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Swine Flu:
What You Need to Know
strains endemic in humans, birds 6. What can I do to prevent
and swine. This new strain was not reported in pigs previously, and is • Avoid contact with people who are sub typed as H1N1, though other subtypes exist. It is contagious, and spreads from human-to-human • Wash your hands frequently with 2. How do symptoms of swine flu
• Try to stay in good health and be differ from other types of flu?
physically active Not much. The basic symptoms for • Cover your mouth when you swine flu are similar to the seasonal flu, which may include, fever, sore • Stay at home if you are ill. throat, cough, stuffy nose, chills, Dr Lavanya Nutankalva,
headache and body aches, and • If you develop symptoms Consultant – Infectious Diseases, fatigue, and sometimes, vomiting suggesting the flu, stay away from Apollo Health City, Hyderabad and diarrhea.
work or public transportation, call and see a doctor immediately 1. What is swine flu?
3. How does it spread?
7. Is there confirmation of
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a The virus is actually transmitted by transmission between pigs and
respiratory disease of pigs caused by airborne droplets from an infected type A influenza virus that regularly person's sneeze or cough; or from causes outbreaks of influenza in germs on hands.
pigs. Swine influenza viruses may 4. Is there medication or a vaccine
8. Is it safe to eat pork and pork
circulate among swine throughout for swine flu?
the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter The vaccine is being developed Yes. The virus is killed by cooking months, similar to outbreaks of flu in and will not be available for the temperatures of 160 F/ 70C humans. The classical swine flu virus next several months. Medications 9. Are some people more at risk?
(an influenza type A H1N1 virus) are available not only to treat the was first isolated from a pig in 1930.
infection but also to prevent the More data is needed regarding this, disease. But these medications but in general, younger people, People usually do not get swine flu, need to be used under a physician's older people, people who are though there have been a few cases immunocompromised and pregnant reported in persons working in close women are more vulnerable.
proximity with pigs. Since the virus 5. How can human infections with
from the pigs has to mutate so it can swine influenza be diagnosed?
10. Is it safe to travel?
infect humans, and because people To diagnose swine influenza A As of now there are no travel do not usually contract the virus, infection, a respiratory specimen restrictions. Limiting travel would they have no immunity against it. would need to be collected within have little effect on stopping the So when they do contract it, it can the first 4 to 5 days of illness (when virus from spreading, but would become hazardous.
an infected person is most likely to be highly disruptive to the global The current 2009 swine flu outbreak be shedding virus). However, some community. The focus now is on is due to a new strain of the virus, persons, especially children, may minimizing the impact of the virus.
which is a reassortment of different shed virus for 7 days or longer.
TDr Lavanya Nutankalva he current swine flu alert among pigs in Midwestern US, Mexico, But the current strain of the microbe is sweeping across the globe Canada, South America, Europe, resilient and fast-moving, and what's has health organizations Kenya, Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan even more worrying is that it spreads doing their best to prevent and other parts of Asia.
from human-to-human contact, unlike a full-blown pandemic. the earlier reported cases. This means The challenge for them is to prevent Transmission of the swine flu virus that none of us are immune to the the virus from crossing borders and from pigs to humans is not common, possibility of infection.
infecting other populations.
though there have been some reported cases earlier among people who work Reports indicate that the current strain So what exactly is swine flu?
in close proximity with pigs. Since the is a new one of influenza A virus mid-twentieth century, only about fifty subtype H1N1. The origin of this strain Swine flu is a form of influenza that is such transmissions have been reported, is unknown. World Organization of caused by strains of virus that usually the spread and disappearance being animal health reports that this strain infects pigs. It's a common infection is not isolated in pigs, and other initial

Besides antivirals, palliative care focused on controlling fevers and maintaining fluid balance goes a long way to ensure recovery. In fact, the majority of people infected with swine flu make a full recovery without requiring medical intervention or antiviral reports describe it as an apparent re- Prevention of transmission to humans
assortment of at least four strains from humans, birds and swine. If diagnosed early, swine flu is easy • Farmers working with pigs and to treat, so there is no need for panic. veterinarians must use a face mask The US Center for Disease Control and when dealing with infected animals.
Prevention and the WHO recommend Since symptoms mimic those for the use of Tamiflu (oseltamivir) or • Wearing gloves when working with common flu, for a layperson, it is Relenza (zanamivir) for treating swine hard to tell them apart. Medically, flu. Besides antivirals, palliative care the virus is diagnosed by: (1) Throat/ Prevention of human to human
focused on controlling fevers and nasopharyngeal swab, and (2) blood maintaining fluid balance goes a samples for the antibodies.
long way to ensure recovery. In fact, • Frequent washing of hands with the majority of people infected with soap and water or with alcohol- swine flu make a full recovery without based hand sensitizers, especially requiring medical intervention or after being out in the public.
antiviral drugs.
• Anyone with flu-like symptoms such as sudden fever, cough or muscle aches should stay away from A new virus being developed is slated work or public transportation, and to be available only mid-2009. Till then, contact a doctor to be tested. B
adequate precautions against infection is absolutely essential in order to prevent a global pandemic. Prevention has three components: (1) Prevention in swine, (2) Prevention of transmission to humans, and (3) Prevention of it spreading among humans.
Prevention in swine
• Facility management Dr Lavanya Nutankalva
• Herd management Consultant – Infectious Diseases, Apollo Health City, Hyderabad

Source: https://www.apollohospitals.com/apollo_pdf/Swine_Flu.pdf