How does one test for swine flu?

[The Backlash Cometh]

It must be pretty bad if they have decided not to test the pages. I thought all it took was a swab.

Five of the US Senate’s summer pages — student-aged youngsters getting an inside glimpse of the congress — have been quarantined because they may have “swine flu,” according to officials.

In a memorandum to Senate offices late Tuesday, Sergeant-at-Arms Terrance Gainer said the pages were “resting comfortable apart from their peers and will not be allowed to return to work until cleared” by doctors.

The Senate’s Office of Attending Physician “believes that they most likely have influenza, quite possibly the H1N1 virus,” Gainer said.

But doctors will not test the pages for swine flu “since the test itself is uncomfortable and the results of the test will not alter the treatment plan”




http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/07/29/five-us-senate-pages-may-have-swine-flu/

[gratuitous]

1. You start looking like Karl Rove

Okay, I don't really know, but that's what sprang to mind immediately.

[hlthe2b]

2. Testing is not particularly invasive, but probably unnecessary

Swab of nasopharyngeal passage is submitted for confirmation by specific genetic testing (PCR). However, they may have done a rapid flu test, which shows if they influenza A or B. If A, CDC is reporting that over 97% of currently circulating strains in US are H1N1 ("swine"). Confirmatory testing is now generally reserved for severe illness--among those hospitalized for that reason. It doesn't change any decisions with respect to care or treatment for mild cases.

(Nasopharyngeal passage is that part of the nasal passage extending to the back of the throat)

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. Arrrrgggh!

I didn't need to see that! Okay, it make sense now.

So, you're saying that everyone is getting Tamiflu that looks like they have an influenza virus?

[hlthe2b]

4. ABSOLUTELY NOT. Most people have NO neeed for antivirals

If physicians are giving out Tamiflu like candy they need to have their licenses pulled, quite frankly. REALLY.

Resistance to tamiflu has already been reported worldwide and CDC is strictly recommending use ONLY for those at extreme risk of complications, including those with asthma, those pregnant, those with other severe chronic disease or in some cases, exposed health care workers who may not have been using N95 protective face mask and other protective measures when treating the patient.

[gratuitous]

7. Rationing!

Why shouldn't everyone get Tamiflu who wants it and can afford it?! It's rationing, I tells ya! Socialized medicine! Booga, booga, booga, booga! PH34R!!

{/nutzoid screamer}

The above is part of the "debate" currently going happening on the issue of health care reform. Idiotic statements of half-baked and poorly understood ideas are given equal or even preferential access to the conversation. Reasoned explanations of public health policy - researched, tested and successful - go by the wayside in favor of the nutzoid screamers.

Now, why would popular television and cable outlets, which derive a substantial portion of their advertising revenue from the makers of products you can't buy, lend credence to the idiots and discount the professionals? Why, why, why?

Ka-ching!

Oh yeah, that's it.

[hlthe2b]

10. Just in case anyone reads too quickly to get your sarcasm...

(which I personally appreciate tremendously), the issue is anti-viral resistance and the fact that vaccines, while on the way, may be delayed or may prove in limited enough supply that those at highest risk of complications will be dependent on antiviral therapy. If resistance develops in a big way (as it did with the most common of last year's circulating SEASONAL flu strains) we are going to be in a world of hurt with a lot of preventable deaths likely resulting.

[Recursion]

33. Geez... when I was a page we *all* got the flu and had to work sick

It was cool to be on the floor when Family and Medical Leave passed, though. Lots of Members were sick; I remember Bonior just kind of sunk down into a seat and ended up asleep on the floor.

And we had to walk 10 miles to the Capitol, through the snow, uphill both ways...

[mrs_p]

15. and there was a seasonal H1N1

going around too, was there not??? when i got influenza this last year (february before the triple reassortant H1N1 was reported), i looked up the stats on the cdc and saw H3N2 was the predominant, but H1N1 subtype was listed as well.

[hlthe2b]

16. Yes... last year's seasonal A strains were predomently

H1N1 (distinct from the novel "swine" strain) and H3N2. The seasonal H1N1 was almost totally Tamiflu resistant.

[lpbk2713]

5. Look for Limbaugh DNA.

[The Backlash Cometh]

20. Not much of a stretch with Photo Shop.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Here is the process

you take a swab for the differential, it is A (animal origin) or B (human origin) this is a dirt cheap test. If you get a positive though you send it down to Atlanta where they do a genetic based test, which is complex and expensive.

