General aspects
What is influenza A(H1N1)?
The influenza A(H1N1) virus is a new human virus resulting from a combination of segments of genes with different origins, porcine, avian and human. This virus was first detected in Mexico in March 2009 and is characterised by human-to-human transmission.
How is the influenza A(H1N1) virus transmitted?
The influenza A(H1N1) virus is transmitted as follows:
- by airborne spread, i.e. the virus spreads through the air via coughing, sneezing or saliva droplets;
- through direct close contact (less than a metre) with an infected person (through shaking hands, hugging, kissing or embracing);
- through indirect contact with objects that have been touched and thus contaminated by the person (e.g. door handles, banknotes).
What are the symptoms of influenza A(H1N1)?
The symptoms of influenza A(H1N1) are generally the following:
- fever higher than 38 °C;
- coughing and breathing difficulties;
- headache;
- nasal discharge;
- pains and muscle soreness;
- occasionally diarrhoea and/or vomiting.
What is the incubation period for influenza A(H1N1)?
The period of time between the infection and the appearance of the first symptoms of the illness can be up to 8 days.
How long is the virus contagious for?
An infected person can transmit the virus 1 day before and up to 7 days following the appearance of symptoms.
How to protect against influenza A(H1N1)?
Vaccination enables you to protect yourself and your environment.
Generally, it is important to remember basic hygiene rules, simple acts that minimise the risks of infection. Indeed, the virus is transmitted mainly through the air, but it is also spread through hands and contaminated objects.
It is thus important to:
- avoid as far as possible all contact with a sick person;
- thoroughly and regularly wash your hands for 30 seconds with soap and water or alcohol-based solutions;
- cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing;
- always use a paper handkerchief when blowing your nose, coughing or spitting, and throw it into the rubbish immediately after use before washing your hands.
Are antiviral drugs effective?
In the event of a person becoming infected with the A(H1N1) virus, there are two antiviral drugs available to treat symptoms: Tamiflu® and Relenza®. These antiviral drugs are prescribed by a doctor following a diagnosis.
There is no point in taking antiviral drugs for prophylactic purposes. Administered incorrectly, these drugs can cause significant side effects. They even have the potential to create resistant strains and thus lose their effectiveness in the event of illness.
Can influenza A(H1N1) be caught from eating pork?
The virus is not transmitted through the consumption of pork or processed food products based on pork. The virus does not survive cooking (temperature of 70 °C).
Taking care of sick people
Whom to contact in case of influenza symptoms?
A doctor should be consulted in the event of an onset of sudden raised fever higher than 38 °C, accompanied by symptoms of influenza, such as
- coughing and breathing difficulties;
- headache;
- a common cold or sore throat;
- muscle soreness and pains;
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea.
What to do in case of sickness?
In case of sickness, one must stay at home to avoid transmitting the illness to other people. One has to make sure to recover fully, which in principle takes 7 days after the first appearance of symptoms.
Which hygiene precautions must the sick person and his or her family respect?
The sick person and his or her family shall respect above all the following basic hygiene precautions:
- Wash one’s hands several times a day for 30 seconds with soap, including in-between the fingers.
- Cough in a hygienic manner by using a paper handkerchief, throwing it into the rubbish after use and washing hands. If no paper handkerchief is available, cough or sneeze into the hollow of the elbow and not in the hands. This will stop the virus from being transmitted via hands.
- Avoid body contact, such as hugging, kissing, embracing, shaking hands, etc.
- Clean commonly used surfaces (particularly in the kitchen and the bathroom) with soap or a water or alcohol-based solution.
- Regularly air rooms (3 to 4 times a day during 10 minutes).
People at risk
Which people are particularly at risk?
An increased risk of complications applies in particular to:
- people suffering from a serious chronic illness between 6 months and 64 years (chronic respiratory illness, including asthma; chronic cardiovascular illness; chronic metabolic disorder, including in particular diabetes; chronic renal or hepatic illness; immune deficiency, congenital or acquired; chronic neurological or muscular disease; haemoglobinopathy; or any other condition affecting the immune system or impacting upon the respiratory system, including in particular morbid obesity);
- children aged 6 months and older, requiring long-term salicylic acid (aspirin) therapy;
- pregnant women, from their second term of pregnancy onwards.
Pregnant women, breastfeeding women and babies
Why are pregnant women considered to be at risk?
During pregnancy, mechanical and hormonal changes occur, in particular with regard to the cardiovascular, respiratory and immune systems. Pulmonary capacity is reduced due to the uterus growing and compressing the diaphragm. The risk therefore lies in the fact that the virus first and foremost attacks the respiratory tracts.
All these changes of the organism make pregnant women more susceptible to being affected by certain viral infections, in particular those of influenza.
What to do in case of sickness?
In pregnant women, there is a risk of the A(H1N1) virus leading to complications. It is thus recommended that the attending doctor be promptly contacted upon the first appearance of influenza symptoms, to discuss an appropriate course of action.
It is indeed not recommended that sick people make their way to the doctor’s practice or to the hospital emergency room without informing them in advance so as not to infect other people in the waiting room.
Can antiviral drugs be prescribed?
A doctor must always be consulted before taking any medication.
Given that pregnant women are part of the groups at increased risk, the World Health Organisation (WHO) advocate the administration of antiviral therapy as soon as possible following the appearance of symptoms.
Can a woman affected by the A(H1N1) virus breastfeed?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends breastfeeding, since research conducted on other influenza infections has revealed that human milk has a most likely protective effect on the infant: it passes on helpful maternal immunities and lowers the risk of respiratory disease. Human milk is generally speaking the best nutritional source for infants and strengthens their immune defences.
During breastfeeding, it is recommended that basic hygiene rules be scrupulously respected.
Can a sick baby be breastfed?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends breastfeeding, since generally speaking it constitutes the best nutritional source for infants and strengthens their immune defences. A sick baby should therefore continue to be breastfed, since the physical contact with the mother, the supply of fluids and more frequent feeds are all beneficial.
Can a woman taking antiviral drugs continue to breastfeed?
Provided a doctor prescribes antiviral drugs to a breastfeeding woman according to her risk of complications, she can continue to breastfeed her baby.
Can a sick woman take care of her baby?
Since infants (up to 2 years) are particularly susceptible to the virus, it is recommended that a healthy person be asked to look after the baby. Failing this, it is advised that the sick woman scrupulously respect the basic hygiene rules.
Vaccination
Is there a vaccine to protect against the influenza A(H1N1) virus?
Yes, it is the vaccine against the seasonal influenza 2010/2011 which protects against the viruses A(H1N1), A(H3N2) and B. (see under Seasonal flu, chapter "Vaccination")
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