Get Authorative Book
Categories
Pages
Meta
Swine Flu Tags
Antibodies Article Source Best Possible Chance Body Ache Breathing Problems Coughs Diseases And Conditions Elbow Face Masks Flu Flu Like Symptoms Flu Prevention Flu Season Flu Shots Flu Symptoms Flu Vaccination Flu Virus Germs Glaxo Smith Kline High Risk Immune System Immune Systems Immunity Influenza Influenza Virus Mutation Novartis Nutritious Diet Person To Person Pigs Relenza Risk Groups Runny Nose Sanitizer Sneeze Sneezes Soap And Water Sore Throat Swine Flu Swine Flu Pandemic Swine Flu Vaccine Swine Influenza Tamiflu Vomiting And Diarrhea World Health Organization
WP Cumulus Flash tag cloud by Roy Tanck requires Flash Player 9 or better.
Swine Flu: Myths And Misconceptions
27/11/09
The swine flu pandemic has given rise to all sorts of myths and misconceptions. On the one hand, many believe it is no different from a normal bout of flu, and merits little concern; on the other, some have worried that it will be as devastating as the influenza pandemics of 1918-19, which claimed almost as many lives as the world war which preceded it.
The reality lies somewhere between these two extremes. Swine flu is a genuine threat (it has claimed almost 8,000 lives worldwide), but it causes only mild problems in the majority of people it infects, and the risk of infection is limited provided you take proper precautions. This article aims to help you understand the origins and symptoms of swine flu, giving you all the information you need for complete peace of mind.
Where has it come from?
The current swine flu pandemic is not the first global outbreak of swine influenza – in fact there was a major outbreak as long ago as 1918, when pigs suffered almost as much as humans during the post-war health crisis. However the 2009 pandemic is a new strain, and is in fact a hybrid of five different flu viruses: North American avian influenza, human influenza, North American swine influenza and two swine influenza viruses typically found in Europe and Asia. The strain has both Eurasian and North American genes, suggesting it evolved through international travel and contact between sufferers of different viruses.
The outbreak is believed to have begun on factory farms in Veracruz, Mexico, although there is evidence that it first arose among Asian pigs before being transported to America in a human host. When the virus first came to prominence in March this year, the Mexicans tried desperately to keep a lid on it; however there was little they could do to counter the reality of daily global travel and constant cross-border migration, and the virus spread rapidly. In June, less than three months after the Mexicans noticed the virus, the World Health Organisaton declared swine flu a pandemic.
Thankfully, it now seems that swine flu virus activity may have peaked in the US and some European countries – however other countries are still reporting sharp increases, so we`re definitely not out of the woods.
What are the Symptoms
Even if you have the virus, there is a strong likelihood you will experience only mild symptoms; these include fever, sore throat, coughing, vomiting nausea or diarrhea. In the majority of cases, the virus will have passed within six days.
However, if you are currently pregnant, or suffer from asthma, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, pneumonia or neurodevelopmental conditions, your susceptibility increases sharply. Swine flu can cause severe health problems for people in these health brackets, so, if you do fall into one of these categories, it`s best to take proactive measures.
What do I do if I have it?
If you are showing mild symptoms, such as coughing, sore throat or diarrhea, there`s little you can do but shut your doors, close your windows and sit it out at home. It`s not as severe as the plagues of the seventeenth century, where the authorities barricaded the infected inside their homes and daubed red crosses on their doors; but you will have a better chance of stopping the spread of your symptoms if you stay away from crowded places such as gyms, shopping malls, bars, clubs and restaurants. And you`ve got an excuse to get out of school or work – every cloud has a silver lining!
If you are starting to feel more severe symptoms, or if you more vulnerable to the virus for the reasons given above, it is recommended that you seek out a course of anti-virals and antibiotics straight away; oseltamivir or zanamivir are highly recommended.
How do I stop it spreading to me?
There is no protection against seasonal flu by existing vaccines. A recent study made by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that children had no preexisting immunity to the new strain however adults had some degree of immunity, particularly those over 60.
However a number of vaccines are available for swine flu: these include Pandemrix, ACAM-FLU-A, Fluzone, Influvac, Live attenuated (FluMist) and Optaflu. Consult your doctor or pharmacist to source the best available solution.
You can have access to articles about health in portuguese language from page Health Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for Polomercantil Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/swine-flu-myths-and-misconceptions-1509890.html
David Ballard
About H1N1 Virus
Welcome back, keep updated with: h1n1 feed. Thanks again for visiting! Remember to WASH your hands.
- What Swine Flu and Recessions Have in Common OMG Swine Flu hysteria is like totally sweeping the nation! We should be glued to CenileNN and Faux News all day for the late breaking coverage of this potentially deadly epidemic that may kill us all! Actually, of course Swine Flu is no big deal. You're smarter than that.......
- More deaths from "new flu" Swine flu spreads; another American dies Electron micrograph of swine flu virus. Although present dangers from swine flu may be less severe than originally feared, victims continue to die from the disease as it spreads across the globe. The latest developments place new cases in Australia, China and Japan, while......
- Swine flu U.S. national emergency President Obama today declared the swine flu epidemic in this country a national emergency. Forty-six of the 50 states now have widespread flu contagion. "It's important to note that this is a proactive measure -- not a response to a new development," an administration official said. "H1N1 is moving rapidly,......
