ISS Sharack NX-15

10 Things To Know About Evaluating Medical Resources on the Web

The number of Web sites offering health-related resources grows every day.
Many sites provide valuable information, while others may have information that is unreliable or misleading. Here are some important questions you should consider as you look for health information online. Answering these questions when you visit a new site will help you evaluate the information you find.

1. Who runs this site?
Any good health-related Web site should make it easy for you to learn who is responsible for the site and its information.

2. Who pays for the site?
It costs money to run a Web site. The source of a Web site?s funding should be clearly stated or readily apparent. For example, Web addresses ending in ?.gov? denote a government-sponsored site. You should know how the site pays for its existence. Does it sell advertising? Is it sponsored by a drug company? The source of funding can affect what content is presented, how the content is presented, and what the site owners want to accomplish on the site.

3. What is the purpose of the site?
This question is related to who runs and pays for the site. An ?About This Site? link appears on many sites; if it?s there, use it. The purpose of the site should be clearly stated and should help you evaluate the trustworthiness of the information.

4. Where does the information come from?
Many health/medical sites post information collected from other Web sites or sources. If the person or organization in charge of the site did not create the information, the original source should be clearly labeled.

5. What is the basis of the information?
In addition to identifying who wrote the material you are reading, the site should describe the evidence that the material is based on. Medical facts and figures should have references (such as to articles in medical journals). Also, opinions or advice should be clearly set apart from information that is ?evidence-based? (that is, based on research results).

6. How is the information selected?
Is there an editorial board? Do people with excellent professional and scientific qualifications review the material before it is posted?

7. How current is the information?
Web sites should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis. It is particularly important that medical information be current. The most recent update or review date should be clearly posted. Even if the information has not changed, you want to know whether the site owners have reviewed it recently to ensure that it is still valid.

8. How does the site choose links to other sites?
Web sites usually have a policy about how they establish links to other sites. Some medical sites take a conservative approach and don?t link to any other sites. Some link to any site that asks, or pays, for a link. Others only link to sites that have met certain criteria.

9. What information about you does the site collect, and why?
Web sites routinely track the paths visitors take through their sites to determine what pages are being used. However, many health Web sites ask you to ?subscribe? or ?become a member.? In some cases, this may be so that they can collect a user fee or select information for you that is relevant to your concerns. In all cases, this will give the site personal information about you.

Any credible health site asking for this kind of information should tell you exactly what they will and will not do with it. Many commercial sites sell ?aggregate? (collected) data about their users to other companies?information such as what percentage of their users are women with breast cancer, for example. In some cases they may collect and reuse information that is ?personally identifiable,? such as your ZIP code, gender, and birth date. Be certain that you read and understand any privacy policy or similar language on the site, and don?t sign up for anything that you are not sure you fully understand.

10. How does the site manage interactions with visitors?
There should always be a way for you to contact the site owner if you run across problems or have questions or feedback. If the site hosts chat rooms or other online discussion areas, it should tell visitors what the terms of using this service are. Is it moderated? If so, by whom and why? It is always a good idea to spend time reading the discussion without joining in, so that you feel comfortable with the environment before becoming a participant.

Drink 2-3 glasses of water half an hour before giving blood to avoid dizziness and light headedness

A salmonella infection is a foodborne illness caused by the salmonella bacteria carried by some animals, which can be transmitted on kitchen surfaces and in water, soil, animal feces, raw meats, and eggs. Salmonella infections typically affect a child's intestines, causing vomiting, fever, and other symptoms that usually resolve without medical treatment


Salmonella Basics

Not everyone who ingests salmonella bacteria will become ill. Children, especially infants, are the most likely candidates to get sick from it. About 50,000 cases of salmonella infection are reported in the United States each year and about one third of those are in children 4 years old or younger.

The type of salmonella most commonly associated with infections in humans is called nontyphoidal salmonella. It is carried by chickens, cows, and reptiles such as turtles, lizards, and iguanas.

Another, rarer form of salmonella, typhoidal salmonella, is carried only by humans and is usually transmitted through direct contact with the fecal matter of an infected person. This kind of salmonella infection can lead to typhoid fever, which causes high fever, abdominal pain, headache, malaise, lethargy, skin rash, constipation, and delirium. It occurs primarily in developing countries without appropriate systems for handling human waste


Signs and Symptoms

A salmonella infection generally causes nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), fever, and headache. Because many different kinds of illnesses can cause these symptoms, most doctors will take a sample of a child's stool to make an accurate diagnosis.

