Swine flu (H1N1) features and symptoms, treatment and prevention of the disease in adults and children. Swine flu vaccination and the development of complications of influenza infection. How to avoid getting swine flu A (H1N1) h1n1 virus what

Every cold season we are “pleased” with various virus epidemics, this year again makes us worry about outbreaks of swine flu, or scientifically speaking, influenza A (H1N1). To protect ourselves and our loved ones, we will analyze this disease in more detail.

Reference
Swine flu is a type of influenza A caused by the H1N1 virus. Scientists first loudly announced it in 2009, when the first cases of the disease were identified in Mexico, quickly spreading throughout the globe. This is exactly what the WHO said in 2009.

A little history

The influenza A(H1N1) virus was familiar to humanity in the last century; the first cases of the disease were registered back in 1918, then the disease was aggressive and claimed many lives.

Then the disease made itself known in 1976 in Mexico, at that time 217 people fell ill, one of them died, after 2 months the disease mysteriously receded.

Many media outlets claimed that swine flu was the machinations of the pharmaceutical industry to improve its financial base, but this hypothesis was not confirmed.

Who is the swine flu virus?

Typically, the virus infects pigs without obvious signs of infection, rarely causing death. This feature makes it difficult to diagnose sick pigs, which is dangerous for the person who cares for or processes the meat of a sick animal.

Reference
Mutation of avian, swine and human influenza viruses has increased the pathogenicity and contagiousness of the infection, resulting in a pandemic.

Due to the mutation, the infection began to be transmitted from person to person, which poses a great threat to humanity.

How can you get infected?

The main routes of transmission are:

• airborne, through coughing, sneezing;
• by contact, through objects used by a sick person.

The virus is transmitted from sick pigs to humans and from person to person.

Symptoms of the disease

According to observations from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the symptoms of swine flu are very similar to the clinical manifestations of simple flu and other infectious diseases. With influenza A(H1N1), the upper respiratory tract is very vulnerable.

Swine flu symptoms:

• sudden high fever accompanied by chills;
• sneezing, runny nose, red eyes;
• cough, sore throat;
• headaches and muscle pain;
• fatigue, weakness;
• nausea, vomiting;
• loss of appetite;
• diarrhea is a characteristic symptom of the A(H1N1) virus;
• shortness of breath;
• children develop severe respiratory distress, develop cyanosis (blueness of the nasolabial triangle), loss of consciousness, hallucinations, dehydration, refusal to eat, etc.

So, in order not to lead the situation to a severe course, you should carefully listen to your body. If you experience at least 2 of the above symptoms, you should immediately visit a doctor.

Risk group

Swine flu is an infection that can lead to severe complications in the following people at risk:

• pregnant women;
• people with chronic lung diseases;
• people with chronic diseases of the kidneys, liver, heart;
• people with neurological pathologies, Alzheimer's disease, etc.;
• people with HIV infection;
• people with reduced immunity;
• people with diabetes;
• babies;
• old people.

Treatment

Swine flu should only be treated under medical supervision. Self-medication is fraught with big problems, including death.
For the treatment of the disease they use:

• isolation of the patient;
• antiviral treatment - Tamiflu, Zanamivir, etc.;
• antipyretic drugs - Analgin, Paracetamol, etc.;
• anti-inflammatory drugs - Ibuprofen, Nurofen, etc.;
• detoxification treatment;
• vitamin therapy.

Prevention

• Mainly, if there is a case of swine flu in the family, monitoring of those who were in contact with the patient is carried out.
• Complete treatment of all items and the room where the sick person was located.
• Introduction of quarantine in gardens, schools, hospitals, etc.
• In case of epidemics, it is recommended to wear medical masks and maintain hygiene, namely washing hands after visiting public places.
• Hardening, vitamin therapy.
• Frequent ventilation of premises and wet cleaning.
• If the first signs appear, consult a doctor immediately.
• At the time of the emergence of dangerous infections, humanity is looking mainly for ways of protection, such types include a vaccine.

Reference
Vaccine medicine has found a way to protect itself in the form of a vaccine, which was developed at the end of September 2009 and licensed in the UK.

People from high-risk groups are vaccinated first. WHO recommends vaccinations early in the season for possible influenza outbreaks.

In conclusion, I would like to note that do not self-medicate; only medical professionals can distinguish between the symptoms of swine flu and regular flu. Unreasonable treatment can aggravate the situation and sometimes lead to death. Take care of yourself and your family! Be healthy!

Swine flu (California, Swine influenza)– a conditional disease of animals and humans caused by subtypes of the influenza A virus. First discovered in 1931. It gained its greatest notoriety in 2009, when its most famous subtype, H1N1, caused mass panic around the world and led to a declaration by the World Health Organization. The first cases of infection with the new flu occurred in North America.

It should be noted that the reason for the panic and declaration of a flu pandemic by the WHO was the fact that a new hitherto unknown strain of the H1N1 influenza virus appeared, which was formed as a result of mixing (reassortment) of the swine flu virus, and. This caused panic, which turned out to be unfounded, since the mortality rate from the new pandemic flu was statistically the same as from the regular seasonal flu, which was eventually recognized by the WHO.

Source of infection

Now let's look at what the swine flu pathogen itself is. This is an influenza virus that initially infected pigs, but then, under the influence of mutations in their body, acquired the ability to be transmitted to humans, that is, it is a mutated swine flu and such a definition would be more correct, since pure swine flu can hardly be transmitted to humans from -due to the heterogeneity of the antigenic structure of human and pig cells, that is, it can enter the human body, but this will be a dead-end path for its evolution. According to WHO data for the entire last century!!! Swine flu infection was reported in 50 people.

In the human body, this modified virus also mutated and gained the ability to be transmitted from person to person, which accelerated its spread and caused panic, since at that time there were simply no vaccines for the new virus (when did they exist? Every year the same gimmick with the vaccination of vaccines that were ineffective in a given year, since a mutated virus comes to which vaccines developed on the basis of last year’s viruses do not work) and there was no layer of people who had recovered from the new virus, which further accelerated its spread in the population. The 2009 outbreak was caused by the H1N1 influenza virus. It is worth noting that the influenza strains associated with the so-called swine flu are subtypes A/H1N1, A/H1N2, A/H3N1, A/H3N2 and A/H2N3.

Features of the H1N1 swine flu virus

It is worth noting several features that were characteristic of the H1N1 swine flu virus that was widespread in 2009 (at the time the pandemic was declared). I collected a complete collection of them all in a separate article, here are only the most typical ones:

1. Pandemic swine flu resulted in a significant number of deaths among the young population (under 50 years of age). Of course, older people, as well as weakened people, died from this infection in significant numbers, but the statistically significant death of the young population also gave rise to the notorious panic
2. It was also a fact that people died quickly from primary viral pneumonia, and not as with ordinary seasonal influenza, when pneumonia is mostly of a secondary bacterial nature and as a complication of influenza
3. the number of deaths was no higher than the number of deaths from regular seasonal influenza. This was the most popular rumor at that time, that people were dying in the thousands from the new disease, that there was no escape from swine flu. In fact, people die in the thousands even during the regular flu epidemic season, so it was not worth exaggerating the significance of this type of virus, just as it is not worth it now

The human body has a well-organized structure to cope even with a newly emerging infection. A couple of cycles of circulation of a bacterium or virus in society, an increase in the number of those who were ill but survived and voila, a virus is developed that protects all people and the individual in particular from a new scourge, which is what ultimately happened with swine flu, which has now become the category of traditional influenza viruses person.

Other antiviral drugs showed their complete ineffectiveness during the swine flu epidemic, or they helped in cases where they were prescribed to patients who would have recovered anyway without resorting to chemotherapy.

Prevention

Measures as for seasonal flu:

• regular hand washing
• life guidelines aimed at limiting contact of hands with the face and mucous membranes (do not touch the face with hands)
• rinsing the nose with plain water or saline
• regular cleaning of rooms and surfaces where the virus, which is unstable in the external environment, may be located
• avoiding crowded places
• healthy lifestyle - balanced nutrition, healthy and long sleep, general strengthening procedures (hardening, playing sports)

Vaccination against swine flu, as shown by the 2009 epidemic, turned out to be ineffective, since the virus was new, mutated and there was no basis for the production of vaccines. So my negative opinion on flu vaccinations remains the same to this day.

Complications

The most dangerous complication of swine flu, which killed a significant number of the population in 2009, and many had one foot in the next world. Until our healthcare system threw ineffective drugs into the trash and began to use expensive drugs with proven effects and reverse the negative trend in the treatment of this type of complication and the disease itself.

Otherwise, it is typical for regular seasonal flu and is no different from it.

Two years have passed since the first epidemic of the new strain of the 2009 H1N1 swine flu virus. During this time, the virus has been included in vaccination plans for the new season and will remain so for a long time. But that epidemic should teach us the most important thing: new viruses and diseases can appear at regular intervals. Our environment is aggressive both towards humans and towards our smaller brothers; new agents (viruses and bacteria) as a result of mixing (or as they say scientifically, reassortment) in the body of humans, animals or birds and their mutations acquire new properties and become more aggressive, angrier. But the progress of the human body follows the same paths, so that for every new infection, be it swine, bird, or some other new type of flu, we respond with new facets of our immunity. Therefore, we must take care of our own health and remember that it is easier to prevent a disease than to treat it later.

Material edited doc- 3-10-2012, 16:00. Cause: current data for 2012

Swine flu is a type of acute infectious disease caused by a specific type of H1N1 influenza virus. This type of influenza is characterized by the rapid transition of individual outbreaks of the disease into a pandemic due to its high contagiousness, severe course and increased number of complications, including deaths.

History of swine flu

The very name of the disease – “swine flu” – causes a lot of criticism among experts from the World Health Organization. Experts protest against naming diseases on ethnic, territorial, professional grounds or the inclusion of epithets designating the animal world as a source of infection (bird flu, swine flu). Such a choice of name for a diagnosis discriminates against living beings from certain groups, while the original swine flu viruses, as well as bird flu, did not pose such a threat to humans. Thus, as a result of the widespread name for a new type of disease, in some countries the mass destruction of pigs began, not only as a preventive measure, but also with political aspects of the action. For example, in Egypt, where the majority of the population is Muslim and there is a ban on eating pork, farm animals that belonged to local Christian communities were destroyed.

The group of swine flu viruses was discovered back in 1930 by Richard Shoup. Over the course of half a century, isolated episodes of disease were observed in the territories of Mexico, Canada and the United States among pig populations. In rare cases, people who had close contact with animals (cattle keepers, veterinarians, etc.) became infected with swine flu, but the course of the disease was sharply different from the swine flu that exists today.

The cause of the 2009 pandemic was a mutation that occurred when crossing one type of swine flu virus and the human influenza A virus. Such mutations occur annually, but not all new viral species can actively reproduce and can affect humans.

Spread of the virus: how to get swine flu

The new flu, type H1N1, can infect both humans and pigs. Therefore, both can become a source of infection. The disease does not appear immediately: the incubation period of swine flu lasts from 24 to 48 hours before the onset of symptoms, depending on the carrier. At this time, the virus is already actively multiplying, released into the external environment and can be transmitted to other people and animals. The average duration of the period of high contagiousness of the patient is 7 days from the onset of the disease. However, approximately every 6th person is capable of infecting others up to 2 weeks from the moment of severe symptoms despite therapy.
The high contagiousness of the swine flu virus is explained not only by its pandemic nature, but also by the methods of spreading the infection. The pathogen is transmitted from a carrier or sick person to others in the following ways:

• aerogenic or airborne: the virus spreads with tiny droplets of biological fluids (nasal secretions when coughing, sneezing). Distribution radius – up to 2 meters;
• household contact, when liquids get in contact with sneezing, coughing, using dishes, a towel, or from the patient’s hands onto surrounding objects.

In a non-aggressive environment, the swine flu virus remains active for two hours, presenting an increased danger to those who come into contact with a sick person or carrier of the infection.

People of all ages are susceptible to the H1N1 influenza virus, regardless of gender, race or place of residence. However, there are several groups with an increased risk of developing severe forms of the disease, complications, even death:

• early age of the patient (up to 5 years);
• elderly people (65 years and older);
• women during pregnancy, regardless of the duration of pregnancy;
• people with immunodeficiencies of various etiologies (due to diseases, pathologies of the immune system, during therapy with immunosuppressive drugs, etc.);
• persons with chronic diseases of the respiratory, cardiovascular systems, endocrine diseases (diabetes), liver diseases, kidney diseases, etc.

Increased risks in these population groups are associated both with the characteristics of the body’s defenses and with the specific effect of the swine flu virus on the human body:

• the virus causes changes in the structure of the blood, provoking an increase in the number of platelets, as a result of which blood clotting increases and the risk of thrombosis increases;
• the course of the disease is often complicated by pneumonia of viral etiology, accompanied by edema of the lung tissue;
• nephritis, kidney damage, is also a common complication of swine flu;
• One of the complications of swine flu is myocarditis, damage to the heart muscle.

With reduced body resistance or the presence of diseases and pathologies of the relevant organs and systems, the likelihood of a hurricane-like development of complications increases sharply.

Swine flu virus: symptoms of infection

Swine flu at the very beginning of the disease does not have a special clinical picture and is similar to the course of most common influenza and acute respiratory viral infections.
In order to distinguish the manifestations of influenza from a “cold”, an acute respiratory disease of bacterial etiology, it is necessary to know the pronounced manifestations characteristic of various types of diseases.

Symptoms and manifestations	Colds	Flu
Body temperature, upper limits	(temperature up to 38°C, often without fever)	Febrile temperature, 38°C or higher
Rate of deterioration	Gradual, over several days	Rapid, health deteriorates, temperature rises over several hours
Headache	Rare, often associated with sinusitis, sinusitis, otitis media, etc.	Often
Muscle, joint pain	Rarely	Often
Respiratory manifestations (nasal congestion, coughing, sneezing at the onset of illness)	Often	Sometimes
Feeling of weakness, lethargy	Rarely	Often and for quite a long time, up to 2-3 weeks

The incubation period for swine flu most often lasts from 1 to 4 days, less often – up to 7 days.
Peculiarities of symptoms of swine flu in an uncomplicated form:

• hyperthermia up to 38-39°C;
• nausea, vomiting against a background of high body temperature, regardless of food intake, diarrhea (up to 45% of cases);
• deterioration of health, drowsiness, feeling of weakness, lethargy;
• muscle and joint pain, body aches;
• respiratory symptoms are expressed in cough, sore throat, feeling of lack of air.

Symptoms of severe forms of H1N1 influenza

The most common symptom indicating the development of a severe form of H1N1 influenza is a severe headache with additional features:

• localization of pain most often in the frontal region, near the brow ridges;
• muscle movements in this area (blinking, facial expressions) increase pain;
• possible development of photophobia;
• pain in the eyeballs when moving the eyes.

Swine flu, which occurs in a severe form, is accompanied by severe respiratory failure: a feeling of lack of air, an accelerating pace of respiratory movements, a feeling of insufficient filling of the lungs (difficulty taking a deep breath).

