H1N1 swine influenza, but more popularly known as the swine flu, I think it

would be nice to give people the 411 on the latest medical emergency that’s

got the world’s attention.

Swine influenza came from pigs, hence the name, and pigs usually have

regular outbreaks of this disease. The problem with it this time is that

this strain of influenza has managed to jump the species and went over to

us Homo sapiens and cased a bit of havoc.

Pigs don’t have to worry about it because most of them have built-in

resistances to the diseases, mostly because of the constant evolutionary

exposure to the disease. They like us when we receive the flu: a few

chills, sniffles and a bit of bed rest and we’re right as rain. Problem

with that is us humans don’t have this resistance to swine flu, mostly

because we’re not pigs. The pigs would be in the same boat if a human

strain had jumped into the porcine population.

The other problem with it is its virulence. The Center For Disease Control

have determined that this strain of swine flu is contagious and can be

passed to other people through the normal vectors: the virus can be

transmitted when someone touches something that is contaminated and the

puts it in his eyes, nose, or mout. It’s even airborne as microscopic

droplets can travel through the air when someone sneezes. The CDC, however,

is still a bit hazy on some other factors like incubation time and much

contact is too much contact.

Another problem is that the swine flu has the same symptoms as regular

human flu, just worse by an order of magnitude. High fever, cough, sore

throat, body aches, headaches, chills and fatigue can either mean you’ve

been hit by the ordinary human flu and should take the usual cures or maybe

you have the swine flu and need to go to the doctor immediately.

Personally, it would be better to take no chances and just go to the

doctor. Diarrhea and vomiting are the big warning signs though. Death by

flue isn’t direct though. It just compounds with other diseases like

pneumonia and makes it even worse. It can also kick any existing medical

conditions you have like asthma up a notch.

So, the question  on your mind now probably is: is there no hope or should

I just run to the hills to avoid human contact? Thankfully, you don’t have

to go that far. The CDC has recommended the use of several medicines to

treat yourself with and to prevent the spread of the disease. Oseltamivir

and zanamivir are viral inhibitors that make sure that the virus does not

reproduce. More common antiviral drugs that are bought over the counter can

also be effective. They make the symptoms milder and help your body heal

itself faster. They can also stop some of the higher level complications

that can happen when you are infected, if you take them early enough.

Of course, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. To avoid

getting infected, try to avoid close contact with sick people and wash your

hands on a regular basis, especially before you eat. If you have the

unfrotunate luck of getting sick, isolate yourself and check your symptoms.

Immediately consult with your doctor if your sickness persists more than

usual.

The swine flu is just the latest in a long line of diseases that have

endangered the human race. No matter how frightening it is, it’s still

pretty survivable. All you need to have is the right knowledge to win the

battle.

but are we aware of the signs and symptoms of swine flu? We already know

how to prevent but the signs and symptoms is still a puzzle in our mind. 

Well, through this article, I will give you insights if you are now a

victim of Swine Flu virus.

But before, we proceed let me introduce to you first about Swine Flu.  The

3-10% of the global population estimated to affect the yearly influenza

epidemics that can be a result in severe illness in 3–4 million patients

and causing 200,000–400,000 deaths worldwide.  Severe illness and deaths

occur mainly in the high-risk populations of infants, the elderly, pregnant

women and chronically ill patients in industrialized nations. 

In addition to these yearly epidemics, the influenza A virus has caused

three major global pandemics during the 20th century: there was the Spanish

flu in 1918, the Asian flu in 1957 and in 1968–69 was the Hong Kong flu.

These pandemics were caused by an Influenza A virus that had undergone

major genetic changes, due to which the population did not possess

significant immunity.

In pigs influenza infection produces lethargy, sneezing, fever, coughing,

difficulty breathing and decreased appetite.  In some cases especially the

pregnant women, the infection can cause abortion.  Although mortality is

usually low (around 1-3%), the virus can produce weight loss and poor

growth, causing economic loss to farmers.  Infected pigs can lose up to 10

pounds of body weight over a 2 to 3 week period.

Main symptoms of swine flu in humans can be a direct transmission of a

swine flu virus from pigs to humans is occasionally possible (called

zoonotic swine flu). Under phase one, an animal outbreak of flu symptoms in

your hog race backyard.

In phase two considered when the owner within the hog race backyard got

infected with a flu from their animal symptoms.

Phase 3 reviewed when a child within the hog race backyard got infected

together with his father, his mother and his siblings. The fourth phase,

there is a cause of community-level outbreaks of human-to-human

transmission of an animal or human-animal flu virus.  This phase will focus

to contain the spreading of the virus.

Countries will be informed asking to advice their people such as traveling

to containment areas.  All countries with infected with the swine flu must

also consider in deploying a pandemic vaccine.  (e.g. when the infected

family member went out from their backyard decided to talk to his friends

and unaware that he’s spreading the virus.)

Second to the last phase, when a man-infected virus either a family member

or any of his friends travel to another neighboring country.  You will know

if there your country is in a phase 5 dominant when there is an

announcement suspension of classes because of flu spread out. 

This final and a pandemic phase is just like when an unaware man-infected

virus travel to another continent unaware that he spread out the Swine Flu

virus to another races.  Now with the above mentioned signs and symptoms,

you are now ready to plan and prepare immediately of the possible attacks

of the Swine Flu virus.  Consult to different agencies that concerns with

the Swine Flu pandemics.