Archive for February, 2009

Historical Impacts of the Influenza Virus

The year was 1918 and the world was in the grips of war. Come springtime, the news headlines were fixated on the events of World War I, but a silent killer quietly emerged onto the world’s stage, one that would prove almost as deadly as the horrible war that upstaged it.

This was a prime example of how the influenza virus has made it’s mark on history. Throughout the centuries this deadly viral infection has proven itself to be able to outsmart mankind and wreak terrible death tolls.

In Fort Riley, Kansas, a soldier is admitted to the hospital with what is thought to be just the common, three day flu. The symptoms were the general aches, pains and fever, nothing to be alarmed by, but by weeks end, the base was strapped with an epidemic that resulted in over 500 personnel being admitted with a strange, deadly influenza virus. When all was done, 48 otherwise healthy young soldiers were dead from the disease. The result of this isolated base-wide epidemic was yet to show its most deadly results though.

Later that summer, as naval ships steamed over one million American soldiers toward their fate with the war in Europe, a handful of men from Fort Riley brought on board the mysterious flu virus. Soon thereafter, American ships became riddled with the disease, leaving hoards of fighting men unable to leave the ships and fight in the war. Unfortunately, there were many more that only carried the virus and did make it to the fighting lines, thus spreading the disease to more and more soldiers that came into their contact.

It seems every 30 to 40 years, the influenza virus metamorphoses itself into a deadly version and grips the world with its life threatening abilities. It manages to change itself just enough to bypass human and antibiotic resistance.

In 1918, the world experienced one of the most catastrophic results of these natural phenomena. As we can see, the military men in WWI were affected, but this pandemic was endured world wide as people died in most counties.

The deadly flu virus eventually made it’s way into Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Soon even Great Britain was ravaged with the virus. Spain, which was hit hardest by the virus was infamously credited with the naming of the epidemic; The Spanish Flu, not because it had originated there, but because of the massive death toll their country experienced.

The virus responsible for causing influenza is changing by nature. It possesses the ability to morph itself into a new form of the virus and baffle medical professionals as it does. Vaccinations have proven capable of battling the virus, but influenza eventually evolves into a new form of itself and renders the vaccine used to combat it worthless. Actually, as influenza is passed along from person to person, it uses each host body, and its own natural defenses to “learn” how to mutate itself into form that can’t be defended against.

As we can see, influenza has laid it’s mark on mankind and history with horrible results. Societies can only hope that their medical and scientific personnel can someday find a lasting remedy to the flu and it’s devastating capabilities. 

Tags: influenza virus, flu

Treatment for skin wrinkles

With the advancement and progress in the technology of health and wellness, there are a myriad choice of treatment for skin wrinkles.

Whether it be topical, cosmetic or surgical, there is a broad range of treatments available in the market from just reducing wrinkles to totally eradicating its presence, which would ultimately require surgical treatment.

Here is a list of cosmetic treatments, both medical and surgical, including topical medicines and creams that are available in the market.

Vitamin A Acid- also known as tretinoin, with common brand names like Retin- A and Renova, are among the most common ingredients for wrinkle treatment.

This ingredient, available by prescription, has the longest success record in the treatment of aging skin and removing fine lines, especially in the facial area.

Creams and lotions containing tretinoin must be used continually and diligently.

Initial symptoms may cause redness and peeling, however, the discomfort of the side effects may be reduced my lowering the concentration of the ingredient with the base cream and applying it less often until the skin has adjusted to it.

Alpha-hydroxy acids, also termed as ‘fruit acids’, include active ingredients like glycolic and lactic acid.

Medical preparations containing these fruit acids are safer alternatives and cause very little or no skin irritation at all, however, effects are not as significant, though.

Antioxidants- these are basically topical preparations that contain vitamins like A, C and E, as well as beta-carotene. These are commonly coupled with sun protection and provide mild treatment for fine wrinkles.

There are also ordinary moisturizers that claim to reduce wrinkles, however, moisturizers that do not contain any of these topical ingredients or substances can only mask or hide wrinkles temporarily and only reduce the appearance of fine lines.

There are also cosmetic procedures readily available in the market, usually offered by dermatological experts or medical practitioners.

Glycolic acid peels- Although this form of treatment involves hands-on application, these superficial peels can only make slight effects in the intensity and degree of fine wrinkles.

Deeper peels- This skin peel process involves the use of chemical substances like salicylic acid and trichloroacetic acid that penetrates deeper into the skin.
It is believed that the deeper the treatment penetrates into the skin, the more effective it gets in smoothing out the fine lines of wrinkles, however, the deeper the peel, the greater risk of having side effects, among them, long-lasting pigment changes or changes in the color of the skin and scarring.

These peels generally do not require anesthetics, however, patients can request for mild sedation to help ease short-term but painful treatment process.

Microdermabrasion- this process primarily involves ‘scrubbing the skin’ using a machine containing silica or aluminum crystals that is being used to ‘sand’ the skin.

These services are often offered in packages of six to seven treatment sessions and does not change skin anatomy or generally have chemically-adverse effects, but does guarantee to make skin feel smoother.

Over the counter cosmetic products that are being sold as ‘home microdermabrasion’ are just mild exfoliants and are generally harmless but are less likely to produce significant, sometimes barely noticeable, changes in wrinkles.

Dermabrasion – this is the real surgical process usually performed by medical practitioners, mostly plastic surgeons or licensed dermatology practitioners, under general anesthesia.

This surgical treatment involves the deft hands and skill of the treating physician, using a rotating instrument to sand the skin down.

Dermabrasion can produce excellent results, however, a greater risk is involved in the process, since it can produce significant side effects like scarring and permanent changes in skin color.

With the many treatments for skin wrinkles, people now have several choices as to which one to choose should they decide to choose the right treatment that would suit them.

Tags: skin wrinkles, skin, wrinkles