Quote:
Originally Posted by Bagor
Thanks for that.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that e.g. like the report in my quote that said that "H1N1 affects over 250 Georgetown students" there's IMO a bit of a tendency for people to assume that because their neighbour or whomever came down with something that it's H1N1 and there might be a bit of a hysteria element out there.
A few questions (if you happen to know the answers):
1. Why are other physicians' swabs disregarded? Do the physicians that are part of the viral watch have different criteria before deciding to swab a patient? I don't get the bold part. 
2. Any idea what % of patients that are presenting with symptons are actually testing +ve? Is this different from other physicians?
3. It's pretty much a given that that incidences will increase as is the norm for any given flu season. How do the overall numbers and rate of increase compare with past seasons? |
1. nasopharyngeal swabs are rarely indicated, and since most influenza-like illnesses are self-limiting, positive swabs do not usually change management. therefore they are rarely done by the average physician. however, during time of media hype (west nile, H1N1, etc.), many patients request swabs, therefore, these swabs skew the data as they are not compared to the norm in that particular physicians population (hopefully that makes sense). in general, most physicians only swab when patients ask for it (strong correlation with media). however, surveillance physicians swab throughout the year, therefore, rates can be compared to standard rates for throughout the years.
2. i think this was partly addressed in another post (not by myself). guidelines now do not advise swabbing by average physicians as nearly all influenza a has been H1N1. furthermore, swabbing does not really confer any advantage in management in the vast majority of the population as treatment is purely symptomatic (except in specialized cases requiring antivirals)
3. i don't have a specific number (too lazy to look it up right now) but influenza rates are grossly abnormal for this time of year. the seasonal flu peaks in a few months, and is rarely this widespread. in addition, the presentation so far correlates very well with previous H1N1 pandemics (last being in 1968 i believe)