There are already drugs capable of combating the virus, says U.S. body.
The swine flu a respiratory disease of pigs caused by an influenza type A virus that causes regular episodes of influenza in pigs. Occasionally, the virus wins the barrier between species and affect humans. The classical swine influenza virus was isolated for the first time in a pig in 1930. Learn what we know of this disease.
How many swine influenza viruses are there?
Like all influenza viruses, pigs also change constantly. Pigs can be infected by viruses of avian and human influenza. When all contaminate the same pig, may be genetic mixing and new viruses that are a mixture of pig, human and poultry may appear. Currently, there are four main classes of swine influenza virus of type A are H1N1, H1N2, H3N2 and H3N1.
What is the virus that is causing the current crisis?
It is a new version of H1N1.
How humans catch avian swine?
Typically, these viruses do not infect humans. However, instead of another, mutations in the virus can they contaminate people. In most cases, occur when there is the contagion of direct human contact with pigs. But there have been cases where, after the initial transmission of the pig to man, from there the virus began to circulate from person to person. This was the case with a number of cases occurred in Wisconsin, USA, in 1988. In such cases, transmission occurs as traditional flu, the cough or sneeze of the infected people.
Consume pork can cause swine flu?
No. When cooking the pork at 70 degrees Celsius, the flu virus are completely destroyed, preventing any contamination.
What to do to avoid infection?
The CDC (Center for Disease Prevention and Control of the U.S.) made some recommendations to prevent disease.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Throw the tissue in the trash after use.
- Wash your hands with soap and water constantly, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based products to clean your hands are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Avoid close contact with sick people.
- If you are sick, stay at home and limit contact with others to prevent infectious them.
What are the symptoms of swine flu?
Symptoms are usually similar to the common flu and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and cough. Some people with swine influenza also had coryza, dry throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Swine flu kills?
It is too early to have precise statistics, but about one in 15 to 20 cases of the disease diagnosed so far resulted in death - rate considered high.
How is the diagnosis of swine flu?
To identify an infection by an influenza virus of type A, we analyze respiratory samples of patients during the first 4 or 5 days of illness - when an infected person is most likely to be spreading the virus. However, some people, especially children, may keep the virus present in ten days or more. The identification of the virus is then made in the laboratory test.
There are medicines available to treat infections of swine flu in humans?
The drugs zanamivir and oseltamivir (brand name Tamiflu) have shown efficacy in treating or assisting in the prevention of infection with swine influenza virus. To give initial impressions that these drugs reduce the aggressiveness of the infectious to the current version of H1N1 swine.
There are vaccines for swine flu?
Currently, only for pigs, which are constantly affected by this type of virus. But the authorities have already announced to be working in a human version of the vaccine. The routine vaccination of influenza in humans not made fighting the virus type H1N1 that come from pigs.