The truth is that some people *do* seem to be a lot less susceptible to swine flu. People over 50 years of age appear to fall into this category, and it is thought that the fact that an H1N1 swine flu strain was in circulation prior to 1957 (the year the Asian Flu pandemic dropped swine flu off the map) might have something to do with that. Older people may have antibodies to the older strain of swine flu, and this may be protecting them to some degree.
But for the rest of us there is no such protection. Moreover, if you have children, they seem to be at particular risk from the new swine flu strain. The average age of hospitalized swine flu sufferers is somewhere in the mid teens.
If you are a parent, the good news in all of this is that your children will receive first priority when the vaccine becomes available. They will likely have the option of receiving 2 doses of the swine flu shot, the second administered about 3 weeks after the first to raise sufficient antibodies to fight off an infection.
The not so good news? Vaccine companies have found that they can grow only about one third as much swine flu as they can seasonal flu using the technology at hand. This means that swine flu vaccine will be in short supply for 2009, so the only people who will be able to get their hands on it will be those for whom swine flu represents a higher risk of serious complications.
Unless you are diabetic, suffer from high blood pressure, a heart condition, asthma, or another type of respiratory problem, you may have to forgo protection from a swine flu shot until some time in 2010.
To find out more about this issue, I strongly recommend getting a copy of the definitive title on this subject: “Survive Pandemic Flu: Understand and Protect Against Novel Strains Of Influenza”. You can find out more about the book on this page:
http://393df5jc2h5c-wjfweaa3cvhvv.hop.clickbank.net/
Unless you feel convinced that you are immune to swine flu, this is one book you will want to have read by the time the virus appears at your front door.
Sincerely,
JanuszJanulis Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/are-you-immune-to-the-swine-flu-pandemic-1420342.html
© 2003-2009 World Marketing Media, Inc.
- Flu Shots I am a big fan of medicine, and instant gratification. If I have a stuffy nose I will use Afrin. If I have a bad cold and I can't sleep I will use Nyquil. If I have a headache than I will take an Advil....do you see the trend? My......
- 800,000 Doses of Vaccine Recalled - Your Government at Work ATLANTA: 800,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine were recalled today. Another example of fine government-supervised healthcare. First of all, H1N1 is a real catchy name for the flu. The government renamed the "swine" flu to H1N1 to protect the good name of pigs, presumably as a result of a lawsuit......
- What Swine Flu and Recessions Have in Common OMG Swine Flu hysteria is like totally sweeping the nation! We should be glued to CenileNN and Faux News all day for the late breaking coverage of this potentially deadly epidemic that may kill us all! Actually, of course Swine Flu is no big deal. You're smarter than that.......
Preventing Swine Flu – Protecting Your Family FromThis Deadly Disease
Before the year 2009, it was very uncommon for people to contract swine influenza. to get the disease, it was necessary to have some kind of contact with pigs. But, in March of the current year, all that changed. It looked like individuals infected with swine flu had no contact with pigs. The disease had undergone a serious mutation and was being transmitted person to person.
Normally, after you have had a specific type of the flu, your body retains the antibodies to kill it in the future. This gives you an immunity to the illness. But the present type of swine influenza pathogen underwent a significant mutation. This mutation appears to be a totally new type of influenza. As a consequence, nobody is immune to the illness. And that’s why government officials are quite worried regarding the possibility of a worldwide swine flu pandemic and are concerned about preventing swine flu.
During an ordinary influenza season, the influenza pathogen is transmitted thru breathing droplets. These tiny droplets enter the atmosphere when an infected individual coughs, sneezes, or breathes on you. The illness also spreads after you bit your eyes, nose, or mouth with the virus on your hands.That’s why preventing the disease is so very difficult.
In March and April 2009, lots of cases of the illness were reported in Mexico that were suspected or confirmed to be due to swine influenza. By April, over 100 deaths were attributed to the disease in Mexico and cases began to be reported within the U. S. The 1st cases came from the states of California and Texas. Since that time, reports of the illness are rapidly turning up throughout the contry.
Reports of suspected disease are also being reported in Canada, New Zealand, Spain, and many other parts of the world. Because many cases of the disease are not revealed, there are undoubtedly more infections than have been reported. And due to the fast spread of the disease, governments worldwide are concerned concerning preventing swine flu.
concerned concerning preventing swine flu and want to protect your family, download my guide on How To Reduce Your Risk Of Swine Flu Infection By ninety-eight%. Download the complete system at Preventing Swine Flu!
If you are worried about preventing swine flu and would like to ensure the security of your family, download my guide on How To Reduce Your Risk Of Swine Flu Infection By ninety-eight%. Download the complete system at Preventing Swine Flu!
- Why You Catch the Flu in the Winter and Other Related Info... Here's another piece of information to store in your head: It appears scientists have realized why influenza outbreaks occur primarily in the winter. Influenza viruses survive in the cold, dry air better than in a warmer, more humid environment. That's why the flu is uncommon during the summer or in......
- Swine flu continues unabated The past two days have seen a substantial increase in swine flu cases, with the state of Illinois announcing 555 cases on Tuesday. That count was 67 more than Monday's total---a 14% increase in one day. Meanwhile, Cuba, Finland and Thailand announced their first cases yesterday. According to the World......
- Swine flu may be on the wane If you've made it this far, chances are better you won't be getting the swine flu. The fall wave has peaked, experts seem to agree, and while there will surely be more cases to come, they are on the wane. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning......