WHAT IS SWINE FLU?

Swine influenza (also called H1N1 flu, swine flu, hog flu, and pig flu) is an infection by any one of several types of swine influenza virus. Swine influenza virus (SIV) is any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs.[2] As of 2009, the known SIV strains include influenza C and the subtypes of influenza A known as H1N1, H1N2, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3.
Swine influenza virus is common throughout pig populations worldwide. Transmission of the virus from pigs to humans is not common and does not always lead to human influenza, often resulting only in the production of antibodies in the blood. If transmission does cause human influenza, it is called zoonotic swine flu. People with regular exposure to pigs are at increased risk of swine flu infection. The meat of an infected animal poses no risk of infection when properly cooked.
During the mid-20th century, identification of influenza subtypes became possible, allowing accurate diagnosis of transmission to humans. Since then, only 50 such transmissions have been confirmed. These strains of swine flu rarely pass from human to human. Symptoms of zoonotic swine flu in humans are similar to those of influenza and of influenza-like illness in general, namely chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort.
SOURCE:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swine_influenza#Classification

CLASSIFICATION OF INFLUENZA VIRUS

ClassificationOf the three genera of influenza viruses that cause human flu, two also cause influenza in pigs, with influenza A being common in pigs and influenza C being rare.[3] Influenza B has not been reported in pigs. Within influenza A and influenza C, the strains found in pigs and humans are largely distinct, although due to reassortment there have been transfers of genes among strains crossing swine, avian, and human species boundaries.
Influenza CInfluenza C viruses infect both humans and pigs, but do not infect birds.[4] Transmission between pigs and humans have occurred in the past.[5] For example, influenza C caused small outbreaks of a mild form of influenza amongst children in Japan[6] and California.[6] Due to its limited host range and the lack of genetic diversity in influenza C, this form of influenza does not cause pandemics in humans.[7]
Influenza ASwine influenza is known to be caused by influenza A subtypes H1N1,[8] H1N2,[8] H3N1,[9] H3N2,[8] and H2N3.[10] In pigs, three influenza A virus subtypes (H1N1, H3N2, and H1N2) are the most common strains worldwide.[11] In the United States, the H1N1 subtype was exclusively prevalent among swine populations before 1998; however, since late August 1998, H3N2 subtypes have been isolated from pigs. As of 2004, H3N2 virus isolates in US swine and turkey stocks were triple reassortants, containing genes from human (HA, NA, and PB1), swine (NS, NP, and M), and avian (PB2 and PA) lineages.[12]
SOURCE:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swine_influenza#Classification

HOW SWINE FLU VIRUS GETS TRANSMITTED?

SWINE FLU GETS TRANMITTED AMONG PIGS AND FROM PIG TO HUMANS AS FOLLOWS:

TRANSMISSION BETWEEN PIGS

Influenza is quite common in pigs, with about half of breeding pigs having been exposed to the virus in the US.[51] Antibodies to the virus are also common in pigs in other countries.[51]
The main route of transmission is through direct contact between infected and uninfected animals.[11] These close contacts are particularly common during animal transport. Intensive farming may also increase the risk of transmission, as the pigs are raised in very close proximity to each other.[52][53] The direct transfer of the virus probably occurs either by pigs touching noses, or through dried mucus. Airborne transmission through the aerosols produced by pigs coughing or sneezing are also an important means of infection.[11] The virus usually spreads quickly through a herd, infecting all the pigs within just a few days.[2] Transmission may also occur through wild animals, such as wild boar, which can spread the disease between farms.[54]
SOURCE:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swine_influenza#Classification

TRANSMISSION OFSWINE FLU TO HUMANS

People who work with poultry and swine, especially people with intense exposures, are at increased risk of zoonotic infection with influenza virus endemic in these animals, and constitute a population of human hosts in which zoonosis and reassortment can co-occur.[55] Vaccination of these workers against influenza and surveillance for new influenza strains among this population may therefore be an important public health measure.[56] Transmission of influenza from swine to humans who work with swine was documented in a small surveillance study performed in 2004 at the University of Iowa.[57] This study among others forms the basis of a recommendation that people whose jobs involve handling poultry and swine be the focus of increased public health surveillance.[55] Other professions at particular risk of infection are veterinarians and meat processing workers, although the risk of infection for both of these groups is lower than that of farm workers.[58]
SOURCE:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swine_influenza#Classification

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF SWINE FLU?

