London Ontario Naturopathic Doctor - Forest City Naturopathic Clinic

H1N1 Making an Informed Decision

We have been receiving a lot of questions about the risks and benefits of the H1N1 flu and the safety of the new vaccine. We encourage everyone to make an informed decision about whether or not to have themselves and their family vaccinated. However, making an informed decision about this issue is very challenging right now, as relevant information is being constantly updated, and some is not yet available. We decided to send out a summary of the information that is currently available about serious H1N1 infections, and vaccine complications.

First of all, it is important to realize that the overall risk of a serious H1N1 infection is quite small, and the risk appears to be similar to that associated with the seasonal influenza virus. The majority of people infected with H1N1 experience mild symptoms, and recover rapidly with no need for hospitalization.

Some important H1N1 statistics:
 As of September 26, 1479 people were hospitalized with H1N1 in Canada, and 20% of cases were admitted to an intensive care unit. The estimated number of people who die from an H1N1 infection (in the US) is 0.05%.
 As of October 30th, 95 people have died from H1N1 in Canada. In comparison the number of deaths due to an influenza virus in previous years were 218 (2003), 296 (2004), and 678 (2005).

There is a higher risk of a serious H1N1 infection in the following groups:
 People with underlying medical conditions: these people have a 5 times greater risk of a serious infection, and 79% of people who have died from H1N1 infection had such an underlying condition
 Pregnant Women: pregnant women have a 4-5 times higher risk of developing a serious infection, this risk seems to be related to the stage of pregnancy, and is highest during the third trimester.
 Children: as of October 24th, 4 deaths have been reported in children less than 16 years of age, and children under 2 years of age have the highest rate of hospitalization of all age groups. In comparison, in previous years there have been 3 deaths in children (2004), 1 death (2005), 6 deaths (2003).
 Adults over 45 years of age: have the highest mortality rate (0.33 per 100 000)
 People living in remote areas, particularly First Nations, Inuit, and Metis populations.
 Preliminary research shows that those with the previous seasonal flu vaccine are at increased risk of infection with H1N1.

What Risks are associated with the H1N1 vaccine:
There is limited information available about adverse effects available with the H1N1 vaccine, since clinical trials are still in progress. The Public Health Agency of Canada will prepare a weekly report summarizing adverse effects of vaccination on www.fightflu.ca . GlaxoSmithKline, the maker of the H1N1 vaccine, have identified the following risks:
 Very Common (may occur with more than 1/10 doses, are usually mild and last 1-2 days)
o Pain at the injection site
o Headache
o Fatigue
o Redness or swelling at the injection site
o Shivering
o Sweating
o Aching muscles, joint pain
 Common (may occur with 1/10 doses)
o Reactions at the injection site such as bruising and warmth
o Fever
o Swollen lymph nodes
o Feeling sick, diarrhea
 Uncommon (may occur with 1/100 doses)
o Dizziness
o Feeling generally unwell
o Unusual weakness
o Vomiting, stomach pain, uncomfortable feeling in the stomach, belching after eating
o Inability to sleep
o Tingling/numbness of hands/feet
o Shortness of breath
o Chest pain
o Itching, rash
o Pain in the back/neck, muscle stiffness, muscle spasms, extremity pain
 Rare (may occur in 1/1000 doses)
o Allergic reactions leading to a dangerous decrease in blood pressure, which if untreated may lead to shock
o Fits
o Stabbing pain along one or more nerves
o Low platelet counts, which may lead to bleeding/bruising
 Very Rare (may occur with up to 1/10000 doses)
o Vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels leading to skin rashes, joint pain, kidney problems)
o Neurological disorders such as encephalomyelitis (inflammation of the central nervous system), neuritis (inflammation of the nerves) and a type of paralysis known as Guillan-Barre Syndrome.

The information above is to help inform you, and enable you to make an educated decision about this issue. Please read it through carefully, and discuss with you primary health providers (family doctor, naturopathic doctor). It is an important decision, and is very important to consider the risks and benefits for each family member. Make an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors if you wish to discuss ways to optimize your immune system, or pre and post vaccination support.