I’ve had H1N1 (gasp! or less affectionately known as the swine flu). And, I survived.
Late one night a few months ago, I was on call running around the hospital taking care of my newly admitted patients when over the course of a few hours I began feeling fatigued. While I passed it off as sleep deprivation taking a toll on me, a horrible headache set in. The next day there were muscle aches, fevers, and diarrhea. I had been clued in to the possibility of H1N1 because some of my colleagues were out sick with documented cases of this ’swine flu’. I spent the next several days lying on the couch watching quality television, drinking orange juice and getting more than enough sleep. I must admit, it was pretty miserable, but I tried to keep myself hydrated, well-rested, and calm.
Typical Adult H1N1 symptoms include:
- fever
- cough
- sore throat
- stuffy/runny nose
- body ache
- headache
- chills
- fatigue
- +/- diarrhea, vomiting
H1N1 has become of buzz word of sorts. It invokes panic because of the unknown surrounding it and also because of its comparison to the 1918 Spanish influenza epidemic. As a doctor and a patient, too, I’ve seen both sides of the H1N1 spectrum.
Here are some important points:
1) Wash your hands religiously and frequently with soap and water. Avoid contact with individuals who may have a fever or cough. Remember that H1N1 is transmitted mainly from person-to-person via respiratory droplets. It is possible for it to be transmitted by contact with contaminated computer keyboards, doorknobs etc, but that is less likely as the virus does not survive on inanimate objects for extended periods of time. It can survive for 2-8 hours on environmental surfaces.
2) If you do get sick, don’t panic but see your doctor. In the event that you become sick with a flu-like illness, the CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever disappears except to seek medical attention. Seeking medical attention in the early hours of symptom development may allow you access to antiviral medications like oseltamavir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza). Your doctor may be more likely to prescribe these drugs earlier in the course of your illness, rather than later. They may shorten the course of illness and prevent complications.
3) The Vaccine. The seasonal flu vaccine is different from the H1N1 vaccine. In fact, the seasonal flu vaccine will offer you no protection against H1N1. The H1N1 vaccine comes in two forms: the inactivated vaccine and the live attenuated intranasal vaccine.
- 2009 H1N1 inactivated ‘flu shot’: Appropriate for use in people 6 months of age and older, including healthy people, people with chronic medical conditions and pregnant women.
- 2009 H1N1 live attenuated nasal spray vaccine: Approved for use in healthy individuals age 2-49. Not to be used in pregnant women!
Who should get vaccinated?
The CDC’s Advisory committee on immunization practices (ACIP) recommends vaccination in 5 target groups:
- pregnant women
- people who live with or provide care for infants younger than 6 months
- health care and emergency services personnel
- people aged 6 month-24 years
- people aged 25-64 years who have the following medical conditions with place them at risk for complications- Cancer, blood disorders (ie sickle cell), chronic lung disease (ie asthma, COPD), diabetes, heart disease, kidney disorders, liver disorders, neurologic disease (ie epilepsy, developmental delay, brain injury), immunocompromised patients (ie HIV/AIDS).
This posting is by no means a comprehensive source of information, but hopefully it can clarify some salient points and be of help.
For those interested in reading about epidemiologic H1N1 trends: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/
