H1N1... it's attacking the lungs

[kwillia]

Autopsy results are starting to paint a picture... why are some previously perfectly healthy children and young adults dropping dead in a matter of days? Blood clots in the lungs...

One middle-aged man who died was not diagnosed until after death, but unusual findings on his X-rays may be able to help doctors save other, similar patients.

Mollura's team found irregularities called ground-glass opacities in the patient's lungs using a CT scan. Although the patient was severely ill and had a fever, he tested negative for flu and doctors did not treat him for it.

The man died five days after he went into the hospital and the autopsy confirmed he had swine flu. The lung lesions seen on his CT scan matched lung damage done by the virus, Mollura and colleagues said.

In another study in the same journal, CT scans of patients with severe cases of swine flu showed many had pulmonary emboli, which block the arteries in the lungs, a team at the University of Michigan found.

Anticoagulant drugs can break up these clots and save lives.



Study: H1N1 Flu Causes 'Unusual' Damage to Lungs - H1N1 - FOXNews.com

Dr. Prachi Agarwal and colleagues examined 66 patients diagnosed with H1N1, 14 of them who were in the intensive care unit. All 66 got standard X-rays, which can show if a patient has pneumonia.

They performed enhanced X-rays known as computed tomography or CT scans on 15 of the patients, 10 of them who were in the ICU on ventilators to help them breathe. Five of the ICU patients had the blood clots in the lungs, Agarwal reported

"Our study suggests that patients who are severely ill with H1N1 are also at risk for developing pulmonary emboli, which should be carefully sought for on contrast-enhanced CT scans," Agarwal said in a statement.

"The majority of patients undergoing chest X-rays with H1N1 have normal radiographs (X-rays)," she added. Pulmonary emboli are also not normally seen in flu, she said.

[Purplefox]

That is scary!

[kwillia]

Hitting early, swine flu claims 11 more kids in US - wtop.com

Federal health officials said Friday 11 more children have died in the past week because of the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about half of the child deaths since September have been among teenagers.

And overall for the country, deaths from pneumonia and flu-like illnesses have passed what CDC considers an epidemic level.

"These are very sobering statistics," says the CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat.

This new strain is different from regular winter flu because it strikes the young far more than the old, and child deaths are drawing particular attention. Eighty-six children have died of swine flu in the U.S. since it burst on the scene last spring _ 43 of those deaths reported in September and early October alone, said Schuchat.

That's a startling number because in some past winters, the CDC has counted 40 or 50 child deaths for the entire flu season, she said, and no one knows how long this swine flu outbreak will last.

[Purplefox]

Originally Posted by kwillia

Hitting early, swine flu claims 11 more kids in US - wtop.com

Federal health officials said Friday 11 more children have died in the past week because of the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about half of the child deaths since September have been among teenagers.

And overall for the country, deaths from pneumonia and flu-like illnesses have passed what CDC considers an epidemic level.

"These are very sobering statistics," says the CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat.

This new strain is different from regular winter flu because it strikes the young far more than the old, and child deaths are drawing particular attention. Eighty-six children have died of swine flu in the U.S. since it burst on the scene last spring _ 43 of those deaths reported in September and early October alone, said Schuchat.

That's a startling number because in some past winters, the CDC has counted 40 or 50 child deaths for the entire flu season, she said, and no one knows how long this swine flu outbreak will last.

So, that is HALF of all children just in the past two months. Like I said before, this is scary.

I guess the thing to do is, if H1N1 is suspected, to DEMAND that a CT scan of the lungs be done ASAP.

I know that's what I will do if anyone in my family, ie: Children, Grandchildren, etc.. is suspected of having it. Other than that, what else is there for us to do?

[desertrat (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Purplefox

So, that is HALF of all children just in the past two months. Like I said before, this is scary.

I guess the thing to do is, if H1N1 is suspected, to DEMAND that a CT scan of the lungs be done ASAP.

I know that's what I will do if anyone in my family, ie: Children, Grandchildren, etc.. is suspected of having it. Other than that, what else is there for us to do?

With contrast.

[Purplefox]

Originally Posted by desertrat

With contrast.

Yup, I forgot that part!

[Sonsie]

I recently reconsidered my position on the H1N1 vaccine and got my kids immunized for it on Monday. The vaccine didn't slow them down in the slightest and it lifted a huge amount of worry off my shoulders. I'm going to get mine as soon as my doc gets it in too. Better safe than sorry, after all the shots I got from the military over the years with no ill effects why balk at this one?

[kwillia]

Originally Posted by Sonsie

I recently reconsidered my position on the H1N1 vaccine and got my kids immunized for it on Monday. The vaccine didn't slow them down in the slightest and it lifted a huge amount of worry off my shoulders. I'm going to get mine as soon as my doc gets it in too. Better safe than sorry, after all the shots I got from the military over the years with no ill effects why balk at this one?

Just be aware they are saying it will take about 6 weeks from immunization to build up immunity. You are still at risk for H1N1 for the next month and 1/2.

[Sonsie]

Originally Posted by kwillia

Just be aware they are saying it will take about 6 weeks from immunization to build up immunity. You are still at risk for H1N1 for the next month and 1/2.

Yeah, I knew it took a while but 6 weeks?! Anyway, outside of locking them in a bubble I've done what I can to keep them safe.

[cattitude (Premo)]

The following information was provided by Dr. Vinay Goyal, MBBS, DM, MD, Intensive Care Medicine (Intensivist) and Thyroid specialist, with 20 years of clinical experience.


The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem, as is proliferation of the virus.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms, and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat or bathe).

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't under estimate this simple, inexpensive, and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at using a Neti pot, but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton swabs dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate, or do any harm.