H1N1 and HIV

H1N1 has been front and centre this week with media coverage focused on the roll out of the H1N1 vaccine in our community. Unlike other provinces, Alberta opened up vaccination clinics to the public at large rather than first focusing on high-risk populations.

Some people have asked us whether people living with HIV are, in fact, more vulnerable to contracting and then suffering from complications related to H1N1.

H1N1 is still a new virus so we can’t answer those questions definitively. In addition, like other flu viruses, H1N1 can have different effects on each person who contracts it.

What we can confidently say is that people with weakened immune systems (including people living with HIV) are considered to be at higher risk for contracting seasonal flu. People living with HIV are also at increased risk for complications arising from seasonal flu, such as bacterial chest infections. (1) We also know that H1N1 is a new strain of flu so people have little to no natural immunity to this virus. This is why there is concern that H1N1 could cause serious and widespread illness. (2)

It is better to be safe than sorry when dealing with the regular variety of seasonal flu or a new flu virus, particularly for people with weakened immune systems. The Public Health Agency of Canada reports that influenza can result in between 2,000 and 8,000 deaths each year.

The good news is that there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of contracting the flu. They may seem simple, and you have likely heard them before, but they are effective measures for protecting your own health.

1. Wash your hands. Sanitation is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect yourself. Wash your hands regularly throughout the day, particularly before eating, or use a hand sanitizer.
2. Consider getting the H1N1 vaccine. The Public Health Agency of Canada has created this useful page of information about the H1N1 vaccine.
3. Keep your immune system as healthy as possible. Eat well, exercise and be sure to get plenty of sleep.
4. As much as possible, avoid contact with other people who are exhibiting flu-like symptoms.

For more information, including tips on what to do if you are caring for someone infected with H1N1, please check the Public Health Agency of Canada and this CATIE News Bulletin on H1N1 and HIV.


1. Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange. September 2009. CATIE-News: Bite sized HIV/AIDS bulletins. H1N1 and HIV: tips to keep you safe and healthy. Retrieved October 2009. http://www.catie.ca/catienews.nsf/00a48c8905294f0b8525717f00661eb8/ae9e3643001fa87a8525763800553837!OpenDocument
2. Public Health Agency of Canada. Your H1N1 Preparedness Guide. Retrieved October 2009. http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/h1n1/guide/index-eng.php