BY Laurie Bjerklie, MT (ASCP)
MLT Program Coordinator – Mankato Campus
As of late, the media has been tackling two very different but yet equally important topics – the economy and swine flu. Swine flu, now termed H1N1 (to ease the negative attention away from the pig industry), has been an increasingly devastating and scary virus. With all this attention on the spread of the influenza virus, it’s important to decipher what influenza is and how it’s different than the stomach flu.
Many times we’ve heard how people refuse to get the flu shot because it didn’t “help them anyway” and they still got sick. It’s necessary to address the misconception of what people think the flu is and how to decide if one truly may have influenza. Influenza, commonly called the flu, is a different virus and sickness than the “stomach flu”. Influenza is caused by the influenza virus and is an upper respiratory illness. Symptoms include aches and pain, cough, congestion, fever, and exhaustion. Whereas the stomach flu, better called gastroenteritis, is caused by a multitude of different viruses and mainly consists of vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and sometimes fever.
What can be done to stay healthy with the rage of H1N1 occurring? Washing hands is still the best way to prevent the spread of disease. When unable to wash hands, carry hand sanitizer. And of course, if sick, please stay home to avoid passing the illness to others.