Swine Flu: Upgraded to WHO level 4

It is difficult sometimes to wait as an epidemic increases. Poor Mexico is being hit with this crisis and it will impact every part of their country for years in the future. Often epidemics have a bad effect on economies for many years after the actual epidemic is over. There is never an "ideal" place for an epidemic to  start, and frankly with influenza it can happen any time, anywhere. A virus just has to have the right conditions to mutate and it happens. Or in this case an animal--zoonotic--form of the disease transferred between species.

One quote struck me today in La Jornada-the prevailing newspaper in Mexico City. I'll translate:

"The secretary general of the UN, Ban Ki-moon, alerted saying that 'the poorest countries are especially vulnerable,' to the sprouting of swine flu and he insists to, '...demonstrate global solidarity...'" / El secretario general de la ONU, Ban Ki-moon, alertó que los países más pobres son especialmente vulnerables al brote de gripe porcina, e instó ademostrar solidaridad global...'  (http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2009/04/28/index.php?section=politica&article=003n1pol)

He mentions that the poorest countries are the most vulnerable to this epidemic. From our perspective this might seem odd, but it's a reality for all poorer countries.

Sadly poor countries are often developing countries. They lack much infrastructure--from public health to transportation--which makes managing any epidemic even harder.  To add to these problems, generally the people in developing countries have weaker immune systems in result of poorer balanced nutrition and may be afflicted with other conditions that make their immune systems weaker.

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are one of the groups of diseases that afflict most developing countries and lower the ability of the immune system to function properly. To top that off, many of these regions are in risk of malarial disease--which won't be getting any better due to global warming and the expanding mosquito ridden regions. Malarial episodes cause a severe hit to the immune system, subsequently making them more vulnerable to common colds and flu. These are the things you do not want happening during an epidemic of influenza.

Between the lack of health infrastructure and weakened immune systems of people in the developing world, containing the swine flu within the country of origin is important, but almost impossible with how globalized the world is today. It's not as simple as cutting travel since imports and exports have to go in and out of countries. This is one of the many reasons why developed countries should be helping to eradicate the diseases in the developing world. Our lackadaisical attitude towards the elimination of these diseases could in the end cause our nation trauma. Getting our legislators to understand this is a different idea completely.