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If you have a disease that knocks you down, her name is flu. Malaise, sluggishness, fever and indisposition. As if that weren’t enough, there was also an even more dangerous variation of the flu virus that has been worrying us a lot, the h1n1 flu.
What is H1N1
Also known as swine flu or type A influenza, h1n1 became known worldwide between 2009 and 2010, after outbreaks of the disease that took on alarming proportions. More than 20 countries have reported cases of swine flu during this period, causing thousands of deaths mainly among people aged 5 to 24 years.
Although the complications caused by h1n1 are much more serious than that of the common flu, the symptoms of the two are very similar and the form of transmission is also the same.
Main causes
The h1n1 virus was first discovered in pigs, with the countless mutations it has undergone over time, it has also become a threat to people. How it arrived suddenly, the influenza A virus, in its variation, was still unknown and that is precisely why it managed to spread quickly.
We were not prepared to fight it, not even with treatments and we didn’t even have vaccines already developed and with proven efficacy. This turned out to be an outbreak quickly, with many, many serious cases.
Symptoms and diagnosis of H1N1
The symptoms of the h1n1 flu, as they are very similar to those of the common flu , can easily be mistaken for a first diagnosis, so it is important to recognize some specific manifestations that make it possible to detect the H1N1 virus, type A influenza.
It is common for patients with the h1n1 flu to suddenly have a high fever (above 38 ° C), headache , sore throat, pain in the muscles and joints, runny nose, and lack of appetite. Respiratory tract problems like coughing are also common. Other symptoms, such as diarrhea and vomiting, are not as recurrent, but still possible.
If you observe these symptoms, the ideal is to see a doctor as soon as possible, to find out and order the tests indicated for an accurate diagnosis. If during clinical care they ask for a surgical mask to be worn, do not be alarmed, this procedure is recommended to reduce the chances of transmission of the virus. If you have actually contracted the disease, you will not want to transmit the flu to anyone else, right?
Forms of H1N1 contamination
About 7 days after the onset of symptoms, an adult can now transmit the disease. If the patient is a child, he can be a transmitting agent from two days before the first symptoms appear and up to 14 days afterwards.
Contamination can occur by direct contact with an infected animal, but not by eating its meat after it has been cooked . Some data already indicate that the meat of the animal (of the pig for example) if it goes through a cooking process at a temperature above 71 ° C, the virus is eliminated and is no longer a health risk.
The most common way of transmitting the h1n1 flu is from one infected person to another by air or through contaminated objects and even through saliva and respiratory secretions.
Risk factors
People of any age group are subject to the h1n1 flu. Most of the registered cases were of people between five and 24 years old and, contrary to what is imagined, there were few cases diagnosed in elderly people over 64 years of age.
People with chronic illnesses, with respiratory problems, obese, pregnant women and young children are more vulnerable to swine flu, so it requires more care. Vaccination is a great form of prevention.
The risk factors for influenza h1n1 also include some old situations that also pose risks for so many other diseases, especially respiratory diseases, such as staying indoors for a long time , contact with sick people and poor hand hygiene.
Prevention and Treatment
In addition to the primary preventive care, there are other important precautions that can help keep this virus well away from you. Stay tuned for the following tips and preserve your health and that of your family as much as possible:
- In addition to washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water, it is important to disinfect them with gel alcohol.
- Avoid crowds, look for airy environments whenever possible.
- Do not share personal utensils (glass and cutlery).
- Avoid traveling to places that have many cases of the disease.
- Avoid contact with sick people. Remember that this virus is easily transmitted through the airways.
- Discard the tissue or paper you use to sneeze or cough.
- Always drink plenty of fluids!
H1n1 vaccine – Where to find
With the arrival of the h1n1 flu so by surprise, it was necessary to speed up the process for the development of the vaccine, produced with the disease virus itself, but inactive. The side effects of the vaccine are not important, mainly for its purpose, of preserving us against a disease that can cause serious damage to our health.
The distribution of the vaccine is available in the public health system, which offers it free of charge in campaigns and for the risk group, which are health professionals, pregnant women, the elderly over 60 years, children up to 5 years old and the prison population.
Private networks are also prepared and offer immunization with two types of vaccine: the trivalent, which protects against h1n1 and two more viruses, and the quadrivalent / tetravalent, which immunizes against 4 different viruses, of course, including influenza A. The two types are effective, but the effect is calculated after two weeks after application. We cannot say that the vaccine offers a 100% guarantee against the h1n1 flu virus , but it is currently the most effective protection.
See Also: Pneumonia in Children – How to Find Out?
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
