INFLUENZA JRK.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> SAY WHAT YOU WILL ABOUT VIRUSES, BUT THEY DO HAVE A WAY WITH MARKETING.

STAY WITH US AS WE DISCUSS THE QUADEMIC WITH INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST Dr. MARK BYRNES NEXT ON "KENTUCKY HEALTH."

>> "KENTUCKY HEALTH" IS FUNDED KENTUCKY.

>> VIRUSES BACTERIA, PARASITES AND FUNGI HAVE BEEN WITH US SINCE WE WERE US.

A 2016 PUBLICATION FROM THE WHARTON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS NOTED THAT BETWEEN 1900 AND 1950 THERE WAS A 90% DECREASE IN THE U.S. MORTALITY RATE WITH TWO-THIRDS OF THAT ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

A 1999 CDC REPORT ON CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE HIGHLIGHTS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF STRATEGIC VACCINATION CAMPAIGNS WHICH VIRTUALLY ELIMINATED COMMON DISEASES SUCH AS DIPHTHERIA, TETANUS, POLIO, SMALL POX, MEASLES MUMPS RUBELLA AND INFLUENZA TYPE B MENINGITIS.

THE SUCCESS OF THESE AND SIMILAR VACCINATION PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE GAVE RISE TO THE CONCEPT OF DISEASE ERADICATION.

PROOF THAT THIS IDEAL COULD BE ACHIEVED WAS THE ERADICATION OF THE SMALL POX IN THE UNITED STATES AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES IN 1977.

OUR LATEST CALAMITY HAS BEEN LABELED QUADEMIC.

QUADEMIC IS APPLICABLE BECAUSE WE ARE EXPERIENCING A SURGE IN FOUR VIRUSES INFLUENZA A, COVID-19, NEUROVIRUS AND RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS.

THE RESPIRATORY VIRUS ACTIVITY WEBSITE AT THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION THOSE POSITIVE TEST FOR COVID AND HAVE BEEN ON THE AND INFLUENZA AND RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS HAVE BEEN ON THE UPSWING SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2024.

IN KENTUCKY, THIS IS TRANSLATED INTO AN INCREASE IN THOSE OF US WITH SYMPTOMS AND VISITS TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.

TO HELP PUT ALL THIS IN PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE AS OUR GUEST Dr. MARTIN BYRNES.

Dr. MARK BURNS.

HE EARNED HIS MEDICAL DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.

HE THEN COMPLETED A RESIDENCY IN INTERNAL MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE AT U OF L HOSPITAL.

IN ADDITION TO THE GO TO MEDIA GUY FOR ALL THINGS INFECTIOUS DISEASE RELATED, HE IS AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH AND THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.

THANKS FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> WHAT IS THIS QUAD EMIC?

IS IT SOMETHING REAL OR WHAT?

>> IT'S DEFINITELY REAL.

WHAT IS IT IS, IT CONSISTS OF FOUR VIRUSES THAT ARE PREDOMINANT PARTICULARLY THIS TIME OF YEAR.

JUST SO HAPPENS THIS YEAR IT IS INFLUENZA, IT IS RSV, COVID, AND NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER PLAYER THAT IS NORMALLY LOW KEY AND DOESN'T COUNT BUT BECAUSE OF THE PREVALENCE OF IT HAS INCREASED, NORO VIRUS.

DO WE NORMALLY SEE THE VIRUSES OR IS IT JUST THAT THEY SEEM TO BE ON AN UPSWING WITH US?

>> NO, THEY'RE PRESENT, UNFORTUNATELY WITH THE MOST RECENT ADDITION, OF COURSE BEING COVID-19; HOWEVER, WE ARE SEEING AN UPSWING IN RESPIRATORY VIRAL INSPECTION EFFECTSES THIS TIME OF THE YEAR ANYWAY.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE PEOPLE GATHER INSIDE WHERE IT'S WARM.

AND ALSO YOU GOT YOUR HOLIDAY GATHERINGS AS WELL, TOO.

SO WITH ALL THIS, YOU KNOW, IT'S SORT OF A RECIPE, YOU KNOW, FOR A PREVALENCE IN PROLIFERATION OF THESE VIRUSES.