Complications of swine flu (H1N1 virus)

Complications of swine flu are the main reason for the increased mortality of the disease. Among the most dangerous complications caused by the H1N1 influenza virus is the development of primary. Inflammation of the lungs against the background of swine flu can be caused directly by this virus, that is, have a viral etiology; may be triggered by the addition of a bacterial infection to the underlying disease; and can also be a mixed bacterial-viral infection.

Primary pneumonia with swine flu is the most dangerous. It develops 2-3 days after the onset of symptoms of infection with respiratory failure, accompanied by rapid (2-3 times more often than normal) shallow breathing involving the muscles of the diaphragm, abdominal muscles, symptoms of oxygen deficiency (cyanosis, blue discoloration of the nasolabial triangle, fingers, legs), shortness of breath, dry, unproductive cough with clear discharge.

Inflammation of the lungs of viral etiology can lead to distress symptoms and the development of edema of the pulmonary tissue, which without emergency treatment becomes a cause of death.
Pneumonia of bacterial etiology develops, as a rule, on the 7-10th day of illness. In contrast to the viral type, there is an increase in cough, chest pain, and the discharge from the lungs is cloudy and purulent. Secondary intoxication causes a new wave of hyperthermia and deterioration of health. Treatment is long-term, up to 1.5-2 months; the prognosis for recovery depends on timely diagnosis of the pathogen. Almost half of all pneumonia of bacterial etiology is caused by pneumococci; every 6 patients are found to be contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus; a pathogen such as Haemophilus influenzae is less common. With pneumonia caused by Staphylococcus aureus, an inflammatory process in the lung tissues, an abscess, often begins.

Pneumonia of mixed etiology manifests itself with a full range of symptoms that change during the development of the disease. The treatment is complex, long-term, in a hospital setting.
Other common complications of swine flu include a high probability of developing pericarditis, myocarditis, hemorrhagic syndrome, blood clots, nephritis, encephalitis, and serous meningitis.

Swine flu: signs of complications

What signs indicate the beginning of the development of serious complications of the disease with H1N1 influenza?

• Rapid breathing, increasing shortness of breath, bluish tint to the skin.
• Severe headaches, chest pain.
• , lethargy combined with dizziness, episodes of confusion.
• Indomitable, repeated vomiting, at an early age - an increased number of regurgitations.
• Resumption of symptoms (fever, cough, respiratory failure) after the patient’s condition improves.

Therapy and general measures for swine flu

Swine flu in patients who are not at risk, with timely treatment, in most cases proceeds without significant complications. What is included in the list of general measures for influenza (H1N1 virus):

• mandatory bed rest throughout the illness and 7 days after the end of severe symptoms in order to prevent possible complications;
• limiting the number of contacts both to reduce the likelihood of spreading the virus and to prevent the accumulation of new infections;
• enhanced drinking regime (compotes, fruit drinks with a high content of vitamin C: from rose hips, black currants, citrus fruits);
• a complete diet with easily digestible proteins (lean boiled meat, dairy products, eggs, etc.). Avoid fatty, fried, spicy foods, canned foods, and industrially prepared semi-finished products;
• the use of individual utensils for meals, frequent changes of bed linen and towels, general hygiene of the room.

Patients at risk are hospitalized for treatment in a hospital without depending on the presence of signs of complications.
Drug therapy includes the following areas:

• (Relenza, Tamiflu) is recommended for an established diagnosis of a specific type of H1N1 virus, as well as for the presence of characteristic symptoms for this disease and/or suspicion of them in patients at increased risk of developing complications. Patients outside the risk groups with mild and moderate forms of the disease may be prescribed drugs from the interferon group;
• symptomatic therapy aimed at reducing the severity of symptoms of the disease: antipyretics, analgesics, decongestants, local vasoconstrictors to facilitate nasal breathing, mucolytic drugs that facilitate sputum discharge;
• pathogenetic therapy is carried out only in a hospital setting and includes the prescription of glucocorticosteroids and sympathomimetics in order to detoxify the body and reduce the likelihood of developing distress syndrome.

Treatment of secondary pneumonia against the background of this type of influenza is carried out with antibacterial agents depending on the identified causative agent of the disease, symptomatic drugs, and it is possible to prescribe physiotherapeutic procedures at the final stage of the disease and during the rehabilitation period.

Prevention methods

General methods of prevention include limiting contacts and staying in crowded places during epidemics, personal hygiene: frequent hand washing with soap, wiping with alcohol-containing solutions, using separate utensils, etc. General importance for the prevention of infection and the development of complications in case of illness is immune status of the body, health status, adequate nutrition, work and rest schedule.

Nonspecific medicinal methods may include taking antiviral drugs upon contact with a possible carrier (Viferon, Kagocel, Tamiflu, etc.), taking vitamin complexes or individual vitamin-containing drugs (A, B, C), and using barrier methods of prevention (Oxolinic ointment).
For specific preventive measures, a complex vaccine has been developed that protects against the most common influenza viruses, according to expert forecasts for the coming season.

is a highly contagious disease of animals and humans caused by the influenza virus serotype A (H1N1) and prone to pandemic spread. In its course, swine flu resembles the usual seasonal flu (fever, weakness, body aches, sore throat, rhinorrhea), but differs from it in some features (the development of dyspeptic syndrome). Diagnosis is based on clinical signs; To determine the type of virus, PCR, virological and serological studies are carried out. Treatment of swine flu involves the prescription of antiviral (interferons, umifenovir, oseltamivir, kagocel) and symptomatic (antipyretics, antihistamines, etc.) drugs.

General information

acute respiratory viral infection transmitted from pigs to humans and within the human population. The causative agent of swine flu was discovered back in 1930, but for the next half century it circulated in a limited area (North America and Mexico) only among domestic animals, mainly pigs. Isolated cases of human infection (mainly veterinarians and pig farm workers) with swine flu began to be recorded in the early 1990s. In 2009, the world was shocked by the swine flu pandemic, known as California/2009, which affected 74 countries, including European countries, Russia, China, Japan and many others. etc. Then, according to WHO, more than 500 thousand people fell ill with swine flu. Persons aged 5 to 24 years showed the greatest susceptibility to the virus. Due to the ability of the virus to be easily transmitted from person to person, as well as its tendency to spread pandemically, swine flu was assigned the highest hazard class of 6.

Causes of swine flu

Several types and serotypes of influenza virus circulate in the pig population: human seasonal influenza viruses, avian influenza viruses, H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, H3N1. It is assumed that serotype A(H1N1), which causes swine flu in humans, was the result of recombination (reassortment, mixing) of different subtypes of influenza virus. It was the hybrid virus A(H1N1) that acquired the ability to overcome the interspecies barrier, cause disease among people and be transmitted from person to person. Like other human influenza viruses, A(H1N1) contains RNA; The pathogen virions are oval in shape. The virus envelope contains specific proteins - hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, which facilitate the attachment of the virus to the cell and its intracellular penetration. The swine flu virus is not stable in the external environment: it is quickly inactivated by heating, exposure to traditional disinfectants and ultraviolet radiation, but can withstand low temperatures for a long time.

The sources of the virus can be infected or sick pigs and humans. The main way of spreading swine flu in the human population is by airborne droplets (with mucus particles released when coughing, sneezing), less often - through household contact (by introducing patient secretions from the hands and household items onto the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, eyes). Cases of infection through nutritional routes through consumption of meat from infected animals are unknown. Despite the high and universal susceptibility of people to the swine flu virus, children under 5 years of age and the elderly, pregnant women, patients with concomitant diseases (CNLD, diabetes mellitus, liver and kidney diseases, cardiovascular system, HIV) are at risk of developing severe clinical forms of infection -infection).

