Swine Flu FAQs by Womens Health Doctor

What is “Swine flu”?

Swine flu is a viral infection basically found in pigs that is caused by swine influenza virus. It is very rare to get swine flu in humans except in some cases where people have direct contact with pigs. Currently, the nature of swine flu virus transmission has changed and it can be transmitted from humans to humans even if there is no prior contact with pigs. There are four main sub-types of the virus, but the most recent isolated influenza viruses from pigs have been H1N1 viruses.

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How does the swine flu spread?

In the present outbreak of swine flu, the virus is spread by air borne contact. Infection can be transmitted through cough, sneeze, or even by touching the objects that have been touched by an infected individual. Chances of infection are more if after touching these objects one touches the eyes, mouth, or nose.

Can you get swine flu by eating pork?

Swine flu cannot be spread by pork products, since the virus is not transmitted through food. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 70ºC and above kills the swine flu virus.

What are the symptoms of swine flu?

Since it is a viral infection, its symptoms are similar to Influenza. In humans, the symptoms include:

-Fever

-Cough

-Sore throat

-Runny nose

-Headache

-Fatigue

-General body aches

-Diarrhea and vomiting

-Neurological symptoms (Especially in children)

How to prevent swine flu?

There are several ways to prevent swine flu. Wash your hands with soap and water or alcohol based sanitizers after being out in the public. Also eat a healthy nutritious diet and drink plenty of fluids and keep your household articles clean with disinfectant or diluted chlorine bleach. Avoid close contact with people who might be infected. Wear a face mask (consider using an N95 respirator) if you must come into close contact with a sick person.

How to diagnose swine flu?

Diagnosis of swine flu is done by collecting respiratory specimens during the first 4 to 5 days of illness (10 days in children) and getting real-time RT-PCR and/or viral culture specifically for Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus. Hence, if one has any of the swine flu symptoms, a doctor’s consultation is necessary.

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What is the treatment of swine flu?

As it is a viral illness, hence, majority make a full recovery without requiring medical attention or antiviral drugs. However, the use of Tamiflu (oseltamivir) or Relenza (zanamivir) for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses has been found to be effective. In the recent outbreak, the virus has been found to be resistant to amantadine and rimantadine.

Is there a vaccine for swine flu?

There is no vaccine for swine flu as yet. But vaccines are being made in large quantities and clinical tests will begin in August 2009.

How to deal with a swine flu patient at home?

If any of your family members have fever with cough or sore throat, make sure to consult your doctor at the earliest. Suspected person should stay home for seven days after symptoms begin and should wear a face mask or N95 respirator. He/ She should throw the used tissues and other disposable items in the trash and immediately wash his hands afterwards. Alternatively, wipes or gels with alcohol in them can be used to clean hands. Linens, eating utensils and dishes belonging to suspected cases should be washed by using household laundry soap and tumbled dry. One should wash one’s hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub immediately after handling dirty laundry and other household items of suspected individuals. Children should be strictly prohibited from close contact and an infected breast feeding mother should express her breast milk, and the child should be fed by someone else. If the investigations come out positive, then the infected individual should be quarantined in an isolated ward in a hospital and treatment started to prevent complications.

What is the role of face masks in swine flu prevention?

The role of face masks and respirators as the first line of defense against the virus is still controversial. But these offer additional protection against the air borne illness.N-95 respirators are better than face masks or surgical masks but it is hard to breathe through them for extended periods and are inconvenient to wear for children and people with facial hair.

What is the prognosis of patients with swine flu?

Most of the patients of swine flu recover with no complications. Patients with depressed immune function or those who are seriously ill have worse prognosis compared to those who are immunocompetent.

How does swine flu kill?

Swine flu being an air borne infection infects the respiratory system chiefly lungs and causes lung infections. It can also cause secondary infection which can affect the vital organs of the body and lead to death.

What precautions should you take while travelling?

Apart from the general measures described above to prevent swine flu, if you become ill in any way while in the country, you should seek medical advice immediately.Also consult your health care provider and discuss the various risks associated with the disease if you are travelling to any country that has reported cases of flu among birds, swine, or humans.

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About the Author

Medical questions answered by qualified doctors on http://www.womenshealthdr.com

WomensHealthDr.com is a website designed to answer any questions that you may have about pregnancy. Our endeavor is to provide you the latest information on the subject, as well as specific advice tailored to your unique case. One of our experienced doctors will answer your questions.

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David Ballard
About H1N1 Virus

Welcome back, keep updated with: h1n1 feed. Thanks again for visiting! Remember to WASH your hands.

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Swine flu is believed to be originated in Mexico and is known as such as the majority of genes present in the virus are regular Swine flu genes, even though it also contains human and avian flu genes as well. The symptoms are identical to those of normal flu such as runny nose, fever, coughing and body aches. However, some victims experience vomiting and diarrhea as well, and disease gets spread similar to seasonal flu.

The popular myth earlier was that people eating pork or pork products contracted this virus, but this proved to be incorrect. The fear of being another verge of pandemic, swept the entire world, but was immediately proved that it did not occur even due to water contamination; and in reality it is an airborne respiratory disease.