>> NOW ALL OF THESE RESPIRATORY VIRUSES, DOOR THEY HAVE DIFFERENT MANIFESTATIONS?

>> THE FIRST THREE, INFLUENZA, RSV AND COVID ARE RESPIRATORY VIRUSES.

THE NOROVIRUS IS A GASTROINTESTINAL.

>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE RESPIRATORY ONES, WHAT ARE THE PRESENTATIONS?

>> JUST LIKE ANY OTHER VIRUS.

PEOPLE MAY HAVE FEVER, THEY MAY HAVE CHILLS.

NON-PRODUCTIVE COUGH.

THEY JUST DON'T FEEL WELL.

MUSCLE ACHES, BODY ACHES, TYPICAL FLU TYPE OR VIRAL TYPE SYMPTOMS THAT THEY HAVE.

AND IT'S KIND OF HARD TO DISTINGUISH WHAT IS WHAT WITHOUT BEING TESTED.

BUT I WILL SAY THIS.

THE THING THAT IS INTERESTING, FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, THE PREDOMINANT VIRUS THAT HAS BEEN ON THE RADAR HAS BEEN COVID.

THIS PARTICULAR SEASON, HOWEVER, IT IS INFLUENZA, PARTICULARLY INFLUENZA A. SCH NOW SINCE YOU MENTIONED THAT ABOUT INFLUENZA A, AS WE ARE TAPING THIS, THERE ARE SCHOOLS IN THE COMMONWEALTH, PARTICULARLY HERE IN LOUISVILLE, WHERE WE ARE NOW, WHICH ARE SHUTTING DOWN BECAUSE OF THESE INFECTS.

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT?

>> WELL, A COUPLE OF THINGS.

AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE SEASON, THOSE VIRUSES AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THE INFLUENZA OR THE FLU, IS GOING TO BE PREDOMINANT.

UNFORTUNATELY, VACCINATION RATES FOR INFLUENZA FOR THIS YEAR ARE ACTUALLY DOWN.

AND THEY HAVE BEEN DOWN FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS.

>> ARE THERE VACCINES FOR ALL THREE OF THESE AND ARE THEY EFFECTIVE?

>> YES, THERE ARE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE VACCINES FOR ALL THREE OF THESE THAT ARE PART OF THE QUADEMIC.

>> AS YOU KNOW, THERE IS SOME CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THIS WHERE MANY OF US BECOME VERY LEERY ABOUT THE VACCINES.

ARE WE SHOOTING OURSELVES IN THE FOOT OVER UNFOUNDED FEARS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S BEEN SHOWN, IT HAS BEEN PROVEN VACCINES ARE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE.

AND ESPECIALLY THESE VACCINES.

>> DO PEOPLE STILL DIE IN INFLUENZA A?

>> THEY DO.

THEY DIE FROM INFLUENZA A.

IT IS ALSO GLU INFLUENZA B AS WELL.

BUT THIS PARTICULAR SEASON, THE PREDOMINANT INFLUENZA IS INFLUENZA A BUT YES, UNFORTUNATELY PEOPLE DO DIE.

A LOTTED OF IT NOWADAYS IS BECAUSE OF LACK OF VACCINATION.

>> TO THAT POINT, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, OR AT LEAST IT SEEMS TO ME CASUALLY LOOKING AT WHERE THESE OUTBREAKS ARE TAKING PLACE, THERE ARE CERTAIN POPULATIONS THAT SEEM TO BE AFFECTED MORE THAN OTHERS.

AND I WONDER IF THESE ARE THE POPULATIONS THAT TEND TO QUESTION THE VALUE OF VACCINES MORE SO THAN OTHERS?

>> WELL, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY STUDIES THAT HAVE ACTUALLY SHOWN.

I CAN SAY ANECDOTALLY IN MY EXPERIENCE, THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VACCINATED, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE AGAINST THE FLU, THEY TEND TO DO A LOT BETTER AS OPPOSED TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T.

NATIONWIDE, A LITTLE LESS THAN 50% OF THE PEOPLE ARE VACCINATED.

BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, VACCINES ARE-- THESE VACCINES ESPECIALLY ARE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE.

>> YOU MENTIONED ABOUT COVID-19 AS ONE OF THESE.

IS THAT STILL A PROBLEM FOR US?

OR HAVE WE JUST DECIDED TO MOVE ON?

>> COVID-19 IS STILL OUT THERE.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE ALL HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO IT SOME KIND OF WAY WHETHER IT HAS BEEN THROUGH ACTUAL INFECTION OR THROUGH VACCINES.

SO CONSEQUENTLY, WE HAVE ALL GENERATED ANTIBODIES TO THIS.

AGAIN, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH INFECTION OR THROUGH THE VACCINES.

SO IT'S NOT AS DEADLY, IF YOU WILL AS IT WAS BEFORE.

BUT IT IS STILL A VIRUS THAT WE ARE STILL STRONGLY RECOMMENDING PEOPLE EITHER GET THEIR INITIAL VACCINES, IF THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT OR TO KEEP UP ON TOP OF THE BOOSTERS THAT ARE PRESENT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS THEIR BOOSTER SHOTS, THEIR BOOSTER DOSES UP TO DATE.

>> ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS, AGE, SEX OR ANYTHING LIKE THIS, THAT MAKES THEM MORE PRONE TO DEVELOP COVID-19?

OR HAVE GREATER COMPLICATIONS FROM IT?

>> WELL, LET ME ASK YOU THE RESPONSE TO YOUR MOST RECENT COMMENT.

YES, THOSE PEOPLE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE LONG COVID-19, THEY HAVE SHOWN THAT PEOPLE MORE PRONE TO LONG COVID ARE PEOPLE UNVACCINATED.

NOT SAYING IT IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE VACCINATED TO DEVELOP LONG COVID TYPE SYMPTOMS BUT WILL YOU SEE IT MORE SO IN PEOPLE UNVACCINATED.

DEMOGRAPHICALLY SPEAKING, I HAVEN'T SEEN INFORMATION TO INDICATE THERE IS ANY REAL DIFFERENCE.

BUT I WILL SAY THIS.

AGAIN, IF YOU ARE UNVACCINATED, YOU ARE AT HIGHER RISK FOR NOT ONLY DEVELOPING COVID, BUT ALSO THE PROLONGED COMPLICATIONS SOBERED WITH IT.

>> SO WHAT IS LONG COVID?

YOU MENTIONED THIS.

AND I THINK SOME OF US WILL THINK, OH LONG COVID IS JUST, I HAVE THE INFECTION AND IT LASTED LONGER THAN IT DID IN SOMEBODY ELSE.

MORE TO IT?

>> MORE OF A CONTINUATION OF SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS.

THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOM IS THE SO CALLED BRAIN FOG.

THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON.

SOME PEOPLE DO COMPLAIN OF INABILITY TO SMELL ADEQUATELY BECAUSE YOU LOSE THAT.

SAME WITH TASTE, THEY DON'T---- THEY DON'T TOTALLY RECOVER THE TASTE THAT THEY HAD BEFORE.

AGAIN, JUST SORT OF SOME PROLONGATION OF SYMPTOMS FROM THE INITIAL COVID INFECTION.

BUT THOSE ARE THE MORE PROM NENTD ONES-- PROMINENT ONES.

>> TELL ME THEN ABOUT RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS.

NOW I MUST ADMIT, I REMEMBER THAT BEING DISCUSSED IN MEDICAL SCHOOL AND I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT MUCH.

THAT'S MY OWN IGNORANCE, YES, BUT THIS IS A REAL DEAL.

>> AND AGAIN, IT'S A VIRAL INFECTION.

IT'S A VIRUS AND IT BEHAVES LIKE OTHER VIRUSES.

IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED, THE VERY YOUNG AND VERY OLD ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE COMPLICATIONS OF IT AND THAT'S REALLY THE SPECIAL THING ABOUT IT.

OTHERWISE IT IS, LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER TYPICAL VIRUSES.

AND AGAIN, THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THAT IS THAT THERE ARE VACCINES FOR RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS.

>> THAT ARE EFFECTIVE.

>> THAT ARE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE.

>> SO ARE THERE ANY DIFFERENCES IN THE PRESENTATION OF SOMEONE WITH THE INFLUENZA A, COVID-19 AND RSV RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS?

>> WELL, I MEAN THERE ARE A FEW NUANCES.

AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WITH COVID-19, YOU ARE MORE LIKE LIB TO LIKELY TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE LOSS OF TASTE, LOSS OF SMELL, SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND MAYBE NOT SO MUCH WITH ANY OTHER RUN OF THE MILL TYPE VIRUS, RHINO VIRUSES, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

YOU MAY NOT NECESSARILY SEE THAT.

BUT YOU WILL SEE THAT WITH SOMETHING LIKE COVID.

BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THE SYMPTOMMOLOGISTS SOBERED WITH VIRAL INFECTIONS ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.

>> ARE THERE AT-HOPE TESTS FOR THESE VIRUSES?

AND ARE THEY RELIABLE?

>> YEAH, THERE ARE AT HOME TESTS FOR COVID-19.

AND THOSE, AS A MATTER OF FACT, WELL, YOU CAN BUY THOSE OVER THE COUNTER.

FOR A WHILE, GOVERNMENT WAS ACTUALLY GIVING FREE SAMPLE TEST KITS OUT FOR COVID.

BUT THAT'S PRIMARILY THE ONE THAT IS AVAILABLE.

>> BUT THERE IS NOTHING FOR INFLUENZA OR RSV THAT WE CAN DO AT HOME, THE AT-HOME GAME VERSION?

>> NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF, NO.

>> SO WHEN SHOULD A PERSON, WHO HAS UPPER RESPIRATORY, THEY'RE COUGHING, YOU KNOW, RUNNY NOSE, SORE THROAT, FEVER, WHEN DOES ONE MAKE THE DECISION TO SAY HEY, I NEED TO GO IN AND SEE SOMEBODY AND WHERE SHOULD THAT BE?

>> FOR THE MOST PART, VIRUSES, IN A HEALTHY PERSON, PRETTY MUCH RUN THEIR COURSE.

THAT IS OUR OWN IMMUNE SYSTEM WILL EVENTUALLY FIGHT IT.

NOW WE WILL BE UNCOMFORTABLE FROM THE SYMPTOMS OF THE VIRUS.

BUT THAT'S OUR OWN IMMUNE SYSTEM FIGHTING AGAINST IT.

THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE PROBLEMS, HOWEVER, ARE THE ONES WHO ARE THE VERY YOUNG, THE VERY OLD, THOSE THAT ARE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED, THOSE THAT MAY HAVE IMMUNOCOMPROMISING SITUATIONS THAT IS THEY MAY BE ON MEDICATIONS ANTIREJECTION MEDICINES, FOR EXAMPLE.

OR SOMEBODY WHO HAS HAD MAYBE A STEM CELL OR SOLID ORGAN TRANSPLANT ON IMMUNOSUPPRESS ANT MEDICATIONS TO PREVENT REJECTION.

UNFORTUNATELY, THEY ARE SUSCEPTIBLE, NOT ONLY TO HAVING THE VIRUS BUT ALSO SEVERE COMPLICATIONS.

>> SO WHAT COMES TO MY MIND IS, ALL RIGHT, NOW IF I'VE GOT SYMPTOMS, I NEED TO GET STARTED ON SOME TYPE OF ANTIVIRAL THERAPY.

I WANT TO YOU CLARIFY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIVIRAL.

THE COMMERCIAL, IF YOU HAVE COVID, YOU WANT PACK PACK PACLOVID.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE.

WE THINK WE NEAT AN ANTIBIOTIC.

I ASSUME THAT IS NOT CORRECT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A VIRUS.

>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT BACTERIAL INFECTIONS, BACTERIA, THAT'S WHERE ANTIBIOTICS ARE USED.

FOR VIRAL INFECTIONS, NOW THERE ARE A FEW ANTIVIRALS THAT WILL HELP COMBAT THE FLU; FOR EXAMPLE.

AND OF COURSE COVID-19 WHICH IS ANOTHER VIRUS.

AND AS YOU MENTIONED PACKS REMDESIVIR IS USED AGAINST THAT BUT THOSE ARE MORE ALTERNATIVE MEDICATIONS.

