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Swine Influenza or
swine flu is a contagious respiratory disease of pigs, caused by a type A
influenza virus. Swine flu is commonly seen in North America, South America,
Asia, and Europe. Type A influenza viruses can affect a range of other animals
and humans. Pandemic influenza is defined as a new influenza
virus that spreads easily between humans and affects a wide geographic area.
However, just because a disease is classified as a pandemic, it does not
necessarily mean that it causes more severe disease.
Human cases of swine flu are
uncommon and usually involve people who have close contact with pigs. The
current outbreak began in March 2009 and involves a new strain of human swine
influenza identified as H1N1 Influenza. Genetic testing shows that this strain
is related to swine influenza virus strains but also contains genetic material
from human and avian influenza strains. Because this is a new strain, people and
animals will have minimal natural immunity, so the virus can spread
rapidly.
As of November
2009, confirmed human cases have been reported in 200 countries throughout the
world. Cases in animals are rare and limited evidence suggests that they are the
result of direct transmission from infected humans. On November 2, 2009, H1N1
infection was confirmed in a cat in Iowa, USA. To date confirmed cases have also
been reported in pigs, turkeys and ferrets, with no reports of cases in other
species.
H1N1 flu has the
same symptoms as regular human seasonal flu, with mild and short-lived illness
in most affected individuals. Flu symptoms are similar in humans and animals and
generally include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, sore throat, coughing,
sneezing, runny nose and congestion; occasionally, the patient may develop
vomiting and diarrhea. H1N1 rarely leads to death, and the majority of people
who have died from this disease had some other severe underlying problem.
Tragically, there have been a few children who were apparently healthy who have
died from H1N1 Influenza.
Like most
respiratory viruses, H1N1 is contagious and spreads via direct contact with an
infected patient or by touching objects that have been contaminated by
discharges from a sneezing or coughing patient. H1N1 influenza is not a food
safety concern since it proper cooking of pork products will kill any
viruses.
To minimize your
chance of infection, wash your hands frequently and practice good hygiene. If
you are ill, stay home to avoid spreading the virus, and sneeze or cough into a
disposable tissue which you immediately throw away. Evidence shows that the use
of surgical masks by the general public is not effective in preventing
transmission of influenza. If you develop severe flu-like symptoms you should
immediately contact your health care provider. Because humans can spread the
disease to other species of animals, people showing symptoms of influenza should
avoid visiting pig or poultry farms. If an animal is experiencing flu-like
symptoms or signs of an upper respiratory infection, you would be wise to seek
immediate veterinary care. To be safe, animals with flu symptoms should be
isolated from other animals or people.
The World Health Organization is
collaborating with the governments of countries with confirmed cases of H1N1
influenza and will continue to issue updates as new cases occur. For accurate
and up-to-date information, go to http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/ (Centers for Disease Control), http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca
(The Public Health Agency of Canada) or
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html (World Health Organization).
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