A. This is actually a two-part question. The first part of your question concerns whether there is reason to believe that there will be a new widespread outbreak or “third wave” of H1N1 infection before the end of this flu season. There is reason to believe there will be.

Scientists have observed that colds and H1N1 tend to peak at different points in the colds and flu season. Type A influenza such as H1N1 is more transmissible when temperatures and humidity are slightly higher, but the rhinoviruses that cause colds are more transmissible when temperatures and humidity are lower. Many experts predict there will be a lull in new cases of H1N1 in the coldest weeks of the winter and a resurgence in early spring.

The second part of your question is whether you should get a shot for H1N1. Virologists in the employ of the vaccine manufacturers offer the opinion, not surprisingly, that the more flu shots you get, the sooner you will be protected against the flu. In one study, a single dose of vaccine generated an immune response that protected against influenza in 5 weeks, while two doses taken at the same time generated protection in 7 days.

That doesn’t mean you should try to get two H1N1 immunizations. Just be aware that you will have to rely on other protective measures for up to a month after you get your injections.

 
Q. What besides a flu shot protects you against the flu?

A. Wash your hands. An Australian study found that alcohol-based hand washing solutions are highly effective against H1N1, but simple soap and water followed by drying under an air blower is even better. (Shared cloth towels can serve as a reservoir for the virus.) Without any washing, the H1N1 virus stays on the hands at least an hour after contact.

It also helps to clean house. H1N1 persists up to 24 hours on hard surfaces in the home, particularly when room temperature is below 68° F (20° C). Temperatures above 86° F (30° C) kill the virus, but most people find them uncomfortable for indoor living. Surfaces should be cleaned with an alcohol-based disinfectant or with a detergent; simply wiping them only moves the virus around.

 
Q. Should I try to stock up on Tamiflu (oseltamivir)?

A. No. Chances are that your doctor will not prescribe it, either. There is a concern that if too many people use Tamiflu, the virus will become resistant to it. Tamiflu works best if taken within 48 hours of the first symptoms, although it is still effective as long as 7 days after the onset of symptoms. Because of the concern that the virus may become resistant, Tamiflu is only recommended when the person infected with the flu is very young, very old, suffers a chronic health condition, is a first responder or medical worker, or is recently back from or about to travel to Mexico.

 
Q. What about Relenza (zanamivir)?

A. There is less concern that H1N1 will build up resistance to Relenza, but since it is taken by an inhaler, you have to be able to breathe it in for it to be useful for you. There is also a shorter window of efficacy. It has to be taken in the first 5 days after the onset of symptoms rather than the first 7.

 
Q. How long are you infectious after you get H1N1?

A. Generally, people with H1N1 remain infectious to others for seven days after the beginning of symptoms or until symptoms subside, whichever is later.

 
Q. What can I do to protect my family from infection if I get the flu?

A. Stay in your room with the door closed, and try to recirculate the air in your room through a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Wear a mask when you go outside your room, and make sure any glasses, dishes, cups, or utensils you use are thoroughly washed in soapy warm water and rinsed before they are used by others. Make sure other members of your household wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer immediately after coming in contact with your respiratory secretions.

 
Q. What about herbs, vitamins, minerals, supplements, and special foods for the flu?

A. There is good reason to believe that vitamin D may be the missing nutrient in flu protection. Flu strikes during winter, when the skin’s production of vitamin is lowest. A study recruiting women in Africa found that taking 2000 IU a day “abolished” reports of both colds and flu. In one study of people over age 65, deficiencies of not just vitamin D but also vitamins B-6, B-12, and C, and folic acid, and zinc were associated with worse symptoms of flu.

The most specific nutritional supplement that may fight H1N1, however, is echinacea. In November 2009, German scientists published research showing that this herb extract stopped replication of the virus under laboratory conditions, without inducing resistance to the treatment.

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I recently read an interesting book called Swine Flu Survival Guide. This book really helped me understand what the world is going through, and how I, an individual, can try and be as safe as I can; in particular I was worried about travel (since this is something that often cannot be avoided), here is an article article that can explain the best way to protect yourself while traveling. Despite all the media hype about Swine Flu, the FAA and the CDC only warn against flying if you’re already feeling the symptoms of an illness or if you’ve come in contact with someone who’s seriously at risk of contracting the H1N1 flu virus.

Federal officials have just asked that everyone consider common health safety precautions when they’re in public and surrounded by other travelers. Because cheap airfare, in particular, often fill up fast, making for crowded planes and airports, you’ll want to follow these basic guidelines for keeping yourself healthy on your flights.

1. Keep in mind that everything you touch, including your airline tickets, the handles on your bags, and your ID, have the potential to be touched by someone else and vice versa so wash your hands often.

2. You can never be too cautious, so wearing a mask in public to protect yourself from other traveler’s germs and to keep yours from spreading may be a good idea. Although this may sound a bit embarrasing, it needn’t be. While living in London, I often saw people wearing masks in the Tube (the local Subway system); if they were not embarrased to wear it for a daily commute, why should you be embarrased to wear one during this crisis?