The pathogenesis of swine flu is generally similar to the pathological changes that occur in the body during regular seasonal flu. Replication and reproduction of the virus occurs in the epithelium of the respiratory tract and is accompanied by superficial damage to the cells of the tracheobronchial tree, their degeneration, necrosis and desquamation. During the period of viremia, which lasts 10–14 days, toxic and toxic-allergic reactions from internal organs predominate.

Swine flu symptoms

The incubation period for swine flu ranges from 1 to 4-7 days. An infected person becomes infectious at the end of the incubation period and continues to actively secrete viruses for another 1-2 weeks, even during therapy. The severity of clinical manifestations of swine flu varies from asymptomatic to severe and fatal. In typical cases, the symptoms of swine flu resemble those of ARVI and seasonal flu. The disease begins with an increase in temperature to 39-40°C, lethargy, weakness, muscle aches, arthralgia, and lack of appetite. In severe intoxication, intense headaches occur, mainly in the frontal region, pain in the eyeballs, aggravated by eye movement, and photophobia. Catarrhal syndrome develops, accompanied by a sore and sore throat, runny nose, and dry cough. A characteristic distinctive feature of swine flu, observed in 30-45% of patients, is the occurrence of dyspeptic syndrome (abdominal pain, constant nausea, repeated vomiting, diarrhea).

The most common complication of swine flu is primary (viral) or secondary (bacterial, often pneumococcal) pneumonia. Primary pneumonia usually occurs already on the 2-3rd day of illness and can lead to the development of respiratory distress syndrome and death. Possible development of infectious-allergic myocarditis, pericarditis, hemorrhagic syndrome, meningoencephalitis, cardiovascular and respiratory failure. Swine flu aggravates and aggravates the course of concomitant somatic diseases, which affects the overall prospects of recovery.

Diagnosis and treatment of swine flu

Making a preliminary diagnosis is difficult due to the lack of purely pathognomonic signs and the similarity of symptoms of swine and seasonal flu. Therefore, definitive diagnosis is impossible without laboratory identification of the viral pathogen. In order to determine the RNA of the influenza A(H1N1) virus, a nasopharyngeal swab is examined using the PCR method. Virological diagnosis involves cultivating the swine flu virus in chicken embryos or cell culture. To determine IgM and IgG in blood serum, serological tests are performed - RSK, RTGA, ELISA. Infection with the swine flu virus is indicated by an increase in the titer of specific antibodies by more than 4 times.

Treatment of swine flu consists of etiotropic and symptomatic therapy. Among the antiviral drugs, interferons (alpha interferon, alpha-2b interferon), oseltamivir, zanamivir, umifenovir, kagocel are recommended. Symptomatic therapy includes taking antipyretics, antihistamines, vasoconstrictors, and infusion of electrolyte solutions. For secondary bacterial pneumonia, antibacterial agents (penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides) are prescribed.

Forecast and prevention of swine flu

The prognosis for swine flu is significantly more favorable than for bird flu. Most people experience swine flu in a mild form and make a full recovery. Severe forms of infection develop in 5% of patients. Fatalities from swine flu are recorded in less than 4% of cases. Nonspecific prevention of swine flu is similar to other acute respiratory viral infections: avoiding contact with people who have signs of a cold, frequently washing hands with soap, hardening the body, ventilating and disinfecting premises during the season of rising viral infections. For specific prevention of swine flu, the Grippol vaccine and others are recommended.

A dangerous and insidious swine flu virus... The mere mention of this disease makes many people shiver. Those who have had close encounters with pathology before are especially worried. There is no need to cause panic and terrify people. It is enough to know how the h1n1 flu manifests itself and is treated. Then you will be able to react in time without missing out on precious days or even hours.

Treatment of swine flu should be started in a timely manner to avoid complications.

Since the thirties of the last century, humanity first started talking about a new “plague”. It was none other than the h1n1 flu. This disease originally affected pigs. Animals fell ill one after another, which led to massive deaths of livestock on farms. Over time, the virus mutated, combined with human seasonal flu, after which it received a new name. Now not only animals, but also people could get sick. It is worth noting that swine flu from sick livestock is rarely transmitted to humans. The reason for this is the different antigenic structure.

The disease gained mass popularity in 2009. Then the pathology acquired pandemic proportions. Now they say about that period that the h1n1 pdm09 influenza virus was raging. Treatment did not help all those infected, so the disease claimed a large number of lives. Among the affected people there were a lot of people under 50 years of age, which caused incredible fear. People said that the disease had become like a plague; there was no cure for it.

What to do to prevent infection?

Influenza H1n1, as it turns out, cannot be prevented by administering a vaccine. To this day, great scientists and bright minds are trying to develop a vaccine. By your own actions you can minimize the risk of infection. It is enough to follow the following rules:

1. do not contact someone who is sick;
2. Wash your hands regularly and use antiseptics;
3. avoid crowded places;
4. carry a protective sterile mask with you;
5. Rinse your nose with saline solutions several times a day;
6. strengthen your immune system.

Avoid contact with someone who is sick

If you are afraid of catching the h1n1 influenza virus, be sure to discuss protection with your doctor. Your doctor may prescribe certain antiviral medications for you to take preventatively.

If you are sick...

Contact with a sick person during an epidemic leads to inevitable infection in 90% of cases. If you are sick or think you are sick, stay calm. At the first symptoms, be sure to consult a doctor. Don't try to treat yourself. And, even more so, you cannot continue to go to work and visit crowded places. It is important to know what the h1n1 flu symptoms are. Read about them in more detail.

Incubation period: timing

When the virus has just entered the body, a person does not feel any changes. Unlike the usual ARVI, which causes a dry nose, sneezing and a feeling of a lump in the throat, with the flu there are no such symptoms. According to various sources, the incubation period of influenza ah1n1 lasts from 1 to 5 days.

Signs that appear in humans

What symptoms of H1n1 influenza a person develops largely depends on his immunity. If the body is weakened, then the first signs may appear quite quickly and have a pronounced manifestation. With more stable protection, the disease manifests itself more often within 2-3 days. It is not necessary to have all the symptoms mentioned below.

Bad feeling

The first signs of the h1n1 flu that appear are headache and general malaise.. Unpleasant sensations are present in the forehead and temples. They are accompanied by pain in the eyes and increased lacrimation. Any bright light irritates the sick person, so the patient should be placed in a dark room, ensuring complete rest. Weakness, lack of appetite, drowsiness - this is what characterizes the onset of the disease.

High temperatures

The h1n1 influenza clinic is manifested by fever. The thermometer readings can rise to critical numbers. Most often this is what happens. More severe fever is observed in children. In exceptional cases, the temperature remains within normal limits. This often confuses patients into inaction. Often, the temperature due to the swine flu virus does not decrease after using the usual Paracetamol or Nurofen. The patient needs stronger antipyretics.

Digestive disorders

Influenza H1N1 symptoms necessarily have the following: diarrhea or increased frequency of stools, nausea and vomiting. They arise because the virus spreads mainly in the intestines. The disease suppresses the natural microflora and acquired immunity, disrupts digestive function. A large amount of carbohydrates and fats, not processed by the necessary enzymes, attracts water from all parts of the body. This provokes loose stools and frequent urge to defecate. Vomiting and nausea are provoked by intoxication, which inevitably appears due to the toxic effect of the pathogen on the body.

Digestive disorders are one of the signs of swine flu

Catarrhal phenomena

The symptoms of the H1n1 flu are not similar to the standard ARVI.