The symptoms of swine flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include

■fever,
■lethargy,
■Lack of Appetite,
■Cough,
■Running Nose,
■Sore Throat,
■Nausea,
■Headaches,
■Joint Pains,
■Body Aches,
■Vomiting and
■Diarrhea
SOURCE:http://indiafascinates.com/health/swine-flu-symptoms/

PREVENTIVE MEASURES TO BE TAKEN AGAINST SWINEFLU

These are Universal Precaution measures to be taken against swine flu2. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. YOU WILL HAVE TO CARRY SOAP AND WATER IN YOUR BAG AS THESE WILL NOT BE EASILY AVAILABLE IN PUBLIC PLACES, HOW FREQUENTLY IS NOT TIME SPECIFIC.
3. Avoid touching your nose, mouth and eyes. USE GLOVES ALWAYS AND IF YOU HAVE TO TOUCH THESE ORGANS OF YOURS PLEASE REMOVE THE GLOVES AND TOUCH THEM.
4. Cover your cough and sneezes with a tissue or cough into your upper sleeve. COUGHING INTO YOUR UPPER SLEEVE SOCIALLY UNHEALTHY IDEA AS SOMEBODY WHO IS STANDING CLOSE TO YOU COULD GET AFFECTED BY YOUR UPPER SLEEVE, BESIDES THE UPPER SLEEVE WILL NOT COVER YOUR MOUTH AND NOSE WHEN YOU SNEEZE.
5. Cover your Nose/Mouth if anyone around is coughing/sneezing. IT IS BETTER TO WEAR A VEIL LIKE THE MUSLIM WOMEN OR KEEP IT COVERED LIKE A BANDIT RATHER THAN RUSHING TO COVER YOUR NOSE/MOUTH SOMEBODY AROUND IS SNEEZING AND THIS COVERING UP BUSINESS WILL BE DIFFICULT IF YOU ARE TRAVELLING IN A LOCAL TRAIN OR YOU ARE CARRYING THINGS IN BOTH THE HANDS, THE VEIL OR BURQA COULD BE BETTER.
6. Avoid shaking hands and always wash your hands after physical contact with others. THIS IS PREPOSTEROUS, WASHING HANDS AFTER SHAKING, IT WOULD LOOK RUDE, BETTER JOIN BOTH PALMS OF YOUR HAND IN NAMASTE, IN SUCH TIMES THE BHARTIYA MODE OF GREETING IS A HEALTHY WAY OUT.
7. Keep frequently touched surfaces clean (telephone, desks, office equipments etc). AVOID GOING TO CYBERCAFES AS THE MOUSE, THE KEYBOARD COULD BE TOUCHED BY AN INFECTED PERSON.
8. Limit unnecessary visitors. PUT A BOARD OUTSIDE YOUR OFFICE, BEWARE OF SWINE FLU, KEEP SAFE DISTANCE OF 2 FEET FROM THE PERSON INSIDE (I.E. YOUR GOODSELF).
9. Maintain a healthy lifestyle; attention to rest, diet, exercise and relaxation helps maintain good physical and emotional heath. NOW THAT YOU WON'T BE GOING TO MALL, OR ANY PUBLIC PLACE YOU CAN DO ALL OR EITHER OF THESE AS MENTIONED IN POINT NO.9.
11.Avoid unnecessary travel to Swine Flu affected International / domestic destinations. DOE IT MEAN IF IT IS NECESSARY FOR YOU TO TRAVEL TO SWINE FLU AFFECTED AREA YOU WONT GET INFECTED, THIS IS RIDICULOUS, BETTER CHECK WITH THE MUNICIPALITY HOW TO IDENTIFY IF THE AREA IS SWINE FLU AFFECTED. SUPPOSE THE NEWS SAYS SO MANY PERSONS DIED OF SWINE FLU FROM XYZ AREA THEN CATCH THE FIRST TRAIN AND LEAVE THAT XYZ AREA AND GO TO THE VILLAGE, WHERE THERE ARE NO SWINES ROAMING IN THE VILLAGE.
12.If travel to Swine Flu High Risk areas required, use a Face Mask ( N-95 WHO approved for Swine Flu). IF THAT IS NOT AVAILABLE OR YOU DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO GET IT WEAR A VEIL / BURQA OR COVER YOUR FACE LIKE A BANDIT.