On the upside, really, our national stats are far from accurate since mild cases, and moderate cases, nobody is doing the differential testing. Why? They get an A, they need to test by protocol... yep, money and the cost of it. Ain't health care for profit great?

[The Backlash Cometh]

21. How long do you think this protocol will last?

Surely at some point there will be so many cases, that it will prove a pointless use of resources?

[nadinbrzezinski]

36. One reason they are reserving the testing to hospital patients

or seriously ill people

[hlthe2b]

8. Public Health Laboratories in each state do confirmatory testing

CDC was doing all, national and international testing (along with a national lab in Winnepeg, Canada) the first few weeks of the outbreak, but now all or nearly all state public health labs are doing it. It really isn't necessary for mild cases...

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. I forgot they have distributed kits nationwide

[mrs_p]

11. i work in an influenza lab

all i need is a nasal swab, blood sample, and a couple of days...

[lpbk2713]

12. Interesting. Do you ever get sick?

Or have you built up a fairly strong immunity by now?

[mrs_p]

13. i work with influenza strains

that don't typically infect humans, though i also work with some human viruses. i did get influenza this last year, but not from the lab - from people in the community who refused to stay home when they were ill.

[hlthe2b]

14. Why do you need a blood sample?

Rapid Flu test for A-- PCR for H1N1 novel confirmation--both on paired NasoPharyngeal swabs. What are you doing with the blood sample? :shrug:

[mrs_p]

17. well - for the nasal samples

i would actually isolate the RNA, and then sequence the HA and NA to compare. as for the blood, we can test for specific antibodies to various subtypes via ELISA...

[hlthe2b]

19. Oh, you are in a research lab looking at strain-specific immunity

Now, I got ya...;)

[The Backlash Cometh]

23. Is it possible that some of us who lived abroad that were hit with

some of the strong flu strains that swept the area forty years ago, might have some immunities to this swine flu strain?

[hlthe2b]

25. NO.. thus far only those exposed in 1918 have significant

immunity. This is a unique H1N1 strain comprised of genetic material from human, avian, and two swine variants. Ultimately, though it bears enough similarities that those exposed to the H1N1 strain from 1918 have/had quite a bit of cross protective antibodies (immunity). A strain of H1N1 has been included in every seasonal vaccine since 1977 in the US, but studies to date have not shown signficant cross protection with these strains. So, short answer, no--unless you were infected this spring with this particular H1N1 NOVEL ("swine") strain.

[The Backlash Cometh]

22. How deep in the nasal cavity do you have to go?

That photo looked like an inverted lobotomy.

[hlthe2b]

26. Nah... looks worse than it is... Head back and quick swab into nasal passage

a bit deeper than we'd all like,but.....Not that big a deal. 'Just a bit uncomfortable for a brief few seconds.

[mrs_p]

27. it actually just tickles

but you feel sooo bad anyway (like death just can't come sooner), that it doesn't matter. well, my experience at least...

[The Backlash Cometh]

28. Did you have the swine flu?!

[mrs_p]

29. nope - seasonal flu

but same procedure...

[The Backlash Cometh]

30. I haven't been taking the vaccines for years,

because I got a really bad flu case just weeks after getting the vaccination. But, I think I'll take the next one.

Don't understand why they don't make the pneumonia vaccine more readily available to everyone, either, since it's the pneumonia that eventually gets you.

[mrs_p]

34. pneumonia

can be caused by a variety of bacterial agents (as well as viral agents) - some usually benign unless one's immune system is down. pneumonia it's just the term describing lung inflammation. so is would be difficult, and likely not effective, to create one vaccine that would protect from pneumonia. that said, yes, pneumonia is what usually does you in during influenza.

[KDFW]

18. Put your hand on a hot stove. If it smells like bacon, see a doctor.

;-)

[The Backlash Cometh]

24. You bad.

[The Straight Story]

31. It is multiple choice, just guess

:)

[Forkboy]

32. If you cough and an "oink" comes out it's too late.

[kimmerspixelated]

35. Oh Crimea-nently folks!

Just start taking lots of D3 !!! Take care of yourself!!! You are probably deficient in Vit D anyway! D3 is best!!!