| Swine Flu
What is Swine Influenza?
It is a respiratory disease caused by Type A influenza virus. It is a disease normally found in pigs. . The classical swine flu virus (an influenza type A H1N1 virus) was first isolated from a pig in 1930.The virus is constantly mutating. That's why we can't get full immunity to the flu. There are multiple strains of the flu virus and they change from year to year. However, even though the virus makes us sick, our immune systems can usually muster enough of a response so that the flu is rarely fatal for healthy people. . Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates in pigs. Swine influenza viruses may circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans.
How it is spread?
Being close proximity to infected pigs can spread the disease to humans. It can spread from human to human and pigs to humans and vice versa. Human to human spreading of the disease is mainly through coughing and sneezing of people infected with influenza virus . It can spread by touching something inflected with influenza virus and then touching your mouth or nose or other openings in your body. This is one reason I warn people to stay away from pork products. Even though this may damage the economy and send those involved in the pork industry to ruin.
What all strains of viruses are there?
Since these viruses constantly mutilates and spreads . influenza viruses from different species infect pigs, the viruses can swap genes and new viruses that are a mix of swine, human and/or avian influenza viruses can emerge. So different variances of viruses have emerged over the years. The H1N1 swine flu virus has already been identified as a new virus, with genes from human and avian flu as well as the swine variety. The virus subtypes that been isolated in pigs are H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1
Should we Humans worry about Swine Flu
Swine flu is common in swine and rare in humans. People who work with swine, especially people with intense exposures, are at risk of catching swine influenza if the swine carry a strain able to infect humans. However, these strains infrequently circulate between humans as SIV rarely mutates into a form able to pass easily from human to human. In humans, the symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of influenza and of influenza-like illness in general, namely chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort.
What are the symptoms ?
• Fever
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Body aches
• Headache
• Chills
• Fatigue
Some people have also reported diarrhea and vomiting.
The symptoms are similar to those experienced by people infected by other flu strains. In the past,
pneumonia and respiratory failure and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause chronic medical conditions to worsen. It takes a lab test to tell whether it's swine flu or some other condition.
If I think I have swine flu, what should I do? When should I see my doctor?
If you have flu symptoms, stay home, and when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. Afterward, throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands. That will help prevent your flu from spreading.
If you've got flu symptoms, it is advised that you see a doctor.
How to protect you from swine flu virus ?
• Keep your distance from and avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• If you are sick, stay at home and keep your distance from other people to prevent spreading the flu virus.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue and turn your head away from other people when you cough or sneeze.
• Wash your hands often to protect yourself from germs.
• Avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth.
• To keep your immune system healthy, get enough sleep, eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, exercise regularly, drink at least eight glasses of water a day and keep stress levels to the minimum.
• The use of antiviral drugs can also help to protect you against contracting the flu virus.
Can people catch swine flu from eating pork?
No , If you don’t cook pork to the required temperature may result in getting yourself infected . The best advise is to keep yourself away from pork dead or alive . The swine flu virus gets killed if you heat pork above an internal temperature of 160F . But as a measure of safety stay away from pork products until the flu scare is over.
How Swine flu is diagnosed?
At the moment only four labs in the world have facilities to check for swine flu viruses .To diagnose infection a respiratory specimen needs to be collected from the patient within four to five days of illness and has to be sent for laboratory testing.
What medications are available to treat swine flu infections in humans?
Tamiflu and Relenza are the two recommended medication for Swine flu. They are most effective when taken within 48 hours of showing symptoms. It is also worthwhile to note that infected cases in US are much less in severity compared to that seen in Mexico. Other antiviral drugs usually prescribed for influenza like amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir are found to be less effective.
Is there any vaccine for swine Flu ?
Vaccine is available to be given to prevent swine influenza in pigs .The H1N1 swine flu viruses found in pigs are antigenically very different from human H1N1 viruses and, therefore, vaccines for human seasonal flu would not provide protection from H1N1 swine flu viruses. The seasonal influenza vaccine will likely help provide partial protection against swine H3N2, but not swine H1N1 viruses.
How people already infected can help prevent swine flu spread
People with swine flu who are cared for at home should:
• check with their health care provider about any special care they might need if they are pregnant or have a health condition such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, or emphysema
• check with their health care provider about whether they should take antiviral medications
• stay home for 7 days after the start of illness and fever is gone
• get plenty of rest
• drink clear fluids (such as water, broth, sports drinks, electrolyte beverages for infants) to keep from being dehydrated
• cover coughs and sneezes. Clean hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub often and especially after using tissues and after coughing or sneezing into hands.
• avoid close contact with others – do not go to work or school while ill
• be watchful for emergency warning signs (see below) that might indicate you need to seek medical attention
What Centre for Disease control, USA advises
Antiviral medications can sometimes help lessen influenza symptoms, but require a prescription. Most people do not need these antiviral drugs to fully recover from the flu. However, persons at higher risk for severe flu complications, or those with severe flu illness who require hospitalization, might benefit from antiviral medications. Antiviral medications are available for persons 1 year of age and older. Ask your healthcare provider whether you need antiviral medication.
Influenza infections can lead to or occur with bacterial infections. Therefore, some people will also need to take antibiotics. More severe or prolonged illness or illness that seems to get better, but then gets worse again may be an indication that a person has a bacterial infection. Check with your healthcare provider if you have concerns.
Warning! Do not give aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) to children or teenagers who have the flu; this can cause a rare but serious illness called Reye’s syndrome. For more information about Reye’s syndrome, visit http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/reyes_syndrome/reyes_syndrome.htm
• Check ingredient labels on over-the-counter cold and flu medications to see if they contain aspirin.
• Teenagers with the flu can take medicines without aspirin, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®) and ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, Nuprin®), to relieve symptoms.
• Children younger than 2 years of age should not be given over-the-counter cold medications without first speaking with a healthcare provider.
• The safest care for flu symptoms in children younger than 2 years of age is using a cool-mist humidifier and a suction bulb to help clear away mucus.
• Fevers and aches can be treated with acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, Nuprin®) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). Examples of these kinds of medications include:
• Over-the-counter cold and flu medications used according to the package instructions may help lessen some symptoms such as cough and congestion. Importantly, these medications will not lessen how infectious a person is.
• Check the ingredients on the package label to see if the medication already contains acetaminophen or ibuprofen before taking additional doses of these medications—don’t double dose! Patients with kidney disease or stomach problems should check with their health care provider before taking any NSAIDS.
Check with your health care provider or pharmacist if you are taking other over-the-counter or prescription medications not related to the flu.For more information on products for treating flu symptoms, see the FDA website: http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2005/105_buy.html .
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