| H1N1
(Swine Flu) |
| Information
courtesy of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention |
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H1N1
(Swine) flu is a contagious influenza virus.
Illness with the H1N1
(Swine) flu virus has ranged
from mild to severe.
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The
symptoms of H1N1 (Swine) flu
include
fever, cough,
sore throat, runny or stuffy
nose, body aches, headache,
chills, fatigue, and possibly
vomiting or diarrhea.
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H1N1
(Swine) flu is spread mainly
from person to person through
coughing or sneezing
by
infected persons. Get
vaccinated to protect yourself
from the H1N1 (Swine) flu.
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If
you are infected with H1N1
(Swine) flu, you should avoid
close contact with others,
especially those who might
easily get the flu.
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| What
is H1N1 (Swine) Flu? |
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- H1N1
(Swine) flu is a influenza
virus causing illness in
people. It
has two genes from flu viruses
that normally circulate in
pigs in Europe and Asia, plus
avian genes and human genes.
Scientists call this a
“quadruple reassortant”
virus. Read more about where
this virus came from in this Q&A
on the origin of the H1N1 Flu.
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- H1N1
(Swine) flu is contagious.
This new virus was first
detected in people in the
United States in April 2009.
The virus is spreading from
person-to-person, in the same
way that regular seasonal
influenza viruses spread.
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- H1N1
(Swine) flu is NOT caused by
eating pork or pork products.
H1N1 flu is not a foodborne
disease, it is a respiratory
disease. The USDA continues to
remind consumers that all meat
and poultry products are safe
to eat when properly prepared
and cooked.
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- Illness
with the new H1N1 (Swine) flu
virus has ranged from mild to
severe. While the
vast majority of people who
have contracted H1N1 (Swine)
flu have recovered without
needing medical treatment,
hospitalizations and deaths
have occurred.
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- About
70 percent of people who have
been hospitalized with H1N1
(Swine) flu have had one or
more medical conditions that
placed them in the “high
risk” category for
serious seasonal flu-related
complications. These include
pregnancy, diabetes, heart
disease, asthma and kidney
disease.
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- Unlike
the seasonal flu virus, adults
older than 64 do not yet
appear to be at increased risk
of H1N1 (Swine) flu-related
complications. CDC
laboratory studies have shown
that about one-third of adults
older than 60 may have
antibodies against this virus.
It is unknown how much
protection may be afforded
against H1N1 (Swine) flu by an
existing antibody.
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Symptoms
of H1N1 (Swine) Flu
- The
symptoms of H1N1 (Swine) flu are
similar to seasonal flu, but may
include additional symptoms such as vomiting
and diarrhea.
Symptoms
of Season and H1N1 (Swine) Flu:
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| Seasonal Flu |
H1N1 (Swine) Flu |
All types of flu can cause:
- Fever
- Coughing and/or sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Headaches and/or body aches
- Chills
- Fatigue
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Same as seasonal flu, but symptoms may be more severe.
- Fever
- Coughing and/or sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Headaches and/or body aches
- Chills
- Fatigue
In addition to the above symptoms, a number of H1N1 (swine) flu cases reported:
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- Emergency
Warning Signs - If you
become ill and experience any of the
following warning signs, seek
emergency medical care.
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| Emergency
warning signs in children: |
Emergency
warning signs in adults: |
- Fast
breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish
or gray skin color
- Not
drinking enough fluids
- Severe
or persistent vomiting
- Not
waking up or not interacting
- Being
so irritable that the child
does not want to be held
- Flu-like
symptoms improve but then
return with fever and worse
cough
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- Difficulty
breathing or shortness of
breath
- Pain
or pressure in the chest or
abdomen
- Sudden
dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe
or persistent vomiting
- Flu-like
symptoms improve but then
return with fever and worse
cough
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| How
to Prevent Contracting H1N1 (Swine) Flu |
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- H1N1 vaccine is included in the 2010-2011 seasonal flu shot.
