The Fort Wayne Allen County Department of Health

Infectious Disease Center

Director: Scott Rosheck, BSN, RN • Phone: (260) 449-7920 • FAX: (260) 449-3813 • Email: scott.rosheck@co.allen.in.us
Location: 4813 New Haven Ave., Fort Wayne, IN 46803 • Hours: 8 a.m. to Noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Meet the Staff: Jessica James, BSN, RN, Public Health Nurse; Dawn Sipes, BSN, RN, Public Health Nurse; Sandra Scovel, LPN; Laura Sanchez, Infectious Disease Specialist; Phil Steigerwald, Infectious Disease Specialist; Tin Moe Tun, TB Outreach • Lisa Little, LPN; LaQuisha Stapleton, Med. Assistant; Audrey Burton, Office Manager; Saw Lincoln, Interpreter

Influenza

North American Human Influenza A, H1N1 (formerly swine flu)

North American Human Influenza A (H1N1) is caused by influenza viruses that normally infect pigs. The virus causing the current influenza outbreak is not a swine flu virus, but a combination of human, swine and bird viruses. The flu virus causing the current outbreak, now called Influenza A (H1N1)/North America/Human, has adapted itself to be easily transmitted from person-to-person. Swine in the United States have not been and are not infected with this virus.

In late March and early April 2009, cases of human infection with North American Human Influenza A (H1N1) virus were first reported in Southern California and near San Antonio, Texas. Other U.S. states have reported cases of North American Human Influenza A (H1N1) infection in humans and cases have been reported internationally as well. An updated case count of confirmed North American Human Influenza A (H1N1) infections in the United States is kept at http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/index.htm. CDC and local and state health agencies are working together to investigate this situation.

The symptoms of the flu virus in this outbreak are similar to normal seasonal influenza. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, headache, and muscle aches. Some people have also reported runny nose, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms usually appear about 2-7 days after exposure. People generally can spread flu viruses from 1-2 days before symptoms start to about 7 days after, but scientists are not exactly sure how long people may shed the currently circulating North American Human Influenza A (H1N1) virus.