Swine Flu – Facts
By Eric K Kampel
Swine influenza – Swine influenza or swine flu is a respiratory disease in pigs caused by the type A H1N1 swine influenza virus (SIV). Humans in close proximity to swine could contract swine influenza if the swine are carrying the rare strain of the SIV that is capable of affecting humans.
Symptoms – Swine flu symptoms in humans are generally similar to regular flu (influenza) symptoms and include muscle pain, runny nose, sore throat, cough, headache, lack of appetite, fever, chills, and general weakness and discomfort. Other reported symptoms are nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Transmission – H1N1 flu spreads from pigs to humans when humans are close to infected pigs. People working in barns or visiting livestock exhibits housing infected pigs are likely to get affected. Transmission from humans to humans can occur when the infected individual coughs or sneezes when others are close by. Putting one’s hands to the nose or mouth after touching anything with the flu viruses on it could also spread the infection. Consuming well-cooked pork and pork products won’t cause infection as cooking to an internal temperature of 160°F kills bacteria and viruses, including the swine flu virus.
Treatment and medication – While swine flu can generally be cured by the four antiviral drugs approved for curing flu in the US, amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir, the recent 2009 swine flu outbreak viruses have been found to be resistant to the first two drugs. Oseltamivir and zanamivir are now recommended for treatment and prevention of swine influenza.
Prevention – Swine flu can be prevented by taking certain precautionary measures, such as washing hands frequently with soap or an alcohol-based hand wash. Staying away from infected individuals is important as their coughing or sneezing could spread the infection. If instances of infection are reported in your locality, stay indoors as far as possible. Swine flue vaccine could be out by June 2009.
Reliable Paper offers an extensive line of disinfectants, spray and wipes that will help alleviate the spread of swine flu!
Related Articles on this Blog
Site Search Tags:
child,
child care,
child education,
child health,
child safety,
homeschool,
single parent,
Share and Enjoy:
August 06 2009 | Child Health and Travelling with Children | No Comments »
Mexicans arrive home to country emerging from flu – Sioux City Journal
6 May 2009 at 12:36pm
Women wearing masks to protect against the transmission of swine flu ride a bus in downtown Mexico City, Tuesday, May 5, 2009. Mexico’s Finance Secretary Agustin Carstens said the swine flu outbreak has cost the Mexican economy at least $2.2 billion …
6 New Cases Of Swine Flu Confirmed In NYC – CBS 2
6 May 2009 at 1:41pm
New York state Health Commissioner Richard Daines says New York City has six newly confirmed cases of swine flu, bringing the total there to 80. Statewide, New York has 97 confirmed cases of swine flu, with the majority traced to St. Francis …
NYC has 6 more cases of swine flu; total is 80 – Newsday
6 May 2009 at 1:34pm
of NYC outbreaks; INCORPORATES material in BC-NY–Swine Flu-NY Schools Reopen; CHANGES dateline. ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ New York state Health Commissioner Richard Daines says New York City has six newly confirmed cases of swine flu, bringing the total …
Mexicans return to country emerging from flu – MSNBC
6 May 2009 at 9:37am
May 5: With two Americans being held in China due to swine flu fears, the CDC considers changing its recommendations on when and if U.S. schools should close to deal with the outbreak. NBC?s Tom Costello reports. Dozens of Mexican nationals …
Hillsborough to reopen schools after CDC backs off need for drastic … – St…
6 May 2009 at 11:10am
Story Tools TAMPA ? In an abrupt turnaround, Hillsborough County school officials decided Tuesday night to reopen three schools shut down due to swine flu exposure, hours after the federal government said the virus was less threatening than …
Update: No school closures from new swine flu cases – WBIR
6 May 2009 at 1:34pm
The Tennessee Department of Health now has six probable cases of the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, listed for Knox County. The four additional probable cases since the second case was announced Tuesday are all connected to schools in which …
Mexican health officials say swine flu death toll rises to 42 – Orlando Sentinel
6 May 2009 at 7:21am
MEXICO CITY (AP) ? Mexican health officials say that testing of backlogged cases has increased the confirmed swine flu death toll from 31 to 42. That includes three new deaths in the past two days. Officials also have confirmed 1,070 other cases of …
