What is Swine Flu (Influenza A H1N1)?
If you are like many concerned
citizens in the U.S.-or around the world really-you’ve heard the
daily updates of the dangerous and fast-spreading swine flu to take
hold first in Mexico, and now in the U.S. While many of us have been
inundated by the latest news bulletins on the epidemic, we still are
unaware exactly what it is. So, what is it exactly? Here’s a quick
overview of exactly what swine flu is to better prepare you for
what’s ahead.
Swine flu or swine influenza is a flu
that typically spreads among swine or pigs, is common, and happens
most often in the late fall and winter months. This swine flu is
characterized by all the normal symptoms involved with a respiratory
disease and is caused by the Type A Influenza virus. Though this
swine flu can cause a swift and wide outbreak of illness in pigs, it
is more often than not, fatal. Swine flu in pigs has all the related
symptoms that one would expect of the normal flu, and this is also
true of its existence in humans.
 Which
brings us to the issue at hand: that swine flu has somehow spread
from just its main carriers, pigs, to humans; and is now being
called an epidemic of monumental proportions. But is it? And how was
it contracted to humans? Studies report that the first contraction
between swine and human happened in Mexico for this particular
outbreak of the swine flu, and has since spread from human to human.
Why is swine flu a concern?
The most common reason for concern
among scientists and physicians regarding the swine flu is the
nature of the disease. It will act as any strain of flu and change
itself according to whim. For example, once being carried in a
human, it can reorganize its genes with a swine and human virus
strain that is entirely new-so even if you get a vaccine-when
available-and take all the proper precautions, you can still fall
victim to it.
Recommended Reading:
What is Swine Flu
(Influenza A H1N1)?
Swine Flu
and WHO's Pandemic Scale
Do I Need Mask for
Swine Flu Protection?
Symptoms
of Swine Flu - Fever, Fatigue, Diarrhea and More
Swine Flu
Prevention Tips
How Does
Swine Flu Spread?
What to Do if You
Think You Have Swine Flu
Swine Respiratory Disease -
Swine Flu in Pigs
Swine Flu
in Humans
How Many
Swine Viruses Are There?
The 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic (new)
Swine Flu
Treatment - Tamiflu, Relenza Antiviral (new)
No Swine Flu from Eating Pork,
Safe to Eat
(new)
Cold vs Flu - Major Differences
Between Cold and Flu (new)
|
