The following information has been provided by the Centers for Disease Control for your reference. The following is not medical advice from The South Bend Clinic.
What are the symptoms of H1N1?
Influenza is a respiratory virus, so coughing is the predominant symptom. Sudden
onset fever, up to 101-104, severe headache, bodyaches, and cough. Some have a
sore throat, congestion. Children can have a few days of diarrhea, vomiting.
Unfortunately, a lot of other common viruses are active right now making it
difficult to differentiate.
If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek urgent
medical care.
In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical
attention include:
- 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
In adults, emergency
warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
- 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
Who is prioritized for treatment with
influenza antiviral drugs? (Tamiflu, Relenza)
Most people ill with influenza
will recover without complications. Some people are at highest risk of
influenza-related complications and are prioritized for treatment with influenza
antiviral drugs this season. They include:
- People with more severe illness, such
as those hospitalized with suspected or confirmed influenza
- People with
suspected or confirmed influenza who are at higher risk for complications
- Children younger than 2 years old Adults 65 years and older
- Pregnant women
- People with certain chronic medical or immunosuppressive conditions
- People
younger than 19 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy
What if
my family member has it, or if I've been exposed, should I be seen or treated?
No. Incubation period is 1-4 days.
Routine prevention with Tamiflu in a healthy
family member is not recommended by the CDC, unless There are other vunerable
high risk family members ( ie child has H1N1, mom is healthy but another family
member is pregnant or newborn--consider prophylaxis).
Testing:
Testing with the
nasal flu test in the office is for Influenza A, and is not very sensitve; about
<50% with influenza may have a negative test. If the test is positive for Type
A, the CDC states that at this time, 99% of those are H1N1. Further testing to
confirm will cost the patient $300+, so is not being done routinely.
When to
return back to work/school:
When fever has been gone for at least 24 hours,
according to the CDC.
|
FAQ about H1N1
Center for Disease Control
Flu.gov
St. Joseph County Health Dept.
Indiana State Department of Health
Adam - Feeling flu
|