WHAT IS SWINE INFLUENZA (SWINE FLU)?


SWINE FLU also called: A H1N1 flu, Spanish Flu.


The swine influenza A (H1N1) virus that has infected humans in the U.S. and Mexico is a novel influenza. A virus that has not previously been identified in North America. This virus is resistant to the antiviral medications amantadine(Symmetrel) and rimantadine(Flumadine), but is sensitive to Tamiflu(Oseltamivir). Investigations of these cases suggest that on-going human-to-human swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is occurring.

SWINE FLU

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 spread from person to person -- and it's happening among people who haven't had any contact with pigs.

Swine influenza, or “swine flu”, is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease of pigs, caused by one of several swine influenza A viruses. Morbidity tends to be high and mortality low (1-4%). The virus is spread among pigs by aerosols, direct and indirect contact, and asymptomatic carrier pigs. Outbreaks in pigs occur year round, with an increased incidence in the fall and winter in temperate zones. Many countries routinely vaccinate swine populations against swine influenza. Swine influenza viruses are most commonly of the A H1N1 subtype, but other subtypes are also circulating in pigs (e.g., H1N2, H3N1, H3N2). Pigs can also be infected with avian influenza viruses and human seasonal influenza viruses as well as swine influenza viruses. The H3N2 swine virus was thought to have been originally introduced into pigs by humans. Sometimes pigs can be infected with more than one virus type at a time, which can allow the genes from these viruses to mix. This can result in an influenza virus containing genes from a number of sources, called a "reassortant" virus. Although swine influenza viruses are normally species specific and only infect pigs, they do sometimes cross the species barrier to cause disease in humans.


SYMPTOMS of SWINE FLU.

0 comments:

Leave a Reply