|
There has been ten confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Forney,TX.
Swine Influenza is a respiratory disease caused by type A Influenza virus that commonly infects pigs, causing seasonal outbreaks of disease among swine. Due to the ability of the virus to mutate, or change, sporadic human infections can occur. The symptoms of Swine Influenza are similar to seasonal influenza and typically include fever, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and runny nose.
Most of the confirmed cases of Swine Flu in the United States have thus far been mild and have resolved without complication with the exception of 1 infant death in Texas. The management of Swine Flu is essentially no different than the management of Seasonal Flu, and there is currently no evidence that it is more dangerous. Persons with Swine Influenza are contagious for up to seven days after the onset of illness and possibly longer if still symptomatic.
Travel to areas where outbreaks have been reported is a key risk factor. Health personnel should be notified immediately if you have a respiratory illness and have a travel history to any of the following areas within the last 7 days:
o Mexico
o San Diego or Imperial County, CA
o Guadalupe County or San Antonio, TX
o Dickinson County or Wichita, KS
o New York City, NY
o Lorain, OH
This information may change daily, so it is important to watch for updates from the CDC (http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu). You should also notify health personnel if you have had direct contact with a person or animal with a known case of Swine Flu.
Just as with any respiratory infection, one should always cover their mouth when coughing and wash hands frequently. Testing protocols for Swine Flu vary from state to state. Patients should contact their personal doctor, local urgent care center, local hospital, or local health department to determine whether they are an appropriate candidate for testing and where such testing can be done.
It is important to know that we are still experiencing regional cases of the seasonal form of Influenza A. If one tests positive for Influenza A, a confirmatory test will need to be sent to identify whether it is the Swine Flu strain. Currently, the number of seasonal influenza cases far outnumbers Swine Influenza cases. Patients with confirmed cases of Swine Flu will be asked to stay at home while they recover unless they are very ill. They will be asked to stay in one room of their house to limit unnecessary exposure to others.
Regular antibiotics are NOT effective against any strain of influenza. The antiviral medications Oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) and Zanamivir (Relenza®) have both been shown to be effective at lessening the severity and symptoms of Swine Flu. These medications should be used ONLY for confirmed cases of influenza or for high-risk cases while awaiting confirmation. <!–[endif]–>
If you have had contact with someone with a known case of Swine Flu, but have no symptoms of disease, you should notify your healthcare provider so that you may be evaluated for a medication shown to help prevent illness in those exposed. Please do not ask for Oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) or Zanamivir (Relenza®) “just in case.” Your healthcare provider will not be able to dispense these medications for that reason. By far the best prevention is frequent hand washing. It is also advisable to keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Article from the Journal of Urgent Care Medicine
| 
