|
|
|
The swine flu outbreak has caused quite a scare around the world as the first cases were confirmed in Europe and new cases were reported in the U.S. and Canada. In Mexico, the most affected country, almost 150 deaths have been attributed to the disease, with about 2,000 others hospitalized.
The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert to level 4, meaning the swine flu virus has been determined to be capable of spreading from human to human.
But what exactly is swine flu? Here are the facts:
Swine flu or swine influenza is a respiratory illness endemic to pigs caused by the type A influenza virus. Different strains of the swine flu virus may circulate among pigs throughout the year, with most outbreaks being recorded during the late fall and winter months.
Like all types of the flu virus, swine flu viruses evolve constantly and through the years, different strains of the swine flu virus have emerged. Because pigs can be infected by the bird flu virus and the human influenza virus, new strains of the swine flu virus can be a mix of the swine, human and bird flu types.
Currently, there are four main influenza type A virus subtypes that have been isolated in pigs: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2 and H3N1. The current outbreak was caused by a new variation of an H1N1 virus.
When the swine flu virus spreads from human to human, the virus can continue to mutate, and because humans don’t have a natural immunity to it, it becomes harder to treat or fight off the swine flu.
Swine flu symptoms in humans are similar to the common human flu and include fever, coughing, runny nose, sore throat, chills, body ache, nausea, lethargy, lack of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea.
The good news is that you can’t get swine flu from eating pork or pork products; however, it is also very contagious like the common flu.
Here are simple ways to avoid the swine flu:
- Keep your hands clean. Rubbing your eyes or nose after coming in contact with someone infected with the swine flu virus is a sure-fire way of catching the disease yourself. Washing your hands regularly with warm water and soap, especially after sneezing or coughing, before and after preparing food, before and after eating, after a bathroom break, or whenever your hands get dirty, will help reduce your risk of getting sick from communicable diseases like the flu.
- Cover your nose with a tissue (not your hands or a hanky) when you cough or sneeze and immediately throw away the tissue after using it.
- Avoid touching your eyes and nose.
- Avoid close contact with sick people and stay away from crowded places, such as malls, the ball field and airports, especially if you have a weak immune system.
Remember these tips because a person infected with the swine flu virus will be able to pass it to others even before the symptoms develop, and up to more than a week after getting sick.
Currently, there is no available vaccine to protect humans from swine flu. But chances are you won’t need a flu shot if you start making the necessary lifestyle changes and boost your immune system. After all, prevention is still better than the cure.
|
|
|
