How To Prevent Catching Swine Flu

The threat of a pandemic is sweeping the world, through a new strain of swine flu. Many deaths have been recorded in Mexico. Several other countries also have suspect cases reported, from as far apart as France, Hong Kong, Canada, Israel and New Zealand.

Caused by type A influenza Swine flu, is a respiratory disease. Studies have shown that the swine flu H1N1 is common throughout pig populations worldwide, with 25% of all animals displaying antibody evidence of having the disease.

Swine flu viruses do not usually affect human beings. However, the current swine flu has a deadly mixture of a gene segment from bird flu, a segment from human flu, plus two genes from pig flu. Pigs are known to be the world's best 'mixing bowls'. This totally unknown virus is causing extreme concern, as humans have no immunity to the disease.

Swine flu can't be contacted through eating pork products, however human-to-human infections are happening, without the victims having any contact with infected animals.

Here are simple precautions you need to use to provide self-protection against the threatened pandemic:

* Make sure you cover your nose and mouth if you sneeze or cough. Ensure you get rid of the tissue in the rubbish can after you use it. Keep a mask handy in case anyone sneezes or coughs around you.

Just one sneeze thrusts 100,000 droplets into the air at around 90 mph, landing on everything around you. British researchers have found that in a subway train during rush hour, as many as 10% of all commuters can come in contact with the spray and residue from just one sneeze. 150 commuters may become ill from one uncovered sneeze, or cough. The rush of air from a cough travels at speeds of nearly 600 mph.

* Always wash your hands frequently, for up to 20 seconds, with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Always wash your hands thoroughly prior to eating and whenever possible do not eat with your hands.

It is estimated over 80% of all infections are spread by hands. If you are not able to wash your hands, resort to using hand-sanitizers with 60% alcohol content. These are available in handy pocket size containers.

* Attempt to avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth and definitely avoid kissing on the cheeks.

Germs are passed more quickly that way than any other method of transmission.

* Try to stay away from sick people. Isolation and keeping your distance are your most efficient protective measures.
* If you get sick, stay home from work or school and limit contact with other people, to keep them from becoming infected.
* Keep aware and recognize any abnormal symptoms. If you are in doubt, go and seek professional advice.

* Make sure you eat well, be careful of your sleep habits and take regular exercise. Increase your daily dose of vitamin C and practice good hygiene.

Swine flu can be treated. Though it is resistant to two of the four drugs approved for treating flu, two new arrivals, Tamiflu and Relenza have proven to be successful.

Mexico houses hundreds of industrial-scale hog facilities, known as 'confined animal feeding operations', where pigs are packed tightly in rows. Thousands of pigs are confined to indoor pens and grain-fed for market. Breeding sows are held in small metal crates where they spend the major part of their lives pregnant, or feeding a new litter of piglets. Up until now, Mexican hog workers, infected with swine flu, have rarely been the cause of infecting other humans, except for close family members.

Swıne Flu | Wıll ıt have an end?

Swine flu refers to influenza caused by those strains of influenza virus that usually infect pigs and are called swine influenza virus (SIV). Swine influenza is common in pigs in the M?d-West of the United States and some other states, Mexico, Canada, South America, Europe, Kenya, Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan and other parts of eastern Asia.

Transmission of swine influenza virus from pigs to humans is not common and properly-cooked pork poses no risk of infection. When transmitted, it does not always cause human influenza and often the only sign of infection is the presence of antibodies in the blood which are only detectable by laboratory tests. When transmission results in influenza in a human, it is called zoonotic swine flu. People who work with pigs, especially people with intense exposures, are at risk of catching swine flu. However, only about fifty such transmissions have been recorded since the mid-20th Century, when identification of influenza subtypes became possible. Rarely, these strains of swine flu can pass 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, known as "swine flu", is due to an apparently virulent new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 that contained many genetic elements normally found in swine influenza. The origin of this new strain is unknown, and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) reports that this strain has not been isolated in pigs. It can be transmitted from human to human, an ability attributed to an as-yet unidentified mutation. This 2009 H1N1 strain causes the normal symptoms of influenza, such as fever, coughing and headache.

The 2009 flu outbreak is due to a new strain of influenza, an apparent reassortment of at least four strains of influenza A virus subtype H1N1, including one strain endemic in humans, one endemic in birds, and two endemic in swine. Although initial reports identified the new strain as swine influenza (ie, a zoonosis), its origin is unknown. Several countries took precautionary measures to reduce the chances for a global pandemic of the disease.

This new strain had not previously been reported in pigs. On May 2, 2009, H1N1 was reported in pigs at a farm in Alberta, Canada, with a link to the 2009 swine flu outbreak in Mexico. The pigs are suspected to have caught this new strain of virus from a farm worker who recently travelled to Mexico, then showed symptoms of an influenza-like illness. These are probable cases, pending confirmation by laboratory testing.

The time and location of the outbreak is still unknown, but it was first detected in two cases in Southern California in late March. When this novel virus was publicized, officials in Mexico suspected a link to an outbreak of late-season flu cases they were finding. Mexican news media report that the outbreak may have started in February near a Smithfield Foods pig plant amid complaints about its intensive farming practices. Within days, hundreds more suspected cases were discovered in Mexico, with more cases also showing up in the U.S. and several other countries. By late April, officials from the U.N.'s World Health Organization (WHO), based in Switzerland, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the U.S., were expressing serious concern about the flu outbreak, worried that it might become a worldwide flu pandemic.

The new strain has spread widely beyond Mexico and the U.S., with confirmed cases in eighteen countries and suspected cases in forty-two. Many countries have advised their inhabitants not to travel to infected areas. Countries including Australia, China, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand are monitoring visitors returning from flu-affected areas to identify people with fever and respiratory symptoms. Many countries have also issued warnings to visitors of flu-affected areas to contact a doctor immediately if they had flu-like symptoms.

