Swine influenza (also swine flu) refers to influenza caused by any virus of the family Orthomyxoviridae, that is endemic to pig (swine) populations. Pigs, also called hogs or swine. Strains endemic in swine are called swine influenza virus (SIV).
People who work with poultry and swine, especially people with intense exposures, are at risk of infection from these animals if the animals carry a strain that is also able to infect humans. SIV can mutate into a form that allows it to pass from human to human. The strain responsible for the 2009 swine flu outbreak is believed to have undergone this mutation.
What are swine flu symptoms?
Symptoms of swine flu are like regular flu symptoms and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. But a lab test is must to tell whether it's swine flu or some other condition.
If infected by swine flu?
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, and you've recently been to a high-risk area like Mexico, see your doctor. If you have flu symptoms but you haven't been in a high-risk area, you can still see a doctor -- that's your call.
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, and you've recently been to a high-risk area like Mexico, see your doctor. If you have flu symptoms but you haven't been in a high-risk area, you can still see a doctor -- that's your call.
How does swine flu spread? Is it airborne?
How is swine flu treated?
The new swine flu virus is sensitive to the antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza. These drugs are most effective when taken within 48 hours of the start of flu symptoms. But not everyone needs those drugs; many of the first people in the U.S. with lab-confirmed swine flu recovered without treatment.
Is there a vaccine against the new swine flu virus?
No. But the CDC and the World Health Organization are already taking the first steps toward making such a vaccine. That's a lengthy process -- it takes months.
I had a flu vaccine this season. Am I protected against swine flu?
No. This season's flu vaccine wasn't made with the new swine flu virus in mind; no one saw this virus coming ahead of time. If you were vaccinated against flu last fall or winter, that vaccination will go a long way toward protecting you against certain human flu virus strains. But the new swine flu virus is a whole other problem.
How can I prevent swine flu infection?
· Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Or use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
· Avoid close contact with sick people.
· Avoid touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.
Can I still eat pork?
What else should I be doing?
Keep informed of what's going on in your community. Your state and local health departments may have important information if swine flu develops in your area. Don't panic, but a little planning wouldn't hurt.
How severe is swine flu?
The severity of cases in the current swine flu outbreak has varied widely. In Mexico, there have been deaths and other severe cases. Early cases in the U.S. have been mild. But that could change. The virus itself could change, either becoming more or less dangerous. Scientists are watching closely to see which way the new swine flu virus is heading -- but health experts warn that flu viruses are notoriously hard to predict, as far as how and when they'll change.
Why has the swine flu infection been deadlier in Mexico than in the U.S.?
It is unclear why U.S. cases have been milder compared to those in Mexico. Among the first 20 reported cases in the U.S., only one patient required hospitalization and that person has fully recovered. CDC researchers are actively investigating to learn more about the differences between the cases in Mexico and those in the U.S.
How serious is the public health threat of a swine flu epidemic?
The U.S. government has declared swine flu to be a public health emergency. It remains to be seen how severe swine flu will be in the U.S. and elsewhere, but countries worldwide are monitoring the situation closely and preparing for the possibility of a pandemic. The World Health Organization has not declared swine flu to be a pandemic. The WHO wants to learn more about the virus first and see how severe it is and how deeply it takes root. But it takes more than a new virus spreading among humans to make a pandemic. The virus has to be able to spread efficiently from one person to another, and transmission has to be sustained over time. In addition, the virus has to spread geographically.
Swine Flu Vaccine Could Take 6 Months
A vaccine for the new swine flu in humans could take at least six months to manufacture and distribute widely, a British doctor said. The reason: Vaccines must be developed from the specific flu strain, tested for safety, sent to manufacturers for mass production, and then distributed around the world. By the time this is done, the first wave of a pandemic flu might already be over, said Iain Stephenson, a doctor in the Infectious Diseases Unit of the Leicester Royal Infirmary in England. Scientists do not know if the current swine flu outbreak originating in Mexico will become a pandemic. But health officials in the United States and around the world have already taken emergency steps to thwart the virus' spread out of concern it could go global in a deadlier fashion.
Universal vaccine?
Some scientists pin their hopes on a universal influenza vaccine that could protect against many or all possible future flu pandemics. So far, that has proven quite challenging, though. "A universal influenza vaccine has been talked about for years, but because influenza adapts and changes and there are different types, it's very hard to come up with components,". Another study announced this week suggests that the quest for a universal vaccine may be a step closer. Robert Belshe, director of the Saint Louis University Center for Vaccine Development, and colleagues tested a vaccine prototype called Bivalent Influenza Peptide Conjugate Vaccine (BIPCV) that treats some strains of influenza viruses A and B (swine flu is an A-type virus). The researchers found that this vaccine was well-tolerated and safe among most of the 377 adult human test subjects, and provided an immune response on par with levels that protect small animals infected with influenza from serious disease and death. "This is a significant first step in developing a universal vaccine to help protect against pandemic influenza," Belshe said. He presented his findings today at the National Foundation for Infectious Disease Conference for Vaccine Research in Baltimore.
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