Symptoms of most salmonella infections usually appear within 3 days of contamination and typically go away without any medical treatment.

In cases of typhoid fever caused by salmonella bacteria, early symptoms are the same. But in the second week, the liver and spleen can become enlarged, and a distinctive "rose spotted" skin rash may appear. From there, the infection can cause other health problems, like meningitis and pneumonia.

Prevention

Always cook your foods fully until no blood is left. NEVER eat raw eggs, or MEAT.


Treatment
If your child has a salmonella infection and a healthy immune system, your child's doctor may let the infection go away without treatment. But any time your child develops a fever, headache, or bloody diarrhea, call the doctor to rule out any other problems.

If your child is infected and has a fever, you may want to give acetaminophen to reduce his or her temperature and relieve cramping. As with any infection that causes diarrhea, it's important to give your child plenty of liquids to avoid dehydration.

Causes of Hay Fever
------------------------
The most common allergens in hay fever are pollens.

Pollen is small particles released by flowering plants.

It is moved around by wind to other plants of the same species, which it fertilizes so that the plant can bloom again.

Pollens from certain types of trees, grasses, and weeds (such as ragweed) are most likely to cause reactions. Pollens from other types of plants are less allergenic.

The time of year when a particular species of plant releases pollen, or "pollinates," depends on the local climate and what it normal for that species.

Some species pollinate in the spring and others in the late summer and early fall.

Generally, the farther north a plant is, the later in the season it pollinates.

Variations in temperature and rainfall from year to year affect how much pollen is in the air in any given season.
The other common allergens in hay fever are molds.

Molds are a type of fungus that has no stems, roots, or leaves.

Mold spores float through the air like pollen until they find a hospitable environment to grow.

Unlike pollen, however, molds do not have a season. They are present throughout the year in most of the United States.

Molds grow both outdoors and indoors.

Outdoors, they thrive in soil, vegetation, and rotting wood.

Indoors, molds (usually called mildew) live in places where air does not circulate freely, such as attics and basements, moist places such as bathrooms, and places where foods are stored, prepared, or discarded.

Symptoms of Hay Fever
----------------------------
--Sneezing
--Runny nose (clear, thin discharge)
--Congested ("stuffy") nose
--Postnasal drip
--Sensation of plugged ear(s)
--Watery, bloodshot eyes
--Itching of nose, soft palate, ear canal, eyes, and/or skin
--Fatigue
--Trouble sleeping

What is migraine?

Migraine is a long-term condition of the brain that can be characterized

by recurring pain that comes in the form of severe, disabling headaches

and other symptoms (migraine attack). The pain from a migraine

headache (classified as moderate to severe), which is often only on one

side of the head, can be described as intense, throbbing, or pulsing, and

can last for 4 to 72 hours if not treated - sufferers must retreat from the

world and wait in agony for the pain to recede. Other symptoms include

nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to smells, sound, and light.

Physical activity may make migraine pain worse, and similarly migraine

pain may cause the sufferer to avoid physical activity. Currently, there is

no cure for migraine; however, with the proper medication(s), the

symptoms associated with a migraine attack can be controlled and

sometimes even prevented.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Often, a migraine attack will follow a number of stages:

1/ prodrome (before the headache)
2/ aura
3/ headache
4/ postdrome (after the headache)

In the hours or days before the pain of a migraine headache hits, some

people may experience one or more of the following: unusual thirst,

drowsiness, irritability or depression, feelings of elation or high energy,

and sugar cravings. These experiences, known as prodromes, can occur

whether or not your migraine is accompanied by a group of strange

sensations, known as an aura. You can think of a prodrome as an early

warning signal.


One in five people with migraine experience a group of strange

sensations called an aura, developing gradually anywhere from 5 to 20

minutes before the pain of a migraine headache starts and often lasting

less than an hour. These may include vision disturbances (temporary

blind spots, light flashes, and zigzag lines), tingling ("pins and needles")

in the arms, legs, face or hands, and difficulty speaking. For some

people, the aura can continue after the headache starts and sometimes,

although rarely, they can occur after the headache begins. The headache

itself causes an intense throbbing pain, usually on one side of the head.

People may also experience nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to sound or

light (for more information, refer to the beginning of this section).


When the pain of a migraine headache is gone, some migraine sufferers

may complain of other migraine symptoms that include tiredness,

weakness, difficulty concentrating, and a "hangover" feeling. This type of

experience is considered the postdrome stage of a migraine attack.



