Although the name ’swine flu’ brings up a lot of extra fear and worry, it is

important to note that swine flu is just an influenza A H1N1 virus. The big

difference is that the current swine influenza A (H1N1) virus has components

of pig and bird influenza viruses in it, so that humans don’t have any immunity

to it. That is what made it more likely that it would become a pandemic virus

(have the ability to cause a global outbreak) because it could easily spread

from person-to-person. The Swine flu has been compared to other similar types

of influenza virus in terms of mortality: “in the US it appears that for every

1000 people who get infected, about 40 people need admission to hospital

and about one person dies”.

Swine Flu Symptoms -

Symptoms of swine flu infections can include:

• fever, which is usually high, but unlike seasonal flu, is sometimes absent
• cough
• runny nose or stuffy nose
• sore throat
• body aches
• headache
• chills
• fatigue or tiredness, which can be extreme
• diarrhea and vomiting, sometimes, but more commonly

         seen than with seasonal flu

Signs of a more serious swine flu infection might include pneumonia

and respiratory failure.

Swine Flu High Risk Groups -

Swine flu high risk groups, people who are thought to be at risk for serious

life-threatening infections, are a little different and can include:

• pregnant women
• people with chronic medical problems, such as chronic lung disease

          like asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and immunosuppression

• children and adults with obesity

Precautions to keep swine flu at bay -

The deadly Swine Flu has reached the Indian shores following the global

outbreak and now, claimed one life. However, Swine Flu is certainly one

of those diseased where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Here are five tips for you to keep away from the pandemic.

1. Wash your hands frequently

Use the antibacterial soaps to cleanse your hands. Wash them often, for at least

15 seconds and rinse with running water.

2. Get enough sleep

Try to get 8 hours of good sleep every night to keep your immune system in

top flu-fighting shape.

3. Drink sufficient water

Drink 8 to10 glasses of water each day to flush toxins from your system and

maintain good moisture and mucous production in your sinuses.

4. Boost your immune system

Keeping your body strong, nourished, and ready to fight infection is important

in flu prevention. So stick with whole grains, colorful vegetables, and vitamin-rich fruits.

5. Keep informed

The government is taking necessary steps to prevent the pandemic and periodically

release guidelines to keep the pandemic away. Please make sure to keep up to date

on the information and act in a calm manner.

Treatment -

If a person becomes sick with swine flu, antiviral drugs can make the illness milder

and make the patient feel better quicker. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best

if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms). The U.S. CDC

recommends the use of Tamiflu (oseltamivir) or Relenza (zanamivir) for the

treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses;

however, the majority of people infected with the virus make a full recovery

without requiring medical attention or antiviral drugs.

Vaccination -

WHO does not expect the swine flu vaccine to be widely available until the

end of 2009, noting that current production “yield” was only about half as much

as expected and would cause timeline delays. There is also concern that countries

which produce vaccines, 70 percent of which are in Europe, may delay sending

swine flu vaccines to other countries as they may come under “tremendous pressure

to protect their own citizens first,” note some experts.

Many countries are planning full blown large scale vaccination camps by the end

of the year.