SOURCE:http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090806225027AAboSTc

SWINE FLU VACCINE

It is estimated that the swine flu vaccine won't be ready until sometime around September to November 2009. In addition to the time required to actually make a new vaccine, the likely need to make seasonal flu vaccine for next year may delay things a little.
Can the swine flu vaccine be combined with the seasonal flu vaccine? No, as vaccine companies will be done making seasonal flu vaccine before they can likely even get started on the swine flu vaccine.
Once the swine flu is ready, who will get it?
CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that swine flu vaccine should first go to:
• Pregnant women
• Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age
• Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel
• All children and young adults from 6 months through 24 years of age, and
• Persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza
That will take up about 159 million doses of swine flu vaccine. If supplies of swine flu vaccine are limited, priority should go to:
• Pregnant women
• Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age
• Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel
• Children 6 months through 4 years of age, and
• Children 5 through 18 years of age who have chronic medical conditions
Next, as swine flu vaccine improves to the point that all priority groups have gotten vaccinated, everyone from the ages of 25 through 64 years will get vaccinated too. Lastly, people 65 or older, who have the least risk from the swine flu will be offered the swine flu vaccine.
SOURCE:http://pediatrics.about.com/od/swineflu/a/409_vaccine.htm

DON'T WORRYABOUT SWINE FLU VACCINES ,SAYS W.H.O

There’s no need to worry on the safety or efficacy of the anti-swine flu vaccines being currently developed in different countries, said the World Health OrganizatioN.
Taking notice of the fears being expressed in different quarters on the safety or risks in using the vaccines, the WHO said the regulatory procedures in place for the licencing of pandemic vaccines, including procedures for expediting regulatory approval, are rigorous and do not compromise safety or quality.
Drug companies in several countries are in an advanced stage of developing a H1N1 influenza vaccine to check the swine flu pandemic which has swept across over 160 countries, affecting over 1.5 million (confirmed cases; actual number may be far higher) and killing nearly 1,000 persons. In India, too, over two dozen people have lost their lives due to swine flu in recent weeks, in different cities.
Some Indian drug companies are also engaged in developing a swine flu vaccine based on the seed strain of H1N1 influenza virus provided by the WHO. However, it may take a few months to develop and test the vaccines and get approval for their general use.
In a statement issued from Geneva, the WHO has said: “Influenza vaccines have been used for over 60 years and have an established record of safety in all age groups.”
At the same time, it has also cautioned that some adverse events may arise during a pandemic when the vaccine is administered on a massive scale.
SOURCE:http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/don%5Ct-worry-about-swine-flu-vaccines-says-who/367206/

WHO SEES SWINE FLU VACCINE FROM NEXT MONTH

The first vaccines to combat H1N1 swine flu should be approved and ready for use in some countries fromSeptember, the World Health Organisation said on Thursday. Marie-Paule Kieny, WHO director of the Initiative for Vaccine Research, also said vaccine production yields were improving, following a disappointing start that triggered some worries about supplies.
One of the virus strains used by vaccine makers now seems to be yielding the same amount as seasonal vaccine, while early indications were that pandemic H1N1 yields might be only 30 percent of normal. "I don't want to say too early that the question has been resolved but it really seems that we have found a way to go round this problem," Kieny told reporters. "We are on track in development
The current swine flu cases are caused by a virus.
Specifically, they are being caused by a swine influenza A (<strong>H1N1) virus, type of flu virus that combines human, pig, and bird flu genes.
It is this new combination of genes that could make the swine flu virus dangerous, since people don't have any immunity to it, and it could spread widely if it can easily spread from person to person.
Fortunately, there are treatments for the swine flu.
SOURCE:http://www.indianexpress.com/news/who-sees-swine-flu-vaccination-from-next-month/498931/

SWINE FLU TREATMENT IN ADULTS

As with the regular seasonal flu, antiviral flu medications, including Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir), are available to prevent and treat the swine flu.
What makes this confusing is that there were many reports this past flu season that the seasonal flu virus was resistant to Tamiflu. In fact, it was recommended that doctors go back to using older medicines like Symmetrel (amantadine) or Flumadine (rimantadine) with Tamiflu or Relenza instead, if someone had a seasonal influenza A (H1N1) virus infection.
In contrast, the swine influenza A (H1N1) virus seems to be resistant to older medications, but still sensitive to Tamiflu and Relenza.
As with seasonal flu, Tamiflu and Relenza should be started within 48 hours of your child developing swine flu symptoms. According to the CDC, these flu medications can even be started after 48 hours though, especially if a patient is hospitalized or is at high risk to develop complications from the flu.
SOURCE:http://pediatrics.about.com/od/swineflu/a/409_treatments.htm