There are actually several terms used to describe the different types of

migraine. Your doctor may describe yours as "migraine without aura"

(previously known as common migraine) or "migraine with aura"

(previously known as classic migraine). These are the two types seen

most often.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and > Donmar Foods Inc. are warning the public not to consume Donmar Rubbed > Oregano described below because the product may be contaminated with > Salmonella.>>
The affected product, Donmar Rubbed Oregano, is sold in 180 g jars bearing > UPC 0 61383 29035 8 and lot code MFG 082007 to MFG 121007 (Manufacturing > date between Aug. 20, 2007 to December 10, 2007 inclusive).>>
This product has been distributed in Ontario.>> There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of > this product.>> Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled. >
Consumption of food contaminated with this bacteria may cause > salmonellosis, a foodborne illness. In young children, the elderly and > people with weakened immune systems, salmonellosis may cause serious and > sometimes deadly infections.
In otherwise healthy people, salmonellosis > may cause short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, > vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Long-term complications may > include severe arthritis.>> Donmar Foods Inc., Aurora, ON is voluntarily recalling the affected > product from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of > the recall.

Lots of tots aren't getting enough sleep. And for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), lack of adequate ZZZs is a prevalent problem that affects their daily lives and their parents', reports a new study.

Analyzing the sleep habits of 239 Australian children with ADHD (ages 5 to 18, 90% of whom were boys) researchers found that nearly three-quarters of the kids had sleep problems, with almost half experiencing moderate to severe issues like:

battling sleep at bedtime

difficulty drifting off to sleep and waking up

feeling overly groggy when it's time to get up

The kids with significant sleep troubles were more apt to be late for school or miss it altogether; and their parents or caregivers were often late clocking in at work as well. These kids' quality of life was also poorer, as was their ability to function day-to-day. Plus, the primary caregivers of the kids with moderate to severe sleep problems were almost three times as likely (than those with youngsters who had no sleep issues) to be anxious, depressed, or stressed.

The researchers say sleep problems among kids with ADHD are so common, and affect them (and their parents) so greatly, that modifying sleep habits should be a primary part of the ADHD treatment plan — that "sleep intervention" could even "reduce the need for medication in some children."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More About ADHD
ADHD is a condition involving a broad array of behaviors — attention, activity, and impulsivity. ADHD can affect how kids interact and function socially, academically, and at home.

Although it can be challenging to raise (and teach) kids with ADHD, they aren't intentionally "acting out," or being "bad" or difficult — they can have a really hard time controlling their behavior without proper treatment.

And children and teens with the condition also may have other problems (like depression, anxiety, or learning disorders) that require treatment, too. Plus, they may be at greater risk for smoking and drug use, especially if their ADHD isn't treated consistently — or at all. That's why catching the condition and treating it as soon as possible is so crucial
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some kids with ADHD have trouble:

paying attention or staying focused on a task or activity

engaging in activities quietly

finishing assignments at school or home

focusing on instructions and following through

paying close attention to details or avoiding careless mistakes

organizing tasks and activities

waiting their turn
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Children with ADHD may also:

jump from one activity to another

lose or forget things (such as homework)

become easily distracted, even when doing something fun

interrupt or intrude on other people

blurt out answers before questions have been completed

fidget with their hands or feet, or squirm around when sitting

feel restless

talk excessively
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Of course, almost all kids (especially younger ones) act like this sometimes, especially when they're tired, anxious, or excited. But the difference is that ADHD symptoms are present over a longer period of time and regularly happen in different settings.

What This Means to You

For kids with ADHD, a lack of sleep can only make their behavior, mood, and overall well-being even worse, which can make managing their condition that much tougher.

To help both their brains and their bodies function at their best, kids need different amounts of sleep as they grow. But lots of tots just aren't getting the snoozing they require to help them be ready — and far more willing — to take on the day.

In fact, many parents simply underestimate the amount of shuteye their children need. But kids may truly need more ZZZs if they:

seem sleepy during the day (acting fussy, rubbing their eyes)

get cranky and irritable in the late afternoon

have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning

are inattentive, impatient, hyperactive, or aggressive

have trouble focusing on schoolwork and other tasks


If any of these behaviors seem to be occurring in your child, talk to your doctor and consider adjusting nap and/or bedtime schedules. And if you have a child with ADHD who's having sleep troubles, that's even more reason to work on creating and maintaining a sleep routine that makes for happier, more manageable days and nights for everyone in the family.

