Newswise — Waiting rooms are full, physician phone lines are overwhelmed and questions are running rampant as federal health officials say the H1N1 flu virus is spreading quickly.
"Emergency departments are experiencing increasing patient loads as the epidemic progresses. Fortunately, most patients are not seriously ill, though many certainly feel terrible,” said Brent King, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. “But, unfortunately, there is little we can do for these patients that they cannot do for themselves. Resting, maintaining hydration and judiciously using medications to treat fever are the mainstays of managing influenza.”
However, King added that a very small number of people have developed serious respiratory symptoms in association with H1N1 influenza. “People who are concerned that they might be seriously ill should contact their personal physician and follow her or his advice regarding further treatment. As always, emergency physicians are available to evaluate and treat those who are very concerned about their symptoms,” King said.
Pediatric neurologists at the UT Medical School at Houston say they expect possible neurological complications, including seizures, from the virus and clinicians should look for H1N1-associated encephalopathy in children. “We expect to see the same problems with H1N1 that we do with seasonal flu. We’re telling our residents to look for meningitis, encephalitis, myositis and peripheral neuritis,” said Ian Butler, M.D., professor and chief of the Division of Child Neurology at the medical school.
Health officials are encouraging pregnant women—at any point in their pregnancy—to be vaccinated for the seasonal flu and the H1N1 influenza. “The seasonal influenza vaccine is already available, so pregnant women should receive it now. The H1N1 vaccine can be given as soon as it is available in your community,” said Pamela Berens, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the UT Medical School at Houston. “If the expectant mother has not yet been vaccinated, both vaccines can actually be given the same day but should be given in different sites. The vaccine should also be given to women who have recently delivered to reduce their chance of becoming ill and possibly passing the illness on to their young child.”
Berens said changes during pregnancy may result in more severe complications for pregnant women than for other groups. “During pregnancy there is an increase in your heart rate and the amount of blood that your heart pumps. There is also an increased consumption of oxygen and your lungs may not expand as well due to the increasing size of the uterus and baby. Changes in your body's ability to respond to infection also occur. All of these changes together likely play a role in the risk of influenza in pregnancy,” Berens said. “Any pregnant women who suspects that she has influenza symptoms should contact her OB to discuss possible treatment and should notify them if they experience any difficulty with breathing.”
Robert Emery, Dr.PH, associate professor of occupational health at The University of Texas School of Public Health, says prevention needs to be the main focus. “Although there is a lot of attention being focused on shots for the seasonal and H1N1 flu, individuals and businesses need to remember the power of prevention and adhere to the basic practices of frequent hand washing and cough control to help prevent the spread of the virus,” Emery said.
Experts who are available for interviews to discuss H1N1 flu include:
•Brent King, M.D., can provide information about H1N1 flu, hospital plans for responding to this infectious disease and how to best protect children. He is chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston and provides emergency medical care to both children and adults at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital and Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital.
•Richard N. Bradley, M.D., chief of the Division of EMS and Disaster Medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, can discuss how Americans and emergency departments are being affected.
•Pamela Berens, M.D., associate of obstetrics and gynecology at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, can answer questions about concerns facing women who are pregnant. She is able to discuss questions about the vaccine and what pregnant women should do if they think they are infected.
•Ian Butler, M.D., professor and chief of the Division of Child Neurology at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, can discuss neurological complications in children that can result from H1N1 and seasonal flu.
•Galit Holzmann-Pazgal, M.D, assistant professor of pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, is available for interviews to discuss prevention and treatment of the swine flu as it related to children. Holzmann-Pazgal is also medical director of infection control for Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital.
•Gloria Heresi, M.D, professor and interim director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, is available for interviews with Spanish-language media. She can discuss prevention and treatment of H1N1 as it relates to children.
•Richard Castriotta, M.D., professor and director of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, can discuss the flu's leading causes of death, which are respiratory failure and/or pneumonia. Castriotta sees patients at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital and the UT Pulmonary Medicine clinic.
