How the flu bug can affect the healthiest people

Jason Martin is thanking the people who saved his life after he spent time in the ICU, when he was hit hard by H1N1.
Before jason, this strain killed nine people on this same floor. Doctors knew the very young and very old were at risk, but what happened to the ones in-between?

Vanderbilt Doctor John Williams says these people were killed by their own immune system. A blood protein called complement attaches to germs and helps signal the body to target those germs. Adults who died of h-one-n-one had high levels of complement in their lungs.
Doctors do know most of the people who died were not vaccinated.
But even if you are, immune-ologists at johns hopkins say women may fight-off the virus better than men.
Jason says he won't take any chances - he's much happier as a visitor, than a patient.
If you've heard rumors about Tylenol making you more susceptible to the flu ... don't pay any attention.
At least one study shows Tylenol has no effect on the response of standard flu vaccine.

BACKGROUND: On April 15th, 2009, a ten-year-old girl in California was stricken with an abnormally severe flu virus. Soon, she would be diagnosed with a new, contagious influenza virus called H1N1, otherwise referred to as “swine flu.” By April 26th, the U.S. government classified H1N1 as a public health emergency, and by June, the flu was had graduated to a global pandemic, as declared by the World Health Organization. The respiratory disease spreads the same way as regular influenza viruses: through person-to-person contact with germs. An estimated 70% of hospitalized H1N1 patients also had pre-existing health conditions, which put them at a high risk for serious complications. Such conditions include Diabetes, kidney and heart disease, asthma, and pregnancy. (Source: flu.gov)

SYMPTOMS OF H1N1: H1N1 is known to cause mild to severe flu symptoms such as sore throat, stuffy nose, body aches, chills, fatigue, fever, vomiting and diarrhea. When recognizing these symptoms, it is also important to keep certain emergency warning signs in mind. In children, these may include withdrawn behavior, breathing difficulties or rapid breathing, heavy or prolonged vomiting, difficulty waking up or extreme irritability. In adults, they may include a feeling of pressure in the abdomen or chest, breathing difficulties, general confusion, sudden spells of dizziness, and heavy vomiting. (Source: flu.gov)

PREVENTION: The most important thing you can do to prevent H1N1 is to get the latest flu vaccination. After receiving that, you must be vigilant in avoiding person-to-person flu germs, which are spread by the coughing and sneezing of infected people. Avoid touching your mouth, eyes and nose after touching surfaces or objects in public and, conversely, cover your nose and mouth when you must sneeze, making sure to dispose of the tissue properly. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly or apply hand sanitizer, especially following a sneeze or cough. If you are sick, stay home until you are no longer contagious - which is usually 24 hours following the break of your fever. (Source: flu.gov)

COMPLEMENT PROTEIN: According to cancer.gov, the complement protein belongs to a group of around 20 blood proteins, which aid in the fight against infection and disease. Complement proteins work by binding to harmful germs and transmitting signals to alert other infection and disease fighting agents in the body.

For More Information, Contact:

Craig Boerner
Vanderbilt University Medical Center National News Director
615-322-4747
craig.boerner@vanderbilt.edu

(Information provided by Ivanhoe)