Catarrhal phenomena in the form of a runny nose, nasal congestion and sore throat are often absent. But other symptoms take their place. The swine flu virus is accompanied by difficulty breathing and a severe dry cough. It causes pain in the sternum and shortness of breath. Symptoms of h1n1 influenza in a young child may be accompanied by seizures and confusion. This is how high temperature affects the functioning of the nervous system.

Is the disease curable?

If you have h1n1 flu, symptoms and treatment should be determined and prescribed accordingly by a doctor. As practice shows, the uncomplicated course of the disease usually does not require the use of specific medications. In most cases, the disease lasts 5-7 days, after which it subsides. With the correct organization of the regime, the sick person begins to recover from the fifth day. Final recovery occurs within another 2-3 weeks.

Treatment for h1n1 influenza is necessary when it becomes severe. The patient is prescribed certain medications that prevent the proliferation of microorganisms, promoting a speedy recovery. Find out which drugs are effective for the reported viral infection.

Symptomatic remedies

Depending on the symptoms of the H1n1 flu, appropriate treatment is prescribed. Symptomatic therapy is carried out in almost all patients. Such medications are intended to improve well-being rather than eliminate a viral infection.

• Antipyretics and painkillers. Often drugs have these two effects simultaneously. More preferable medications are those based on ibuprofen (Nurofen, Advil) and paracetamol (Teraflu, Ferfex, Coldact). Ibuklin, which combines both active ingredients, is widely used. Less often, patients resort to Analgin, Nimesulide and other, stronger medications.
• Against cough. All drugs for the treatment of this symptom are divided into: expectorants, sputum thinners and antitussives. You should not take the latter on your own, as you will stop the removal of thick sputum from the lungs, which will provoke a complication. In this situation, the following medications are recommended: ACC, Lazolvan, Erespal, Askoril, and so on.
• For diarrhea and vomiting. To prevent fluid loss, it is necessary to eliminate this symptom. Loperamide and Imodium tablets will help you stop diarrhea. Intestinal antiseptics (Stopdiar, Ecofuril) will cleanse the digestive tract of pathogenic flora. Vomiting will be stopped by Motilium and Cerucal. To replenish the lack of fluid, use saline solutions, for example, Regidron.

Loperamide helps relieve diarrhea

Neuraminidase inhibitors

If symptoms of influenza h1n1 in a person are so severe that the use of antiviral drugs is required, then neuraminidase inhibitors are always preferred. As the practice of past years has shown, popular and accessible antiviral drugs are powerless against such a disease. The famous Rimantadine, Arbidol, Kagocel help those whose body could cope with the disease on its own.

There are currently two well-known drugs that act as neuraminidase inhibitors: Tamiflu and Relenza. The first medicine is available in tablets, and the second is administered by inhalation due to its high toxicity. Medicines effectively eliminate the neuraminidase enzyme. It is part of the envelope of the h1n1 influenza virus; treatment with these drugs prevents further spread of the infection. As a result of therapy, the virus loses its ability to contact healthy cells.

What to do on your own?

Almost every person at risk of infection asks the question: how to treat h1n1 flu at home? It’s worth saying right away that you shouldn’t take any medications without a doctor’s prescription. You can, of course, take an antipyretic if you have a high fever or a painkiller if you feel unwell. More serious medications should always be prescribed by a specialist.

You can independently ease the course of the disease by creating comfortable conditions. If you have the flu, you should not go to work or have contact with healthy people. Your body needs strength to fight infection, do not waste it. Maintain bed rest and drink plenty of fluids.

It is better to refuse food for now, but if you really want to, then give preference to food that is quickly and easily digested and does not irritate the intestines. It is permissible to gargle with all kinds of decoctions, take vitamin C in the form of drinks, consume honey and raspberry jam. Set sufficient humidity in the room and ventilate regularly. Coordinate all other actions with your doctor.

Gargling helps relieve coughs and sore throats.

Possible complications

In some cases, the h1n1 flu acquires more serious symptoms. Then doctors talk about a complication. Most often, the disease causes damage to the lower respiratory tract, transforming into bronchitis or pneumonia. If the nature of the complication is bacterial, then treating it is not so difficult. When the question of viral pneumonia is raised, it is already more dangerous. It was this complication that claimed more than one thousand lives during the 2009 pandemic.

Pathology can result in problems with the urinary, cardiovascular and nervous systems. It often provokes myocarditis. If during your illness you notice that you are feeling worse and worse, then do not hesitate: urgently call an ambulance. Complications of influenza develop very quickly. Death may occur within a few hours.

Let's sum it up

The h1n1 swine flu virus initially seemed not as dangerous as it later became. During a massive epidemic, it claimed lives one after another. At the same time, people died not from the virus itself, but from the complications that the disease causes. Many have paid dearly because they chose self-medication.

Perhaps timely medical assistance could have saved her. Therefore, doctors recommend that pathologists seek help at the first manifestation. The nature of the disease can only be determined reliably through laboratory diagnostics.

Do not try to diagnose yourself based on all the symptoms you have.

Don't self-diagnose. Entrust this matter to medical specialists!

The next outbreak of swine flu was predicted by doctors for the beginning of 2016. During that period, many people actually got sick. There are officially registered deaths. Despite this, the viral infection has not become as widespread as it was 7 years ago. Probably, people have already been taught by the bitter experience of inaction. Many patients sought medical help at the first symptoms of the disease. Having received the correct treatment regimen, they recovered within a few days. The h1n1 virus does not form lasting immunity, so it cannot be guaranteed that a person who has recovered from the disease will not become infected again.

Many people know that in the 20s of the last century, death walked around Europe under the name “Spanish flu”. She took about 100 million earthlings to their graves. Just recently, scientists studied in detail material taken from the corpse of a Spanish flu victim buried in permafrost, and discovered the H1N1 virus in it. Yes, yes, exactly the virus that made so much noise in 2009. Over the years, it has been modified many times, becoming either H2N2, then H3N2, then H1N2, each time causing new epidemics. At some point, the virus spread from humans to pigs, adapted (mutated) in new hosts and became swine flu, capable of living only in animals. After a while, the virus again entered a person and, demonstrating its unique abilities, mutated again, adapting to a new host. During this adaptation period, the new H1N1 strain caused only up to 50 cases of swine flu, and in people who, due to their occupation, had contact with animals. Modifying further, the virus has developed a form that can not only be transmitted from pigs to humans, but also in the future infect new people. Thus began an epidemic of a disease called swine flu.

What is AN1N1

Differences in the disease

The H1N1 flu is not very different from the classic seasonal flu and for most people it occurs without any complications. But it also has one unpleasant feature - in some victims it can cause primary viral pneumonia, which cannot be cured with antibiotics (this is how it differs from bacterial pneumonia). If patients in whom the H1N1 virus has caused a complication in the form of viral pneumonia are not treated correctly at the first symptoms, they die within 24 hours. It was this circumstance that was the main cause of death for almost 2 thousand people during the 2009 epidemic. Other differences between swine flu and regular flu include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

At-risk groups

Anyone can catch the H1N1 virus, but not everyone develops life-threatening complications. According to statistical data, the following categories of the population are most susceptible to severe swine flu:

Young children (ages 0 to 2 years);

Pregnant;

Having any pulmonary diseases, such as asthma;

People over 65 years of age;

Suffering from chronic diseases of internal organs;

HIV-infected.

As you can see, swine flu poses the greatest danger to those whose bodies are weakened.