School opens week after swine flu – WTHI
6 May 2009 at 12:29pm
CHICAGO (AP) – Classes are back in session at a school on Chicago’s North Side that was the first in Illinois to close because of swine flu. Kilmer Elementary reopened Wednesday morning. It was closed for a week after a 12-year-old student fell ill …
Mexico swine flu death toll rises to 42 – Times Union
6 May 2009 at 7:14am
MEXICO CITY — Mexican health officials say that testing of backlogged cases has increased the confirmed swine flu death toll from 31 to 42. That includes three new deaths in the past two days. Officials also have confirmed 1,070 other cases of …
Two cases of swine flu suspected in Champaign County – Daily Illini
6 May 2009 at 1:41pm
Two cases of suspected swine flu are under investigation in Champaign County, an official of Champaign-Urbana Public Health District confirmed today. Both people have been hospitalized in Urbana after testing positive for influenza A, said public …
Related Articles on this Blog
Site Search Tags:
child,
child care,
child education,
child health,
child safety,
homeschool,
single parent,
Share and Enjoy:
May 06 2009 | Child Health | No Comments »
China Launches Swine Flu Education Drive In Schools – Turkish Weekly
29 Apr 2009 at 9:49pm
China has launched a campaign to educate all schoolchildren in the symptoms and prevention of swine flu, the government said on Thursday, dpa reported. �� Schools nationwide should educate children about swine flu as soon as possible to raise …
Police seek airline passengers over swine flu fear – News.com.au
29 Apr 2009 at 9:56pm
QUEENSLAND police are seeking two people and thermal imaging scanners have been installed in key state airports as swine flu escalates towards being a pandemic. Police have been called in to help locate two of seven passengers who were on a Los …
State responds to flu – Worthington Daily Globe
29 Apr 2009 at 7:47pm
ST. PAUL ? Minnesota is prepared to respond to a swine flu outbreak, state health leaders say, but the first probable case was a ?wake-up call.? Public health leaders attempted to reassure Minnesotans Wednesday that a well-rehearsed pandemic …
Swine flu has parents second-guessing children’s symptoms – 22 WSBT
29 Apr 2009 at 3:58pm
Story Created: Apr 29, 2009 at 5:42 PM EDT Story Updated: Apr 29, 2009 at 6:40 PM EDT SOUTH BEND ? Children, especially those under 2, are at risk for swine flu. But across the nation, officials are not taking any chances with school-age children …
Queenslanders await swine flu results – ninemsn
29 Apr 2009 at 10:10pm
Twenty-one Queenslanders await results for swine flu tests, as police search for two passengers who shared a flight with New Zealand school children carrying the deadly virus. Five passengers from the Air New Zealand flight, which was later found to …
2 Probable Cases of Swine Flu in Alabama – NBC 15
29 Apr 2009 at 6:57pm
(MONTGOMERY, Ala.) April 29 – The Alabama Department of Health announced Wednesday evening that there are two probable cases of swine flu in the state. The probable cases were detected in two children in Madison, Alabama. Health officials have …
Little boy, far from home, 1st US swine flu death – Philippine Star Online
29 Apr 2009 at 9:27pm
HOUSTON ( AP ) ? He was not yet 2, far from home and dying. The first victim of swine flu in the US was a Mexican toddler who struggled to survive for weeks in Texas hospitals ? long before it was known doctors were dealing with an international …
Closing schools may not halt flu spread – Detroit News
29 Apr 2009 at 10:03pm
Washington — Closing schools won’t necessarily stop the spread of swine flu. What about the younger sister in a private day care center? And how to keep teens who are sent home from getting together at the mall or at each other’s houses? Only about …
Panic at school as girl of 12 becomes the latest swine flu victim – Daily Mail
29 Apr 2009 at 7:04pm
A girl of 12 has become the latest – and youngest – Briton to be diagnosed with deadly swine flu. Hundreds of her frightened school friends were hurriedly innoculated with anti-viral drugs yesterday after confirmation that she had tested positive …
Updated: Two Madison cases probably swine flu, Alabama officials say – Everyt…
29 Apr 2009 at 4:48pm
AP Alabama State Health Officer Don Williams said final confirmation of swine flu in the state will come from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Alabama health officials have identified two cases of probable swine flu from specimens taken …
Related Articles on this Blog
Site Search Tags:
child,
child care,
child education,
child health,
child safety,
homeschool,
single parent,
Share and Enjoy:
April 29 2009 | Child Health | No Comments »
Next »
