Category | News

Student, faculty member diagnosed with swine flu

Published on September 1, 2009 by Andy Nelson

A student was diagnosed with H1N1 flu, or “swine flu,” after visiting the Health Clinic on Aug. 20.

As of Aug. 26, the student had recovered and was back on campus, ordered to self-isolate. A faculty member was also reported to have been infected.

Though the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that 40 percent of the nation’s population will become infected with H1N1 flu this flu season, Anne Nichols, director of the Health Clinic, has assured the KSU community that there is no need to panic.

“If someone comes in with an influenza-like illness and they have a cough or sore throat with no other identifiable causes, we will offer them Tamiflu [an antiviral that stops the flu virus from spreading between the cells in the body], then we encourage the student not to return to class until they have not had a fever for 24 hours without the aid of fever-reducing medications,” said Nichols.

According to the CDC, flu-like symptoms are similar to those of the common cold, and can include a fever, headaches, extreme fatigue, body aches, a runny or stuffy nose, a cough or a sore throat. Certain tests can determine whether or not someone is infected with the flu, but it is important to receive the exams within two to three days of seeing the symptoms.

While H1N1 vaccines are not yet available, the Health Clinic does have regular flu vaccines, which can be obtained for $20 on a first-come, first-served basis.

Nichols also reported that out of everyone who visited the Health Clinic last week, only 0.03 percent showed flu-like symptoms.

“We’re not seeing numbers so staggering that we have to worry about the whole community,” said Nichols.

Dr. Michael Sanseviro, director of Residence Life, also stated in an email to KSU officials that there was no need to worry.

“Luckily all residential students at KSU have private bedrooms,” said Sanseviro in the email. “Through Residence Life, we will educate our staff and residential students, but we’ll all need to collaborate to help keep students, parents, faculty and staff calm and proactive.”

Because KSU is a member of the U.S. Influenza Sentinel Provider Surveillance Network, the Health Clinic is allowed to send three cultures a week to the CDC for further testing. For this reason, not everyone who presents themselves with flu-like symptoms will be tested for the H1N1 strain of the virus, though the treatment methods are the same.

The CDC recommends that students who become infected with H1N1 flu self-isolate until they stop showing signs of a fever without the aid of fever-reducing medications. Residential students are encouraged to return home if possible.

Nichols also stated that the best preventative measure students and faculty can take against the flu is to wash their hands often. For more information, students can visit the CDC’s Web site, cdc.gov.

“There is one and only one good source of information, and that’s the CDC,” said Nichols.