This story is from November 24, 2017

Swine flu: Causes, Signs, Symptoms & Prevention

Technically, swine flu is a disease which affects pigs. But, a particular type of influenza, which is H1N1, affects human beings.
Swine flu: Causes, Signs, Symptoms & Prevention
Swine flu, also referred to as the H1N1 flu is a common respiratory disease now. Technically, swine flu is a disease which affects pigs. But, a particular type of influenza, which is H1N1, affects human beings. It is a highly contagious disease that can spread through human contact. This means that even if a person comes in contact with the surface that an H1N1 infected person has touched, he or she will get the disease.
World Health Organisation has declared swine flu a global pandemic.
Swine flu popularised in 2009 in United States of America and has been growing ever since. The common symptoms of the disease are fever, cold and cough, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, watery eyes and sore throat.Swine flu is an infection which is commonly caused by a virus. Vaccines are now available to protect oneself from swine flu. There are also plenty of medicines available to treat this influenza. Since swine flu spreads usually in the flu season, it is important to protect yourself by limiting contact and getting the vaccine.
Swine flu commonly attacks people in the age group of 55 years onwards and kids under 5 years of age as immunity is weak in both these age groups. Other than this, swine flu can also affect those suffering from chronic illnesses such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Swine flu Causes
Swine flu is typically caused by a virus. It is also commonly known as the type A H1N1 influenza. H1N1 is the most common subtype which mostly gets spread amongst people. It causes an infection in the form of coughing, sneezing, direct contact. The H1N1 swine flu is different from the one which is found in humans.
Since the human body does not have an inbuilt immunity to the virus, they are most likely to fall ill if and when they come in contact with a person who already has swine flu. Person-to-person is the most common and the only way of getting swine flu. It is wrongly believed that we get swine flu from pigs or by eating infected pork meat.

This contact can be in the form of direct or indirect touch. The H1N1 virus typically spreads in the same as any other seasonal infection or influenza. The person can get infected with swine flu through eyes, nose and/or mouth when the infected person sneezes, coughs or even spits. Even sharing clothes with the infected person can transfer the virus to a healthy body.
The main source of transfer in swine flu is air which makes it highly contagious.
shutterstock_368971904 (2)

Swine flu Symptoms
Symptoms of swine flu are identical to that of a regular flu. Therefore, if you experience any of the following symptoms, get in touch with your doctor. According to WHO, the major difference between swine flu and regular flu is that swine flu is way more contagious and can affect more people rapidly. Since the H1N1 influenza is fairly new, our human bodies are still not immune enough to protect itself from this disease and hence lack the immunity against the virus. Some common symptoms of swine flu are:
1. Fever: Fever can go upto 100 degree Celsius. This is because human body is not designed to be immune to the virus that swine flu brings with it. If your fever prolongs for more than 72 hours, it is advised to get tested for swine flu once.
2. Headache: Another major symptom of swine flu is if you have been infected with swine flu, you may get severe headache which may not vanish even after taking a medicine.
3. Diarrhoea: This is one symptom which separates swine flu from regular flu. If you have high fever accompanied by diarrhoea, then chances are it maybe swine flu.
4.Cough & sneezing: The most common symptom of getting swine flu as it is highly contagious. If you experience coughing and sneezing right after coming in contact with an infected person, you may be having swine flu.
5. Fatigue and body aches: Fatigue and body aches are a common way of body’s immunity being challenged. This is because we start feeling weak and we feel drained. This is an important symptom as well because we often mistake this symptom for ‘feeling under the weather’and tend to ignore it.
6. Other than this, patients have also reported respiratory symptoms like shortness of breath with some leading to respiratory support such as being on a ventilator for breath.
Swine flu Prevention
Here are some tips to prevent swine flu:
1. Avoid crowded places as much as you can: As the flu season is on and swine flu spreads rapidly during this time, it is best to avoid crowded places as much as you can.
2. Wash your hands thoroughly: Make sure to wash your hands everytime you touch a surface that is a public property. Since swine flu spreads through direct or indirect contact, this is an important step.
3. If you see similar symptoms contact your doctor: If you identify the symptoms, immediately contact your doctor. Do not mistake these for a regular flu and let it prolong itself without being noticed.
4. If going in a public place, be guarded: Carry a hand sanitizer and mask at all times. This will help you protect yourself.
5. Be active: Exercise helps build immunity. Be active enough and exercise regularly to build a stronger immunity in the flu season.
6. Get vaccinated: Do not think that if you have gotten vaccinated once that you are safe. Be upto date with your routine medical checkups and vaccinations.
7.Stay hydrated: Drinking a minimum of 8-10 glasses of water everyday is essential. This is helpful as staying hydrated helps eliminate toxins and helps maintain immunity.
8. Avoiding alcohol and carbonated drinks: Substances such as alcohol and carbonated drinks can drastically affect your immunity system as they weaken your immunity cells. They will also decrease your resistance to infections.
End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA