Interview With Dr. Mike: Swine Flu and Travel

05.01.09 | 5:51 PM ET

As swine flu continues to spread and new questions arise about the dangers it poses, I asked Mike Leahy, the host of a new Travel Channel series premiering in June called “Bite me With Dr. Mike,” about its impact on travel. Dr. Mike is a doctor of virology by trade and a travel junkie by nature. At Oxford University, he focused his research on how influenza replicates. I caught up with him via email.

World Hum: Scientists are still trying to determine just how dangerous swine flu is. What’s your take on it right now?

Dr. Mike: Influenza virus is a very unpredictable virus because it mutates so readily and because it has emerged in incredibly dangerous forms in the past. Even the “regular” seasonal form of influenza kills many thousands of people every year, so seasonal influenza is not a trivial illness. That said, “‘regular flu” isn’t as devastating as the 1918 “Spanish” flu strain—the cause of the biggest killer pandemic of all time. So where does swine flu fit in on the scale of “deadliness”? I doubt if the most recent swine flu outbreak will be as lethal as the 1918 flu, but influenza does have the potential to be a very potent killer, and this strain does seem to be pretty nasty. To be honest, it’s just too early too tell right now. Of course, people like to know hard facts and absolutes, but in this case nobody really knows what’s going to happen. Therefore it’s important to be very wary.

What would you advise would-be travelers to do now? Stay home? Avoid certain places?

From a personal perspective I would carry on traveling and enjoying myself. If this really is a potentially pandemic strain it will eventually find you wherever you are. That said, I would advise others to avoid places like certain areas of Mexico where there are reported to be a number of cases. It’s also interesting to note that many sources are advising Europeans not to travel to the States. Basically some very respected influenza virologists I have been speaking to on both sides of the “pond” are aware that a similar strain has been rumbling around in the Southern U.S. for 10 years or so. 

Are some travelers more at risk of contracting the flu than others?

Seasonal flu is generally seen as a particular problem for the old, the very young and the weak, however the notorious 1918 strain seemed to be disproportionately deadly to strong, fit young people of 25 to 40 years of age. As yet there aren’t enough reliable statistics to determine who would be most at risk from this strain.

Would you be hesitant to step onto a plane or train right now?

At present there are relatively few cases, so if I were about to take a flight either to a location for a vacation, or back home following a vacation, I wouldn’t worry, however I would probably have second thoughts about taking other unnecessary flights. It has to be said that aircraft are not particularly healthy places to be. There is a classic study in which one influenza sufferer infected around 30 other passengers on a single flight. Likewise I wouldn’t hang around people who are obviously ill in trains or buses, but at least you can usually move or open the window in a train or bus, unlike in a plane.

What can travelers do to minimize their risk of contracting the flu? Any tips for staying healthy?

The only real advice being given is to practice good hygiene, which makes very good sense. It will help protect you because influenza can be spread by a fecal/oral route, or by snotty hands, etc., as well as by coughs and sneezes. However, the viruses are tiny and can be spread as an aerosol (far smaller than droplets) so masks are more or less useless. Basically whether you are infected or not is largely down to luck, but simple hygiene may help.

Any final thoughts on swine flu and travel?

As we found when filming “Foreign Bodies,” and as I found before that when traveling on my own, local knowledge is a most useful tool. It’s worth keeping an eye on the CDC website, maybe seeing if you can get to BBC World or CNN on TV, but otherwise ask a local what their perspective is. OK, they may not know exactly what’s going on, but they may give some good pointers. Otherwise it’s simply a case of waiting to see what happens.

Thanks very much.

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