For science’s sake, a swine flu outbreak could not have come at a better time and place than the one that hit the Air Force Academy in July.

With its seemingly perfect blend of brain power, military structure and access to federal resources, the AFA was able to quickly contain the outbreak as well as study it to provide new insight into H1N1. Findings from that study were published online Tuesday in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The study is not pivotal, but it provides some further proof and insight about the virus’ similarities to seasonal flu. Dr. Catherine Takacs Witkop, a co-author of the study and preventive medicine physician at the academy, said the results could help guide other colleges and organizations as they face issues such as whether to cancel social gatherings and how long to isolate students.

Among the study’s highlights:

• Researchers found that 19 percent of specimens obtained from students who had been symptom-free for at least 24 hours still had viable H1N1 virus. Whether that virus was capable of being spread was not analyzed, but this was the first published study to look at the virus after symptoms.• Tamiflu, an antiviral medication, did not lessen symptoms for cadets.• Students, on average, were sick for more than five days.

The study also reinforced the notion that people are contagious before symptoms appear.

The H1N1 outbreak started at a July 4 social event for cadet trainees, researchers said in the study. It peaked two days later. By the end, 11 percent of the cadet trainees had been infected. In all, there were 134 confirmed cases and 33 suspected ones.

Perhaps unlike any other academic institution, the AFA was uniquely positioned to deal with the outbreak. Freshmen arrive in the summer, before the rest of the cadets, so empty dorms were available to isolate the sick, Witkop said. Because of the health standards required for admission to the AFA, cadets are also healthy and at low risk for complications.

The AFA also had access to Air Force doctors and laboratories. Witkop said doctors from the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine Epidemiology Consult Service flew to Colorado Springs to help manage and study the outbreak. Brooks City Base Texas conducted detailed tests on samples taken from students.

—Call Newsome at 636-0198. Visit the Pikes Peak Health blog at www.pikespeakhealth.freedomblogging.com and the Gazette’s Health page at www.gazettedev.gazette.com/health.

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