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Can a body build immunity to swine flu?

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TBO.com

Published: October 27, 2009

Q. I'm wondering if someone has had symptoms of swine flu i.e. high fever, cough, body aches, etc and H1N1 has not been confirmed but most likely is the illness does the body build up immunity to swine flu and is it still recommended that the person receive the vaccine?

- Karen, Oldsmar

A. Thanks for your question. It's one I've heard a lot from people who think, but are not certain, they had swine flu.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and many local doctors I've spoken with, suggest that you play it safe and get both the seasonal and swine flu vaccine this year.

That's because the tests most docs are using for influenza are not foolproof, and do not test for the specific seasonal or swine flu strains. Tests doing that are expensive – about $300 – and would be too time-consuming for a doctor's office overrun with coughing, feverish patients.

Yes, there is a chance you did develop immunity to the virus. But know that the only way to know for sure that you have had swine flu is to undergo the expensive tests, which mostly are being used on people already in the hospital. Health officials hope folks heed their advice.

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