influenza

Despite the relative newness of the H1N1 flu vaccine, experts from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control say pregnant women can and should be at the front of the line to receive their shots.

The reason?  Pregnant women's immune systems and lung capacity are diminished by bearing another life within them, making them more susceptible to be hospitalized, miscarry or die due to contracting the flu.

So whether it is the H1N1 vaccine or Tamiflu (also used to treat garden variety influenza), the Los Angeles Times' Shari Roan reports that CDC scientists and doctors' associations recommend treatment of flu-like symptoms in pregnant women should begin even before it is confirmed they have the flu.

Understandably, pregnant women are reluctant to put drugs into their bodies that they fear could affect their babies, and subsequently they vaccinate themselves less than the general population.   But the known risks -- of death, pneumonia, hospitalization and miscarriage -- outweigh the unknown, doctors say.

Until this year, Tamiflu was not recommended for pregnant women because of the uncertainty about damaging the fetus.  That lack of data remains today, though recent Canadian studies did not find that Tamiflu caused a higher rate of birth defects than what is considered normal.

The CDC posts regular updates about how the H1N1 flu is rapidly spreading through the county, and who it is affecting most: 95 children have died so far.

Swine flu, also know as the H1N1 virus, is picking up speed as it spreads through California.

The Los Angeles Times' Rong-Gong Lin II reports that the proportion of patients coming into doctor's offices with flu-like symptoms has more than doubled to 5 percent.

The state's testing reveals that more than 95% of the flu samples received indicate swine flu, which has killed 219 Californians since spring.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that the majority of people who have the virus experience only mild symptoms.  Here's their recommendation of what to do if you think you have it.

-Kristen Young

School starts early at Washington State University in Pullman, WA, and so did the swine flu season. About 2,000 people in the small university town have become ill with the flu, almost as soon as the university opened for the fall term last week, the Seattle Times reported Friday.

"Officials halted testing after additional probable cases flooded in, but Martin said that based on the initial test results, 98 percent of the people who reported flu-like symptoms probably are infected with H1N1. Health officials ruled out seasonal flu because it typically doesn't strike until winter. Also, most of those sickened have been young people, not the elderly and very young children who account for most seasonal flu cases.

The good news is that most became only mildly ill. Two people were hospitalized and have been released. The bad news: expect more of the same as more colleges and schools open for fall term.

-- Rita Hibbard

The Alberta provincial government says it expects to provide to all citizens flu vaccines to fight three kinds of seasonal flu as well as the H1N1 strain, or swine flu, in the fall. The Calgary Herald reports that in the past, free vaccines were available only to those considered at high risk, although anyone could get a shot by paying for it at a doctor's office.