Diagonosis of Swine Flu (H1N1)
Swine influenza A infection is diagnosed when an infected person is most likely to be shedding virus i.e, within the first four to five days of illness (children may shed virus for ten days or longer) during this period respiratory specimens are collected and sent for diagnosis to the state labs.
This is diagnosed clinically by the patient’s history of association with people known to have contracted the disease and also based upon their symptoms. A quick test (for example, nasopharyngeal swab sample) is done to see if the patient is infected with influenza A or B virus. Most of the tests can distinguish between A and B types. The test can be negative (no H1N1 infection) or positive for type A and B. If the test is positive for type B, the flu is not likely to be swine influenza (H1N1). If it is positive for type A, the person could have a conventional influenza strain or swine influenza (H1N1). H1N1 is mainly diagnosed by identifying the particular antigens associated with the virus type. In general, this test is done in a specialized laboratory and is not done by many doctors clinics or hospital laboratories. However, doctors clinics are able to send specimens to specialized laboratories if necessary.
Is H1N1 a cause of an Epidemic or Pandemic in 2009?
An epidemic is defined as an outbreak of a contagious disease that is rapid and widespread, that affects many individuals at the same time. The H1N1 influenza A virus spread in Mexico comes under this category. Whereas pandemic is an epidemic that becomes so widespread that it affects a region, continent, or the whole world. As
of April 2009,the H1N1 was not declared as pandemic. However,as of June 11, 2009, WHO officials determined that H1N1 2009 influenza A reached WHO level 6 criteria and is now declared as the first flu pandemic in 41 years. Until now, it has reached 74 different countries on every continent except Antarctica but still the severity of the disease has not increased.