swine flu

Swine Flu Symptoms:

Chicago-Bull · Apr 30, 2009 6:42 AM

northface · Apr 30, 2009 7:19 AM

Q: What is swine flu? A: Swine flu is the name being given to the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus, which is a mutated virus that has parts of swine, avian and human flus. It is also the name commonly given to the strain of more common influenza that usually infects pigs. It is caused by type A influenza viruses and there are many different types of swine flu. Q: How do humans catch it? A: While humans do not catch the more common forms of swine flu, this current strain of the H1N1 virus does infect humans because during mutation it was combined with parts of a human flu virus. The original change to the virus is thought to have happened inside a pig, which was then caught by someone in close contact with it in Mexico. But the World Health Organisation has now confirmed this strain of swine flu can spread from human to human, raising fears of a global pandemic. Doctors don't yet know how easily the virus spreads between people, but experts believe it spreads in the same way as seasonal flu - through coughing and sneezing. Q: What are the symptoms? A: The symptoms of swine influenza in people are similar to the symptoms of a regular human seasonal influenza infection and include fever, fatigue, lack of appetite, coughing and a sore throat. Some people with swine flu have also reported vomiting and diarrhoea. It may have more severe symptoms in some victims because the virus is so new that it is very unlikely that we will have natural immunity to it. Doctors have found some antiviral drugs to have helped control symptoms with the new form of swine flu, as they prevent the virus from spreading into cells within the body. How To Beat A Flu Pandemic <object width='497' height='280'><param name='movie' value='http://video.news.sky.com/sky-... name='allowFullSceen' value='true'></param><param name='allowScriptAccess' value='always'></param><embed src='http://video.news.sky.com/sky-... type='application/x-shockwave-flash' allowFullScreen='true' allowScriptAccess='always' width='497' height='280'></embed></object> Q: I'm experiencing flu-like symptoms. What should I do? A: If youâ€™ve recently been in the affected areas of Mexico and the USA, and are experiencing symptoms, stay at home and limit contact with other people. You should look at the NHS Direct symptom checker online, contact your GP by phone or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647. Q: Have humans been infected with swine flu in the past? A: Cases of swine flu in humans usually occur after a history of exposure to pigs. For example, direct or close contact with infected pigs. Cases of person-to-person transmission have been previously reported but are rare. There have been no cases identified in the UK for at least 10 years. A single case of swine flu was reported in November 2008 in Spain. The person only had mild symptoms. Q: Does current medication offer protection against swine flu? A: Relenza and Tamiflu are not cures. The drugs lessen the effects of the symptoms, and can mean the difference between life and death in marginal cases. Primary Care Trusts are supposed to have a two-week supply, from national stockpiles. Q: How dangerous is it? A: Thousands of people have been made ill by swine flu - with some cases proving fatal. Tests show that the antiviral drugs oseltamavir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) appear to be effective against the human swine influenza H1N1 strain. Q: Should we be worried about it? A: No - but we should take sensible precautions. The World Health Organisation has warned that the outbreak has "pandemic potential" and countries have been advised to step up surveillance and preparation in case the infection spreads rapidly. Flu viruses have the ability to change and mutate, making it difficult for drugs manufacturers to ensure effective vaccines are available. The new version of the H1N1 virus is a mix of different animal and human versions of the disease. Mixing can lead to the development of changed viruses to which humans have little immunity. Q: What is a pandemic? A: If the flu spreads over a wide geographic area and affects a large proportion of the population it goes beyond an epidemic and becomes a pandemic. According to the Health Protection Agency, an influenza pandemic is defined as a new or novel influenza virus that spreads easily between humans. When new influenza viruses are introduced into the environment, humans do not have any natural immunity to protect against them. Therefore, there is a risk that that new influenza viruses could develop into a pandemic, if the virus passes easily from human-to-human. Q: What is the doctors' definition of someone suffering from flu? A: You have flu is you have a fever over 38 degrees centigrade and two or more of the following: cough, headache, runny nose, vomiting/diarrhoea. Q: Do I need a mask to prevent getting an infection? A: Standard issue surgical masks offer little if any protection against the virus. The best advice is to keep your hands clean, wash surfaces regularly and dispose of tissues as they are used. NHS officials are being issued with special masks but these are only effective when used by trained personnel exposed to the virus - other precautions must be taken to prevent infection. Q: In an emergency, what are the authorities' legal rights? A: Authorities can force people to be medically examined, removed and detained. They can also: Forbid people from attending work or children from attending school; prosecute those who wilfully expose others to infection; and pass other emergency laws. Q: Does swine flu pose a more serious threat to pregnant women? A: All viruses are potentially dangerous to pregnant women as their immune systems are under extra strain - but they should be fine if they eat well and keep up essential minerals. Q: What is being done in the UK to prevent the infection? A: Seven people who were in contact with the two infected individuals in Scotland are being "appropriately cared for," after showing "mild" symptoms which have not been confirmed as swine flu. They are receiving drugs at home, not in hospital. The HPA has advised people to follow general infection control practices and good hygiene to reduce transmission of all viruses. This includes covering their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully, washing hands frequently with soap and water and cleaning surfaces which are regularly touched. Q: How long does the flu virus survive on surfaces? A: The flu virus survives for roughly 24 hours on hard surfaces, two hours on soft surfaces. Q: Where can I find more useful health information? A: There are many useful websites that provide extensive information about the outbreak and how to protect against it: Last edited: 30-Apr-09 07:34 AM Last edited: 30-Apr-09 07:37 AM

northface · Apr 30, 2009 7:29 AM

For those who prefer listening to reading, here is a video with an overview of the swine flu virus and precautions to be taken. Let's spend less than six minutes on it and save some Sajha donors' money which otherwise would be spent on sending another body to Nepal. Last edited: 30-Apr-09 07:39 AM

mR. hydE · Apr 30, 2009 7:38 AM

northface · Apr 30, 2009 7:46 AM

http://trancy.net/

northface · Apr 30, 2009 7:55 AM

Swine Flu? H1N1? What’s In a Name? Not surprisingly, pork companies aren’t so keen on the term “swine flu.” It’s true that you can’t get swine flu from eating cooked pork, and the disease is now passing from human to human. But the virus’s genetic signature does suggest that it originated in pigs. President Obama and other federal officials this morning referred to the disease as the “H1N1 flu virus” Here’s what that means. All flu viruses — human, bird, pig — have an “H” and an “N” in the name, each followed by a number (the avian flu strain that has been worrying people is H5N1, for example). The letters refer to two proteins (hemagglutinin and neuraminidase) on the surface of the virus. The numbers refer to slight variations in the form of each protein. The variations are important, because our immune system hones in on those proteins to attack the virus. As it turns out, human strains of H1N1 flu are also pretty common. In fact, the vaccine used for the flu season that’s just ending protected against a strain of human H1N1 virus. But unfortunately, because of differences between the human and swine versions of the flu, the human vaccine doesn’t appear to protect against swine H1N1. http://blogs.wsj.com/health/20...

northface · Apr 30, 2009 8:01 AM

erratic · Apr 30, 2009 8:45 AM

you may visit http://influenzainfo.blogspot.... see more about flu.

siwanischal · May 4, 2009 12:59 AM

swine flu

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