Swine Flu

Swine influenza

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses of "Swine influenza", see Swine influenza (disambiguation).

This article is related to a current event: 2009 swine flu outbreak. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.

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Influenza Virus Avian influenza Swine influenza Flu season Research Vaccine Treatment Genome project H5N1 strain H1N1 strain Pandemic

Pigs can harbor influenza viruses adapted to humans and others that are adapted to birds, allowing the viruses to exchange genes and create a pandemic strain.

Swine influenza (also swine flu) refers to influenza caused by any strain of the influenza virus endemic in pigs(swine). Strains endemic in swine are called swine influenza virus (SIV).

Of the three genera of human flu, two are endemic also in swine: Influenzavirus A is common and Influenzavirus C is rare.^[1] Influenzavirus B has not been reported in swine. Within Influenzavirus A and Influenzavirus C, the strains endemic to swine and humans are largely distinct.

Swine flu is common in swine and rare in humans. People who work with swine, especially people with intense exposures, are at risk of catching swine influenza if the swine carry a strain able to infect humans. However, these strains infrequently circulate between humans as SIV rarely mutates into a form able to pass easily from human to human. In humans, the symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of influenza and of influenza-like illness in general, namely chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort.

The 2009 flu outbreak in humans is due to a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 that derives in part fromhuman influenza, avian influenza, and two separate strains of swine influenza. The origins of this new strain are unknown, and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) reports that it has not been isolated in swine.^[2] It passes with apparent ease from human to human, an ability attributed to an as-yet unidentified mutation.^[3] The strain in most cases causes only mild symptoms and the infected person makes a full recovery without requiring medical attention and without the use of antiviral medicines.^[4]

Contents [hide] 1 Background 2 Classification 2.1 Influenza A 2.2 Interaction with H5N1 3 Signs and symptoms 4 Prevention 4.1 Prevention in swine 4.2 Prevention of transmission to humans 4.3 Prevention of spread in humans 5 Treatment 5.1 Antiviral Stockpiles 5.2 Preparedness 6 Epidemiology : outbreaks in swine 6.1 2007 Philippine outbreak 7 Pathophysiology 7.1 Swine flu in humans 8 Outbreaks in humans 8.1 1976 U.S. outbreak 8.2 1988 swine flu outbreak 8.3 2009 swine flu outbreak 9 See also 10 References 11 External links

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Swine flu: WHO raises threat level as disease spreads

Geneva, 30 April (AKI) - The World Health Organization has raised its alert for swine flu to the second highest level and urged all countries to intensify their preparations for a global pandemic. The move to a phase five alert means there is sustained human-to-human spread in at least two countries in a region and WHO believes a global outbreak of the disease is imminent.

Margaret Chan, WHO's director-general, announced the decision late Wednesday to raise the alert level from phase four - signifying transmission in only one country - after reviewing the latest scientific evidence on the outbreak.

"Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously precisely because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world," she told a media conference in Geneva.

“This change to a higher alert is a signal to governments, to ministries of health and other ministries, to the pharmaceutical and the business communities, that certain actions now should be undertaken with extreme urgency."

“All countries should immediately now activate their pandemic surveillance plans,” she said, calling on them to remain on high alert for clusters of influenza-like illness and pneumonia.

Early detection and treatment of cases and infection controls in all health facilities were critical, she said.

Alert Phase five means that sustained human to human transmission had been confirmed, with widespread community outbreaks, in at least two regions, she said.

European Union health ministers were due to meet in Brussels on Thursday to discuss Europe's response to the emergency.

Chan said international cooperation was particularly important, warning that the H1N1 influenza virus had shown its capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world.

Fortunately, she said the world is better prepared for an influenza pandemic than any time in history, due to the substantial investments made to prepare for the H5N1 virus, or bird flu.

“For the first time in history, we can track the evolution of

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