Like humans, pigs can get the flu, but the swine flu virus is different. it is not the same as the human (human) flu virus. Swine flu often infects humans and few patients who have had swine flu in the past have had direct contact with pigs. The ongoing swine flu is different, it is caused by a new flu virus that is spreading from person to person – and between people who have never had contact with pigs.
The symptoms of swine flu are identical to the usual flu symptoms and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some patients report diarrhea and vomiting. These symptoms can be caused by many other diseases, which means that the patient and the doctor can not rely only on the symptoms, ie only on the clinical picture of the disease. Therefore, samples are taken for laboratory tests that confirm or deny swine flu or speak in favor of some other disease.
If I think I have swine flu, what should I do? When should you call the doctor?
If you have flu symptoms, stay at home, when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth or nose with a tissue that you later throw in the trash and then wash your hands. This will prevent further spread of the flu.
If you have flu symptoms and have recently been in a high-risk area such as Mexico, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) organization recommends that you contact your doctor.
Keep in mind that your doctor will not be able to immediately recognize swine flu, but he will send you for lab tests whose samples will be sent to the state Department of Public Health for testing to determine if it is swine flu. If your doctor finds swine flu he could write a prescription for Tamiflu or Relenza. These medications may not be necessary because patients can fully recover without them.
How does swine flu spread? Does it spread by air?
The new swine virus is spreading like the common flu. You can get germs directly from an infected person or by touching an infected object and then touching your eyes, mouth or nose to enter the germs. This is why it is necessary to wash your hands even when you are not sick. According to the CDC, infected people can start spreading flu germs the day before symptoms begin, and they can spread them for another seven days after symptoms of weakness appear.
How is swine flu treated?
The new swine flu virus is sensitive to the antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) recommends those drugs that prevent or treat swine flu; medications are most effective when taken within 48 hours of the onset of the first flu symptoms.
Do all patients with the pig group have to take the mentioned medications?
Not everyone needs medication. Many patients in the United States with laboratory-confirmed swine flu have recovered without treatment. Homeland Security saved 25% of Tamiflu and Relenza in case of an epidemic. Health centers advise people not to accumulate Tamiflu or Relenza in home pharmacies.
Is there a vaccine against the swine flu virus?
No, but the CDC and the World Health Organization have already taken the first steps in its production. It is a long process and takes months.
I got vaccinated against the flu this year, am I also protected from swine flu?
Not. This season, the vaccine was not made against the new swine flu virus; the virus appeared after the time of vaccination. If you were vaccinated against the flu last fall or winter such a vaccine will last a long time protecting you against a particular strain of the flu virus, but the new swine virus is quite different.
How can I prevent swine flu infection?
The CDC recommends the following steps:
· Wash your hands with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing, or use alcohol-based handkerchiefs.
· Avoid direct contact with sick people
· Avoid touching your mouth, nose or eyes
Can I still eat pork?
That. You cannot get swine flu if you eat pork, bacon or other food derived from pigs.
What should I do?
Carefully follow the information provided through the media. Public media and healthcare facilities will provide you with important information if swine flu occurs in your area.
For example, many parents think about what they will do if the school their children attend is temporarily closed due to the flu. It happened in New York City where the school was closed for a few days after swine flu was found in eight students. Don’t panic, but planning won’t hurt.
How often does swine flu occur?
Numerous cases of swine flu indicate diversity and breadth. Deaths have been reported in Mexico, as well as other miscellaneous cases. Early cases in the United States were mild, but that can change. The virus could change and become more or less dangerous. Scientists are trying to find out which way the flu is going – but health experts point out that the path of the flu virus is very difficult to predict. how and when it will change and how long the infection will last.
Why is swine flu more deadly in Mexico than in the United States?
It is unclear why cases in the United States are milder compared to those in Mexico. Among the first 20 reported cases in the United States, only one patient required hospitalization and all fully recovered. CDC (Centers for Disease Control) researchers are actively investigating the difference between cases in Mexico and those in the United States.
Have there been cases of swine flu in the past?
That. A case of swine flu was reported in Fort Dix, New Jersey, USA in 1976. years among military recruits. It lasted for several months and went away as mysteriously as it appeared. About 240 people were infected, one died.
The swine flu that then spread through Fort Dix was caused by the H1N1 strain. It was the same strain of flu that caused the terrible pandemic of 1918-1919, which killed about ten million people.
Concerns that a new H1N1 flu pandemic could return in the winter of 1976 led to the creation of a swine flu vaccine. The vaccine had many side effects. More than 40 million people were vaccinated but the effort was in vain.
There was no swine flu epidemic later.
I was vaccinated against swine flu in 1976, am I still protected?
Probably not. The new swine flu virus is different from the one from 1976, and it is not known whether the vaccine received more than 30 years ago is effective in this form as well.
How many people have swine flu?
This is a difficult question to answer because the number of sufferers changes very quickly. If you want to track the number of cases confirmed by laboratory tests in the US, see the CDC web site, If you follow cases worldwide, visit the World Health Organization web site. If there are a large number of sufferers, know that laboratory tests do not always have to confirm swine flu even though the sufferer does have it.
How serious is swine flu a threat to public health?
The United States government has declared a state of emergency over swine flu.
It remains to be seen how serious swine flu will be a threat to public health in the United States but also in the surrounding countries. Countries around the world are monitoring the situation and preparing for a possible pandemic.
The World Health Organization does not declare swine flu as a pandemic. The World Health Organization is currently studying the virus and is trying to see how serious it is and how deep its roots are.
For My doctor: Perica Ante dr.med. dermatovenerologist