Routes of infection

As noted above, the H1N1 virus is mainly transmitted aerogenously. Important: when sneezing or coughing, microorganisms released from the mouth or nose of a sick person can “fly” through the air for a distance of up to 2 meters. If a healthy person inhales them, he will certainly become infected.

But even those viruses that did not reach the victim, but settled on some surfaces, continue to live for 8 hours. That is, you can become infected with swine flu through personal contact, for example, if you hold a handrail with viruses and then eat without washing your hands.

The third route of infection is the most passive - pork from a sick animal. You can catch the flu this way only if you eat the meat raw or half-cooked, because standard cooking kills the H1N1 virus in a few minutes.

Classic symptoms of the disease

From the moment of infection until the first signs of the disease appear, it can take from one to three to four days, which depends on the characteristics of the body. The H1N1 virus can cause symptoms similar to the classic flu:

General malaise;

Aches throughout the body (myalgia);

Runny nose;

Headache;

Sore and/or sore throat;

Increase in temperature to high levels (sometimes no temperature is observed);

Chills, fever.

Some patients have complaints of nausea, sometimes to the point of vomiting, and diarrhea.

H1N1 virus, symptoms and complications

To avoid an irreparable disaster, you should immediately consult a doctor for help if, against the background of an apparent cold, the following are observed:

Very high temperature, not brought down by tablets;

Persistent causeless nausea;

Heavy and/or rapid breathing;

Pale and/or cyanotic skin, blue lips (more common in children);

Fainting, hypersomnolence;

Long absence of the urge to urinate;

Pain in the chest and abdomen;

Dizziness;

Disorientation in space;

Children cry without tears;

Increased excitability for no reason;

After some improvement in the course of the “cold,” a sudden deterioration suddenly occurred.

H1N1 virus, treatment of mild disease

Diagnosis of swine flu, which passes without complications, is difficult due to the similarity of symptoms with regular flu. The type of virus can only be determined by culture of sputum secreted during coughing and mucus from the nose and mouth.

For mild forms of influenza, therapy can be carried out at home. It consists of mandatory bed rest, taking antipyretic drugs if the temperature is above 38 degrees, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, vitamins, cough and runny nose remedies. Small children should not be given medications that contain aspirin, as complications (Reye's syndrome) are possible. Antipyretics you can take are Nurofen, Paracetamol, and for adults also Ibuprofen.

For mild cases of H1N1 antiviral drugs, the following can be used:

- "Arbidol".

- “Viferon”.

- "Grippferon".

- "Reaferon".

- “Ingaron”.

- “Lipind.”

- “Ingavirin”.

- “Cycloferon”.

- “Kagotsel”.

It is also advisable to take antihistamines, drink plenty of liquids - teas, fruit drinks, water with honey, decoctions of currants, raspberries, viburnum and medicinal herbs.

The flu goes away in about 6-7 days.

Treatment of severe forms

Complicated H1N1 influenza is noticeably different from seasonal influenza and can be recognized without waiting for culture results. If symptoms characteristic of severe swine flu are listed above, the patient should be hospitalized, and if there are breathing problems, resuscitation therapy should be started immediately. For treatment, Oseltamivir or Tamiflu, Zanamivir or Relenza are used, which suppress the activity of neuraminidase. At the same time, antibacterial therapy is prescribed so that bacterial pneumonia does not develop against the background of viral pneumonia, the body is cleansed of toxins released by the H1 N1 virus, and symptomatic treatment is prescribed. The prognosis for patients with complicated swine flu is favorable only if proper treatment is started in a timely manner.

With moderate severity of the disease, when high fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea are observed, but there are no breathing problems, fainting, impaired consciousness and pneumonia, treatment is possible at home.

Precautionary measures

Prevention of H1N1 mainly involves limiting visits to public places and contact with people who have the slightest signs of a cold (cough, runny nose). Doctors also recommend:

Wearing a mask in all public places;

Before going outside, use oxolinic ointment;

After returning home, thoroughly wash your hands, rinse your nose and mouth;

Avoid snacking on the street and in public places without first thoroughly washing your hands.

It has been established that the swine flu virus quickly dies when exposed not only to high temperatures, but also to antiseptics, such as soap, alcohol solutions, and bactericidal agents. Therefore, in public places (schools, hospitals, catering outlets and others) during the epidemic, it is necessary to carry out wet cleaning, wipe tables, and door handles more often.

At the first symptoms of illness, especially if there is a cough, runny nose, or fever, you need to call a doctor at home to avoid infecting other people.

At the moment, a new vaccine has been developed against H1N1, which simultaneously helps against classical influenza B and H3N2 strains. You cannot get sick from vaccination, since the vaccine does not use whole viruses, but only their fragments. However, after vaccination you can still become infected with the flu, but it will be very mild. Also, vaccination does not protect against all other possible modifications of the H1N1 virus.

It should be done annually, preferably a month before the expected epidemic (in the fall before the start of dank, damp, cold weather).

Swine flu. This diagnosis plunges the entire population into panic and horror - it is believed that this disease is very difficult and, at best, leads to complications, and at worst ends in death. What does science know about swine flu and how to prevent its occurrence?

Table of contents: General information about influenza A (H1N1) Symptoms of swine flu How dangerous swine flu is How to recognize swine flu Features of influenza A (H1N1) Important nuances What to do as part of prevention

Overview of Influenza A (H1N1)

It is believed that the outbreak of swine flu occurs during the New Year holidays - people stay at home for a long time, their immunity is reduced due to the consumption of large amounts of fatty foods and alcoholic beverages. By the way, it is precisely because people are in their homes that cases of influenza with severe complications are recorded very often - patients turn to doctors in critical condition.

Note: from year to year the same picture is repeated: first the influenza B virus rages, then the H1N1 influenza begins to appear, but it quickly “burns out” and the influenza B virus comes again, which can sluggishly infect people. And even the period of such a wave-like infection occurs at the same time every year - from January to March.

A large percentage of swine flu cases were observed in 2009 – then deaths were recorded, and the severe course of the infection was clearly visible. Doctors predicted an outbreak of influenza A (H1N1) in 2016 in advance; this strain was included in the vaccine with which a large number of people were vaccinated - this made it possible to create a good immune layer among the population. And yet, from the beginning of 2016, dangerous swine flu began to actively spread throughout the countries of the Northern Hemisphere - Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Israel.

Swine flu symptoms

The danger of the disease in question lies in its rapid development, so everyone needs to know the symptoms of swine flu clearly. These include:

1. Severe intoxication of the body, which always manifests itself suddenly - the patient can literally name the hour when he felt unwell.
2. Hyperthermia is a high body temperature that can reach critical levels.
3. Headache of a sharp nature, intense - the patient is irritated by bright light, noise and any movement.
4. Problems in the functioning of the respiratory system - patients complain of a dry cough.
5. General weakness, accompanied by aches throughout the body.
6. A feeling of compression of the lungs - patients complain of severe pain in the chest, the inability to take a deep breath and exhale.

Very rarely, symptoms of influenza A (H1N1) include a runny nose and conjunctivitis.

There is a designated group of people who are at risk for infection with the influenza A virus. It includes:

• children under 5 years of age;
• pregnant women;
• people over 65 years of age;
• patients with previously diagnosed chronic pathologies - for example, pulmonary diseases, kidney problems, and so on;
• people with diabetes and heart disease;
• patients with severe obesity.

Why is swine flu dangerous?

It is influenza A (H1N1) that poses a particular danger to human health and life - this disease is characterized by the development of severe complications. These include:

1. Changes in the structure of the blood - it becomes thicker, coagulability increases, and the risk of blood clots reaches the highest level.
2. Within 1-2 days, swine flu develops into viral pneumonia, which is often accompanied by pulmonary edema.
3. The influenza virus has a detrimental effect on the kidneys - this can trigger the development of nephritis.
4. The myocardium of the heart is negatively affected by the virus.

