Swine Flu Influenza

SWINE INFLUENZA

What Is Swine Influenza:-

Swine Influenza also popular from several names like Swine flu, Hog flu and Pigs flu. Just like a human being Pigs can also get Influenza (Flu), but virus of pig’s influenza is very different from human’s flu virus. In past Swine Influenza doesn’t often infect humans and the very rare cases that have occurred with only those people’s who had direct contact with pigs. But the current “swine flu” outbreak is different. It’s caused by a new swine flu virus that has changed in ways that allow it to spread from person to person — and it’s happening among people who haven’t had any contact with pigs.

That makes it a human flu virus. To distinguish it both from flu viruses that infect mainly pigs and from the seasonal influenza A H1N1 viruses that have been in circulation for many years, the World Health Organization (W.H.O) calls it “pandemic (H1N1) 2009″ and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls the virus “novel influenza A (H1N1) virus”. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) calls swine flu illness “H1N1 flu” and the W.H.O (World Health Organization) calls it “pandemic influenza A (H1N1).”

History:-

Swine Influenza was proposed as a disease related to Human Influenza during the 1918 flu pandemic, when the pigs became sick as the same time as human. In the year 1930 Influenza virus was identified in the Pigs. On 5th Feb, 1976 in the army of USA Fort Dix complaining that he felt weak and tired. Very next day he was die and 4 of his fellow soldiers were hospitalized. After 2 weeks of his death the Health Department officially announced that it was because of new strain of Swine Flu. And this strain was tha variant of H1N1. It was detected only from jan. 19- feb. 9 and did not spread beyond Fort Dix. This new strain appeared to be closely related to the strain involved in 1918 flu pendemic. In 1998 swine flu was found in pigs in 4 U.S states. With in a year it can spread through pigs population across the United States. Scientists found that this virus had originated in pigs as a recombinant form of flu strains from birds and humans. This outbreak confirmed that pigs can serve as a crucible where novel influenza viruses emerge as a result of the reassortment of genes from different strains.
20th Aug, 2007 the Agriculture department officers of Phillipine investigated the outbreak of Swine flu in Nueva Eciga and Central Luzon. On 27th jul, 2007 the Philippine National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) declare Hog Cholera red alert warning over Metro Manila and 5 regions of Luzon after the disease spread to backyard pig farms in Bulacan and Pampanga, even if these tested negative for the swine flu virus.

Causes of Swine Influenza:-

Swine flu is a type of virus. It’s named for a virus that infects mainly pigs. It normally does not infect

people, but human infections can and do happen. The virus is contagious and can spread from human to human. The current swine influenza A (H1N1) virus has components of pig and bird influenza viruses in it, so the humans don’t have any immunity to it. That makes it more likely to become a pandemic virus (have the ability to cause a global outbreak) if it can easily spread from person-to-person. There are antiviral medicines you can take to prevent or treat swine flu. This particular virus is resistant to the antiviral medications Amantadine (Symmetrel) and Rimantadine (Flumadine), but is sensitive to Oseltamivir (Tami-flu) and Zanamivir (Relenza). There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu.

Symptoms of Swine Influenza:-

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), like seasonal flu, symptoms of swine flu infections can include:-
• Fever, which is usually high, but unlike seasonal flu, is sometimes absent
• Cough
• Fatigue or tiredness, which can be extreme
• Runny Nose Or Stuffy Nose
• Body Aches
• Headache
• Sore Throat

• Chills
• Diarrhea and vomiting, sometimes, but more commonly seen than with seasonal flu.
Some Serious Symptoms of Swine Influenza:-More serious symptoms that would indicate that a infected person of swine flu would need urgent medical attention include:
• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Bluish or gray skin color
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Not waking up or not interacting

How to Avoid Swine Flu:-

• Covering nose and mouth with a tissue upon coughing and sneezing followed by proper disposal of the tissue.
• Staying home form work and/or school upon onset and for the duration of symptoms.

• Providing tissues in common areas of homes, common and public areas.
• Avoiding the urge to touch nose, mouth and eyes in general.
• Avoiding contact with ill persons.
• Maintenance of a 3 to 6 foot perimeter around a coughing patient.
• Encouraging pursuit of medical evaluation at earliest onset of symptoms.
• Use of masks to those who are exhibiting symptoms or who are ill.
• Assuring adequate and thorough hand washing and use of alcohol based hand cleansers (in the absence of proper hand washing facilities).

Treatment of Swine Influenza:-

The treatment for Swine flu involves the use of antiviral medications, such as Tami-flu, as soon as the symptoms are detected. Tami-flu can help slow the spread of flu virus if taken within 48 hrs of exposure. If you have flu-like symptoms and live in an area in which swine has been found, you need to contact your doctor immediately. Try to act fast and don’t wait till the symptoms become chronic. As of now, although vaccines are available to prevent swine flu in pigs, the human vaccine is still awaited.

Help line number’s for Swine Influenza in India are:-

All India toll free H1N1 helpline: 1075 or 1800-11-4377

Delhi: Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital: 011-24525211, 23404328, 23365525

Chennai: Communicable Diseases Hospital – 044-25912686.

Deen Dayal Hospital: 011-2512 5259

Coimbatore Medical College Hospital - 09442012555

Kolkata: Infectious Diseases Hospital: 09433392182/ 09434009077

Bangalore: Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases – 91-80-26632634

Hyderabad: AP Chest Diseases Hospital: 040-23814939

Mumbai: Kasturba Hospital: 022-23083901, 23083902, 23083903, 23083904

Pune: Dr Naidu Infectious Disease Hospital – 09923130909

Lakeside Hospital - 80-5360823

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