Important information about Mexican flu
What is Mexican flu or new influenza A(H1N1)?
Mexican flu or New influenza A H1N1, formerly known as ‘swine flu’, is the common name that has been given to a new strain of influenza. It was called ‘swine flu’ because it is thought to have originated in pigs, but this is not known for certain.
It is a new influenza A(H1N1) virus that has never before circulated among humans. This virus is not related to previous or current human seasonal influenza viruses. How do people become infected?
The virus is spread from person-to-person. It is transmitted as easily as the normal seasonal flu and can be passed to other people by exposure to infected droplets expelled by coughing or sneezing that can be inhaled, or that can contaminate hands or surfaces.
To prevent spread, people who are ill should cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, stay home when they are unwell, clean their hands regularly, and keep some distance from healthy people, as much as possible.
There are no known instances of people getting infected by exposure to pigs or other animals.
Signs and symptoms
 Signs of influenza A(H1N1) are flu-like, including fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and runny nose, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhoea.
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Is it dangerous?
Seasonal influenza occurs every year and the viruses change each year - but many people have some immunity to the circulating virus which helps limit infections. Some countries also use seasonal influenza vaccines to reduce illness and deaths.
But influenza A(H1N1) is a new virus and one to which most people have no or little immunity and, therefore, this virus could cause more infections than are seen with seasonal flu. WHO is working closely with manufacturers to expedite the development of a safe and effective vaccine but it will be some months before it is available.
The new influenza A(H1N1) appears to be as contagious as seasonal influenza, and is spreading fast particularly among young people (from ages 10 to 45). The severity of the disease ranges from very mild symptoms to severe illnesses that can result in death. The majority of people who contract the virus experience the milder disease and recover without antiviral treatment or medical care. Of the more serious cases, more than half of hospitalized people had underlying health conditions or weak immune systems.
Treatment
Most people experience mild illness and recover at home. A person should seek medical care if they experience shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or if a fever continues more than three days. For parents with a young child who is ill, seek medical care if a child has fast or laboured breathing, continuing fever or convulsions (seizures).
Supportive care at home - resting, drinking plenty of fluids and using paracetamol for aches - is adequate for recovery in most cases.
Vaccination
Some people are more at risk of serious illness if they catch swine flu, and will need to start taking antivirals as soon as they are confirmed with the illness. To prevent infection they are encouraged to get the vaccine against Mexican flu.
The high risk groups and priority groups for vaccination are:
- people with
- diabetes mellitus
- chronic lung disease
- chronic heart disease
- chronic kidney disease
- chronic liver disease
- chronic neurological disease
neurological disorders include motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease
- immunosuppression whether caused by disease or treatment †
- patients who have had drug treatment for asthma in the past three years
- pregnant women in the 2nd and 3rd trimester
- parents of children under 6 months of age ‡
- teachers
- child care workers
- health care workers
† People with HIV are encouraged to get vaccinated, even if their CD4 counts are higher than 350/µl. Because apart from a ‘quantitative’ immune deficiency (with low CD4 counts) they might also suffer from a ‘qualitative’ immune deficiency, which is not measurable by the current immunity tests. They should also get a vaccination against the seasonal flu.
‡ The safety and efficiency of this vaccine in children is yet to be proved. Therefore their parents and caregivers are encouraged to get vaccinated.
Vaccine side effects
Side effects are rare and usually are not serious. When vaccinated you will be supplied with the directions for use, consult them for additional information.
Very often (occurrence: ≥ 1/10)
- headaches
- fatigue
- pain, redness, swelling or hardening of the injected area
- fever
- painful muscles and joints
Often (occurrence: ≥ 1/100 to < 1/10)
- warm feeling, itchiness or bruising of the injected area
- sweating, chills, flu-like symptoms
- swollen glands in the neck, arm-pits or groin
Sometimes (occurrence: ≥ 1/1.000 to < 1/100)
- tingling or numbness of hands or feet
- sleepiness
- dizziness
- diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach ache, nausea
- itchiness, skin rash
- sense of malaise
- insomnia
Vaccine against Mexican flu: each Friday afternoon in November and December 2009
During the months of November and December 2009 my practice offers a weekly separate vaccination consultation for the Mexican flu. This is only available on Friday afternoons between 4 pm and 7 pm. The consultation is reserved exclusively for vaccines. You will need to make an appointment for a later date if you need further research, prescriptions or certificates.
The vaccine consultation is free: you pay for a regular consultation, but the complete sum will be reimbursed to you. The vaccine and additional information will take ten minutes, after which you will need to remain in the waiting room for fifteen minutes for observation. Because of (anonymous) registration duty it is vital you bring your identity and SIS-card. There is no vaccination against Mexican flu during the regular consultation hours.
An acute infection paired with fever of 38.0°C or more- taken in the armpit- will have to delay vaccination for a week. A runny nose or light cold does not warrant postponement. My practice has sufficient supply of the free vaccine. You will not be able to buy it in the pharmacy, nor will it protect against winter flu. It is possible you may need rest the day after the vaccine.
Vaccines are only available during this separate consultation hour
It is not possible to be vaccinated against the Mexican flu during regular consultation hours. Each vial of vaccine will serve ten patients and only keeps for 24 hours after opening. This is why ‘isolated’ vaccines are not available: the opened vaccine vial would become useless within a day. Additional vaccine moments will be organized if the demand exceeds expectations. In this event additional information will be provided in an update of this webpage.
If necessary, it is possible to receive a vaccine against the winter flu on a later date. The winter flu vaccine is available at pharmacies for ten Euros. In some cases you will be reimbursed for four Euros.
Links
Last update: November 29th 2009 |
