Swine Flu! An influenza quite common among you and me. This "flu" has caused hell broke loose all over the place. I MEAN all over Malaysia and the world. It has become an epidemic and pandemic ailment, now! An outbreak! People are seen wearing masks to avoid getting infected. People who fell sick-having fever, running nose and sore throat are lining themselves up in clinics waiting to run tests for this contagious flu.
This year, on the 11th of July, the pandemic scare of H1N1 has developed into an alarming phase of Phase six. This was reported by World Health Organisation (WHO). More than seventy (70) countries are infected by swine flu and the virus is spreading like wildfire in multiple regions of the world. The swine flu was FIRST isolated in USA in 1930 from a pig. Then, in 1976, at Fort Dix, New Jersey, four soldiers were infected with pneumonia with other symptoms of swine flu after contracting the H1N1 virus. One of the four died as a result. In the close quarters of the group's basic training, the virus circulated for a month and disappeared.
After that, in 1988, a pregnant woman died of pneumonia like the soldiers at Fort Dix and a swine flu virus was discovered in her body. Four days before her fa
tality, she visited a country fair swine exhibition. The swines there are believed to have been infected by a influenza-like virus. A possibility of the existense of H1N1 virus among those swines!!!
Then, a boy, in La Gloria in southern Mexico was the first to have contracted swine flu in Mexico by the name of Edgar Hernandez. God have blessed his soul! Phew! A breakthrough!!
The influenza continued in Mexico, killing about 150 people. Swine flu, then spread to the Middle East, Australia, Israel, Spain, America, Singapore and Malaysia.
What is exactly "Swine Flu"? Swine flu, or better known as Type A Swine Influenza is a respiratory disease of hogs, only believed to infect pigs. The virus, type A H1N1 causes low death rates and high illness rates among swines. This virus are known to inhabit pigs throughout the year, but is very active during late fall or winter months of the year.
The swine flu does not comprise of only one type of virus. Among the virus subtypes isolated from hogs are H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1. The virus subtype H1N1 was isolated from a pig in 1930. But, H1N1 virus has been the common virus subtype isolated. Over the years, the swine flu virus has been changing and varying. The virus has been swapping genes with human and avian (bird) flu viruses. As a result, the swine flu virus is a mixture virus with human influenza virus and avian influenza virus, H5N1.
The symptoms of swine flu are fever, sore throat, nausea, vomitting, lethargy (excessive tiredness), diarrhoea, coughing and loss of appetite. Swine flu can also infect human beings besides hogs. The swine flu infections on humans have been very sporadic and irregular. In 1988, in Wisconsin, an outbreak of swine flu infections occured which resulted in numerous human infections. However, no community outbreak of the swine flu resulted. Still, antibody evidence of virus transmission from patients to health care workers was reported.
Consuming pork will not cause the consumer to be infected by swine flu. Pork meat must be handled and cooked carefully. The pork meat must be cooked to a temperature of 160 degree Fahrenheit for the swine flu virus not to survive.
The type A, H1N1 virus is very agile in its transmission. The virus can be spread from humans to pigs and pigs to humans again (vice versa). Human beings can easily infected by H1N1 when being in a close proximity with infected hogs at pig barns, pig livestocks fairs, and when working in a swine industry. Infected people of the virus can easily spread around this wild virus by letting out cough, catching cold or touching places with the virus on it.
Scientists in the USA (United States of America) have developed four different antiviral drugs. They are amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir. The federal agency in the Health and Human Services Department of Atlanta, Center for the Control of Diseases and Prevention (CDC) claimed recent swine flu viruses isolated are immune to amantadine and rimantadine in USA and Mexico. CDC Scientists are now recommending oseltamivir and zanamivir antiviral drugs.
A respiratory specimen must be send to the CDC for laboratory testing within 4 to 5 days of early sign of the infection. At this time, it is very critical for the person to shed the virus. Children may take a longer time to shred the virus, about 10 days or more.
To avoid being infected by swine flu, we must make sure we follow this simple checklist:
To avoid infection, follow the guidelines seriously and strictly as a life can be led without involving the H1N1 virus or viruses.
To cut a long story short, we must take care of our health all the times because health once GONE never returns. STay healthy anD BE HEALTHY.
