Apr 29, 2009 4:45 pm US/Central
Frequently Asked Questions: H1N1
(CBS)
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People wear surgical masks to help prevent being infected with H1N1 as they ride the subway on April 29, 2009, in Mexico City.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Q. What is H1N1?
A. H1N1 is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease normally found in pigs. It spreads through tiny particles in the air or by direct contact. According to WHO it tends to infect large numbers of a given pig population, killing between 1 and 4 percent of those affected. Not every animal infected displays symptoms.
Q. What are the symptoms?
A. The
CDC says symptoms are very similar to those of seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with H1N1 virus also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Q. Where do outbreaks occur?
A. H1N1 virus is considered endemic in the United States, and outbreaks in pigs have also been reported elsewhere in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and parts of eastern Asia. Nine probable cases have been found in the Chicago area as of April 29.
Q. How high is the risk of a pandemic?
A. The WHO just increased the threat alert to a level 5. According to the WHO Web site, this means that there is a strong likelihood that a pandemic is imminent and human-to-human contact spread of the virus has occurred in at least two countries in one WHO region.
Q. Is it safe to eat pork products?
A. WHO says properly handled and prepared pork products are safe to eat. The virus dies when cooked at temperatures of 160 F/70C or higher.
Q. How can I help protect myself and my family?
A. The CDC recommends that you wash your hands often with soap and water. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective. Try to avoid close contact with sick people, as influenza is mainly spread through coughing or sneezing of infected people. If you feel sick, stay home from work or school and limit your contact with others to avoid infecting them.
Q. Does a vaccine exist?
A. Pigs in North America are routinely vaccinated for H1N1, but no vaccine exists for humans. In any case, the flu virus evolves quickly, meaning that vaccines are soon obsolete. Health officials say there is no suggestion that the vaccine prepared for seasonal flu will protect against H1N1.
While people who are given the seasonal flu vaccine will probably be not protected against H1N1, it may prevent them from getting the seasonal flu. If they are then infected with H1N1, that reduces the possibility of the two flus mixing in that person to create a potential pandemic strain.
Q. What other treatment is there?
A. The H1N1 virus detected in Mexico and the United States appears to respond to treatment with oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza). In terms of prevention, maintaining good hygiene, for example regular hand-washing and staying a safe distance from those infected, may help.
CDC Key Facts About Influenza
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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