Diagnose h1n1 virus

Your doctor may diagnose you with influenza based on your signs and symptoms. In most cases, knowing that someone has the flu doesn't change the treatment plan. Doctors are more likely to use a test to diagnose flu if:. Your doctor may also use a test to determine whether a flu virus is the cause of your symptoms, or if you have or are showing signs of another problem besides the flu, such as:.

In some cases, your doctor may suggest that you be tested for influenza. He or she may use various tests to diagnose influenza. Polymerase chain reaction PCR testing is becoming more common in many hospitals and labs.

This test may be done while you're in your doctor's office or in the hospital. PCR testing is more sensitive than other tests and may be able to identify the influenza strain. Most people with flu, including H1N1 flu swine flu , require only symptom relief. Supportive care such as drinking liquids, taking pain relievers for fever and headache, and resting may be helpful.

If you have a chronic respiratory disease, your doctor may prescribe additional medications to help relieve your symptoms. Antiviral drugs are sometimes prescribed within the first day or two of symptoms. They can reduce the severity of symptoms and possibly the risk of complications. The U. Food and Drug Administration has approved these four drugs:. To make development of resistance less likely and maintain supplies of these drugs for those who need them most, doctors reserve antivirals for people at high risk of complications and those who are in close contact with people who have high risk of complications.

Consider pain relievers. Use an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen Tylenol, others or ibuprofen Advil, Motrin IB, others. Use caution when giving aspirin to children or teenagers. Though aspirin is approved for use in children older than age 3, children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin. This is because aspirin has been linked to Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition, in such children.

If you have the flu, you can give it to others. Stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone. In the spring of , scientists recognized a particular strain of flu virus known as H1N1. This virus is a combination of viruses from pigs, birds and humans that causes disease in humans.

During the flu season, H1N1 caused the respiratory infection in humans that was commonly referred to as swine flu. In August , WHO declared the pandemic over. After the pandemic was over, the H1N1 flu virus became one of the strains that cause seasonal flu. The flu vaccine can now help protect against the H1N1 flu swine flu. The H1N1 flu virus strain is included in the seasonal flu vaccine, including the vaccine for The signs and symptoms of flu caused by the H1N1 virus are similar to those of infections caused by other flu strains and can include:.

It's not necessary to see a doctor if you're generally healthy and develop flu signs and symptoms, such as fever, cough and body aches.

Call your doctor, however, if you have flu symptoms and you're pregnant or you have a chronic disease, such as asthma, emphysema, diabetes or a heart condition, because you have a higher risk of flu complications. If you have emergency signs and symptoms of the flu, get medical care right away. For adults, emergency signs and symptoms can include:.

Influenza viruses such as H1N1 infect the cells that line your nose, throat and lungs. The virus enters your body when you inhale contaminated droplets or transfer live virus from a contaminated surface to your eyes, nose or mouth.

If you live in or travel to an area where many people are infected with the H1N1 virus, you may be exposed to the virus. Each year's seasonal flu vaccine protects against the three or four influenza viruses that are expected to be the most common during that year's flu season. The flu vaccine can reduce your risk of the flu and its severity and lower the risk of having serious illness from the flu and needing to stay in the hospital.

Flu vaccination is especially important in the flu season because the flu and coronavirus disease COVID cause similar symptoms. Preventing the flu and reducing the severity of flu illness and hospitalizations could also lessen the number of people needing to stay in the hospital.

The flu vaccine is available as an injection and as a nasal spray. The nasal spray is approved for use in healthy people ages 2 through 49 years old. The nasal spray isn't recommended for some groups, such as pregnant women, children between 2 and 4 years old with asthma or wheezing, and people who have compromised immune systems.

For example, you may need to practice social distancing physical distancing and stay at least 6 feet 2 meters from others outside your household. You may also need to wear a cloth face mask when around people outside your household. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. If you think you might have the flu, see your healthcare provider within the first 48 hours of the start of your symptoms.

If you need treatment with antiviral medicine , it will be the most effective if it is started early in the illness. If your healthcare provider examines you and thinks you might have H1N1 swine flu, there are a few tests he might use to diagnose you. The most common is a rapid flu test.

This consists of a nasal or throat swab that provides rapid results in the office in under 20 minutes. Depending on the test, you may either be told that you simply do or do not have the flu influenza , or you do or do not have influenza A or B. H1N1 swine flu is a type of influenza A but rapid flu tests that are performed in the office cannot determine typing, so you won't know for sure what strain of influenza is making you sick. Furthermore, office-based rapid tests aren't particularly sensitive, so there's a chance of getting a false result.

If there is a certain strain that is causing illness in your community and you test positive, chances are good that you have that type also. Specialty labs around the country and the CDC do perform analysis of influenza throughout the year to determine which strains are making people sick. In rare cases, your test may be sent to one of these labs for typing and you or your healthcare provider may find out exactly which strain of influenza you have.

This more commonly occurs in people that are hospitalized. Get our printable guide for your next doctor's appointment to help you ask the right questions.

There are many viruses and illnesses that can cause flu-like symptoms. There is a lot of overlap between symptoms of the flu and symptoms of other respiratory infections.

There are hundreds of known viruses that cause upper respiratory symptoms and likely many more that we don't know about yet. Common illnesses that are often mistaken for influenza include:. If you aren't sure what is making you sick or if you are concerned because your symptoms have become more severe, contact your healthcare provider. Influenza often leads to other illnesses like bronchitis, ear infections, and pneumonia. Many of these need to be treated differently than the initial flu.

Be sure you are getting the correct treatment by talking to your healthcare provider whenever you have questions. It can vary from person to person. You'll likely be contagious starting one day before symptoms develop and then about seven days while you have symptoms.

Children might be contagious for longer than a week. Treatment may include antiviral medication, including Tamiflu oseltamivir , available by prescription.

With at-home treatment, make sure to drink lots of fluids and get plenty of rest. Get immediate medical help if you have any severe symptoms, including chest pain or trouble breathing.

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