Dear 'Coupers,
I don't usually send broadcast emails, but this topic is
important enough to make an exception.
A young woman I knew died a few days ago from complications of
Swine Flu. She worked for my closest friend's company, Schuyler
House, and there is now another presumptive case in the same small
company. Jan sent out the message below, with a request to spread it
around. I also found a brand new Science News article that just came
out Monday 10/12/09 that makes spotting the syndrome much clearer;
read it first, then you will understand Jan's more-technical comments
I'm fwd-ing below:
http://www.sciencenews.org/
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/48293/title/
Getting_to_the_core_of_H1N1_flu_deaths
Please pass this around so everyone becomes aware of the differences
with seasonal flu. It is important to get anti-viral treatment
within 72 hrs. It is also important that possible victims stay away
from work, school, etc. With regard to this flu, we are living back
in the 1920s, not the 1990s when everything could be cured with a
shot or pill. We don't want to lose any 'Coupers!
Linda
Begin forwarded message:
> From: Janet Chennault<snip>
> We have a second case of presumptive Novel H1N1 in Schuyler House:
> One of our programmers was given that presumptive diagnosis
> yesterday. It is likely that she acquired this infection at GWW
[a large camping event];
> she will not be at work until she is non-contagious. It is
> unlikely that she is the only individual to return from GWW with
> this virus. Since she started on the antivirals within 72 hours of
> the onset of symptoms, we expect an unspectacular course of the
> disease: After all, most swine flu cases present as a mild case of
> conventional seasonal flu. Nonetheless, it is important to be
> aware of the danger involved in a small percentage of cases, so I
> have thought it wise to remind everyone of the information that we
> have on this variant of influenza.
>
> We do not know a lot about this variant of the Influenza A virus,
> so many of the recommendations made with respect to it are guesses
> based on the epidemiology of the seasonal influenza virus. If you
> feel that you may have this virus, do not go to work: It is
> important that we break the epidemiological cycle of this disease.
> The contagious period for it begins from 24 hours before your
> symptoms begin to at least 24 hours after the end of any signs of
> fever. It is possible that the contagious period is longer - we
> don't know. In order for the antivirals to be effective, they need
> to be given within 72 hours of the onset of symptoms. The sooner
> the better. Many antivirals do not have any effect against the
> H1N1 Novel virus; the two that do are listed below. If you think
> that you may have the swine flu, go to Urgent Care and tell them
> that you have been in contact with someone who died of this virus.
> Get them to prescribe you one of the appropriate antivirals. Do
> not take any chances with this.
>
> The vaccine for this virus is currently available, but only in
> small amounts (being administered mostly to pregnant women). It is
> estimated that by December 1st, the Santa Clarita area will have
> sufficient dosages to begin a vaccination program for the at-risk
> groups. Orange County may receive it earlier; I do not know about
> other areas. Three weeks after this vaccination, you are
> considered immune to the virus...so by Christmas we should be OK.
>
> I have appended to this email what might be considered "too much
> information". It is intended to serve you as a reference. Much of
> this data was taken from the CDC website; a couple of other sites
> were also used as resources. Please feel free to send this
> information on to other people. I do not want anyone else to
> suffer Kolfinna's fate.
><snip>_____________________
> Signs and symptoms --- The most common clinical findings of the
> 2009 H1N1 influenza A pandemic have been fever, cough, sore throat,
> malaise, and *headache*; vomiting and diarrhea have also been
> common, both of which are unusual features of seasonal influenza
> [17,28,41 </online/content/abstract.do?topicKey=pulm_inf/
> 18836&refNum=17,28,41>]. Other frequent findings have included
> chills, myalgias, and arthralgias [17,28 </online/content/
> abstract.do?topicKey=pulm_inf/18836&refNum=17,28>].
>
> Table: Symptoms of hospitalized novel H1N1 patients
> Symptom
>
> Number (%)
> Fever* 249 (93%)
> Cough 223 (83%)
> Shortness of breath 145 (54%)
> Fatigue/Weakness 108 (40%)
> Chills 99 (37%)
> Myalgias 96 (36%)
> Rhinorrhea 96 (36%)
> Sore Throat 84 (31%)
> Headache 83 (31%)
> Vomiting 78 (29%)
> Wheezing 64 (24%)
> Diarrhea 64 (24%)
>
>
> Incubation period --- Although the precise incubation period has
> not been established for pandemic H1N1 influenza A infection, it
> could range from one to seven days, and most likely from one to
> four days.
>
> Shedding --- Since the duration of shedding of pandemic H1N1
> influenza A virus is currently unclear, the estimated duration of
> shedding is based upon what is known for seasonal influenza virus.
> Immunocompetent patients with pandemic H1N1 influenza A virus
> infection are likely to be contagious from one day prior to the
> development of signs and symptoms until resolution of fever .
> Longer periods of shedding may occur in children (especially young
> infants), elderly adults, patients with chronic illnesses, and
> immunocompromised hosts. Recommendations for the duration of home
> isolation for ill individuals in the community and for isolation
> precautions in hospitalized individuals are discussed separately.
> (See "Prevention of pandemic H1N1 influenza ('swine influenza')"
> <topic.do?topicKey=pulm_inf/14506>, section on Home isolation and
> see "Prevention of pandemic H1N1 influenza ('swine influenza')"
> <topic.do?topicKey=pulm_inf/14506>, section on Precautions).
>
> As of September 12, 2009, 99% of circulating influenza viruses were
> 2009 H1N1 viruses susceptible to both oseltamivir and zanamivir.
>
> Unlike seasonal influenza, the risk of a fatal infection from Novel
> H1N1 is greatest in the population of 'young healthy adults'. CDC
> studied the hospital records of 268 patients hospitalized with
> novel H1N1 flu early on during the outbreak. The number of deaths
> was highest among people 25 to 49 years of age (39%), followed by
> people 50 to 64 year of age (25%) and people 5 to 24 year of age
> (16%) This is a very different pattern from what is seen in
> seasonal influenza, where an estimated 90% of influenza-related
> deaths occur in people 65 years of age and older.
>
>
> Obesity is not one of the medical conditions that have previously
> been recognized to place people at greater risk of serious seasonal
> flu-related complications; however, obesity has been noted as an
> underlying medical condition in some hospitalized novel H1N1
> patients. In a subset of 268 patients hospitalized with novel H1N1
> early on during the outbreak, the body mass index (BMI)* of 227
> patients** was calculated. Obesity (defined as a BMI_ _greater than
> or equal to 30-39.9) was noted in about 15% of these patients and
> morbid obesity (defined as BMI_ _greater than or equal to_ _40) was
> noted in about 8% of these patients. Although the importance of
> obesity as a contributing factor to novel H1N1 complications is
> currently unknown, many obese persons have other known underlying
> diseases that put them at risk for flu complications.
>
>
>
> ----------