•John Halphen, M.D., assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, can discuss how flu-like illnesses affect the elderly, including the danger of dehydration, the risk of secondary bacterial infections and potential complications for patients who may be on medications such as diuretics. He coordinates geriatric services at Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital, part of the Harris County Hospital District.
•Robert Emery, Dr.PH, vice president of safety, health, environment and risk management at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, is available to discuss flu prevention, as well as protective equipment for health care professionals. Emery, who has a faculty appointment at The University of Texas School of Public Health, also can discuss emergency preparedness and business continuity plans in coordination with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.
•George Delclos, M.D. is a professor of occupational medicine at The University of Texas School of Public Health. Dr. Delclos is able to advise on H1N1 flu-related work life issues such as working from home if you feel ill or what employers should look for in their employees.
•Charles Ericsson, M.D., can discuss H1N1 flu and measures to protect yourself during travel. He is professor and head of clinical infectious disease at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He also is the director of the university's Travel Medicine clinic and sees patients at UT Physicians clinics, Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital and Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center.
•Luis Z. Ostrosky, M.D., can discuss the infectious nature of H1N1 flu and can provide details on what patients can do to reduce their risk of becoming infected or spreading it to others. He is available for interviews in both English and Spanish. Ostrosky is associate professor of medicine and epidemiology in the Division of Infectious Diseases at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He also is medical director for epidemiology at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center.
•Herbert DuPont, M.D. is a professor of infectious disease and director of the Center for Infectious Diseases at The University of Texas School of Public Health. With over 30 years of experience in infectious disease and travel medicine, DuPont can speak on the development of swine flu, symptoms, how to reduce the risk of becoming infected and how to keep yourself safe if you are traveling.
•Susan P. Fisher-Hoch, M.D. is a professor of epidemiology at The University of Texas School of Public Health Brownsville Regional Campus. Fisher-Hoch is one of the world's leading virologists. She is able to discuss any topic related to the H1N1 flu.
•Kristy Murray, D.V.M, Ph.D., a former Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is assistant professor of epidemiology at The University of Texas School of Public Health. She is able to discuss transmission of the virus from animal to human and how to reduce your risk of becoming infected or spreading it to others.
•John Herbold, D.V.M, Ph.D., is associate professor of epidemiology and director of the Center for Biosecurity and Public Health Preparedness at The University of Texas School of Public Health San Antonio Regional Campus. As a veterinarian, Herbold can discuss the origin of influenza viruses in humans and the role of animals in a flu outbreak. He can also discuss why H1N1 flu passed from human to human unlike the bird/avian flu. In addition, Herbold can address the importance of clinicians, veterinarians and public health workers joining together to stabilize and fight the outbreak.
•C. Ed Hsu, Ph.D., MPH, is associate professor of public health informatics at The University of Texas School of Health Information Sciences at Houston and associate director of health informatics at the Center for Biosecurity and Public Health Preparedness at The University of Texas School of Public Health. In Hsu's Preventive Health Informatics and Spatial Analysis laboratory, he is using public health informatics to address critical public health challenges, including global health surveillance and emergency preparedness.
•Elda Ramirez, Ph.D., RN, is available to do interviews in both English and Spanish. She can describe symptoms of H1N1 flu and discuss when it is appropriate to consult a primary care provider or seek medical attention at an emergency room. Ramirez is assistant professor in The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Nursing and emergency medicine nurse practitioner in The University of Texas Medical School at Houston.
•Susan Parnell, RN, a nursing instructor at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Nursing, is available to discuss infection control and explain how cases of influenza or other outbreaks are investigated.
•Victor Cardenas, M.D., Ph.D., is an associate professor of epidemiology at The University of Texas School of Public Health El Paso Regional Campus. He is able to discuss first-hand experience in influenza A outbreaks in several countries, including Mexico and Colombia.
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