Swine
flu or swine influenza is a type of flu caused by the swine influenza
virus. It is a respiratory disease caused by the flu virus which
affects pigs and humans. It is also called as the pig influenza or pig
flu and is common among the pig populations around the world. Sometimes it
does occur in persons who has regular exposure to pigs when the
transmission of the virus occurs from pigs to humans. People who work
with pigs especially in pig farms have the more risk of
getting infection also called zoonotic infection. The transmission of the flu virus from pigs to humans is not common and will not always cause the human flu.
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There
are many different strains of swine flu viruses that are found which
includes influenza C virus, and the subtypes of influenza A virus such
as H1N1, H1N2, H2N1, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3. Due
to the limited host range and the lack of diversity in influenza C, it
will not cause any pandemics in humans. Swine flu is mostly caused by
influenza A virus subtypes such as H1N1, H1N2, H2N3, H3N1, and H3N2.
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The new H1N1 swine flu virus is different from the pig endemic form. This virus is a reassortment one, which is a mix of genes from swine, bird, and human flu viruses. When
pigs gets infected with more than one flu virus subtype simultaneously,
the genes of the viruses mingle with each other creating a new strain
of virus which has the genes from several sources. The disease jumped
from its origin in the pigs to humans. It
is a mutant variety, which transmits from human to human and not
usually from pigs to human. Humans who have not had any previous contact
with pigs gets infected with the virus.
Most people have no immunity against swine flu and normal seasonal
flu does not give protection against this new variety. The mutant
variety of the swine influenza virus is called 2009 H1N1 virus, novel
H1N1 virus, or quadruple assortant H1N1 virus transmits from human to
human.
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H1N1 Virus Pandemic
Flu pandemic appeared in 1918 associated with H1N1 influenza affecting the pigs and humans, as a result of zoonosis.
Since then flu outbreaks have occurred in 1976, 1988, 1998, in the
United States, 2007 in the Philippines, and 2009 in Northern Ireland.
Symptoms
The swine flu H1N1 symptoms are similar to the symptoms of influenza. It includes fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headaches, chills, and fatigue. There is also reported incidence of diarrhea and vomiting. Pandemic flu can cause neurologic symptoms in children, although these events are rare, wben they occur they can be severe and often fatal. Symptoms include seizures, change in mental status, confusion, cognitive and behavioral symptoms etc. The flu virus and the flu symptoms will remain for some days and then it subsides.
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Complications
Flu
when untreated can cause death of the patient. The death may be the
result of respiratory failure, pneumonia and sepsis, high fever leading
to neurological problems, dehydration from excessive vomiting
and diarrhea, electrolyte imbalance and kidney failure. Fatalities are
more likely seen in young children and the elderly.
Flu Signs of Medical Emergency in Children
Children having fast breathing or trouble breathing,
have bluish skin color, not drinking enough fluid, refusal to eat, not
waking up or interacting, have severe and persistent vomiting,
irritable, flue-like symptoms that come back after improving, fever with
a rash, fever that goes down and then shoots back up, seizure or sudden
mental or behavioral change etc.
Flu Signs of Medical Emergency in Adults
Breathing
difficulty, shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or
abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion, severe and persistent vomiting, flue-like symptoms that come back after improving, worsening fever, cough etc.
People Who Are at Risk of Getting Swine Flu
Certain
groups of people are of high risk for the disease. They include,
young children under age 2, pregnant woman, people suffering from
asthma, COPD, cardiovascular conditions, liver problems, kidney
problems, blood disorders, neurologic disorders, neuromuscular
disorders, metabolic disorders like diabetes, immune suppression,
residents of nursing home and chronic care facility, morbidly obese people, elderly
people over 65 years, etc. People in these groups should immediately
seek medical care and advice as soon as they get any flu symptoms.
