Swine flu is in the news again with reports of fresh cases from various parts of the country. So, here’s a flashback session to brush up your memory about the scourge, so that your grey cells don’t fail you when it comes to identifying, or at least suspecting, this infection. For those with only short-term memory, Swine flu is caused by the H1N1 strain of the influenza virus, a new variant of the flu virus family that resembles the one that infects the respiratory tract of pigs causing cough and catarrh. The virus may have mutated to become easily transmissible among humans.
People working with pigs and are at a higher risk of contracting Swine Flu. In humans, the Swine Flu virus spreads in the same way that regular seasonal influenza spreads and is transmitted by droplets or aerosols that are coughed, sneezed or exhaled by people with the disease. It enters the body via the nose or the mouth. It can also be transmitted by direct contact with secretions from infected people or by touching contaminated objects and then touching the nose or mouth with the hand. There is no evidence that the virus is transmitted by food. Properly cooked pork and pork products are not a source of infection.
In humans, the symptoms are common to those of influenza, namely chills, runny nose, sore throat, musculoskeletal ache, severe headaches, coughing, weakness, and generalized discomfort, which usually appear after an incubation period of 24 to 48 hours. Diarrhea and vomiting have also been reported in some cases. Antiviral drugs are given to treat those who have become severely ill and are already weakened by malnutrition, chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes, or low immunity due to HIV/AIDS. Although a vaccine has been indigenously developed and launched, most chemists say that they do not have the vaccine in stock.
So, under these circumstances, it’s better to play it safe in the good old way. Maintain good oral and personal hygiene. Wash your hands before eating anything. Avoid direct contact with people who have typical flu-like symptoms, i.e., cough and cold with fever. Wear a face mask when dealing with infected humans and animals. Sleep adequately, eat nutritious food, and exercise regularly. Visit a doctor immediately if you suffer from symptoms such as sore throat, cough, fever, chills, body ache, vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. Avoid self-medication because this may increase the chances of developing resistance to a particular medicine, which if required in the future, will make the treatment process very difficult.
Related posts:
- Yet Another Flu Jinx – Swine Flu
- Swine Flu Advisory
- Swine flu and Alternative medicine
- Kudos to our Indian Scientists for developing the ready-to-sniff intra-nasal Swine flu vaccine
- Home Remedies for Herpes Simplex
Tags: Catarrh, Chills, cough, Diarrhea, Fever, h1n1, Influenza, Mask, Medicine, Nausea, Pigs, pork, Runny nose, Sore Throat, swine flu, vaccine, Vomiting, Weakness
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