H1N1 (referred to as “swine flu” early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. The virus spreads from person to person in much the same way as seasonal influenza viruses.
Like people, pigs can get influenza (flu), but swine flu viruses aren't the same as human flu viruses. Swine flu doesn't often infect people, and the rare human cases that have occurred in the past have mainly affected people who had direct contact with pigs. But the current "swine flu" outbreak is different. It's caused by a new swine flu virus that has changed in ways that allow it to spread from person to person -- and it's happening among people who haven't had any contact with pigs. That makes it a human flu virus. In an effort to avoid confusion, the CDC is calling the virus "novel influenza A (H1N1) virus" to distinguish it both from flu viruses that infect mainly pigs and from the seasonal influenza A H1N1 viruses that have been in circulation for many years.
H1N1 swine flu, which was first observed in Mexico, has crossed borders and oceans, spreading to different countries and continents. The new virus was first detected in people in the U.S. in April 2009.
Swine flu is contagious, and health officials believe it spreads in the same way as the seasonal flu. When people who are infected with swine flu cough or sneeze, they release tiny droplets containing the virus into the air. Anyone who comes in contact with these droplets or touches a surface (such as a doorknob or sink) that an infected person has recently touched can catch H1N1 swine flu.
A person who has swine flu can be contagious from one day before they show symptoms to seven days after they get sick. Children can be contagious for as long as 10 days.
Despite the name of the virus, you can't catch swine flu from eating bacon, ham, or any other pork product. However, to avoid other illnesses, it is always important to cook pork until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Symptoms of swine influenza are the same as those of seasonal influenza, and can include:
* cough
* fever
* sore throat
* stuffy or runny nose
* body aches
* headache
* chills
* fatigue
* nausea and vomiting
Swine flu also can lead to more serious complications, including pneumonia and respiratory failure, and it can worsen the severity of chronic conditions like diabetes or asthma. Serious symptoms such as shortness of breath, severe vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, or confusion warrant an immediate call to your doctor or 911.
What is concerning about swine flu is that, unlike seasonal flu, which is typically most dangerous to the very young, elderly, and those with a weakened immune system, swine flu can also be life-threatening to young, healthy people.
Because the symptoms of swine flu closely mimic those of seasonal flu, only a lab test can determine for sure whether you have the 2009 H1N1 swine flu. To test for swine flu, your doctor will collect a sample from your nose or throat. Not everyone with suspected H1N1 swine flu needs to be tested to confirm diagnosis, according to the CDC. The CDC says priority for testing is for people who are hospitalized or have high risk for severe disease, such as:
- Children under 5 years old
- People aged 65 or older
- Children and adolescents (under age 18) who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and who might be at risk for experiencing Reye syndrome after influenza virus infection
- Pregnant women
- Adults and children who have chronic pulmonary, cardiovascular, hepatic, hematological, neurologic, neuromuscular, or metabolic disorders
- Adults and children who have immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by HIV)
- Residents of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities
The Latest Flurry of
Swine Flu Questions Answered
Q. What is the difference between
the H1N1 virus and the seasonal flu?
A. Not a lot. Victims will still suffer from fever, coughing, runny nose and headaches. However with the H1N1 virus there may be a difficulty in breathing, vomiting and diarrhea.
Q. How prevalent is the H1N1 virus?
A. To date there has been around 22 million documented cases with 4,000 resulting deaths. That averages out to around 18 deaths per 100,000. This mortality rate is not significant, compared to the number of deaths associated with the seasonal flu. Many of the deaths are those in the high-risk group who suffer from respiratory diseases such as asthma.
Q. Why does the Swine flu or H1N1
Virus affect the youth more than the older population?
A. The Swine flu isn’t new. It is a virus that has been circulating for the last 10 years with a virus strain that has been circulating in Europe for the last few decades. The older generation may have been exposed to different forms of this influenza virus before and have developed some level of immunity over the years. Younger children do not have their immune systems built up and are therefore more susceptible. Ma
Q. Why do schools seem to be the
hardest hit?
A. As mentioned earlier, younger children are more prone to the virus due to their deficient immune system. Schools bring together a large quantity of the high risk group together in 1 location. This is ideal for the spread of the virus.
Q. What is the best way to fight
the disease?
A. Hand washing is and remains the most effective way for the prevention of the infection. Hand sanitizers with a high alcohol content kill a great number of germs.