Case of swine flu linked to Oakland County Fair; infected pigs might have been in barn

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – An exhibitor at the Oakland County Fair has tested positive for the highly contagious swine flu, and health officials are now reaching out to anyone who visited the barn with potentially infected pigs.

A Lapeer County resident who was an exhibitor at the fair got sick, and tests identified a presumptive positive case of the swine flu, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

That sample is being sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation of the swine flu.

The fair took place at the Springfield Oaks County Park in Davisburg from July 7-16.

Oakland County health officials are reaching out to swine exhibitors and their families who visited the swine barns at the fair. They’re hoping to identify any additional cases in anyone who might have been exposed to influenza from infected pigs.

Doctors in the area have been alerted to watch for patients showing swine flu symptoms.

“Visitors of the Oakland County Fair should monitor for flu-like symptoms: fever, respiratory symptoms like cough and runny nose, and body aches, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea,” MDHHS Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian said. “If you believe you may have the flu, contact your health care provider and stay home until you have recovered.”

Symptoms

Here’s information about the swine flu from MDHHS:

Pigs may be infected with swine influenza viruses that are different from human flu viruses. Swine flu viruses spread among pigs and – while rare – they can spread from pigs to people too. Spread of swine flu viruses from a pig to a person is thought to happen in the same way that human flu viruses spread; mainly through droplets when infected pigs cough and sneeze.

Symptoms of variant influenza infection in people are similar to those of seasonal flu viruses and can include fever and respiratory symptoms, such as cough and runny nose, and possibly other symptoms, such as body aches, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Infections with influenza viruses (including variant viruses like influenza A H3) can sometimes cause severe disease, even in healthy people.

Severe illness can include complications, such as pneumonia, which may require hospitalization, and sometimes causes death. People who are at high risk of developing complications if they get variant influenza infection include children younger than 5 years of age, people 65 years of age and older, pregnant women and people with certain long-term health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, weakened immune systems and neurological or neurodevelopmental conditions.

The time period it takes from exposure to illness for variant influenza is similar to that of seasonal influenza, which can be up to 10 days, but is most commonly three days. Currently, there is no vaccine for influenza A H3 and the seasonal flu vaccine will not protect against Influenza A H3; however, prescription antiviral drugs, such as oseltamivir and zanamivir, are effective in treating influenza A H3 virus infections. Early treatment works best and may be especially important for people with a high-risk condition.

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

How to protect yourself from the swine flu

• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Refrain from eating or drinking in livestock barns or show rings.
• Do not take toys, pacifiers, cups, baby bottles, strollers, or similar items into pig areas.
• Anyone who is at high risk of serious flu complications and planning to attend a fair should avoid pigs and swine barns.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• If you are sick, stay home from work or school until your illness is over.
• Avoid contact with pigs if you have flu-like symptoms. Wait seven days after your illness started or until you have been without fever for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications, whichever is longer.
• Get an annual influenza vaccination.