Influenza Type A (H1N1)

Hand sanitizers in the buildings, signs advising proper hand washing, and numerous emails have infected our life at Drake all of which pertain to the new concern for the H1N1 influenza virus. Some people feel that these precautions are overreactions to just another form of flu; other people feel these precautions are well justified. Then there are yet others who don't know enough to take a side. What is H1N1? Where did it come from? Do I need to worry about it? These are just some questions you might be wondering and I will be gladly answering so that you, the reader, will be well informed. Knowledge on the H1N1 flu will not only benefit you, but should you ever be confronted by a patient concerning it, you will know better how to answer their questions.

The H1N1 virus, a new influenza virus, was originally referred to as the swine flu because many of the genes in the new virus were similar to an influenza virus that was normally found in pigs. It wasn't until further study that they discovered it differed greatly from the viruses found in North American pigs. It actually consists of genes from Asian and European swine influenzas, birds and humans. For this reason, the term “swine flu” should be avoided. It also is a common misconception that people will get it from pork products. Should a patient ever express this concern, make sure to reassure them that the virus has not been found to be transmissible to people from eating properly prepared pork products; eating pork will not cause them to get the H1N1 virus.

The H1N1 flu virus is passed from person to person through the same way the seasonal flu virus is spread, through coughing and sneezing of an infected person or by touching an object the contains the flu virus and then touching one's nose or mouth. For this reason, it is highly important to practice good hygiene and proper hand washing. It is highly contagious and it is strongly advised that people who suspect that they have the virus to stay home to avoid infecting other people. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an H1N1 pandemic and has issued guidance documents that can be found on its website (http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html).

How do you know if you might have it? You would display some of the following symptoms: fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and fatigue. The illness can vary from mild to severe and you should seek medical attention as necessary. Many people recover with no need for medical attention, but there are some high risk groups. These groups include people over 65 years of age, children younger than five years old, pregnant women, immunocompromised individuals and people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions (such as diabetes or heart disease). It is these groups of people who have the greatest risk of having serious flu-related complications. An adult should seek immediate medical attention should they experience the following: difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion, severe or persistent vomiting, or if flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worsening cough.

Finally you or your patients may be wondering about the vaccine for the H1N1 influenza virus. It is a separate vaccine from the usual seasonal influenza vaccine that comes out each year. The vaccine for the seasonal vaccine will not cover you for the H1N1 vaccine just as the H1N1 vaccine will not protect you from the seasonal influenza. The CDC recommends the following groups of people get the vaccine: pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old, and people ages of 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems. Should a person decide to get both vaccines they can be immunized at the same time. If someone is debating whether or not to get the vaccine, talk with them to find out the reasons why they would and would not get the vaccine and help answer any questions or concerns they may have.

If you have any more questions or concerns regarding the H1N1 influenza virus, I urge you to check out the CDC website for more information. Also if you are curious about the activity of the influenza, the CDC also has a FluView which gives a weekly synopsis of the activity of the flu virus. It can be found at the following website: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/.

Sources:
-2009 H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. September 18, 2009. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/. Accessed September 19, 2009.
-Joint FAO/WHO/OIE Statement on influenza A (H1N1) and the safety of pork. World Health Organization. May 7, 2009. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2009/h1n1_20090430/en/index.html. Accessed September 19, 2009.
-Pandemic (H1N1) 2009. World Health Organization. 2009. Available at: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html. Accessed September 19, 2009.


Written by Jasmine Cessna
PharmD Candidate 2011