Protection From H1N1 Flu Is The Same As From Seasonal Flu

Protection From H1N1 Flu Is The Same As From Seasonal Flu.
The story H1N1 flu seems to part many characteristics with the seasonal flu it has in general replaced, a late study indicates. "Our results are further confirmation that 2009 pandemic H1N1 and seasonal flu have like transporting dynamics remove. People seem to be similarly communicable when ill with either pandemic or seasonal flu, and the viruses are likely to sprawl in similar ways," said Benjamin Cowling, lead father of a study appearing in the June 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

The well-mannered news is that this means the preventive measures healthfulness authorities have been recommending, such as frequent hand washing, should be equally functioning against pandemic flu. "Influenza is very difficult to contain, but in the know measures including the availability of pandemic H1N1 vaccines should be able to reduce the worst of any further epidemics," added Cowling, who is an assistant professor at the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong.

Cowling and his colleagues followed 284 household members of 99 individuals who had tested absolute for H1N1. Eight percent of the household contacts also kill dicky with the H1N1 virus, about the same transmittal rate as seen for the seasonal flu (9 percent), the researchers found.

Viral shedding (when the virus replicates and leaves the body), as well as the decorate of true to life sickness, were also nearly the same for the two types of flu. The "attack rate" (meaning the share of people in the entire population who get sick) for H1N1 was higher than that for seasonal flu and the inequality was most pronounced amidst children. The authors hypothesized that this might be due to the fact that younger nation seem to have lower natural immunity to the virus.

The patients in this analysis who were given oseltamivir (Tamiflu) did seem to have reduced antibody levels. "This would suggest that perhaps oseltamivir may result in a less vigorous immune response than populate who are not treated with this drug ," said Dr John J Treanor, professor of medication and of microbiology and immunology at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

So "That is very strange from studies looking at seasonal flu, where there doesn't appear to be any make of oseltamivir on antibody response. This should be looked at more closely. It's potentially leading in terms of long-term susceptibility to re-infection. Susceptibility might be contrary in someone treated with oseltamivir who is not vaccinated. They might have enhanced susceptibility".

A backer mug up in the journal found that giving Tamiflu prophylactically (as a prevention measure) to commoners confined in close quarters - in this case, naval installations - seemed to stem outbreaks. Flu is also more probable to spread and spread faster in enclosed places such as schools and hospitals, in joining to military facilities.

In this study, Tamiflu was given to 1100 personnel out of a amount to of 1175 personnel. Before the intervention, 6,4 percent of individuals were infected, compared with only 0,6 percent after Tamiflu was introduced. On average, a man who came down with H1N1 eiderdown the virus to only 0,11 additional individuals after the intervention, versus almost two colonize before electrosex erectile dysfunctin. Although a vaccine is obtainable for the 2009 H1N1 pandemic strain, Tamiflu might be an alternative in areas where the vaccine is not undoubtedly obtainable, stated the authors, who are with the Singapore Ministry of Defence and the National University of Singapore.