Maple Leaf Consumer Foods and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are voluntarily expanding a recall of certain ready-to-eat packaged meat products and are warning people not to serve or consume the products as they may contain Listeria monocytogenes.

For more Info go to www.mapleleaf.com

Ok so what dos Listeria monocytogenes. meen

Thank You Captain for the reminder


Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive bacterium, in the division Firmicutes, named for Joseph Lister. Motile via flagella at 30°C and below but usually not at 37°C[1], L. monocytogenes can instead move within eukaryotic cells by explosive polymerization of actin filaments (known as comet tails or actin rockets).

Studies suggest that up to 10% of human gastrointestinal tracts may be colonized by L. monocytogenes.[2]

Nevertheless, clinical diseases due to L. monocytogenes are more frequently recognized by veterinarians, especially as meningo-encephalitis in ruminants. See : listeriosis in animals.

Due to its frequent pathogenecity causing meningitis in newborns(acquired transvaginally), pregnant mothers are often advised not to eat soft cheeses such as Brie, Camembert, feta and queso blanco fresco, which may be contaminated with and permit growth of L. monocytogenes [3]. It is the third most common cause of meningitis in newborns.

What Are Peanut and Tree Nut Allergies?
Peanuts are among the most common allergy-causing foods. But because a peanut allergy is less likely to be outgrown than allergies to other foods, it becomes more common among older kids and adults. It's likely that more Americans are allergic to peanuts than any other food.

Peanuts are actually not a true nut, but a legume (in the same family as peas and lentils). When someone with a peanut allergy is exposed to peanuts, the immune system mistakenly believes that proteins (or allergens) in the peanut are harmful to the body.


The immune system produces antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE) that then cause allergy cells in the body (called mast cells) to release chemicals into the bloodstream, one of which is histamine. The histamine then acts on a person's eyes, nose, throat, lungs, skin, or gastrointestinal tract, and causes the symptoms of the allergic reaction.

Peanut reactions can be very severe, even with extremely small amounts of exposure. This might be because the immune system recognizes peanut proteins easier than other food proteins.

The allergens in peanuts are similar in structure to allergens in tree nuts. This may explain why almost half of people who are allergic to peanuts are also allergic to tree nuts, such as almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, macadamias, pistachios, pecans, and cashews.

People who are allergic to one tree nut are often allergic to at least one or two other tree nuts. As with peanuts, tree nut reactions can be very severe, even with small exposures. Research has shown that peanuts are the #1 culprit of fatal food allergy reactions, followed by tree nuts.

Living With a Peanut or Tree Nut Allergy
To help reduce contact with nut allergens and the possibility of severe reactions (anaphylaxis) in someone with a peanut or tree nut allergy:

-Consider making your entire home nut-free.

-If you do allow nuts in your home, watch for cross-contamination that can happen with utensils and cookware. For example, make sure the knife you use to make peanut butter sandwiches is not used in preparing food for a child with a nut allergy, and that nut breads are not toasted in the same toaster as other breads.

-Don't serve cooked foods you didn't make yourself, or anything with an unknown list of ingredients.

-Tell everyone who handles the food your child eats, from waiters and waitresses to the cafeteria staff at school, about the allergy. If the manager or owner of a restaurant is uncomfortable about your request for peanut- or nut-free food preparation, don't eat there.

-Consider making your child's school lunches, as well as snacks and treats to take to parties, play dates, sleepovers, school functions, and other outings.

-Talk to the daycare supervisor or school principal before your child attends. Work together to create a food allergy emergency action plan.

-Keep epinephrine accessible at all times — not in the glove compartment of your car, but with you, because seconds count during an anaphylaxis episode.

With a little preparation, and prevention, you can ensure that your child's allergy doesn't get in the way of a happy, healthy, everyday life

Symptoms
Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, body aches, fatigue and lack of appetite.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Protect Yourself and Others
All strains of influenza can be dangerous; however, good infection prevention measures can help protect you and others if this virus begins to spread rapidly in Canada.

Wash your hands often and thoroughly in warm, soapy water or use hand sanitizer
Cough and sneeze in your arm, not your hand
Keep common surfaces and items clean and disinfected
Stay home if you’re sick, unless directed to seek medical care

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Swine flu has spread to 30 U.S. states and the number of countries with confirmed cases jumped to 20 from two in little more than a week. The expansion comes as Mexico’s president said his nation is winning the battle against the virus and may return to normal this week.

Officially called H1N1, the virus is probably circulating in “virtually all” U.S. states, Anne Schuchat of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said yesterday. First reported in the U.S. and Mexico, H1N1 also has been confirmed in Central America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and New Zealand.

