IONIA COUNTY, Mich. – Michigan health officials are investigating a confirmed case of influenza A H1N2 variant, commonly known as swine flu, in an Ionia County resident who exhibited swine at the Kent County Youth Fair.
The fair was held Aug. 3-8 at the Grand Agricultural Center of West Michigan in Lowell.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said the individual initially tested presumptive positive for the virus at the MDHHS Bureau of Laboratories.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the result Friday (Aug. 14).
The Kent County Health Department and MDHHS are contacting swine exhibitors and their families who visited the swine barns during the fair to determine whether others developed symptoms after potential exposure to infected pigs.
The Kent County Health Department has also alerted area health care providers to watch for patients with respiratory symptoms who report exposure to swine or attendance at the fair.
Swine can carry influenza viruses that differ from those that commonly circulate among people. Although infections in people are rare, swine influenza viruses can spread from pigs to humans, primarily through respiratory droplets when infected animals cough or sneeze.
Health officials say no human vaccine exists specifically for swine flu, and the seasonal flu vaccine does not protect against swine influenza.
Antiviral medications, including oseltamivir and zanamivir, can treat influenza infections.
Early treatment is particularly important for people at higher risk of complications.
Symptoms can resemble seasonal influenza and may include fever, cough, runny nose, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Variant influenza infections can sometimes cause severe illness, including pneumonia, hospitalization, and, in rare cases, death.
People at higher risk include children younger than five, adults 65 and older, pregnant people and those with certain chronic health conditions or weakened immune systems.
Health officials say the time from exposure to illness can be as long as 10 days, although symptoms most commonly develop within about three days.
How to reduce exposure
MDHHS recommends that people attending fairs, farms or livestock exhibits:
- Avoid eating or drinking in livestock barns or show rings.
- Keep toys, pacifiers, cups, bottles, strollers and similar items out of pig areas.
- People at high risk for serious influenza complications should avoid contact with pigs and swine barns.
- Get an annual influenza vaccination, which protects against seasonal flu even though it does not protect against swine flu.
People should also wash their hands frequently, avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth, cover coughs and sneezes, and avoid close contact with sick people.
Anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms should avoid contact with pigs.
Health officials recommend waiting seven days after illness begins or until the person has been fever-free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication, whichever is longer.
The health departments continue to monitor for additional illnesses associated with the fair and potential exposure to swine influenza.