H1N1 (swine flu) FAQs

Dr. James Wilde, Emergency Department Physician
MCGHealth Children’s Medical Center

In today’s world of up-to-the minute information access, you may find yourself inundated recently with swine flu alerts. Don’t panic. So far, this form of influenza, which appears to have started in Mexico, is no more dangerous to Americans than the usual forms of seasonal flu that we see annually.

Here are frequently asked questions about swine flu and what you need to know:

What is H1N1?

Swine flu is a form of influenza that started in pigs. Swine flu viruses have been known for decades. The official designation for this new form of flu is “novel H1N1”.

Novel H1N1 is a strain that has mutated to allow it to attack humans. This novel H1N1 strain differs from the seasonal H1N1 that circulated in the United States last winter.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of this flu are basically the same as seasonal influenza symptoms and include:

Fever
Cough
Sore throat
Headache
Muscle aches
Fatigue

Some people also experience vomiting or diarrhea as well. The flu usually runs its course within three to five days.

What treatments are available?

Antiviral medications such as Tamiflu and Relenza can shorten the number of days of flu symptoms by 12 to 36 hours if taken soon after symptoms appear. However, most experts do not recommend antiviral medications for otherwise healthy people who become infected with ordinary seasonal flu since most recover in 3-5 days with little or no intervention. Since this novel H1N1 form of flu is so far no more dangerous than our usual seasonal flu, most people will not require antiviral medications.

When should I see my doctor?

Most people with influenza who are under age 65 without serious health problems do not need medical attention from a doctor or nurse. Most should be able to care for themselves at home with bed rest, fluids and fever-lowering medications, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. However, contact your doctor if you have:

Fever with a cough or sore throat and either a pre-existing serious illness or pregnancy
Flu symptoms and you are older than 65 or under 2 years of age
Flu that does not improve after five days
Flu accompanied by difficulty breathing or continued dizziness while standing

Will antibiotics help?

Antibiotics are for bacterial illnesses and are useless against viruses. Influenza is a virus, so antibiotics are not typically prescribed for simple flu. However, if you doctor believes you have a complication of the flu such as pneumonia caused by bacteria that are infecting on top of the flu virus, antibiotics may be necessary. Clues to this type of complication are difficulty breathing, chest pain, or fever that does not resolve after 4-6 days.

Is H1N1 flu in my area?

Yes, there were a number of confirmed cases of H1N1 in the Augusta region over the summer months. It has become so common as a cause of flu that CDC no longer recommends routine testing to confirm it except in hospitalized patients.

Shortly after local schools reopened in August the area saw a significant increase in cases. As of September it can be assumed that flu is in all the schools.

Although local pediatricians’ offices and emergency departments have experienced marked increases in daily volume, so far the schools do not report unusually high rates of absenteeism, there have been few children hospitalized with flu, and adults have been only minimally affected.

How can the spread of this virus be prevented?

Influenza is spread from person to person. Like most viruses, the less contact you have with others who are infected or who have been exposed, the less likely you will be exposed to the virus. Other precautions include:

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with your hands.
Wash hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand cleanser.
Do not attend school or work if you have a respiratory illness with fever.
Infected people should stay home until fever has been gone for at least 24 hours and avoid public places except to see a doctor.