Declaration of a pandemic is imminent, the World Health Organization said over the weekend. Globally, health officials have said they’re bracing for the possibility of the disease worsening even as Mexico’s health minister yesterday said the outbreak there was declining. Mexico has been hardest hit, saying it’s had 590 infections and 22 deaths.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” said Schuchat, interim deputy of the CDC’s science and public health program, in referring to the U.S. outbreak. “I do expect more cases, more severe cases, and I do expect more deaths.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mexican Outbreak

Mexico’s outbreak probably peaked last week and patients are responding well to antiviral treatments, Health Minister Jose Cordova said yesterday. The virus has been confirmed in 23 of Mexico’s 31 states and the capital district.

“Mexico is trying to return to normalcy as soon as possible,” President Felipe Calderon said late yesterday, adding that it was too soon to tally the economic cost. “We are going to win this battle.”

Still, Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization, warned that the declining mortality rate from the flu in Mexico didn’t mean the threat of a pandemic had subsided, the Financial Times reported, citing Chan. The virus may return “with a vengeance,” Chan said, according to the report.

The U.S. CDC reported 226 cases in 30 U.S. states, with one death, a 22-month-old child who had traveled from Mexico and died April 27 at a Houston hospital. The number of people with flu in the U.S. is increasing at a time when the typical season would be at its end, Schuchat said.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spreads Easily

“It does spread very easily,” Richard Besser, the acting head of the CDC, said in an interview on ABC News yesterday. “The word out of New York City where they had a school cluster is it spread very rapidly through that school. But what they were seeing was disease that was not that severe, and when it transmitted to people in the families, they were seeing disease that was not that severe, and that’s encouraging.”

The WHO, a Geneva-based agency of the United Nations, today added Colombia and El Salvador to the list of countries with confirmed cases. The other nations are Austria, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Germany, China (Hong Kong), Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the U.K., and the U.S.

Canadian health officials on May 2 reported the world’s first known case of swine flu jumping to pigs from a human, probably after a farm worker in the province of Alberta became ill during a trip to Mexico. Hundreds of pigs on the farm showed symptoms of the same H1N1 strain in humans and were recovering, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Infected Swine

Pigs are an ideal breeding ground for new forms of the flu, and further genetic scrambling can result in deadlier forms of the new swine flu, said Nancy Cox, chief of the flu division at the Center for the Immunization and Respiratory Disease at the Atlanta-based CDC.

The animals serve as a “wonderful mixing vessel” for bird, human and swine viruses, Cox said. The process of two viruses merging to form a new virus, called reassortment, can also take place in humans.

New viruses formed through reassortment can have different properties than either of the two “parental viruses,” she said, sometimes producing deadlier diseases and complicating vaccine production.

The three main seasonal flu strains -- H3N2, another form of H1N1, and type-B -- cause 250,000 to 500,000 deaths a year globally, according to the WHO. The new flu’s symptoms are similar: aches, coughing, and fever. The CDC says people with the swine flu are more likely to have diarrhea.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No Immunity

Even if swine-flu symptoms are mild, the ease with which the new virus can spread among a world population with no natural immunity makes it a threat, health officials said.

Data so far suggest the virus is striking younger patients than is typical for influenza, and younger patients than usual are entering hospitals, Schuchat said. “Very few” patients with swine flu are older than 50, and the median age is 17. It’s possible that the elderly have greater immunity.

The WHO raised its six-tier alert to 5 on April 29 and a further elevation would signal a pandemic, alerting governments to carry out plans to curb the disease.

“I would still propose that a pandemic is imminent,” said Michael Ryan, the agency’s director of global alert and response, at a news conference May 2.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHO Alert

International health experts said the world is now closer to another influenza pandemic than at any time since 1968, when the last of the previous century’s three pandemics occurred. The WHO hasn’t had a phase 6 alert since it introduced the six-level system in 2005. Before last week, the warning had been at phase 3 since 2007, when it was elevated for an outbreak of avian influenza, according to the WHO Web site.

The new flu strain has now struck more people than the H5N1 avian influenza that emerged in 2003. That illness killed more than half of the 421 who contracted the malady worldwide. Unlike swine flu, it didn’t spread from person to person.

The Spanish flu of 1918, another version of bird flu, killed as many as 50 million people in one of history’s deadliest outbreaks.