Swine flu evolved as a critical ailment, now it has been identified, diagnosed and accordingly proper treatment is given. The disease is diagnosed clinically taking into consideration the people with whom the patient has association, and if they have this ailment or symptoms. This is done by taking a quick test called nasopharyngeal swab sample to see if that person is infected with influenza virus A or B.

The tests can also be negative indicating no flu infection or can give positive results indicating A or B virus. In case this test proves to be positive indicating B type influenza virus, it is safe as it is not Swine flu. A positive result indicating A type virus can result in that person having conventional flu or Swine flu. The accuracy of such tests is challenging, and owing to this, a comparative study is being done. Recently, CDC has reported that Swine flu can be detected in an hour; however, right now it is available only to the military.

Swine flu is diagnosed by taking a test in a specialized laboratory and the best treatment available now is prevention by vaccination. The effort and work by many laboratories has resulted in producing vaccines to prevent the disease and the first vaccine was a nasal spray vaccine released in October, 2009. This vaccine has been approved for all age group individuals from 2 to 49, except for pregnant women who are not recommended to inject this vaccine.

However, another injectable vaccine made using killed H1N1 became available from October second week, and is approved from 6 months child to elderly, besides including pregnant females. These vaccines have received approval by the CDC only after undergoing clinical trials in the aim of proving that these vaccines are safe as well as effective. However, this does not overrule the fact that caregivers need to be aware of the guidelines of injecting this vaccine.

There has been a report that two antiviral agents, Tamilflu (Oseltamivir) and Relenza (Zanamivir) help in reducing Swine flu affects and also prevent the A and B influenza symptoms. However, indiscriminate use of these drugs should be restricted, besides these drugs are not recommended for people suffering with flu symptoms for over 48 hours or more. Conversely, patients facing severe infections may need additional measures like ventilation assistance and treatment of infections such as pneumonia occurring in patients with flu infection. There are interim guidelines suggested by the CDC for pregnant females to the given treatment using two antiviral agents.

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It will most likely infect 30-40% of the U.S.
population, or about 100 million people, according to
flu expert Ira Longini, from the University of
Washington’s School of Public Health.

Initial supplies of the swine flu vaccine, which will
be available sometime between mid-September to late
October 2009, are expected to be very limited — barely
enough to inoculate the 160 million people who are at
high risk of becoming infected.  An even bigger concern
is whether the fast-tracked vaccine is safe and
effective — since it’s being rushed to market without
the appropriate testing and safety evaluations.

There is a growing suspicion in the general population
and among certain members of the medical community,
including Dr. Joseph Mercola, the publisher of a
popular self-titled natural health newsletter, that
being exposed to this new swine flu vaccine might prove
to be more dangerous than the swine flu itself.

A new book, “The One-Minute Cure: The Secret to
Healing Virtually All Diseases,” offers compelling
evidence that the swine flu virus can be rendered
powerless in the body when one self-administers a
natural oxygenating substance. Madison Cavanaugh, the
book’s author, states that public fear is incorrectly
placed on the swine influenza virus itself. “Microbes,
germs, harmful bacteria and viruses, such as the swine
influenza virus, do not cause disease in and of
themselves,” Cavanaugh states.

“They do seek their natural habitat — such as an
oxygen-deficient body — rather than being the CAUSE of
the disease. It’s no different from the way mosquitoes
seek out stagnant water, but do not cause the pool to
become stagnant.”

Cavanaugh’s assertion is consistent with the findings
of Dr. Rudolf Virchow (1821 – 1902), also called the
“Father of Pathology.”

It is also supported by Louis Pasteur, the notable
19th century French chemist and microbiologist best
known for his remarkable breakthroughs in the causes
and prevention of disease, who recanted his germ theory
of disease at his deathbed, stating, “The microbe is
nothing. The terrain is everything.”

The terrain of which Pasteur spoke refers to an
oxygenated environment in the human body, which makes
for a strong immune system. A weakened or suppressed
state of the immune system only occurs when the human
body lacks oxygen, thereby allowing viruses, such as
the swine influenza virus, to breed.

It therefore stands to reason that the swine flu
virus does not CAUSE disease, but rather seeks out an
environment where it can thrive best — and that is in
oxygen-deprived bodies.

“A sufficiently oxygenated body is uninhabitable by
disease,” Cavanaugh states, and viruses can neither
survive nor thrive in it. Therefore, the best defense
against microbes, germs, harmful bacteria and viruses,
such as the swine flu virus, is to keep the body
oxygenated.”

Cavanaugh’s book, “The One-Minute Cure,” discusses
the therapeutic use of the only natural substance which
stimulates the movement of oxygen atoms from the
bloodstream to the cells to a dramatically greater
degree than is usually reached by other means.

The natural remedy can be self-administered at home
in less than a minute, and costs only 1-1/2 cents a day
to use.

For more information, visit
http://januszek13.omc888.hop.clickbank.net

Wishing you the best of health,

JanuszJanulis
© 2003-2009 World Marketing Media, Inc.

JanuszJanulis
© 2003-2009 World Marketing Media, Inc.

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