THE POINT IS THAT HAVE YOU MEDICATIONS FOR VIRUSES AND YOU HAVE THOSE FOR BACTERIA ANTIBIOTICS FOR BACTERIA AND ANTIVIRALS FOR VIRUSES CENTER A TIME LIMIT WHEN YOU SHOULD START TAKING THEM AND STOCH TAKING THEM?

>> IF YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE THEM, IT'S BEST TO TAKE THEM WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE DAYS OF HAVING SYMPTOMS FOR THEM TO BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE.

THE CONCERNED EFFECTIVE.

NOW DOES THAT MEAN BY DAY SIX THEY WON'T BE EFFECTIVE?

NOT NECESSARILY.

BUT AGAIN, TO GET THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT.

IF YOU TAKE IT, IF YOU TAKE THE ANTIVIRAL MEDICATIONS USUALLY WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE DAYS OF SYMPTOMS, YOU ARE MORE LIKELY GOING TO GET THE MAXIMUM EFFECT FROM THOSE.

>> AND THEN IN THE MEANTIME, ALSO TAKE THINGS THAT TREAT THE SYMPTOMS.

>> YES.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND MOST OF THOSE CAN BE OVER THE COUNTER THINGS.

IN ADDITION, THE SO CALLED HOME REMEDIES SUCH AS CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP AND DRINKING FLUIDS, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE LIKE DRINKING SOFT DRINKS LIKE GINGER ALE, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

THEY HELP, BUT AGAIN IT'S MORE FOR THE SYMPTOMOLOGY AND TO KEEP YOU FROM GETTING DEHYDRATED.

>> LET'S SWITCH GEARS NOW.

AND TELL ME ABOUT THE NOROVIRUS.

I DON'T THINK MANY OF US THINK ABOUT THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS BUT NOW IT'S INCLUDED HERE IN THE QUADEMIC IN WHICH WE ARE GOING THROUGH.

WHAT IS THE NOROVIRUS?

>> THE NOROVIRUS, AGAIN, IT'S A VIRUS, BUT IT AFFECTS MORE GASTROINTESTINAL TYPE THINGS; THAT IS, IT'S THE SO CALLED STOMACH FLU, IF YOU WILL, IT HAS BEEN KNOWN AS THAT.

ORDINARILY, WE REALLY WOULDN'T BE MAKING A BIG DEAL OUT OF IT.

YES, IT HAS BEEN AROUND, BUT WE ARE SEEING A HIGHER PREVALENCE OF IT THIS TIME AS OPPOSED TO THE LAST FEW YEARS.

NOW IT'S HARD TO SAY WHY THAT'S HAPPENING.

THERE ARE SOME THEORIES THAT ARE OUT THERE.

THE ONE I PROBABLY WOULD SUBSCRIBE TO IS THE FACT THAT THERE IS MORE LIKELY A VARIANT OR DIFFERENT STRAIN THAT HAS NEVER BEEN PRESENT BEFORE AND CONSEQUENTLY, IT IS AFFECTING MORE PEOPLE.

>> WHEN YOU SAY IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE STOMACH FLU, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS SPECIFICALLY ONE MAY EXPECT TO SEE?

>> SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE FEVER.

MAYBE NOT.

BUT THEY WILL CERTAINLY HAVE MORE G.I.

SYMPTOMS, NAUSEA, VOMITING, DIARRHEA AND GENERALIZED ABDOMINAL PAIN.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S SOMETHING WHERE IT'S GOING TO AFFECT MORE OF YOUR GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

>> SO I GUESS WITH THE RESPIRATORY VIRUSES, IF YOU ARE AROUND SOMEONE THAT COUGHS ON YOU, I GUESS YOU ARE GOING TO PICK IT UP THAT WAY.

WHAT ABOUT NOROVIRUS?

HOW DO WE PASS THAT AROUND?

>> IT'S MORE OF WHAT WHETHER WE TALK ABOUT TRANSMITTING THAT, IT'S MORE WHAT WE CONSIDER FECAL ORAL TRANSMISSION OR IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S ONE THAT IS USUALLY BY TOUCHING OF SURFACE, CONTAMINATED SURFACES.

AND THEN IF YOU TOUCH THOSE AND THEN TOUCH YOUR EYES YOUR NOSE OR YOUR MOUTH, ENTRY WAYS INTO YOUR BODY, THAT'S USUALLY HOW IT'S OBTAINED.

>> WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS WITH FOOD POISONING OR SOMETHING?

OR USUALLY MORE INDIVIDUAL THAN THAT?

>> WELL, AGAIN, IT'S MORE OF A TOUCH AND YOU TOUCH SOMETHING, THEN YOU TOUCH YOUR MUCOUS MEMBRANES, EYES, NOSE AND MOUTH.

ALSO IT CAN BE FROM INGESTION OF CONTAMINATED FOOD.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE MAY GET IT-- NOW THIS IS AN EXTREME-- BUT SOMETHING LIKE FROM RAW MILK UNPASTEURIZED MILK, THAT'S POSSIBLE.

BUT AGAIN, THE KEY POINT IS YOU ARE TOUCHING SOMETHING THAT IS CONTAMINATED AND YOU ARE ACTUALLY PUTTING IT IN YOUR MOUTH.

>> I SEEM TO RECALL, AND PROBABLY MAYBE IT'S NOT NOROVIRUS, BUT THESE BIG OVERSIZED CRUISE LINERS.

AND THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO COME DOWN WITH SOME TYPE OF INFECTIOUS PROBLEM.

IS THAT A NOROVIRUS WE TEND TO SEE OR SOMETHING ELSE.

>> IT'S USUALLY NOROVIRUS.

AND ALSO THE THING ABOUT NOROVIRUS, IT'S USUALLY MORE OF A VIRUS OF WHAT I WOULD CALL INCONVENIENCE.

AGAIN, PEOPLE HAVE MILD STOMACH UPSET.

THEY CAN HAVE NAUSEA, VOMITING, DIARRHEA, BUT THOSE SYMPTOMS USUALLY LAST ANYWHERE FROM 48 TO 7 2 HOURS AND THEN THEY'RE GONE.

ONE THING THAT IS INTERESTING AND PEOPLE DON'T STRESS ENOUGH IS THAT YOU MAY BE OVER THE SYMPTOMS IN 48 TO 72 HOURS, BUT YOU ARE STILL POTENTIALLY, POTENTIALLY CONTAGIOUS UP TO ABOUT MAYBE TWO WEEKS.

>> REALLY?

>> YES.

>> SO IN OTHER WORDS, YOU ARE STILL SHEDDING VIRAL PARTICLES.

>> ACTIVE VIRAL PARTICLES, YES.

THAT IS CORRECT.

NOW, AGAIN, THE PERSON MIGHT NOT HAVE SYMPTOMS.

>> YES.

>> BUT THEY CAN STILL SHED THE ACTUAL VIRUS ITSELF.

>> OKAY.

I DON'T WANT TO GET NOROVIRUS.

WHAT DO I DO?

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO TO PROTECT MYSELF?

>> WELL, JUST LIKE YOU WOULD ANY OTHER TYPE OF VIRUS, HANDWASHING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

HANDWASHING.

PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK SHOULD SORT OF ISOLATE THEMSELVES FROM EVERYBODY ELSE; THAT IS NOW WHAT I TEND TO RECOMMEND TO MY PATIENTS, IF SOMEONE IS IN YOUR FAMILY AND THEY HAVE NOROVIRUS BUT YOU DON'T HAVE IT, BASICALLY, WASHING YOUR HANDS, THEY CAN HAVE THEIR OWN SEPARATE DISHES AND USE SOMETHING DISPOSABLE AND YOU USE YOURS.

YOU DON'T SHARE DRINKING CUPS.

YOU DON'T SHARE UTENSILS.

EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN.

BUT AGAIN, JUST THINK, THIS IS A VIRUS THAT IS OBTAINED BY TOUCHING THINGS THAT ARE CONTAMINATED AND THEN TOUCHING YOURSELF, EYES, NOSE, MOUTH.

>> WE SHOULD BE LIKE THE BEARS ON THE TOILET PAPER COMMERCIAL.

EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN TOILET ROLL AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY SHARING OF THAT SORT OF STUFF.

>> YEAH, THE KIDS DON'T SHARE.

>> DON'T SHARE.

IS THERE A ROLE FOR VACCINES WITH THIS?

>> NO, NOT USUALLY, NOT FOR NOROVIRUS, NOT FOR NOROVIRUS BECAUSE IT IS SO SHORT LIVED.

YOU KNOW, THE SYMPTOMS-- NOW, FOR PEOPLE WHO, AGAIN, IMMUNOCOMPROMISED, THE VERY YOUNG OR THE VERY OLD, THAT CAN BE A PROBLEM THERE.

AND NOT SO MUCH THE VIRUS IN AND OF ITSELF BUT THE RESULT OF IT.

PEOPLE GET DEHYDRATED, OKAY AND THEN THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEMS USUALLY COME.

>> NOW I NOTICED YOU SAID HANDWASHING AND DIDN'T SAY HAND SANITIZER.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

BECAUSE YOU REALLY CANNOT KILL THIS VIRUS WITH HAND SANITIZER WITH ALCOHOL IN IT.

YOU NEED HAND WASHING WITH SOAP AND WATER.

AT LEAST 20 TO 30 SECONDS.

AND AS FAR AS CLEANING SURFACES, NOW BELIEF BLEACH COMPOUNDS WORK REALLY WELL FOR IT.

SO THOSE WILL DO EFFECTIVE KILLING OF THE VIRUS ON THOSE SURFACES.

BUT AGAIN, THE MAJOR, MAJOR POINT IS THAT HAND SANITIZER WILL NOT KILL THIS VIRUS.

>> NOW TO BE CLEAR, YOU ARE NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE EITHER A DRINK BLEACH OR B USE BLEACH ON ANYTHING U UTENSILS WE MAY BE EATING WITH.

>> DO NOT DRINK BLEACH OR INJECT BLEACH.

>> USE IT ON SURFACES BUT NOT ON OUR UTENSILS WE PUT IN OUR MOUTH.

>> OR YOURSELVES.

>> WHAT ABOUT FOR THE OTHER, THE RESPIRATORY VIRUSES?

IS THERE A ROLE FOR THE HAND SANITIZERS OR SHOULD WE LOOK FOR HANDWASHING MORE SO?

>> I ALWAYS RECOMMEND MORE HAPPENED WASHING WITH THOSE VIRUSES.

NOW HAND SANITIZER WILL WORK, WILL HELP.

BUT AGAIN, AS FAR AS CLEANING SURFACES, I THINK YOU DO BETTER WITH AGENTS THAT ARE GOING TO KILL THE VIRUS.

>> IF WE COULD CHANGE GEARS JUST A LITTLE BIT.

IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT VIRAL INFECTIONS, THESE ARE NOT THINGS THAT JUST HAPPEN ON THE SHORES OF THE UNITED STATES.

BUT THESE CAN BE GLOBAL PHENOMENA, IS THAT RIGHT?

>> ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

VIRUSES ARE EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

>> SO I'M KIND OF CONCERNED THAT WE MAY NOT BE GETTING OUR EARLY WARNINGS AS CERTAIN MOVES HAVE BEEN MADE.

AND I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE VARIOUS REASONS WHY CERTAIN POLICIES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED BUT WITHDRAWING FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, ARE WE GOING TO BE REMOVING OURSELVES FROM ADVANCED WARNING ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF VARIOUS NEW VIRUSES?

>> IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, I BELIEVE WITHDRAWING FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION IS A BIG MISTAKE.

BECAUSE TO ME, ANY TIME YOU CAN SHARE INFORMATION FROM A MEDICAL STANDPOINT, IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE HELPFUL.

WHEN COVID-19 FIRST REARED ITS UGLY HEAD, IT BEGAN OVER IN CHINA AND THEN SPREAD THROUGH EUROPE.

WE, AS PHYSICIANS, SORT OF KNEW ABOUT IT AND WE KNEW THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE SOMETHING REALLY DEADLY BECAUSE WE ALL HEARD HERE IN THE U.S., HAD HEARD ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY WERE RUNNING OUT OF VENTILATORS FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE INFECTED WITH COVID-19 AT THAT TIME.

AND IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT CAME OVER TO THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE OF ALL THE INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL THAT IS DONE.

>> GOTCHA.

>> SO THE SHARING OF INFORMATION, I THINK, IS GOING TO BE VERY DETRIMENTAL WHEN IT COMES TO DISEASE AND THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OTHER PLACES IN THE WORLD.

