Do I Have Swine Flu?

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Harvard Health Publications//Harvard Medical School

Q: I am ill. Is there a blood test that can determine if I have swine flu?

A: Current recommendations suggest that doctors should not perform widespread testing for swine flu (novel influenza A H1N1).

If testing is needed, the test is usually done on a mucus sample. The doctor inserts a cotton swab to collect the mucus from the back of the nose. A rapid flu test can be performed immediately. It will determine if the person has the flu, but it is not specific for the type of flu.

If the rapid test is positive for flu, the sample could be sent for further testing. However, the result won't come back for several days. This won't be of help to you because any treatment that might be considered would need to start right away to be effective. Blood tests for influenza are used primarily for research purposes.

Deciding whether you might have the swine flu depends upon your symptoms and the frequency of the new H1N1 virus in your community. An adult with swine flu usually has these symptoms:

Sore throat
Cough
Fever with a temperature greater than 99.6 F
Body ache

If you have none of these symptoms, then swine flu is extremely unlikely. However, these symptoms could just as easily be caused by another type of flu or a cold or bronchitis.

Call your doctor's office for advice. The office staff will likely ask you if you have a fever. So take your temperature before you call. Be sure to mention if you have any of these worrisome symptoms:

Shortness of breath
Vomiting more than twice in the past 24 hours
Confusion (including other people saying you seem confused)

If your general health condition is good and you don't have any of these worrisome symptoms, treating yourself at home may be the best option.

Howard LeWine, M.D., is chief editor of Internet Publishing at Harvard Health Publications. He is recognized as an outstanding clinician and teacher and is a recipient of the Internal Medicine Teacher of the Year award at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. LeWine continues to practice Internal Medicine; most recently he became a hospitalist after practicing primary care for over 20 years.

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