H1N1 IFLUENZA ABY: YASAR ARAFATH RN. PS-6

Definition:

Swine influenza is flu virus usually found in pigs. The virus occasionally changes (mutates) and becomes infectious in humans. When this happens, the disease becomes a concern to humans, who have little or no immunity against it. This means the virus has the potential to spread quickly around the world. It also may be more difficult to treat than the usual, seasonal human flu viruses.

In June 2009, the World Health Organization declared a worldwide swine flu pandemic.

Alternative Names:

Swine flu; Influenza A

INCUBATION PERIOD

According to the CDC the incubation period is between 2 and 6 days

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

In the spring of 2009, cases of human infection with H1N1 flu were confirmed in Mexico, the United States, and many countries around the world.

The H1N1 flu virus is contagious and can spread from human to human. At this time, it is unknown how easily it can spread between people.

It is known that flu viruses can spread from pigs to people, and from people to pigs. However, you CANNOT get H1N1 flu virus from eating pork.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Human-to-human infection with the H1N1 flu virus likely occurs the same way as seasonal flu, when an infected person coughs or sneezes into air that others breathe in. People may also get infected by touching something with the virus on it, such as a door knob or counter, and then touching their mouth or nose.

You can find an updated case count of confirmed H1N1 flu infections in the U.S. at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) web site.

Symptoms:

Symptoms of H1N1 flu infection in humans are similar to classic flu-like symptoms, which might include:

Fever above 100.4 °F Cough Sore throat Headache Chills Muscle aches Diarrhea and Vomiting

Signs and tests:

If you think you have been exposed to H1N1 influenza, call your health care provider before your visit. This will give the staff a chance to take proper precautions to protect them and other patients during your office visit.

If the H1N1 flu becomes widespread, there will be little need to continue testing people, so your health care provider may decide not to test for the flu virus.

Your doctor may perform the following physical exam: Auscultation (to detect abnormal breath sounds) Chest x-ray Your doctor can test for the H1N1 flu virus using a

nasopharyngeal swab (a swab of the back of the inside of your nose), or grow it in a culture. However, this will likely happen only if:

You are at high risk for flu complications. You are very sick.

Treatment:

People who get H1N1 flu will likely recover without needing medical care. Doctors, however, can prescribe antiviral drugs to treat people who become very sick with the flu or are at high risk for flu complications. The CDC currently identifies the following people as high risk:

Children younger than 5 years old, especially those younger than age 2

Adults 65 years of age and older People with:

Chronic lung (including asthma) or heart conditions (except hypertension)

Kidney, liver, neurologic, and neuromuscular conditions Blood disorders (including sickle cell disease) Diabetes and other metabolic disorders

An immune system that does not work well, such as AIDS patients or cancer patients receiving chemotherapy

High risk people are:

Pregnant women Anyone younger than 19 years of

age receiving long-term aspirin therapy

Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities

Expectations (prognosis):

The outlook depends on the severity of the infection and the type of H1N1 influenza virus that caused it.

The H1N1 flu outbreak in Mexico has resulted in 108 confirmed deaths thus far. At least 45 deaths had been reported in the U.S. at the time of this writing. Deaths have occurred in other countries as well. Officials were preparing for more.

For more information, visit: CDC - www.cdc.gov/swineflu World Health Oganization -

www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html

Complications:

Severe illness may occur along with: Pneumonia Respiratory failure Death Like seasonal flu, H1N1 flu may make other

chronic medical problems worse. A vaccination used to treat swine flu in 1976

was associated with some cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a disorder that leads to nerve inflammation that causes muscle weakness

Calling your health care provider:In children

If you are ill and have any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children, emergency signs 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 a worse cough

Calling your health care provider: In adults

emergency signs 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 a worse cough

Prevention:

People who work with pigs who might

be infected should use protective

clothing and special breathing masks.

Other steps you can take:

Cover your nose and mouth with a

tissue when you cough or sneeze.

Throw the tissue away after using it.

Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. You may also use alcohol-based hand cleaners.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth, to avoid getting infected by germs.

Avoid close contact with sick people.

If you do get sick, consider staying home from work or school.

Prevention of pig to human transmission

Swine can be infected by both avian and human influenza strains of influenza, and therefore are hosts where the antigenic shifts can occur that create new influenza strains

Prevention of pig to human transmission

The transmission from swine to human is believed to occur mainly in swine farms where farmers are in close contact with live pigs. Although strains of swine influenza are usually not able to infect humans this may occasionally happen, so farmers and veterinarians are encouraged to use a face mask when dealing with infected animals. The use of vaccines on swine to prevent their infection is a major method of limiting swine to human transmission. Risk factors that may contribute to swine-to-human transmission include smoking and not wearing gloves when working with sick animals.[75]

Prevention of human to human transmission

Influenza spreads between humans through coughing or sneezing and people touching something with the virus on it and then touching their own nose or mouth.[76] Swine flu cannot be spread by pork products, since the virus is not transmitted through food.[76] The swine flu in humans is most contagious during the first five days of the illness although some people, most commonly children, can remain contagious for up to ten days. Diagnosis can be made by sending a specimen, collected during the first five days for analysis.[77]

Prevention of human to human transmission

Recommendations to prevent spread of the virus among humans include using standard infection control against influenza. This includes frequent washing of hands with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand sanitizers, especially after being out in public.[78] Chance of transmission is also reduced by disinfecting household surfaces, which can be done effectively with a diluted chlorine bleach solution.[79] Although the current trivalent influenza vaccine is unlikely to provide protection against the new 2009 H1N1 strain,[80] vaccines against the new strain are being developed and could be ready as early as June 2009.[81]

Prevention of human to human transmission

Experts agree that hand-washing can help prevent viral infections, including ordinary influenza and the swine flu virus. Influenza can spread in coughs or sneezes, but an increasing body of evidence shows small droplets containing the virus can linger on tabletops, telephones and other surfaces and be transferred via the fingers to the mouth, nose or eyes. Alcohol-based gel or foam hand sanitizers work well to destroy viruses and bacteria. Anyone with flu-like symptoms such as a sudden fever, cough or muscle aches should stay away from work or public transportation and should contact a doctor for advice.

Prevention of human to human transmission

Social distancing is another tactic. It means staying away from other people who might be infected and can include avoiding large gatherings, spreading out a little at work, or perhaps staying home and lying low if an infection is spreading in a community. Public health and other responsible authorities have action plans which may request or require social distancing actions depending on the severity of the outbreak.

TREATMENT:

In human: If a person becomes sick with swine flu, antiviral drugs can

make the illness milder and make the patient feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms). Beside antiviral, palliative care, at home or in hospital, focuses on controlling fevers and maintaining fluid balance. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the use of Tamiflu (oseltamivir) or Relenza (zanamivir) for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses; however, the majority of people infected with the virus make a full recovery without requiring medical attention or antiviral drugs.[82] The virus isolates in the 2009 outbreak have been found resistant to amantadine and rimantadine.[83]

TREATMENT:

In the U.S., on April 27, 2009, the FDA issued Emergency Use Authorizations to make available Relenza and Tamiflu antiviral drugs to treat the swine influenza virus in cases for which they are currently unapproved. The agency issued these EUAs to allow treatment of patients younger than the current approval allows and to allow the widespread distribution of the drugs, including by non-licensed volunteers.[8

By: athan

Thank you And Have a nice day to all !!

…. Submitted by:

Yasar Arafath RN

Staff Nurse

PS-6

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