Causes & Symptoms of Swine Flu
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the swine influenza epidemic is growing in the United States and across the globe each day. What’s alarming to some people, about this new swine flu strain, is that there are severe illnesses associated with it.
There are no particular swine influenza symptoms that can distinguish this new strain from other types of influenza. Some patients, however, experience diarrhea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
The basic swine flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, headache, stuffy nose, chills, fatigue and body aches. These are the same symptoms we get from the common seasonal flu that most people get vaccinated against each year. But, as of this moment, there’s no effective vaccine for swine influenza.
The main cause for swine influenza is the H1N1 virus. But this new strain is a combination of avian flu, human flu, and swine flu. This makes it deadlier than previous swine influenza outbreaks, and it?s the reason why many countries around the world are alarmed by the epidemic. According to the World Health Organization report, there has been one confirmed death from swine influenza in the United States, out of the 91 confirmed cases.
People should not be afraid of pigs. You will not get it from them. This swine flu strain is transmitted by contact from human to human. Eating pork will not give you swine flu either. It is just as safe as usual, to eat pork products, such as ham and bacon. Just be sure that they are properly prepared. Meat should be cooked at a temperature of 160 degrees Celsius, to kill any virus or bacteria. Eating pork will not give you swine flu – just like eating chicken will not give you bird flu.
Swine flu can be transmitted via airborne droplets, which are released when an infected person sneezes or coughs. You can also get it when your hands are exposed to germs, through touching someone who has the virus, or by touching any surface that hosts the swine flu virus.
The most recent swine flu virus is a mutation which can be spread from one person to another. Mexico is said to be the source of the present swine flu epidemic. The death toll has surpassed the one hundredth mark. And while its important to take cautionary measures so that their family will be safe from this disease, one should also remember that chances of getting the disease are slim if you take proper precautions. And, statistically, your chances of dying for it are even slimmer.
Anna is a writer and a webmaster who educates others on clean living, alternative health, and natural remedies. She is currently posting a series of articles on Swine Flu on her blog. To find out more, please view her next follow-up article, Preventing Contraction of the Swine Influenza. To learn more about how you can protect yourself from viruses and illness, please visit Home Remedies.