Note: It is viral pneumonia, which develops rapidly against the background of swine flu, literally within a few hours/days, that most often leads to the death of the patient.

Head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova:

“That is why, literally on the very first day, constant monitoring by a doctor is necessary: ​​call him at home, because only a specialist can prescribe adequate treatment. Many regions where the active spread of influenza has already begun are introducing this practice - a patient with a confirmed diagnosis of influenza does not go to the hospital every five days to extend his sick leave, but every day he describes his condition to the attending physician in a text message. In no case should the condition be allowed to worsen; if a person feels that he is having difficulty breathing, urgent hospitalization is necessary.”

How to recognize swine flu

Sometimes it is very difficult to immediately determine the development of swine flu - many patients mistake its symptoms for signs of a common cold or acute respiratory viral infection. This entails inadequate treatment, missing the first hours of the disease and the development of severe complications.

The following table will help you distinguish between the symptoms of swine flu and a common cold:

Symptoms	Cold	Flu
Temperature	Sometimes, usually not high	Almost always, high (38-39C°, especially in young children), lasts 3-4 days
Headache	Sometimes	Often
Other pains	Not strong	Often, strong
Weakness, lethargy	Sometimes	Often, it can last 2-3 weeks.
Serious condition, exhaustion	Never	Often, especially at the beginning of the disease
Stuffy nose	Often	Sometimes
Sneezing	Often	Sometimes
A sore throat	Often	Sometimes
Chest discomfort	Light to moderate	Often, it is strong
Cough	Dry cough
Complications	Sinusitis, inflammation of the middle ear	Sinusitis, bronchitis, otitis media, pneumonia, etc. life-threatening
Prevention	Wash your hands often and avoid contact with people with colds	Wash your hands often, avoid contact with people with the flu, get a seasonal flu shot, talk to your doctor about antiviral medications
Treatment	Antihistamines, decongestants, anti-inflammatory drugs	Antihistamines, decongestants, analgesics (ibuprofen, paracetamol), antivirals in the first 48 hours after the development of symptoms. Antigrippin is an effective remedy for both colds and flu. Ask your doctor for more details.

Features of influenza A (H1N1)

It is worth knowing that swine flu is transmitted by airborne droplets - you can become infected by being near a sick person who is sneezing and coughing. For example, in a movie theater, flu viruses, when sneezed by an already sick person, spread 10 meters around.

Virologists identify several distinctive features of the course of swine flu:

1. Headaches are localized in the forehead area - patients complain of heaviness of the brow ridges. Even a simple attempt to open the eyes and lift the eyelids completely leads to intense, boring pain in the eyeballs.

Note: If a child of preschool age with cold symptoms begins to complain of a headache, then immediately call a doctor - headaches are not typical for preschool children .

1. If a person with a cold has a history of heart disease or hypertension, then if you complain of profuse cold sweat against a background of high body temperature and difficulty breathing, you should call an ambulance. This is a sign of the development of swine flu, and especially for heart patients and hypertensive patients, it quickly turns into viral pneumonia with pulmonary edema.
2. Influenza A (H1N1) is characterized by respiratory failure - the patient cannot take a deep breath, he is tormented by a constant feeling of lack of air, the breathing rhythm becomes very fast.

Complications from swine flu can affect almost every organ:

Important nuances

There is a lot of debate about how to behave when the first symptoms of swine flu appear. But the main recommendations of doctors are as follows:

1. There is no need to reduce the temperature too zealously. An increase in temperature is a signal that the body's immune forces have begun to fight the infection. But too sharp a jump has a bad effect on the functioning of the heart. The threshold is 38 degrees Celsius. If during flu the temperature reaches 38.5 degrees (for small children - up to 38 degrees), it is better not to take anything antipyretic. If it is higher, use products with paracetamol, ibuprofen, if there are no contraindications. If the temperature does not decrease, immediately call an ambulance, be sure to report the measures taken and that the fever does not subside.
2. There is no antiviral food and drink, no matter how pseudo-helpful notes on social networks present it to us. But the following will help activate the immune system:

• natural fermented milk products (low-fat yogurt, ayran, tan),
• citrus fruits (this is a classic: for patients - a bunch of oranges to lift their spirits, or better yet, lime in tea and grapefruit a day - they also help the heart survive flu stress). Vitamin C, which they are rich in, and pectins help remove phlegm from the lungs and reduce the risk of congestion.
• Fruit drinks of all types (from lingonberries, cranberries, currants), except sweet ones (excess sugar interferes with the removal of viruses from the body).
• natural proteins that are easily digestible and strengthen the heart - eggs, turkey, chicken breast, rabbit, fish.

1. You should not self-medicate - the result will be disastrous. Yes, it is possible and necessary to provide the patient with plenty of fluids, but no medications should be taken! Usually, in case of severe swine flu, doctors prescribe antiviral drugs, but they are selected on an individual basis. If the situation requires resuscitation, the presence of medical workers next to the patient will save his life.

What to do as part of prevention

When the season of mass infection with the influenza A (H1N1) virus begins, it is worth taking certain preventive measures - they will help reduce the risk of infection significantly. Virologists give the following recommendations:

1. You should not visit places with large crowds of people - it is better to exclude theaters, discos, cinema centers, shopping centers and the like from your routine.
2. After visiting various institutions, being on the street and on public transport, wash your hands with soap and be sure to have special disinfectant wipes with you - you can wipe your hands and face with them.
3. Rinse your nose with saline solution as often as possible throughout the day. An alternative could be seawater sprays - they are sold in pharmacy chains and have a very reasonable price.
4. Before leaving home and going to work or any other place, lubricate your nostrils (the direct entrance to the nose) with oxolinic ointment - a barrier will be provided to viruses.
5. A medical mask is not a panacea for the flu. Viruses are so small that they penetrate through the smallest pores. But it is quite suitable as an additional security measure, especially if you need to move and communicate a lot. A caveat: wear a mask only in transport or in closed spaces where there are a lot of people. Outdoors, the chance of infection is minimal, so don’t torture yourself.
6. The house or office must be ventilated daily, and each procedure must take at least 15 minutes. Remember - swine flu spreads only in a warm and dry room, it is afraid of cold and dampness.

Swine flu is a dangerous disease that can lead not only to serious consequences, but also to the death of the patient. Only immediate seeking help from doctors and strict implementation of all recommendations and prescriptions of specialists can prevent such developments. By the way, if swine flu is mild, the disease goes away within 1-3 weeks without any consequences in the future.

Tsygankova Yana Aleksandrovna, medical observer, therapist of the highest qualification category.

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experienced participants and may differ significantly from

H1N1- a subtype of influenza A virus (the most common type of influenza that causes the most widespread epidemics) can cause illness in both humans and many animals. It was first discovered in 1931 by the American scientist Richard Shoup.

This subtype was a common cause of influenza in the 1918 (Spanish Flu) and 2009 (Swine Flu) pandemics.

The pandemic H1N1 2009 strain (“Pandemic (H1N1) 09 Virus”) in 2009 became known in the media under the name "swine flu".

On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially announced the outbreak of the influenza A(H1N1/09) epidemic - the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic.

About the dangers of the virus

For the vast majority of people around the world, the disease occurs as a flu-like illness without complications, with full recovery within a week even without drug treatment. There is currently no data to indicate that the overall case fatality rate of H1N1, without taking into account age categories, is greater than that of a typical seasonal influenza epidemic.

