Can you get Swine Flu / H1N1 twice?

[Silent1CB]

How about the regular flu?

Can you get either twice in the same season?
Can you get both?

Just curious.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I don't know.

 

[JessicaR]

Yes, if the strain mutates you could. Or if you are exposed to a different strain, there are many, you could. Hopefully your immune system recognizes the virus and produces antibodies that fight it the second time. Even slight coverage could be helpful.

As far as H1N1 goes medical experts say if the H1N1 virus behaves like the seasonal flu bug, those who've already been sick, should have immunity. But really, who knows at this point.

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

You can't get the exact same strain twice, but if it mutates you could get it again. If you get a mutated form, it probably wouldn't be as severe because you've already met its "relative" so to speak. You can get the flu more than once in a season because there are usually multiple strains circulating (you could get the new H1N1 and seasonal this fall or winter), but you wouldn't get the exact same strain twice.

 

[damo]

Having the virus in your system is supposed to build up immunity to that specific virus otherwise what would be the point of immunization.

 

[sbell111]

You can not get the same strain of flu twice. No one who has actually gotten H1N1 can get it again. If it were, in the future, to mutate into some other flu strain, you could catch that new flu. That is why they make new flu vaccines every year.