This year, on the 11th of July, the pandemic scare of H1N1 has developed into an alarming phase of Phase six. This was reported by World Health Organisation (WHO). More than seventy (70) countries are infected by swine flu and the virus is spreading like wildfire in multiple regions of the world. The swine flu was FIRST isolated in USA in 1930 from a pig. Then, in 1976, at Fort Dix, New Jersey, four soldiers were infected with pneumonia with other symptoms of swine flu after contracting the H1N1 virus. One of the four died as a result. In the close quarters of the group's basic training, the virus circulated for a month and disappeared.
After that, in 1988, a pregnant woman died of pneumonia like the soldiers at Fort Dix and a swine flu virus was discovered in her body. Four days before her fa
tality, she visited a country fair swine exhibition. The swines there are believed to have been infected by a influenza-like virus. A possibility of the existense of H1N1 virus among those swines!!!Then, a boy, in La Gloria in southern Mexico was the first to have contracted swine flu in Mexico by the name of Edgar Hernandez. God have blessed his soul! Phew! A breakthrough!!
The influenza continued in Mexico, killing about 150 people. Swine flu, then spread to the Middle East, Australia, Israel, Spain, America, Singapore and Malaysia.
What is exactly "Swine Flu"? Swine flu, or better known as Type A Swine Influenza is a respiratory disease of hogs, only believed to infect pigs. The virus, type A H1N1 causes low death rates and high illness rates among swines. This virus are known to inhabit pigs throughout the year, but is very active during late fall or winter months of the year.
The swine flu does not comprise of only one type of virus. Among the virus subtypes isolated from hogs are H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1. The virus subtype H1N1 was isolated from a pig in 1930. But, H1N1 virus has been the common virus subtype isolated. Over the years, the swine flu virus has been changing and varying. The virus has been swapping genes with human and avian (bird) flu viruses. As a result, the swine flu virus is a mixture virus with human influenza virus and avian influenza virus, H5N1.
The symptoms of swine flu are fever, sore throat, nausea, vomitting, lethargy (excessive tiredness), diarrhoea, coughing and loss of appetite. Swine flu can also infect human beings besides hogs. The swine flu infections on humans have been very sporadic and irregular. In 1988, in Wisconsin, an outbreak of swine flu infections occured which resulted in numerous human infections. However, no community outbreak of the swine flu resulted. Still, antibody evidence of virus transmission from patients to health care workers was reported.
Consuming pork will not cause the consumer to be infected by swine flu. Pork meat must be handled and cooked carefully. The pork meat must be cooked to a temperature of 160 degree Fahrenheit for the swine flu virus not to survive.
The type A, H1N1 virus is very agile in its transmission. The virus can be spread from humans to pigs and pigs to humans again (vice versa). Human beings can easily infected by H1N1 when being in a close proximity with infected hogs at pig barns, pig livestocks fairs, and when working in a swine industry. Infected people of the virus can easily spread around this wild virus by letting out cough, catching cold or touching places with the virus on it.
Scientists in the USA (United States of America) have developed four different antiviral drugs. They are amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir. The federal agency in the Health and Human Services Department of Atlanta, Center for the Control of Diseases and Prevention (CDC) claimed recent swine flu viruses isolated are immune to amantadine and rimantadine in USA and Mexico. CDC Scientists are now recommending oseltamivir and zanamivir antiviral drugs.
A respiratory specimen must be send to the CDC for laboratory testing within 4 to 5 days of early sign of the infection. At this time, it is very critical for the person to shed the virus. Children may take a longer time to shred the virus, about 10 days or more.
To avoid being infected by swine flu, we must make sure we follow this simple checklist:
- When coughing or sneezing, a tissue must be held at the mouth and nose and the tissue thrown
- Hands must be washed with soap or alcohol-based hand cleaners and water when catching cold or coughing
- Eyes, nose and mouth are three places NEVER TOUCHED. It can be germ-polluted.
- Rest at home if you are sick. Avoid being stressful and anxious. (Advise from the CDC)
To avoid infection, follow the guidelines seriously and strictly as a life can be led without involving the H1N1 virus or viruses.
To cut a long story short, we must take care of our health all the times because health once GONE never returns. STay healthy anD BE HEALTHY.
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