Swine Flu How Is It Caught? – Very Real Facts You Need To Know

You may recall that learning how is the swine flu transmitted is one certain system for preventing becoming contaminated by the virus.

No doubt about it, the swine flu pandemic is all you hear on the morning news and what you read in the newspapers. Regarding the swine flu symptoms being very contagious schools many schools have shut to try to stop the virus from spreading even more.

This makes sure that you are receiving a factual swine flu update on a regular basis – even daily – basis will help to decrease widespread panic and fear.

All in all, it’s best to be educated on what swine flu precautions to take in order to stay safe.

By the time you finish reading this article you’ll find out some important facts about swine flu and what you can do to protect yourself.

To start off with, your first question may be “What is swine flu anyway?” In short, it’s a respiratory virus that originally showed up in pigs. The strain that is affecting humans is a new strain of the virus dubbed novel H1N1 by the United States government.

Obviously, discovering how is swine flu transmitted means understanding that swine flu normally does not infect humans. Only those who were in constant, direct contact with infected pigs was at risk.

Now this particular strain of the virus is airborne and is passed on through person-to-person contact.

On another point it is now known that the swine flu incubation time can last as long as 7 days after you have been in close proximity to an infected person.

The meaning of swine flu seems to make people believe that the virus can be transmitted by eating pork products however this is not the case.

The CDC or Centers For Bug Control and Prevention is and always has recommend that you cook foods at a temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit in order to destroy not only the swine flu virus but other bacteria and viruses as well.

Since swine flu is transmitted through human contact, the World Health Organization (WHO) has let the cat out the bag about containment. It states that it is virtually impossible to contain the virus, so people around the world must focus every bit of effort on preventative procedures.

For instance, not covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze is a way to spread germs. So the CDC is telling everyone to cover their mouths with a tissue or cough or sneeze into their arms.

They are also promoting good sanitation by telling everyone to consistently wash their hands with warm soapy water for around 20 seconds to ensure they destroy all germs.

The CDC is also recommending you go the extra mile and continue with you a type of hand sanitizer to sanitize common areas such as door knobs, tables, and public restrooms.

Being clever and aware is the ticket to your good health, while we all live through this global crisis, we all know that prevention is better than cure. At the same time do not panic and blow it out of proportion we deal with flu strains every year.

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What is swine flu?

Swine flu is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease found in pigs. It is caused by one of the swine influenza A viruses. Swine flu results in high morbidity and low mortality of about 1-4%. Amongst the pigs themselves, the virus spreads through aerosols, direct and indirect contact, and through asymptomatic carrier pigs. Although the pigs are prone to regular infections, incidences increase in the fall and winter months in the temperate zones. Therefore, pigs are routinely vaccinated against swine influenza in many countries.

Swine influenza viruses though commonly belong to the H1N1 subtype, other subtypes like H1N2, H3N1, H3N2 are also known to be circulating in pigs. Pigs, on the other hand, are more susceptible to being infected with avian influenza viruses, human seasonal influenza viruses and swine influenza viruses, allowing the genes from the viruses to mix and result in an influenza virus containing genes from a number of sources; this is called a “reassortant” virus. Although swine influenza viruses are species specific, they can in extreme conditions make a crossover to cause disease in humans.

How is swine flu diagnosed?

When a person is under the weather, many symptoms may be present. However, symptoms of swine flu are very similar to normal cold and flu symptoms, and may include:

Headache Fever Cough Appetite loss Fatigue Sore throat Runny nose Chills Nausea Vomiting Diarrhea

Fatigue, appetite loss and diarrhea can be dangerous. If the symptoms are persistent, it becomes imperative that you see a doctor. In order to diagnose your illness, the doctor may order:

Chest x-rays Respiratory specimen Blood work

To diagnose swine influenza A infection, a respiratory specimen must be collected within the first 4 to 5 days of the onset of the illness as this is the time when the infected person is most likely to be shedding virus; however, children especially, may be shedding the virus for 7 days or longer. In order to identify the swine influenza A virus, the specimen must be sent to the CDC for laboratory testing. Only RT-PCR or viral culture has the potential to confirm infection with swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus. The test performance of rapid antigen tests and immunofluorescence tests for detection of swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus is unknown. Persons who are suspected of having swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus and who test positive for the same using one of these tests should then have confirmatory RT-PCR or viral culture testing to confirm the presence of swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus. A negative rapid antigen or immunofluorescence test cannot be used to rule out swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus infection. The results of this test from nasopharyngeal or nasal swab, along with other information, will in all probability help your doctor take better care of you. Knowing the test results will help prevent the spread of the virus to others.

The Swine Influenza Test Kit is a sensitive test to detect the swine flu virus; however, the FDA has not cleared or approved this test. But it has been agreed by the FDA has agreed that this test can be used under an Emergency Use Authorization.

How is swine flu different from bird flu?

The swine flu and the bird flu viruses do not have a twin-like similarity but are however quite similar. The virus that causes bird flu in humans first mutated from a virus that birds had so that it could then be passed on to humans; once established, it now passes from human to human contact. Same is the case with swine flu. It started among pigs as a virus but then soon mutated to spread to humans. Viruses have the ability to replicate rapidly; these viruses are able to mutate very quickly thereby creating new strains that then move on to multiply in other areas and susceptible hosts. Avian flu so far has found it difficult to infect humans unless they were exposed to birds intensely. This is because the virus has not mutated in a way that makes it transmissible by one human to another. However, the swine flu virus has genetic origins from both pigs and birds. The biggest difference here is that the swine flu virus has mutated to an extent where it can readily be transmitted on human to human contact.

What drugs are available to treat swine flu and bird flu?

Antiviral treatment is normally the first line of treatment for the confirmed, probable or suspected cases of swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus infection, prioritizing treatment of hospitalized patients and patients with high risk for complications. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) with actively works against influenza viruses, including the swine influenza virus. Antiviral drugs are generally used to treat swine flu or to prevent infection with swine flu viruses. These medications are prescribed by a health care professional.

As of today, four influenza antiviral drugs are approved for use in the United States. They are:

Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) Zanamivir (Relenza) Amantadine Rimantadine (Flumadine)

Laboratory testing conducted on the swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses so far has indicated that the viruses are susceptible (sensitive) to oseltamivir and zanamivir. Antiviral drugs can make the illness milder as well prevent serious influenza complications. However, these antiviral drugs work best when they are started within two days of the onset of the illness. Antiviral drugs can also be used as a preventive measure to protect a person who has been or may be near a person with swine flu. Antiviral drugs are about 70% to 90% effective in preventing the flu.

Antiviral doses recommended for treatment of swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in adults or children 1 year of age or older are the same as those recommended for seasonal influenza. Oseltamivir use in children less than 1 year of age was recently approved by the U.S. FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

Moreover, there are vaccines available that can be given to pigs to prevent swine influenza from spreading. Nonetheless, there is no vaccine to protect humans from swine flu yet. It is believed that the seasonal influenza vaccine will likely help provide partial protection against swine H3N2, but not swine H1N1 viruses.

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Product Description
“Down on the farm, the real story about the swine flu” When Hamilton Pigsley, resident of Dug’s Pig Farm, and Peter Dug, the owner’s son, each catch H1N1, they discover how this worldwide threat differs from seasonal flu, and what they need to do about it. The story incorporates scientific facts in a humorous way that children will understand and enjoy.”… More >>

Down on the Farm, The Real Story about the Swine Flu