3. Carry a hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial wipes (in a small enough container to pass carry-on regulations) with you everywhere. You can essentially wash your hands anytime any place and wipe down any plastic surface you come in contact with armrests on airplane and airport seats, etc. This may sound a bit paranoid, but we’re dealing with a pandemic, so safety comes first.

4. Avoid using the pillows and blankets on airline flights. This may come as a surprise, but whether you’re flying on cheap flights or premium airlines, the planes don’t have a washing machine hooked up in the back to sanitize pillows and blankets between flights. Regardless of swine flu, this is a pretty scary image. The conclusion is to bring your own pillow or blanket as a shield against the seats themselves.

5. You’ll be hard-pressed to find cheap flights that aren’t crowded with travelers; as a common hygiene practice, make sure to sneeze and cough into your own body, preferably into the bend of your arm. Always carry tissues to avoid spreading any of those germs to other passengers. If everybody acted this way, the threat would be definitely minimized.

6. Incubation period: remember that you’re usually contagious one week prior to exhibiting symptoms of the flu, so if you think you may have come in contact with someone who could be carrying the flu, this might be one of the few reasons to postpone your airline tickets for another time.

7. As helpful as flight attendants, ticket counter, and baggage claim employees can be, it wouldn’t be unheard of to kindly request to handle your own belongings if possible at this time (explain why if they don’t seem to cooperate). Many of the discount airlines don’t charge for checked baggage, but you might want to still consider carrying-on your luggage on these cheap flights to avoid having the ticket counter and baggage handlers germ up your bags. 

8. Remember that just once you’re out of the plane that doesn’t mean you’re out of harm’s way. If you’re going to be staying in a hotel room and you have space in your suitcase, you might want to pack your own sheet and pillow case. Unfortunately, this piece of advice is probably somewhat unrealistic, but if possible (say, going on a vacation via a car), this may actually be feasible.

Author: Joseph Lawsomier

I am a freelance writer who loves to travel around the world. I love to write about my journies and how to make life easier for others that travel. cheap flights lowfares.com

Technorati Tags: anti-bacterial wipes, cdc, contagion, FAA, Flu Virus, H1N1, H1N1 virus, incubation period, Safety, sanitizer, Swine Flu Dangers, Traveling

Another resource that really helped me deal with this scary pandemic (particularly with a little boy at home – a case of Swine Flu was found at his school!) is the  Definitive Resource On Pandemic Influenza , which was written in response to the 2009 H1N1 epidemic.

Generally speaking, what do we know about this new stain of H1N1 virus? More specifically, how dangerous it is? Unfortunately, we cannot estimate this situation well enough.But it is always wise to take precautionary measures.

Are there medications for treatment of swine flu?

The CDC recommends using Zanamivir for the treatment and prevention of infection of the new H1N1 Swine Flu virus. There are also antiviral drugs which are prescription medicines (which can be either liquids, pills or even come in an inhaler) that fight the virus.

The next question is probably obvious. If the worst happens, how much stock do we have of these medications? What if the virus spreads out? While every country in the world is trying to prevent the spread of the swine influenza virus, it is best that we also help prevent it within our homes. So how can we do this?

Here are a few tips for how this can be done:

a) Be aware of the symptoms of swine flu virus. Don’t be paranoid, but be aware.

b) If you are sick and have the slightest suspicion you may have swine flu (again, don’t be paranoid), go see your doctor or at least call them and ask for their advice.

c) Avoid people and areas with infected people.

d) Try not to touch your facial areas. Wash your hands and sanitize them often.

e) Stay up-to-date: watch the news, read articles on the net for any new and relevant report, particularly in the area you live in.

f) Avoid locations where swine flu has been reported.

g) Try to get plenty of sleep

h) Eat healthy foods

i) Boost your immune system (i.e. using supplements such as this one).

Although this may be an overkill, when considering this may turn into a pandemic, the motto of ‘better safe than sorry’ feels particularly appropriate nowadays.

Technorati Tags: Antiviral drugs, Awareness, Boost, Boosting the immune system, cdc, H1N1, medications, Pandemic, swine, swine flu, Zanamivir

Dr Keiji Fukuda, the Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) at the press conference on July 7 2009 presented the latest reported figures from 137 countries, territories, and areas reporting confirmed laboratory cases as over 98,000, with over 440 deaths. He stated that the swine flu pandemic continues to evolve quite rapidly with over 3,000 confirmed cases daily. In the Southern Hemisphere where they are in the winter months and entering their regular influenza season, they may see a pattern which is different from what is being seen in the Northern Hemisphere such as the United States and the UK.

Dr Fukuda stated that the Southern Hemisphere is seeing the same activity as in other countries. For example, Australia was reporting heavy swine flu activity in the Victoria area, whereas it was at lower levels in other parts of Australia for a while and is now picking up again.

Colds and flu share the same symptoms. However, the two viral infections are very different. The flu viral disease is a respiratory infection and usually occurs once a year or every few years, whereas most people catch a cold several times in a year.

