lsureveille.com's coverage of the H1N1 virus

lsureveille.com reports:

H1N1 outnumbers seasonal flu cases - 2/9

H1N1 battle coming to close - 12/6

About 200 students vaccinated for H1N1 - 12/1

Health Center to start H1N1 vaccinations Mon. - 11/24

Student Health Center to receive H1N1 vaccines - 11/3

Seasonal flu shots start at SHC - 10/22

SHC to distribute seasonal flu vaccines in October - 9/27

Health Center stops testing for H1N1 - 9/23

College football teams tackling H1N1 virus - 9/11

H1N1 flu safety measures intensify - 9/10

Denham Springs High School student dies from H1N1 - 9/7

Number of H1N1 cases at the University continues to rise - 9/2

Student Health Center reports more than 200 H1N1 cases - 8/31

Influenza Type A spreads to athletes - 8/26

H1N1 spreads through Southeastern Conference - 8/26

University outlines procedure for H1N1-infected students - 8/25

H1N1 outbreak spreads across campus, nation - 8/24

Chancellor addresses campus flu cases - 8/20

Reported confirmed cases of Type A influenza down slightly from yesterday - 8/19

Student Health Center confirms 27 cases of swine flu - 8/17

H1N1 an uninvited sorority rushee - 8/16

Louisiana confirms first swine flu death - 8/13

University confirms student has H1N1 - 7/14

WHO: Swine flu pandemic has begun, 1st in 41 years - 6/11

EBR confirms 16 swine flue cases - 6/11

 

H1N1 Information and Preventative Tips

Adam Duvernay, Senior Staff Writer

1) What is H1N1 Flu?

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, novel H1N1 Flu, commonly referred to as swine flu, is a new strain of the influenza virus which has been causing illness in the United States since April.

The virus has spread from person-to-person worldwide in a similar fashion to regular seasonal flu. In June, the World Health Organization declared a novel H1N1 flu pandemic was underway worldwide.

The term "swine flu" was first used to describe the virus when laboratory tests showed genetic similarities between the new virus and influenza strains which usually infect pigs in North America. Recent studies have disassociated these strains.

2) How does H1N1 Flu differ from a seasonal flu?

The United States averages about 36,000 deaths and 200,000 people are hospitalized from seasonal influenza-related complications each year, according to data from the CDC. About 90 percent of deaths and 60 percent of hospitalizations occur in people over the age of 65.

According to the CDC, novel H1N1 flu has caused fewer deaths in people over the age of 65. However, underlying conditions such as pregnancy, asthma and diabetes which can lead to complications, are associated with increased risk from the virus.

The symptoms of H1N1 flu are similar to those of a seasonal flu, including dry coughing, high fever, sore throat and body aches.

"This flu is not worse than the seasonal flu," said Christine Sullivan, nurse manager for the Student Health Center. "It's a milder case of the flu, but it spreads relatively easily."

The CDC reported a significant number of people infected with the virus have also experienced diarrhea and vomiting.