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- H1N1 Influenza (Nursing) - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568734/)
- H1N1 flu (swine flu) - (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/swine-flu/symptoms-causes/syc-20378103)
- H1N1 Flu and Seasonal Flu: Differences and Similarities - (https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/7227/)
- Yes, humans can get their pets sick: reverse zoonoses more common than once thought - (https://epi.ufl.edu/2024/01/11/yes-humans-can-get-their-pets-sick-reverse-zoonoses-more-common-than-once-thought/)
- Survival of influenza viruses on environmental surfaces - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6282993/)
- H1N1 Influenza - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513241/)
- Questions and answers on the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - (https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/seasonal-influenza/2009-influenza-h1n1-faq)
- Obesity Impairs the Adaptive Immune Response to Influenza Virus - (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5711276/)
- Swine flu (H1N1) - (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23928-swine-flu-h1n1)
Know your risk for contracting the H1N1 influenza virus and take necessary precautionary steps to protect yourself and others.
Swine Flu
Swine influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by the type A influenza virus (H1N1), particularly the H1N1 strain. Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, human swine flu infections did occur and led to a pandemic in 2009, resulting in several deaths worldwide.
Human infections with H1N1 influenza occur in people with direct exposure to pigs (eg, workers in the swine industry). Human-to-human spread of swine flu has also been observed. The transmission happens through airborne droplets released when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
The 2009 H1N1 virus was first detected in the United States in April 2009. On April 29 2009, the WHO raised the influenza pandemic alert from Phase 4 to Phase 5.
Phase 4: Verified human-to-human transmission of an animal or human-animal reassortant (hybrid virus) virus capable of causing community-level outbreaks.
Phase 5: Human-to-human spread of the virus in at least two countries within one WHO region.
According to the CDC, the swine flu is a combination of genes from swine, birds and human flu viruses. The H1N1 influenza A virus is contagious and can spread from human to human. Data reveals that the type A influenza virus originated in pigs in Asia, but now it has become a human disease. The virus spread rapidly, including throughout Britain.
Swine flu viruses circulating in U.S. pigs in recent years are
- Swine triple reassortant (tr) H1N1
- trH3N2
- trH1N2
High Risk Group for H1N1 Infection
- Adults over 65 years
- Children below 5 years
- Conditions like diabetes, kidney disorder, cancer
- Chronic lung infections like asthma
- Pregnancy
- Obesity
- People working in pig farms
Symptoms and Transmission
People get infected via three routes (2✔).
- Airborne: through respiratory droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze
- Contaminated surface: through any material contaminated by an infected droplet, touched by hands and then touching the nose or mouth
- Direct contact with infected pigs
You cannot get wine flu The H1N1 virus does not infect people who eat pork or pork products.
Properly handled pork and pork products are safe to eat. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F kills the viruses and foodborne pathogens.
Swine flu symptoms
Swine flu symptoms in humans are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu. It includes- Cough
- Sore throat
- Fever
- Headaches
- Body aches
- Chills
- Fatigue/feeling tired
Treatment and Complications
Antiviral drugs like oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) are used for the treatment and prevention of swine flu.
These two medications are FDA-approved for treating the flu in both children and adults.
The swine flu virus is resistant to amantadine (Symmetrel) and rimantadine (Flumadine).
Swine flu vaccines
Two different brands of vaccines have been developed to protect against the virus1. The Pandemrix vaccine, which is given as a single dose
2. The Celvapen vaccine, which is administered in two doses, three weeks apart.
Complications of swine flu
- Worsening of asthma
- Pneumonia
- Confusion
- Neurological complications like seizures
- Respiratory failure
- Sinusitis and ear infection.
Measures To Help Prevent Swine Flu
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water or with hand sanitizers
- Use disinfectants to clean household surfaces
- A person with flu symptoms must stay away from work or public places
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue while sneezing or coughing
- Wear a face mask when in public places or
- Avoid sharing eating utensils
Tips To Help Ease Flu Symptoms
- Drink plenty of liquids; choose water, juice and warm soups to prevent dehydration
- Get more rest to help your immune system fight infection
- Use painkillers cautiously, as directed by healthcare professional
FAQs
1. Are swine flu and seasonal flu the same?
Swine flu (H1N1) is caused by the influenza A virus that originated in pigs but can infect humans through airborne droplets, whereas seasonal flu involves viruses (H1N1, H3N2 and others) that circulate among humans all year.
Swine flu causes severe flu symptoms in the young population while seasonal flu causes severe symptoms in older populations (3✔).
2. Can pet dogs and cats get swine flu?
Yes, but rare. There have been cases of dogs and cats contracting H1N1 from humans. This is known as reverse zoonosis. If diagnosed with swine flu avoid close contact with pets to avoid complications (4✔).
3. Can the H1N1 virus survive on surfaces?
Yes, the H1N1 virus survives on surfaces. On hard surfaces like doorknobs, and counters it can survive up to 48 hours and on soft surfaces like fabric or tissue it lasts for 8-12 hours (5✔).
4. Can a person get infected by swine flu twice or more?
Yes, it is possible to get swine more than one time. The immune system develops protection against the specific strain that is infected, but other influenza strains or new variants of the H1N1 virus can infect them (6✔).
5. Can wearing a face mask protect me from H1N1 infection?
Wearing a properly fitted face mask, such as an N95 respirator, can reduce the risk of infection, especially in crowded places. Surgical masks are also effective in limiting the spread of the virus when worn by infected individuals.
6. Are people who handle raw pork at risk of contracting swine flu?
No. Swine flu cannot spread through raw pork or pork products. The virus spreads primarily through respiratory droplets. However, handling raw meat without proper hygiene can expose individuals to other pathogens, so food safety practices are still essential (7✔).
7. Is there a connection between swine flu and obesity?
Yes, individuals with obesity are at a higher risk of severe complications and death from swine flu. Obesity can weaken the immune response and reduce lung function, making it harder to recover from respiratory infections like H1N1 (8✔).
8. How long does it take to recover from swine flu?
Most individuals with mild cases of swine flu recover within 1-2 weeks with adequate rest, hydration, and proper symptom management.
Severe cases involving complications like pneumonia can extend recovery time, possibly requiring several weeks or longer. Hospitalization may be necessary for people with serious health conditions or pregnant women (9✔).