In adults the serious symptoms of swine flu include:

* Muscle aches.
* Sore throat.
* Flu symptoms improve and then return with a high fever and a worse cough.* A fever over 100F and typically up to 105F.
* Chest pain caused by persistent coughing.
* Confusion and dizziness.
* A hacking cough.
* Shortness of breath, wheezing and difficult breathing.

In children the serious signals include:

* A pasty complexion.
* Wheezing and difficulty in breathing with a hacking cough.
* Severe vomiting.
* Not drinking sufficient fluids.
* The flu symptoms improve as in the adult and the return with a high fever.

These are all warning signs to seek urgent medical attention without delay, certainly within two days, when Tamiflu is at its most effective.

The most common method for diagnosing the swine flu virus is an antigen test, which is carried out from swabs taken from the nose and throat for testing at the laboratory. If pneumonia is suspect then a chest X-ray will result.

The real scale of this health crisis is difficult to quantify, as constant random mutation is the name of the game for these types of virii. They have been around since the beginning of time and have developed their own ways of survival in their microbial world. It will not be long before they will survive our current chemical remedies for swine flu and even bird flu.

Author: Colin Platt

For more information on power packed foods designed to give you energy, vitality and all around good health, and help the immune system, click here to find out how to keep Flu Symptoms at bay and fight the common cold, and click on "how to cheat colds and flu remedy" to find the secret.

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Having a little boy at home makes me particularly eager to learn to how to prevent being infected with swine flu (enough to create an entire website revolving around this subject). The following book, Swine Flu Survival Guide , really helped me get my head wrapped around several prevention topics.

Although in theory we can all stay at home (thus, never get exposed to anyone infected), make our own food, and wear face masks when we go out, and this is likely to prevent a potential infection, in practice this is obviously not realistic. Moreover, since there is no swine flu vaccine in the market (yet!), we are particularly vulnerable to swine flu at the moment. Consequently, the best way to deal with swine flu is by boosting our immune system

Here are several ways to boost our immune system:

1) Eat a healthy diet: eating a balanced diet is very helpful towards boosting one’s immune system. Eat food that include protein and fatty acids (such as Salmon and Eggs), as well as frequent servings of fresh vegetables and fruit. .

2) Exercise: as we all know, exercise helps keeps our body strong, and this includes our immune system as well. If you exercise five times a week, at least 30 minutes every day, then you are likely to dramatically improve your immune system.

3) Vitamin Supplements: adding vitamins A and C to your diet can be helpful, as these are required by our bodies. Sweet potatoes and carrots (for example) are great sources of vitamin which helps maintain the tissue lining of our digestive systems and lungs. Oranges and grapefruit are great providers of vitamin C which is helps prevent inflammation of tissue lining. Moreover, there are supplements and nutrients created for this very purpose – boosting your immune system.

4) Sleep well: when we don’t get adequate sleep, our immune system gradually weakens which makes us susceptible to disease, including swine flu.

5) Avoid unhealthy habits: any habit which can affect your immune system should be avoided, for example, smoking. Smoking affects the respiratory system, which makes it more vulnerable to flu virii (such as the H1N1 virus).

Technorati Tags: avoiding unhealthy habits, Boosting the immune system, exercise, face masks, Flu, H1N1, healthy diet, immune system, sleep well, smoking, swine, swine flu, virii, virus, vitamin supplements

What makes swine flu so dangerous is that like all influenza viruses it undergoes the process of antigenic drift. This is when spot mutations occur on the genetic material that causes slight changes in the physical make-up of the virus.

These slight changes are what frustrate scientist’s attempts to create the ultimate vaccination for influenza. Due to constant changes to the protein particles of the outer coats of viruses (which the immune system is targeted for during vaccination) new vaccines are always needed to combat ever new versions of the viruses.

Swine flu is an example of such a change. But what are these changes and what parts of the virus causes the damage that destroys normal healthy cells?

The H1N1 designation of the swine flu virus gives us a clue to the inner workings of the virus. It represents the major functional proteins on its surface.

The ‘H’ stands for hemagglutinin which is a protein that binds the swine flu virus to the cell and injects its content into it.

The ‘N’ stands for neuraminidase which possesses a number of specialized enzymes that causes the infected cells to release the newly formed viruses.

All these aspects of swine flu make it potentially very dangerous. Even though the form that is currently spreading is relatively mild it could still change into a virulent strain in the next few months before winter arrives. The fact that it’s also a new disease means that there is no current vaccine for the virus. So if it becomes more deadly, we will have no protection against it except for those provided by generic anti-viral drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza.

We know the devastation that influenza viruses can cause, the Spanish flu pandemic infected more than one third of the world’s population and killed more than 50 million people.

We have no choice but to be vigilant in relation to the spread of swine flu. It is dangerous because it is so changeable and because of this we have to treat it extremely seriously.

Author: Reas Johnson

Reas Johnson is a microbiology student, who loves writing about popular health related issues. Social medical issues are often best looked at when you are properly informed. It’s easy to misinform and scare those that are not been given the facts.

To learn more about swine flu go to: http://www.swine-flu-facts.info/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Reas_Johnson

Technorati Tags: Antigenic drift, Danger of Swine Flu, H1N1, Influenza, Mutation, Relenza, Tamiflu