Spread of The Disease
H1N1
flu spreads like regular flu. Flu virus is present in the airborne
droplets when an infected person coughs or sneeze. Contamination occurs
when an infected person touches or comes in direct contact with an
object. Spread of flu also occurs through the body secretions and
excretions of an infected person. Flu
infection is spread when breathing the contaminated air or touching any
object that has been previously contaminated with the flu virus. An
individual touching the contaminated object and then placing his hand to
the eyes, nose, or mouth will transmit the flu virus from one person to
another. The virus is not transmitted through food and so it does not
spread through pork or pork products. The swine flu is contagious
during the first 5 to 10 days of acquiring the disease.
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Diagnosis
Rapid flu test is used for detecting influenza. It is also known by the names Influenza antigen test; H1N1, Rapid influenza diagnostic test; RIDT etc. Real-time RT PCR is the method of choice for diagnosing H1N1. It allows for the specific diagnosis of H1N1 influenza.
Treatment
There are many antiviral drugs available for the treatment of swine flu. Antiviral drugs are effective when it is started earlier about 2 days after getting sick. These drugs make the illness milder and helps the patient to get better faster. It also prevents serious complications of flu. Supportive measures are taken to control fever, relieve pain, and maintain fluid balance. It
also involves treating any secondary infections that may occur
and other medical conditions that aggravates the flu symptoms. The most
commonly used drug to treat swine flu is oseltamivir (Tamiflu), or zanamivir (Relenza) for the treatment and/or prevention of infection.
Another antiviral drug called peramvir is an intravenous drug used in
hospitalized patients given only under emergency authorization. However majority of the patients does not need any special antiviral drug treatment and they fully recover from the disease without these.
Doctors should not just rely on rapid flu tests or other lab based tests and wait for the results of these tests. Early
treatment is essential in swine flu patients and antiviral drugs such
as Tamiflu or Relenza is given to patients who are at risk of
contracting the swine flu virus. Drugs works better when taken within 48
hours of the first symptoms. Those patients who have other bacterial
infections such as pneumococcal infections needs to be managed using
appropriate antibiotic drugs.
Prevention
Standard
infection control measures such as frequent hand washing with soap and
water or alcohol based sanitizers especially after being in the public,
coughing, sneezing.
Alcohol
based gel or foam hand sanitizers can destroy the viruses or bacteria
from virus infected surfaces such as hands and other objects.
Avoid physical contact
with the persons who are infected with the swine flu. Keep a 6 feet
distance between a person suspected to have the flu virus infection.
Avoid touching the objects infected with flu virus on it and then touching your own face, eyes, nose, mouth etc.
Commonly
used objects such as door handles, knobs, locks, keys, faucet handles,
etc. can be disinfected by using diluted chlorine bleach solution.
Wear
double protection face masks, breathing filters, or respirators to
prevent breathing of air infected with virus particles while working in
proximity with the patient.
Persons showing flu like symptoms, such as sudden fever, cough, or muscle
aches should stay away from their work or the use of public
transportation and immediately contact a doctor for advice and
treatment. They should wear a face mask if available or tolerable when
sharing spaces with other members of the family at home, outside the
home, or with children and infants.
Breast
feeding mothers suspected of having the flu infection should not feed
their baby with her breast milk, instead feed bottled milk or
other alternatives.
Social
distancing of staying away from other people who might be infected,
avoiding large crowds or gatherings, staying home, doing work from home,
lying low, seeking medical advice, taking preventive vaccines or drugs etc. are effective steps to check the infliction of the disease or its spread.
Flu Vaccination
Influenza vaccine or flu shot is a vaccine that is given annually to protect against the influenza virus. It is the most effective method for preventing influenza virus infection and its potentially severe complications. Each year new strain of the virus emerges and needs to be protected against and so the flu vaccine taken once is not sufficient for new flu infections. Vaccination is directly
related to a reduction in influenza related respiratory illness,
physician visits, hospitalization, or death among persons at high risk.
There is direct and indirect effects of vaccination, it reduces the number of influenza cases in children and adults and also it reduces the number of cases among parents and household members as vaccination of school children have a strong protective effect on the adults and elderly with whom they are in contact with.
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