Swine Flu Questions & Answers
What is swine flu?
Swine flu is a disease which affects the respiratory system, usually of pigs. It is caused by influenza type A. There are many variations of this virus which are constantly changing. In the past this disease was rarely contracted by human and previous occurrences were minor and short lived. This current strain is a combination of the pig, avian and human virus.
What are the symptoms of swine flu?
The symptoms of swine flu in humans are reported to be almost identical to the common flu these include symptoms such as sore throat, headaches, aching muscles and fatigue. In some cases some individuals have described instances of vomiting and diarrhoea. Warning signs in the very young include symptoms such as irritability, difficulty in breathing and bluish skin.
How do humans catch it?
Swine flu was initially transmitted by infected pigs, but now it can be passed on from human to human in an identical way to flu, via coughing and sneezing and by coming into contact with areas and objects that are contaminated with the virus and then touching the nose or mouth area.
What steps should I take if I think I have contracted it?
The Health Protection Agency advises that if you have recently arrived from Mexico or any of the countries where swine flu cases have been identified you should monitor your health for seven days. If you do acquire a feverish illness accompanied by any other of the symptoms highlighted above, you should stay at home and contact NHS Direct or your GP. Depending on your symptoms you may be advised that tests may be necessary. If this is the case you will need to stay away from other individuals until you receive your results and you should follow standard infection control practices.
How can I ensure I don’t become infected?
Try to avoid close contact with individuals who may have a cough, fever or seem sick. Practice good hygiene and basic infection control measures, such as using a tissue to blow your nose and throwing it away immediately. Covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, washing your hands regularly and cleaning commonly used surfaces such as door handles with good cleaning materials. The use of medical masks give some protection, the N-95 masks are the most functional as they are known to act as an effective barrier against minute infectious viruses.
Is there any treatment for it?
The human swine flu is sensitive to and can be treated with two anti-virals Tamiflu (Oseltamavir) and Relenza (Zanamivir), they block the ability for the virus to reproduce in the body. In order to be most effective it should be given within a two day period of exhibiting any of the symptoms.
How effective is flu jab against it?
The flu jab may help the symptoms present milder, but other than that it’s unlikely to have any more of an effect on swine flu.
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