- With Mayo Clinic internist
James M. Steckelberg, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
James M. Steckelberg, M.D.
James Steckelberg, M.D.
Dr. James Steckelberg is chairman of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Mayo Clinic, a consultant and a professor of medicine at Mayo Medical School.
A native of Fremont, Neb., Dr. Steckelberg was a Rhodes Scholar and graduated from the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine as a resident in internal medicine and a fellow in infectious diseases, and is board certified in both. He is the former director of the Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory at Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Steckelberg belongs to numerous professional organizations. He is a founding member of the Musculoskeletal Infection Society of America and a fellow with the American College of Physicians and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. He has served on many Mayo Clinic committees and is a member of the Department of Medicine Leadership Committee and the executive committee of the Division of Infectious Diseases. He also served on the editorial boards of "Mayo Clinic Proceedings" and "Antimicrobial Agents & Chemotherapy" and has been an editorial reviewer for more than a dozen publications.
Dr. Steckelberg's research interests include experimental models of infection, epidemiology of infection, and antimicrobial resistance and therapy of bacterial infections.
Definition (3)
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- H1N1 flu (swine flu): How serious is the global threat?
- H1N1 flu (swine flu) pandemic: What does it mean?
Symptoms (2)
- H1N1 flu (swine flu) symptoms: Is fever always present?
- H1N1 flu (swine flu) symptoms: Self-care for the flu
Complications (1)
- H1N1 flu (swine flu) and pregnancy: Are special precautions necessary?
Prevention (5)
- H1N1 flu (swine flu): Can you catch it twice?
- Flu mask: Should I wear one?
- Flu vaccine: Safe for people with egg allergy?
- see all in Prevention
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Question
H1N1 flu (swine flu) pandemic: What does it mean?
Why is swine flu a pandemic? Has H1N1 flu turned out to be much worse than expected?
Answer
from James M. Steckelberg, M.D.
It's not actually worse, just — as predicted — widespread. That's why the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a level 6 influenza pandemic alert — the highest level alert of its kind.
A World Health Organization phase 6 pandemic indicates that influenza due to the novel H1N1 swine flu is occurring in multiple countries around the world and that human infection is widespread. The classification does not reflect the severity of individual infections.
The alert level is also notable because:
- The swine flu H1N1 virus is globally widespread at the community level.
- The chain of person-to-person transmission is no longer clear in some areas, so testing all suspected cases is not feasible.
- The groups most severely affected differ from those who typically develop seasonal flu complications.
- Rates of severe illness and death from novel H1N1 influenza may be unusually high in the developing world.
The WHO continues to recommend against travel restrictions, quarantines and border closings.
Next questionH1N1 flu (swine flu) symptoms: Is fever always present?
- World now at the start of 2009 influenza pandemic. Statement to the press by WHO Director-General Margaret Chan. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2009/h1n1_pandemic_phase6_20090611/en/index.html. Accessed June 11, 2009.
- Steckelberg JM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 11, 2009.
