1) encourages discharge of inflammatory cytokines,
immunomodulating agents. Therefore, these inflammatory cytokines hinder liver and kidney function in the pathogenesis. Another harmful complication of swine-flu (H1N1) is, damaging of brain cells (neurons), those demonstrate irreversible. So, it is recommended to start antiflu drugs (Tamiflu or Relenza) as soon as possible with physician's prescription after H1N1 is diagnosed. It is recommended, to take temperature records regularly for the baby-care center or school-gloing children in the epidemic regions.

Is gastric ulcer linked with diabetes?

Insulin resistance diabetes is a common problem around all over the world, mainly originating from obesity due to overeating and sedentary lifestyle. Hyperglycemia is always susceptible to enhance other pathogenesis such a diabetic ulcer, angiopathy, neuropathy etc. Recently, a group of medical scientists in Japan (Tohoku University, my host University) found that one insulin resistance diabetic patient was completely recovered when treated with pylori healing antibiotic, which was published in July 18 edition of The Lancet British medical journal. The mechanism of developing insulin resistance diabetes among pylori-induced ulcer patients is not clear enough; however, there might be some autoimmune effects. We need to find out the specific immune response against insulin that causes diabetes. In another, it is not known yet whether hyperglycemia may have influence on H. pylori growth in the stomach mucosa. Therefore, it is important to treat pylori-induced stomach ulcer first in insulin-resistant diabetic patient to cure diabetes.

Virus Alert!

Influenza virus (H1N1) is spreading up all around the world especially the post-summer season will be fatal. It is said, half of the U.S citizens may be infected by this flu and 1 in 5 Japanese will be infected. At present, prevention is important for eradicate any fatality in the humans. Though some developed countries already manufactured vaccines against this flu, those are not enough. Japan intends to start supplying vaccines at the end of October only for children, older people and patients suffered from cardiac, renal or diabetes. Most of the southeast asian countries are densely populated, so, there might be a chance of having fatality due to H1N1 infection. Some important suggestions are mentioned: (1) Use of face mask especially in the densely populated area, (2) washing hands and gargle after coming home. This flu is mainly spreaded from sneeze and cough, so, during sneeze and/or cough, faces should be protected by hand or handkerchief. In another note, children, geriatric population, and people suffering from cardiac, renal or endocrine diseases, must take precautions against this flu. Finally, it is suggested that prevention of this flu is obligatory to refrain from vast fatality in the mankind.

H1N1-flu induced deaths in Japan!

Three H1N1 induced-deaths have been confirmed in Japan, those are initial cases since 'swine-flu' was announced pandemic by WHO (World Health Organization). It is suggested, children and older people as well as patients of cardiac, renal and diabetes are more vulnerable to this flu (H1N1). It is a critical issue that this flu might have genetic mutations inside the body, thus brings more fatalities. Medical professionals in Bangladesh have much duties to prevent vast fatalities, due to densely populated region. There might be chance of getting 'vaccine' against this H1N1-flu in Japan at the end of this year. However, at present, it is wise to have mask in the crowded places and it is obviously necessary to wash hands and perform salt water gargle while come back home from outside. When body temp will rise up to 39 degree centigrade with somewhat muscle-ache, one must require to visit nearby hospital or clinic for check up. H1N1-flu induced fatalities must be prevented as it is already a pandemic around the world.

Perspectives of infection related brain disorders among children of developing countries.

Most of the developing countries around the world are densely populated with a higher child death rate, from different diseases. Infection-induced brain disorder is one of the delicate issues among child population of Bnagladesh too, which are caused by different microorganisms, mediated by environmental or immunological. There is a tendency to treat with antimicrobial agents or steroids after unwavering neuronal pathogenesis, either from bacterial, fungal or viral. Once neuronal pathogenesis is evolved, can be turned into fatal stage. Therefore, preventive measure is always essential to protect from fatal brain disorders. This should be taken into consideration, either genetic mutation of microorganisms can be transpired inside the body, due to environmental and/or other causes, the exact mechanism can not be revealed yet without much study data; however, it is of great essence to block evolving microorganisms across the blood brain barrier (BBB). Once this can be done, many fatalities can be prevented from neuronal disorders, and eventually child death rates will be lessened due to infection related brain disorders. Medical education among parents of child population especially in the rural areas may be one choice on this issue of prevention.

