H1N1 SWINE FLU
H1N1 flu is also known as swine flu. It’s called swine flu because in the past, the people who caught it had direct contact with pigs. That changed several years ago, when a new virus emerged that spread among people who hadn’t been near pigs.
Is There a Vaccine for H1N1 Swine Flu?
We recommend Sanofi Vaxigrip which has inactivated strains that confer protection against three different influenza viruses: two influenza A virus subtypes (H3N2 and H1N1) and one influenza B virus.
With the pediatric version of the vaccine can be administered for anyone above 6 months of age and the normal vaccine. For more details call us to check the availability of the stock.
You can even buy the vaccine online and get you and your family vaccinated at home. Click below links for carrying out online transaction.
In 2009, H1N1 was spreading fast around the world, so the World Health Organization called it a pandemic. Since then, people have continued to get sick from swine flu, but not as many.
While swine flu isn’t as scary as it seemed a few years ago, it’s still important to protect yourself from getting it. Like seasonal flu, it can cause more serious health problems for some people. The best bet is to get a flu vaccine, or flu shot, every year. Swine flu is one of the viruses included in the vaccine.
How Do You Catch H1N1 Swine Flu?
The same way as the seasonal flu. When people who have it cough or sneeze, they spray tiny drops of the virus into the air. If you come in contact with these drops, touch a surface (like a doorknob or sink) where the drops landed, or touch something an infected person has recently touched, you can catch H1N1 swine flu.
People who have it can spread it one day before they have any symptoms and as many as 7 days after they get sick. Kids can be contagious for as long as 10 days.
H1N1 Swine Flu Symptoms
These, too, are pretty much the same as seasonal flu. They can include:
Cough
Fever
Sore throat
Stuffy or runny nose
Body aches
Headache
Chills
Fatigue
Like the regular flu, swine flu can lead to more serious problems including pneumonia, a lung infection, and other breathing problems. And it can make an illness like diabetes or asthma worse. If you have symptoms like shortness of breath, severe vomiting, pain in your belly or sides, dizziness, or confusion, call your doctor
Are There Tests for H1N1 Swine Flu?
Yes. Without one it’s hard to tell whether you have swine flu or seasonal flu, because most symptoms are the same. If you have swine flu, you may be more likely to feel sick and your stomach and throw up than with regular flu. But a lab test is the only way to know. Even a rapid flu test you can get in your hospital won’t tell you for sure.
To test for swine flu, your doctor runs a swab – Up the inside of your nose around the back of your throat. But the test isn’t as common or widespread as those for regular flu. So the only people who really need to be tested are those in the hospital or those at high risk for life-threatening problems from swine flu, such as:
- 1.Children under 5 years old
- 2.People 65 or older
- 3.Children and teens (under age 18) who are getting long-term aspirin therapy and who might be at risk for Reye’s syndrome after being infected with swine flu. Reye’s syndrome is a life-threatening illness linked to aspirin use in children.
- 4.Pregnant women
- 5.Adults and children with chronic lung, heart, liver, blood, nervous system, neuromuscular, or metabolic problems
- 6.Adults and children who have weakened immune systems (including those who take medications to suppress their immune systems or who have HIV)
- 7.People in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
How Is It Treated?
Some of the same antiviral drugs that are used to treat seasonal flu also work against H1N1 swine flu.