However, the severe form of the disease is characterized by rapidly progressing primary viral pneumonia, which, unlike bacterial pneumonia, is not sensitive to antibiotics and, if not properly treated, can lead to death within 24 hours after the first signs of complications appear.

At-risk groups

Three groups are at highest risk of developing severe disease: pregnant women (especially during the third trimester of pregnancy), children under two years of age, and people with chronic lung disease, including asthma. Neurological disorders can increase the risk of severe illness in children.

Although the exact role of obesity is poorly understood to date, it is strongly implicated in severe and fatal cases of the disease. This is especially true for morbid obesity. Obesity was not considered a risk factor during either past epidemics or during seasonal influenza.

Symptoms of the usual course of the disease

Symptoms of influenza A(H1N1) are in most cases similar to those of seasonal influenza and include fever (high temperature), cough, sore throat, runny nose, myalgia (muscle pain), tachycardia, headache, chills and weakness. In some cases, symptoms also include nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

The temperature is most often higher than with ARVI and other colds not caused by the influenza virus. In rare cases, people with influenza A (H1N1) have respiratory symptoms without fever.

Dangerous symptoms

The patient should immediately seek medical help if, against the background of influenza or acute respiratory viral infection, he develops shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, blue lips, persistent nausea or vomiting, signs of dehydration, convulsions, confusion, and also if the temperature is very high and does not decrease when taking antipyretics, or remains elevated for longer than 4-5 days.

Parents of children with the flu should also immediately seek medical help if their child develops the following symptoms during illness:

• rapid or difficult breathing
• blue or pale skin
• refusal to drink
• difficulty urinating (or lack of urge for a long time)
• lack of tears when crying
• persistent, persistent nausea or vomiting
• extreme lethargy and drowsiness, similar to fainting
• extreme degree of excitement, the child cannot be calmed down
• pain or pressure in the chest, abdomen
• sudden dizziness, fainting
• confusion, disorientation
• after the improvement, deterioration occurs again with an increase in temperature and increased cough

Treatment for normal course

In the normal course of the disease, hospitalization is not required. Full recovery occurs within a week. Children are not recommended to be given drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid as an antipyretic due to the risk of developing Reye's syndrome. Preferable drugs containing paracetamol and ibuprofen, as well as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Otherwise, prevention and treatment measures do not differ from those during a seasonal influenza epidemic.

Clinical presentation and treatment of severe cases of A (H1N1)

The clinical picture of the complicated course of influenza A (H1N1) disease differs significantly from cases of seasonal influenza. While patients with chronic diseases, children and pregnant women (as with seasonal influenza) are at increased risk for developing complications, there are now many cases of severe disease in healthy young people. The mechanism causing serious complications in such initially healthy patients has not yet been determined.

In severe cases of the disease, patients' condition usually worsens 3-5 days after the onset of symptoms. The condition deteriorates rapidly, with many patients developing respiratory failure within 24 hours, requiring immediate admission to the intensive care unit. Most hospitalized patients require immediate respiratory support with mechanical ventilation. However, some patients do not respond well to standard ventilatory support techniques, making further treatment difficult.

Studies show that timely treatment with antiviral drugs (neuraminidase inhibitors - oseltamivir and zanamivir) reduces the risk of complications and increases the chances of survival in case of severe disease.

In addition to the addition of viral pneumonia caused directly by the H1N1 virus, the course of the disease can also be complicated by the addition of bacterial pneumonia, which causes a rapidly progressive deterioration of the patient's condition. Bacterial pneumonia is most often caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant strains. In this regard, to prevent additional bacterial complications, it is recommended to promptly begin antibacterial therapy prescribed by a doctor.

Mexican swine flu, origin and spread

The outbreak was first reported in the Federal District of Mexico City, which began monitoring a large surge in cases of influenza-like illnesses that began on March 18. Mexican authorities attributed the surge to "late season flu" until April 21, when the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention became alarmed by two independent cases of new swine flu illnesses reported in the media.

In March and April 2009, more than 1,000 cases of suspected swine flu were reported in Mexico and the southwestern United States. The strain was unusually contagious in Mexico, causing 81 confirmed deaths, mostly in Mexico City, but there were also reports of such cases in the states of San Luis Potosi, Hidalgo, Queretaro, Mexico City, all in central Mexico. Some cases in Mexico and the United States have been confirmed by the World Health Organization as previously unknown strains of H1N1.

On April 27, 2009, the World Health Organization raised the danger level to level 4, and on April 30, at an emergency meeting, the level was raised to level 5 due to the fact that for the first time a human death from swine flu was recorded outside of Mexico, namely in USA.

On June 11, WHO announced the introduction of the sixth, maximum pandemic threat level due to the rapid spread of the disease throughout the world.

On May 22, swine flu came to Russia. On May 24, a second case of A(H1N1) was detected in a resident of the Kaluga region. On May 29, the third case of A(H1N1) was detected in a native of Belarus, who flew to Moscow for business purposes from Prague, and had previously been in New York. The Russian authorities created a government commission to prevent the entry of the virus into the country and banned the supply of pork from Mexico and a number of US states, but in September 2009, unconfirmed information appeared about 29 cases of the virus in the Russian Federation.

By August 2009, cases of swine flu had been confirmed in 168 countries. At this point, the WHO reported that individual case counting had stopped due to the inability to track all cases of infection. As of July 31, 2009, 162,380 cases of swine flu were laboratory confirmed worldwide, of which 1,154 were fatal.

According to WHO data from October 17, 2009, more than 414,000 laboratory-confirmed cases have been registered worldwide, of which about 5,000 are fatal. But, since in many countries the counting of cases has been stopped due to the inability to fully monitor all cases of infection, the number of confirmed cases of the disease is significantly lower than the real one.

In the northern hemisphere, the incidence continues to increase markedly (due to seasonal cooling), while in the southern hemisphere the incidence rate is falling, with the exception of certain regions (Cuba, Colombia, El Salvador).

In Russia, as of November 2, 2009, there were 3,122 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza (H1N1) 2009. 19 fatal cases were registered, including 14 laboratory-confirmed.

Additional Information

• Precautions recommended:
  • wear a mask or respirator, or at least cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing and sneezing (for those already infected)
  • do not approach a person with cold symptoms closer than 1-2 m.
  • wash your hands frequently with soap or wipe with alcohol-soaked tissues
  • do not touch mucous membranes: nose, eyes, mouth - especially in public places
  • stay home and avoid contact with people when the first flu symptoms appear.
• The sick person is contagious to others not only from the moment flu symptoms appear, but also during the incubation period, which is usually 1-2 days, up to 7 days from the onset of the disease. According to some data, sick children remain infectious longer than adults.
• Studies have shown that the influenza virus survives on hard surfaces for 2-8 hours and dies when:
  • temperature rises to 75-100 °F
  • exposure to chemical bactericides
  • exposure to antiseptics
  • exposure to surfactants (such as soap)
  • exposure to alcohol solution

Notes

see also

• Spanish flu
• Bird flu
• Hong Kong bird flu (1968-1969), estimated to have killed 1 million people worldwide.
• Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
• 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic
• 2009 swine flu pandemic by country
• US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Links

• Percentage of cases and deaths from influenza A(H1N1) in the United States for the period August 30 - October 10, 2009: on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website (English)
• Swine flu (English) on the World Health Organization website
• Clinical signs of severe cases of pandemic influenza (WHO) (Russian)

Cards

• Live map of swineflu,
• H1N1 live map
• H1N1 online incidence map in Russia
• 2009 H1N1 Flu Outbreak Map