A report on ‘paracetamol-induced’ child death in Bangladesh!

I feel to analyze one report, published on ‘The daily Ittefaq’ on 23rd July issue, 2009, demonstrating deaths of twenty-three children in Bangladesh after intake of ‘paracetamol syrup’. Doctors in Bangladesh found that those ‘paracetamol syrup’ (brand name was not given) contained toxic chemicals (Ethylene and diethylene glycol) mixed up during manufacturing, which stimulated acute renal failure and terminated the lives of children. It is always heartbreaking news for us, the deaths of children either from natural or unnatural. The most disgusting and intolerable issue relating with drug-induced child death, should not be accepted in this modern civilization around the world when medical science is more advanced to augment the lifespan of humans. It is also not endurable when the cause of death is ‘drug’ (medicine), because drugs save lives from diseases. I personally feel, it is the time to open up mentality from pursuing most awful deeds, that instigating fatalities of humans such as children and/or adults in this modern civilization.

A survey on lifespan around the world!

A survey suggested, Japanese women has the world's longest lifespan for the 24th consecutive year in 2008 with an average life expectancy of 86.05 years; however, Japanese men, along with their female compatriots, has lifespan of 79.29 years, the fourth around the world. The life expectancy grew by 0.06 year from 2007 for Japanese women and 0.10 for Japanese men, according to the survey report. I would like to add some points on high lifespan of Japanese people from my living experiences here that though they depend on high technology, they are more familiar with ‘eco-lifestyle’ along with good medical system, so they could trip down the rates of deaths from cardiovascular, stroke and cancer related causes.

Insomnia: a common problem and eradication!

‘I can’t sleep at night’, a common complaint by many people, should be general health problem among young and older population. For instances, persistent sleep-deprivation will have perilous effects on health. I wouldn’t want to discuss about mechanism of this sleep-deprivation that should be complex phenomenon of nervous system, originating from anxiety, tension, depression and/or certain pathogenesis. Recent studies suggest, non-therapeutic appliances such as physical exercise and/or meditation may help in eradicating this sleep-deprivation. ‘Aerobic exercise’ and ‘yoga’ can be mentioned for non-therapeutics, should be perspectives of ‘rehabilitation’ among sleep-deprivation population.

What probiotic can do for stomach?

Stomach irritation is a common problem originating from any pathophysiology and/or stress. Stress is psychological phenomenon, can be relieved from mental respite. However, we need to protect our stomach from pathogenesis of common microorganism, ‘helicobacter pylori’, that may provoke cancer growth, data suggests. ‘Yogurt’ has excellent effects on stomach bed in precluding stomach ulcer. Why don’t we add ‘yogurt’ in our daily meal?

Prevention of diabetes and/or cardiovascular diseases!

Enormous researches have been conducted on benefits of ‘slow jogging’ as to prevent diabetes or cardiovascular diseases. It is always suggested that aerobic exercise is helpful to prevent diabetes, coronary artery disease as well it brings mental wellbeing; however, the question is repeated again regarding advantage of methods, slow-jogging or walking in health benefit. At least, continuation of 40 to 50 min slow jogging per day can prevent diabetes and/or cardiovascular diseases.

KEEPING THE BRAIN YOUNG!

Some easy tips to keep the brain young:
1) Exercise (Aerobic exercise is suggested for 4 to 5 days/week)
2) Traveling.
3) Friend-ships.
4) Listening music & reading books.
5) Healthy diet.
6) Calculation.
7) Meditation.

Influenza virus!

May 23, 2009:

New influenza virus has been spreading to Asian countries.
About 340 cases have been diagnosed in Japan. South-east
Asian countries are also vulnerable to this flu.
Care should be taken as follows:
1) Using face-mask in the crowded places.
2) Salt-water gargle after coming home.
3) Washing hands after coming home.

Always, it is better to inform nearby health center if the
temperature is noticed up to 39 degree centigrade with
cough and body ache.