Mexico's schools, universities, and all public events will be closed from April 24, 2009 to May 6, 2009. By May 3, 2009, more than 400 schools in the U.S. closed due to confirmed or probable cases in students or staff, affecting 250,000 students

By April 28, the new strain was confirmed to have spread to Spain, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Israel, and the virus was suspected in many other nations. As a result, WHO raised its alert level to "Phase 5" out of 6 possible, which it defines as a "signal that a pandemic is imminent" By the end of April, 300 schools had closed across the United States and the Mexican government ordered a multi-day shutdown of all non-essential activities in the government and private sector, amounting to a shutdown of most of the country's economy. At the same time, however, many scientists were reaching a consensus that the epidemic was so far "relatively mild," and believed that it could be less fatal than previous pandemics.

The new strain is an apparent reassortment of four strains of influenza A virus subtype H1N1. Analysis by the CDC identified the four component strains as one endemic in humans, one endemic in birds, and two endemic in pigs (swine). However, other scientists have stated that analyses of the 2009 swine flu (A/H1N1) viral genome "suggests that all segments are of swine origin", "we are puzzled about sources of information that affirm that the virus is a reassortment of avian, human and swine viruses," and "this preliminary analysis suggests at least two swine ancestors to the current H1N1, one of them related to the triple resorting viruses isolated in North America in 1998." One swine strain was widespread in the United States, the other in Eurasia. Worldwide the common human H1N1 influenza virus affects millions of people every year, according to WHO officials, and "these annual epidemics result in about three to five million cases of severe illness, and about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths" annually. In industrialized countries most of these annual deaths occur in people aged 65 or older. By May 2, some pigs in Canada were diagnosed with H1N1. Although some influenza strains can spread between species, the influenza virus is killed by normal cooking procedures, so there is no risk of infection from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products.

Recommendations to prevent infection by the virus consist of the standard personal precautions against influenza. This includes frequent washing of hands with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand sanitizers, especially after being out in public. The CDC advises not touching the mouth, nose or eyes, as these are primary modes of transmission. When coughing, they recommend coughing into a tissue and disposing of the tissue, then immediately washing the hands.

Of the available antiviral treatments for influenza, the WHO stated that the viruses obtained from the human cases with swine influenza in the United States were sensitive to oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) but resistant to amantadine and rimantadine. Tamiflu and Relenza also have a preventative effect against Influenzavirus A. On April 27, the CDC recommended the use of Tamiflu and Relenza for both treatment and prevention of the new strain. Roche and the U.S. government had already extended the shelf life of federally stockpiled Tamiflu from the original five years to seven years because studies indicated that the medication continues to maintain its effectiveness.

Source : www.articlebase.com

7 NATURAL WAYS TO HELP YOURSELF FROM SWINE FLU

Although Gordon Brown assures us Britain is well prepared to deal with an outbreak of Swine Flu, I am always happier to take proactive action myself and there are some simple measures we can all take. They are not guaranteed to prevent you getting it, but they will certainly help.

The symptoms are of course very similar to any other flu you might experience: fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue so report to your doctor if you have these. However, what you also need to do is focus on strengthening your own immune response to prevent infection getting a hold and developing.

1 This time of year I usually have stopped taking Echinacea, but it is my first port of call to build up my defences and if you can get Echinacea tincture that is the most effective in my opinion. Boots produce their own and there is an excellent one made by Bioforce from helath stores. Take it daily for three weeks then a week off.

2 Next increase the amount of vitamin C you are taking, at least 1 gram a day in two 500mg doses is the most effective. Have as natural and unprocessed diet as you can, and juicing your fruit and vegetables gets you the maximum vitamins from them.

3 Your body requires oxygen for every cell to function properly because viruses can neither survive nor thrive in it. Therefore, the best defence against microbes, germs, harmful bacteria and viruses, such as the swine influenza virus, is to keep the body oxygenated. Add in eggs to your diet as they are excellent for improving your oxygen absorption. See the healthy bites item on eggs below.

4 Are you breathing deeply enough? Shallow breathing will not bring enough oxygen into so your system, and being out in the fresh air every day is a must. Walking at a moderate pace while breathing in for a count of six, and out for a count of six, is one of the simplest ways to do this. If you find a count of six difficult, reduce it to four, or if it becomes easy increase to six or eight.

5 Limit foods and substances that stress the body such as sugar, caffeine, alcohol, smoking, too much red meat and processed foods high in saturated and hydrogenated fats.

6 Increase your intake of green tea, and reduce coffee and tea. Green tea will really help as its antixodants will boost your immune system. Add some lemon to it and you get extra vitamin C as well.

7 Finally, go back to basic hygiene and wash your hands in hot soapy water frequently and carry hand gel when you are out and use it after contact with others such as a handshake – and contact in public places with stair rails, lift buttons and so on.

It may all seem like a nonsense, but people have died from not taking this seriously. The good habits outlined here will help protect you, and if you maintain them you will have a solid barrier to prevent future infection.

Swine Flu | Video of Dr. Joe Bresee with the CDC Influenza Division describes swine flu

Watch video Dr. Joe Bresee (CDC) about H1N1 (Swine Flu)- its signs and symptoms, how it's transmitted, medicines to treat it, steps people can take to protect themselves from it, and what people should do if they become ill | Tags : swine flu symptoms,swine flu vaccine,swine flu parties,swine flu deaths spanish flu,swine flu debacle 1976,bird flu,sars,Dr. Joe Bresee