Health Tips
Causes, Symptoms, Preventive Measures & Treatment of
Swine Flu
(H1N1) is a respiratory disease caused by type A influenza virus. It is commonly known as Swine Flu and Pig Flu.
Causes
- Most of these cases occur in people with direct exposure to pigs (e.g., people working on pig farms or slaughterhouses).
- It is spread from person to person when the virus enters the body through the eyes, nose, and/or mouth when coughing and sneezing.
- The virus can also rest on hard surfaces like doorknobs, ATM buttons, and counters. A person who touches these surfaces with their hands and then touches their eyes, mouth, or nose can become infected with the virus.
- You cannot get infected with swine flu from eating pork products that have been properly cooked to an internal temperature of 71°C (160°F).
Symptoms
- cough
- fever
- sore throat
- stuffy or runny nose
- body aches
- headache
- chills
- fatigue
- diarrhea
- rash
Preventive measures
- Get flu vaccination or flu shot on annual basis.
- Prevent the germs to get into the body by washing your hands properly using soap or sanitiser.
- Avoid contact with people suffering from swine flu.
- Avoid crowded places.
- It is important to have properly handled cooked food. The raw food must be properly washed and cooked.
- Wear masks on mouth and nose to avoid virus intake from the air.
Treatment
- Most cases of flu, including H1N1 flu, require only symptom relief. If you have a chronic respiratory disease, your doctor may prescribe additional medication to help relieve your symptoms.
- The antiviral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) are sometimes prescribed to reduce the severity of symptoms.
- Antibiotics are given by doctors to combat bacterial infections such as pneumonia, which may occur as a complication of influenza.
