H1N1 Influenza was first detected in the United States in 2009. It has been called 'swine flu'. It is a virus that is spread from person to person when an infected person coughs or sneezes and does not cover their mouth and nose.
H1N1 (Swine Flu)
H1N1, or swine flu, is a strain of the influenza virus that was originally limited to pigs, and first detected in people in 2009. It is not considered particularly harmful in people with healthy immune systems; in people with compromised immune systems, H1N1 can cause bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, bronchitis or sinus infections.
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Stacy Wiegman, PharmD , Pharmacy, answeredSwine flu (also called H1N1 influenza) is spread the same way seasonal flu is spread. You can catch swine flu by being near someone who is sick with it and who coughs or sneezes. You can also catch swine flu by touching surfaces that the sick person has touched and then touching your nose or mouth.
The best way to protect yourself from swine flu is to get your seasonal flu vaccination. Other precautions you can take include:- washing your hands frequently with soap and water
- using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available
- keeping your hands away from your eyes, mouth, and nose
- steering clear of anyone who is sick
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Stacy Wiegman, PharmD , Pharmacy, answeredSee All 2 AnswersSwine flu, also known as H1N1 influenza, is an infection caused by a virus that's related to two viruses that occur in pigs, one that occurs in birds and one that occurs in humans.
It can be spread from human to human through coughing or sneezing. Unlike seasonal flu, which tends to affect people age 65 and older most severely, swine flu occurs primarily in people under 25. It causes symptoms similar to those of seasonal flu, including fever, sore throat, cough, headache, body aches, chills and fatigue, and possibly vomiting or diarrhea. -
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Stacy Wiegman, PharmD , Pharmacy, answeredSee All 2 AnswersThe treatment for swine flu (also known as H1N1) depends upon how sick you are. People who are at risk for complications from the flu (including pregnant women, children under five, people over 65, and anyone with a chronic health condition) should contact their doctor right away to see what kind of treatment they need.
In severe cases (or in people who are at risk for complications), doctors sometimes prescribe antiviral medications, which make it harder for the virus to reproduce in your body. The two antivirals used to treat H1N1 are called oseltamivir and zanamivir. For milder cases, doctors may recommend staying home (and away from others) and taking care of yourself with rest, fluids, and over-the-counter medicines if necessary. -
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Stacy Wiegman, PharmD , Pharmacy, answeredThe best way to protect yourself and other people from the H1N1 virus (also called swine flu) is to get the seasonal flu vaccine. Each year, researchers determine which three strains of influenza are likely to be the most common in the coming flu season, and include these viruses in the flu vaccine. Ever since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic (originally referred to as the swine flu pandemic), the vaccine available in the U.S. and the whole of the northern hemisphere has included the H1N1 strain.
Beyond getting a flu shot, experts recommend protecting others by:- washing your hands frequently with soap and water
- using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available
- staying home if you are sick and until you have been fever-free for 24 hours
- sneezing or coughing into a tissue, throwing it away, and washing your hands afterward
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Stacy Wiegman, PharmD , Pharmacy, answeredSee All 2 AnswersMost people who have H1N1 flu recover without special treatment or medical care. Children who are younger than 5, people 65 and older, pregnant women, and people with asthma, neurological conditions, chronic lung conditions, heart disease, and blood disorders have a higher risk of developing complications with any type of flu, and should talk with a doctor about treatment options. If you have H1N1 or any strain of flu, stay home and avoid contact with other people.
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Stacy Wiegman, PharmD , Pharmacy, answeredSee All 2 AnswersTo diagnose H1N1, a respiratory specimen is taken from an infected person and the sample is then tested in a laboratory. To get a specimen, a doctor or nurse will swab your throat and/or nose.
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Stacy Wiegman, PharmD , Pharmacy, answeredThe seasonal flu shot and the H1N1 vaccine are one and the same any year that the H1N1 virus is circulating -- and neither shot can make you sick. The flu shot vaccine is made from flu virus that has been killed, which means that it cannot infect your body. Studies comparing the people who got the flu shot to others given a shot of saline solution showed there was no difference in the number of people who experienced flu-like symptoms after the vaccine.
If you come down with the flu right after getting the shot, it's possible that you were exposed to the virus just prior to the shot or in the first two weeks after the shot, before your immunity had fully developed. You may also have caught a flu-like virus or a strain of flu that the vaccine does not protect against. There are many different influenza viruses, and the shot only guards you against the three expected to be most common each flu season. -
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Stacy Wiegman, PharmD , Pharmacy, answeredSee All 2 AnswersThe H1N1 flu is spread the same way seasonal flu is spread. You can catch the H1N1 flu by being near someone who is sick with it and who coughs or sneezes. You can also catch it by touching surfaces that the sick person has touched and then touching your nose or mouth.
The best way to protect yourself from H1N1 flu is to get your seasonal flu vaccination. Other precautions you can take include:- washing your hands frequently with soap and water
- using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available
- keeping your hands away from your eyes, mouth, and nose
- steering clear of anyone who is sick
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Stacy Wiegman, PharmD , Pharmacy, answeredSee All 2 AnswersThe seasonal flu shot and the H1N1 vaccine are the same shot. Ever since the H1N1 pandemic struck in 2009, the annual flu shot has included the H1N1 virus strain. Every year that experts think the H1N1 virus is circulating, getting your seasonal shot will protect you against it as well as the two other strains most likely to cause problems.