While the epidemiological risk for influenza has not yet finished, a couple of weeks have analyzed the information that has flowed from the national and international health, in this Blog we are able to do a new analysis.

Are still many doubts as to the mechanisms of transmission of the virus A/H1N1 and, above all in regard to his tenure at the agency who was infected even after symptoms of the disease.

Nor has it been able to establish with certainty where they originated and what is the exact nature of the strain, because in Mexico saw the highest number of deaths due to the virus compared to other countries where cases are occurring and if containment measures have proved sufficient.

Since the implementation of early preventive action such as suspension of classes in all schools in the country, through the interruption of activities not essential to the economy, until recently the traffic lights change to yellow, indicating reduced level warning, there have been a considerable amount of events that show the degree of uncertainty from the beginning was about the human influenza.

From all you can highlight, for example, changing the name of the virus was initially named Swine influenza virus and which entities still widely recognized as the Center for Disease Control in the United States had contributed to “identify”. The World Health Organization found that the organism should be classified as A-H1N1 human influenza.

Even in recent days, the WHO warned that took samples of cases filed in Canada, Mexico and United States, strains of the virus subtypes which had not been identified so there is the risk that they are “mutations” that could discuss new variants of the nosological entity likely to be more aggressive

This has to do with the composition of its genomic structure, which was said to have a part of the human influenza virus, another avian influenza and more than a swine influenza. The Centers for Disease Control have chosen to call type “Virus rearranged” quadruple.

Before we knew the risk that each year the virus mutate and laboratories in charge of the development of these vaccines are developed for biological application to the next, because “it is possible to have a specific vaccine if they have no prior identified and isolated the specific virus for which prepares. That’s why they could not implement the existing prepared last year for the seasonal human influenza, which was to prevent the effects of A-H1N1.

At first it was said that the incubation period of the virus in the body of an infected person could occur in two to three days. Nothing indicated what happened after the expression of symptoms. Now states that an individual carrier of the virus is able to transmit one days before the symptoms show up to 7 (seven) after he fell ill.

So far it has been ruled out the possibility that infection may occur as the water transport route of the virus. But the research does not cease to mention that “this study”

So, are we to do?

Reviewed past and recent events, we could establish as a first conclusion that the virus of human influenza A-H1N1 is present but remains highly dangerous because much less is known about what has been known about the nature of what the authorities have been informed and their current behavior and its evolution in the near future, especially when interacting with the environment to enter the stage that naturally follows each seasonal cycle, ie when increasing the humidity in rainy season and when lower temperatures in the winter.

Accordingly, it is advisable to keep the public informed through the official websites of the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, Faculty of Medicine of the University recognized the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and local health authorities.

The Mexico case.

In recent days, questions that I have made greater efforts are focused on two major questions is whether or not the existence of a virus? Were excessive control measures that, among other consequences, harm the economy?

From the viewpoint of this blog answers to both have been strong.

The presence of the A-H1N1 is real and should not doubt, because then the degree of risk is also unknown if he ignores a perception based on lack of information and positions of power by people with no data, Personally, that this type may account for two specific cases of direct confirmation, which suffered contagion. Fortunately they are recovered.

And the next question will be answered that no preventive actions are exaggerated that lasted almost until May 11, where classes were suspended and non-core activities.

Here it is not applaud the decisions of a government. On the contrary, it might have been necessary to be tougher, given the unknown nature of the virus and the lack of a culture of health among the population. Why?

To mention something, look around you at what changed the behavior of many people, almost a generality. Followed by spitting in public, flu patients who did not use the mouth, much less cover enclosing the angle of his elbow sneezing, followed by public transport or going to public places without the least restraint. The sale and consumption of foods in transport units, and even in the waiting rooms of many hospitals and clinics.

Outside the Federal District, the disinfection of public transport in other states of the country has hardly been performed. In a large number of schools for cleaning will be applied until the day that students returned to classrooms and conducted the Children’s Day celebrations, a day of mother and teacher in classrooms with more than twenty people at the same time. Covers the mouth is used a few individuals and growing obsolescence.

If you’ve ever read any fashion magazine or attached to health supplement on the newspapers or ads that appear on many websites, Facebook, etc … have found the amount of targeted advertising to buy products to lose weight. The content analysis of magazines read by more young girls found that 25% of the ads explicitly invited to weight loss.

Many of the advertisements do not have much in the current Spanish and European legislation and recommendations of the boards of audiovisual products, protected time, and messages.

Law 22/2005 in force in Catalonia considers illegal advertising and teleshopping that encourages poor eating practices or any other conduct detrimental to health, and expressly forbids inciting minors to buy such products.

Also Royal Decree 1430/1997 stipulates that products intended for weight loss can not contain on their labels, or advertisements or any reference to the rate or magnitude of weight loss that can make its consumption.

This is especially important because it indicates the degree of infringement of advertisers and confusion for consumers.

Advertising is therefore harmless. The pressure on media issues with body image find fertile ground because we live in a society exhibiting particularly concerned about a particular body image and appearance.

This is particularly serious when the “target” to which the advertising company is vulnerable because of their youth has not developed sufficiently to challenge some psychological messages and values that bombard you from all fronts.

The administration and politicians have a duty to develop policies for prevention and effective regulations to protect these groups to the indiscriminate bombardment of advertising messages that induce weight loss.