SWINE FLU TREATMENT IN KIDS

Although Tamiflu is available as a syrup, it has never been approved for use in children under 12 months of age. Fortunately, the Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of Tamiflu for infants under an Emergency Use Authorization.
Dosing of Tamiflu for treatment of swine flu in infants includes:
• 12 mg twice daily for 5 days in infants under 3 months old
• 20 mg twice daily for 5 days in infants 3 to 5 months old
• 25 mg twice daily for 5 days in infants 6 to 11 months old
Dosing of Tamiflu for prevention (prophylaxis) of swine flu in infants includes:
• 20 mg once daily for 10 days in infants 3 to 5 months old
• 25 mg once daily for 10 days in infants 6 to 11 months old
It is not recommended that infants under 3 months old routinely take Tamiflu for prevention of swine flu.
Children over 12 months old would take routine dosages of Tamiflu, just like they would for seasonal flu, to prevent and treat swine flu.
Relenza is still only recommended for children who are at least 7 years old (treatment) and who are at least 5 years old (prevention).
SOURCE:http://pediatrics.about.com/od/swineflu/a/409_treatments.htm

FREQUENTLY ASKED DOUBTS REGARDING SWINEFLU?

What is swine flu?Swine influenza is a disease that pigs get. The virus currently spreading among people is now generally referred to as swine flu, although the origin of the disease is still under investigation. There is no evidence of this strain of the disease circulating in pigs in the UK.
There are regular outbreaks of swine flu in pigs worldwide. It does not normally infect humans, although this does sometimes happen, usually in people who have had close contact with pigs.
Swine flu viruses are usually of the H1N1 sub-type. The swine flu that has spread to humans is a version of this virus
Is the new swine flu virus contagious?The Health Protection Agency (HPA) says the new swine flu virus is highly contagious and is spreading from person to person.
Swine flu spreads in the same way as ordinary colds and flu. The virus is spread through the droplets that come out of the nose or mouth when someone coughs or sneezes.
If someone coughs or sneezes and does not cover it, those droplets can spread about one metre (3ft). If you are very close to them you might breathe these in.
If someone coughs or sneezes into their hand, those droplets and the virus within them are easily transferred to surfaces that the person touches, such as door handles, hand rails, phones and keyboards. If you touch these surfaces and touch your face, the virus can enter your system and you can become infected.
See Causes for more information
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How long does the virus live on surfaces?The flu virus can live on a hard surface for up to 24 hours, and a soft surface for around 20 minutes.
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What is the incubation period for swine flu?
According to the Health Protection Agency, the incubation period for swine flu (the time between infection and appearance of symptoms) can be up to seven days, but it is most likely to be between two and five days. But it is currently too early to be able to provide details on virus characteristics, including incubation period, with total certainty.
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When are people most infectious?
People are most infectious soon after they develop symptoms. They can continue to shed (spread) the virus (for example, in coughs and sneezes) for up to five days (seven days in children). People become less infectious as their symptoms subside, and once their symptoms are gone they are no longer considered infectious to others.
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Should I avoid contact with people suspected of having swine flu?
People with suspected swine flu will have been asked to stay at home and restrict their contact with people. Most people should continue their normal life, including going to school or work. This includes children who attend a school with a confirmed case of swine flu.
There is no need to avoid contact with people who might simply have come into contact with those with the illness, such as the parents of children at schools with a confirmed case but who are not themselves ill.
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How dangerous is it?It is difficult to judge this at the moment. There have been deaths, but for most infected people the symptoms have not been severe.
It appears that early doses of antiviral medicines such as Tamiflu are effective in helping people to recover. In the UK we have enough antivirals to treat half the population if they were to become ill. Also, orders of Tamiflu have been placed to increase UK supplies to 50 million doses, enough to treat 80% of the population.
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Will I die from swine flu?
For most people, the illness has been mild and self-limiting. The virus has caused severe illness in a minority of people, most of whom had an existing serious condition. NHS staff are well trained in treating people who are in hospital with swine flu. They can provide effective treatment for any secondary bacterial infections, such as pneumonia.
SOURCE:http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Pandemic-flu/Pages/QA.aspx#incubation