“We’re not seeing the factors that were associated with the 1918 pandemic, we’re not seeing the factors that were associated with other H1N1 viruses, and that’s encouraging,” the CDC’s Besser said. Because the virus is new and possibly evolving, “I don’t think it’s time to let our guard down.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flu Shots

The U.S. is hastening production of its annual flu shots based on strains identified before the H1N1 outbreak, said Kathleen Sebelius, who was confirmed as the U.S. Health and Human Services secretary last week. That will make capacity available if vaccines are needed for swine flu, she said.

“We are ramping up and accelerating the production of seasonal flu vaccine to make sure that we kind of clear the decks,” she said on “This Week,” an ABC News program, yesterday. “Ultimately the scientists will tell us whether or not production of that vaccine makes sense.”

Batches of seed virus are being developed for potential vaccine production, according to the WHO. Sanofi-Aventis SA of Paris, Baxter International Inc. of Deerfield, Illinois, and GlaxoSmithKline Plc of London, are talking with world health authorities about producing shots, the agency said.

Authorities advised hand-washing, hygiene and staying home if sick as the most effective ways to control the outbreak. The WHO and CDC said closing borders or killing animals are costly steps that wouldn’t slow the spread of flu.

Key Facts;
The H1N1 flu virus is a new strain of pandemic influenza which is different than the seasonal flu. People have no natural immunity to protect against this virus. The H1N1 flu virus emerged in April 2009 and surveillance of its spread shows that it is affecting more young and healthy people than the regular seasonal flu, which normally affects seniors and young children. People with underlying medical conditions and pregnant women may be at a greater risk for severe illness.

What Is It???

The H1N1 flu virus – also known as human swine influenza – is a respiratory illness that affects the nose, throat and lungs. This virus usually affects pigs, but has been transferred to humans.

The H1N1 flu virus has caused primarily mild illness in Canada, but Canadians need to be prepared to respond to a potentially more severe form of the virus that may emerge this fall.

How It Spreads;

The H1N1 flu virus is contagious and is spread the same way as regular seasonal influenza. This happens when an infected person coughs or sneezes and their germs enter the nose, eyes, or throat of another person. The germs can also rest on hard surfaces like counters and doorknobs, and can be picked up on hands and transmitted to the respiratory system when someone touches their mouth and/or nose. It is not possible to catch it by eating pork or pork products or through blood transfusions.

Contagiousness

More research is being done on how long a person can be infectious (be able to spread the virus to others), but it is believed that this period is for one day before the onset of symptoms and continues for approximately seven days after symptoms have started.The time it takes between being infected and experiencing symptoms is between two and seven days.

Symptoms


Almost always:

Cough and fever
Common:

Fatigue
Muscle aches
Sore throat
Headache
Decreased appetite
Runny nose
Sometimes:

Nausea
Vomitting
Diarrhea

Prevention

Wash hands often
Keep common surfaces disinfected
Cough and sneeze into your arm, instead of your hand
If you are sick, stay home until your symptoms are gone and you feel well enough to participate in all activities
If you get flu-like symptoms and are pregnant, have underlying health problems or if your symptoms get worse, contact your health care provider.

Be Prepared

Make preparations to care for yourself and your loved ones. Make sure you have the following items on hand:

Pain and fever medication, like Tylenol or Advil, to treat fever and headaches
A thermometer
Extra supplies of any essential medication, like insulin for diabetics
Cleaning supplies, like household disinfectant,
Soap and alcohol-based hand sanitizer to keep hands clean
Non perishable food, like canned soup and fruits and vegetables and liquids, like water and juice, in case you can’t get to the grocery store,

Treatment


If you get flu-like symptoms and are pregnant or have underlying health problems contact your healthcare provider.

If you get flu-like symptoms and are otherwise healthy, you should stay home to recover. If your symptoms worsen or you experience difficulty breathing or serious shortness of breath, it is important to seek medical attention.

Antivirals are drugs used for the early treatment of influenza. If taken shortly after getting sick (within 48 hours), they can reduce influenza symptoms, shorten the length of illness and potentially reduce the serious complications of influenza. Antivirals do not prevent you from getting sick.

Canada has a National Antiviral Stockpile of 55 million doses of two antiviral drugs – Tamiflu and Relenza. Both are effective in treating H1N1 flu virus. This stockpile is enough for all Canadians who will need and want treatment.

Antivirals are recommended for the treatment of moderate to severe illness, and for people at risk of severe disease. Your doctor will decide if treatment is right for you

Hey good report on the H1N1 Flu Doc thanks for that..