1. What is swine flu?
Swine flu is a form of influenza that is caused by strains of virus that usually infects pigs. It’s a common infection among pigs in Midwestern US, Mexico, Canada, South America, Europe, Kenya, Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan and other parts of Asia. Transmission of the swine flu virus from pigs to humans is not common, though there have been some reported cases earlier among people who working close proximity with pigs. Since themed-twentieth century, only about fifty such transmissions have been reported, the spread and disappearance being more localized. But the current strain of the microbe is resilient and fast-moving, and what’s even more worrying is that it spreads from human-to-human contact, unlike the earlier reported cases. This means that none of us are immune to the possibility of infection. Reports indicate that the current strain is a new one of influenza A virus subtype H1N1. The origin of this strain is unknown. World Organization of animal health reports that this strain is not isolated in pigs, and other initial reports describe it as an apparent assortment of at least four strains from humans, birds and swine.

2. How do symptoms of swine flu differ from other types of flu?
The basic symptoms for swine flu are similar to the seasonal flu, which may include, fever, sore throat, cough, stuffy nose, chills, headache and body aches, and fatigue, and sometimes, vomiting and diarrhea.

3. How does it spread?
The virus is actually transmitted by airborne droplets from an infected person’s sneeze or cough; or from germs on hands.

4. Is there any vaccine for swine flu?
The vaccine is being developed and will not be available for the next several months. Medications are available not only to treat the infection but also to prevent the disease.

5. How can human infections with swine influenza be diagnosed?
To diagnose swine influenza infection, a respiratory specimen would need to be collected within the first 4 to 5 days of illness (when an infected person is most likely to be shedding virus). However, some persons, especially children, may shed virus for 7 days or longer.

6. What can I do to prevent infection?
• Avoid contact with people who are sick
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water
• Try to stay in good health and be physically active
• Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough
• Stay at home if you are ill.
• If you develop symptoms suggesting the flu, stay away from work or public transportation, call and see a doctor immediately

7 Is it safe to travel?
As of now there are no travel restrictions. Limiting travel would’ve little effect on stopping the virus from spreading, but would be highly disruptive to the global community. The focus now is on minimizing the impact of the virus.


Diagnosis
Since symptoms mimic those for common flu, for a layperson, it is hard to tell them apart. Medically, the virus is diagnosed by:
(1) Throat/ nasopharyngeal swab,
(2) Blood samples for the antibodies.

Treatment
If diagnosed early, swine flu is easy to treat, so there is no need for panic. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the WHO recommend the use of Tamiflu (oseltamivir) or Relenza (zanamivir) for treating swine flu. Besides antivirals, palliative care focused on controlling fevers and maintaining fluid balance goes a long way to ensure recovery. In fact, the majority of people infected with swine flu make a full recovery without requiring medical intervention or antiviral drugs.

Prevention
A new virus being developed is slated to be available only early-2010. Till then, adequate precautions against infection is absolutely essential in order to prevent a global pandemic. Prevention has three components:
(1) Prevention in swine,
(2) Prevention of transmission to humans,
(3) Prevention of it spreading among humans

• Anyone with flu-like symptoms such as sudden fever, cough or muscle aches should stay away from work or public transportation, and contact a doctor to be tested.