AGAIN, BECAUSE OF WORLD TRAVEL, WHATEVER IS HAPPENING SOMEWHERE ELSE IS ALWAYS A GREAT CHANCE IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE UNITED STATES EVENTUALLY.

>> PERHAPS I'M OVERLY CONCERNED, BUT I DO REMEMBER PATIENTS WITH TUBERCULOSIS.

WE HAVE SEEN A HOTSPOT OF TUBERCULOSIS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES?

IS THAT A CONCERN?

>> WELL, IT IS ALWAYS A CONCERN TO KNOW ABOUT IT.

NOW TUBERCULOSIS, UNFORTUNATELY, IS STILL WITH US HERE.

MOST TIMES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TUBERCULOSIS, WE, AS PHYSICIANS HERE IN THE U.S., ARE DEALING PRIMARILY, PRIMARILY WITH LATENT TUBERCULOSIS.

PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN INFECTED BUT DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE SYMPTOMS BUT THEY STILL CARRY THE BACTERIA.

ACTIVE TUBERCULOSIS IN AND OF ITSELF, NOW THAT IS NOT PROMINENT AT ALL.

AND GARNERS A LOT OF ATTENTION.

>> LIKE WHAT WE ARE SEEING NOW.

SO RIGHT NOW IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT BUT WE NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON.

>> IT YES, CORRECT BECAUSE-- YES, CORRECT AND THE CDC IS A GOOD SOURCE TO LOOK FOR THAT.

THEY'RE INDICATING NOW THAT THEY HAD AN INCREASED NUMBER OF ACTIVE CASES, I BELIEVE IT'S IN KANSAS CITY KANSAS AND THEY'RE WORKING TO FIND OUT THE INS AND OUTS OF THAT IF YOU WILL.

>> IF COULD YOU GIVE ME A SHORT ANSWER ON A VERY COMPLEX QUESTION.

SHOULD WE BE WORRIED ABOUT BIRD FLU RIGHT NOW?

>> ACCORDING TO THE CDC, NO BECAUSE THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY HUMAN TO HUMAN TRANSMISSIONS UP TO THIS POINT.

NOW PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GETTING INFECTED, BUT THOSE ARE PEOPLE, LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO ARE POULTRY WORKERS, PEOPLE WHO WORK ON DAIRY FARMS, PEOPLE UNFORTUNATELY WHO DRINK UNPASS PASTEURIZED RAW MILK.

PEOPLE WHO MAY BE HANDLING DEAD BIRDS.

THOSE PEOPLE ARE THE ONES MORE AT RISK FOR IT AND TO DATE, AS FAR AS I KNOW, I THINK THERE HAS ONLY BEEN ONE DEATH ASSOCIATED WITH BIRD FLU.

>> SO VACCINES STILL GOOD?

>> FOR BIRD FLU?

>> NO, FOR THE QUADEMIC.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> AND WASHING OUR HANDS.

>> YES.

>> CAN'T BEAT THAT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> THERE WE GO.

MARK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND CLEARING UP A FEW ISSUES FOR ME.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

WE HAVE ACQUIRED A FAR MORE LAISSEZ-FAIRE ATTITUDE TOWARDS CONTROLLING FIDS INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND I HOPE SOME QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AND YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO ASK QUESTIONS AND MAKE DECISIONS.

TALK TO YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER OR LOCAL DEPARTMENTS OF PUBLIC HEALTH FOR CLARIFICATION AND ADVICE F. YOU WATCH TO WATCH THIS SHOW GO TO KET.ORG/HEALTH.

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT ABOUT THIS OR OTHER SHOWS, WE CAN BE REACHED AT KY HEALTH@ket.org.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON THE NEXT "KENTUCKY HEALTH" AND PLEASE TALK TO YOUR PROVIDERS ABOUT GETTING A VACCINE, WASH YOUR HANDS, COVER YOUR MOUTH AND CLEAN YOUR SURFACES.

CAREFULLY.

BE SAFE AND WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK ON "KENTUCKY HEALTH."

>> "KENTUCKY HEALTH" IS FUNDED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR A HEALTHY KENTUCKY.