The best way to prevent the flu, including H1N1 flu, is to get vaccinated. The 2010-2011 flu vaccine includes protection against H1N1 flu, along with two other flu viruses. Children receiving their flu vaccination for the first time will need two doses of vaccine to protect them fully against the flu. Experts recommend a four-week interval between the two shots.
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- H1N1
(Swine) flu is spread in the
same way that seasonal flu
spreads. Flu viruses are spread
mainly from person to person
through coughing or sneezing
by infected persons. Sometimes
people may become infected by
touching something – such as
a surface or object – with
flu viruses on it and then
touching their mouth or nose.
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- People
infected with the seasonal or
H1N1 (Swine) flu shed virus
may be able to infect others
from 1 day before getting sick
to 5 to 7 days after. This can
be longer in some people,
especially children or people
with weakened immune systems.
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- Take
these everyday steps to
protect your health:
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| Cover
your nose and mouth
with a tissue when you cough or
sneeze. Throw the tissue in the
trash after you use it. |
| Wash
your hands often with
soap and water, especially after
you cough or sneeze.
Alcohol-based hand cleaners are
also effective. |
| Avoid
touching your eyes, nose or
mouth. Germs spread
this way. |
| Try
to avoid close contact with sick
people. |
| Stay
home if you are sick until at
least 24 hours after you no
longer have a fever (100°F
or 37.8°C) or signs of a
fever (without the use of a
fever-reducing medicine, such as
Tylenol®). Read
detailed information about how
long to stay away from others. |
| Follow
public health advice regarding
school closures, avoiding crowds
and other social distancing
measures. |
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| Guidelines
for Taking Care of Yourself and Others |
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| If
you have been diagnosed with H1N1
(Swine) flu, you should: |
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Stay
home, follow your
doctor’s orders, and watch for
signs that you need immediate
medical attention.
Remain
at home for 7 days after your
symptoms begin or until you have
been symptom-free for 24 hours,
whichever is longer.
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| Avoid
close contact with others,
especially those who might
easily get the flu, such as
people of any age with chronic
medical conditions (such as
asthma, diabetes, or heart
disease), pregnant women, young
children, and infants. |
| Wear
a facemask – if
available and tolerable – when
sharing common spaces with other
household members to help
prevent spreading the virus to
others. This is especially
important if other household
members are at high risk for
complications from influenza. |
| Get
plenty of rest. |
| Drink
clear fluids such as
water, broth, sports drinks, or
electrolyte beverages made for
infants to prevent becoming
dehydrated. |
| Cover
coughs and sneezes. |
| Clean
hands with soap and water
or an alcohol-based hand rub
often, especially after using
tissues and after coughing or
sneezing into your hands. |
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| If
you are taking care of someone who has
contracted H1N1 (Swine) flu, you should: |
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| Avoid
being face-to-face with the sick
person. When holding a small
child who is sick, place his/her
chin on your shoulder so that
he/she will not cough in your
face. |
| Make
sure everyone in the household
cleans their hands often, using
soap and water or an
alcohol-based hand rub. |
| Remind
the patient to cover coughs, and
clean his/her hands with soap
and water or an alcohol-based
hand rub often, especially after
coughing and/or sneezing. |
| Speak
with the person’s health care
provider about any special care
that might be needed, especially
if the person is pregnant or has
a health condition such as
diabetes, heart disease, asthma,
or emphysema. |
| Talk
to your health care provider
about taking antiviral
medication, such as oseltamivir
(Tamiflu®) or zanamivir (Relenza®),
to prevent getting the flu. |
| Ask
the patient’s health care
provider whether the patient
should take antiviral
medications. |
| Consider
wearing a facemask or
respirator, when close contact
is unavoidable. |
| Monitor
yourself and household members
for flu symptoms and contact a
telephone hotline or health care
provider if symptoms occur. |
| Get
medical care right away if the
patient exhibits emergency
warning signs. |
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Additional
Resources from the CDC
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