Important facts about swine flu. Swine flu in humans - how infection occurs and treatment methods

“Swine” flu has spread throughout Russia - diagnoses are officially confirmed every day in different parts of the country, and in total several thousand people are hospitalized with suspicion of this disease. In order to protect our readers from panic and empty rumors about it, we found out what the “swine” flu actually threatens and how you can protect yourself from it.

What is swine flu?

So, “swine” flu is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease, discovered in 1931 by the American scientist Richard Shope.

According to the official classification, it belongs to type A (the most common type of influenza, causing the largest epidemics). The most common subtype of swine flu is H1N1, with less common subtypes H1N2, H3N1 and H3N2. Spreads by airborne droplets. Symptoms - high temperature, fever, fever. At the same time, mortality in animals is low and usually does not exceed 4% of the number of sick individuals.

Currently, the 2009 H1N1 influenza epidemic has been assigned threat level 6 (pandemic) according to the WHO classification. The degree of threat does not characterize the danger of a disease to human life, but indicates its ability to spread. That is, any flu transmitted from person to person can reach the sixth degree of threat.

However, WHO's concerns are related to the genetic novelty of the strain and its potential ability for further reassortment (recombination, mixing of viruses), as a result of which more aggressive variants of infection may arise. Then, by analogy with the most destructive pandemics of the last century, this swine flu will lead to serious human losses after a certain (usually six-month) period, accompanied by relatively moderate mortality.

Good news:

• in contrast to the bird flu H5N1, which was radically alien to us, which never learned to be transmitted from person to person, but was very virulent (a large percentage of those sick died = more than 50%), the current “swine” flu, although it is a new reassortant (hybrid virus) ) with new antigenic properties, is much less virulent, and the vast majority of people recover on their own.

Bad news:

• The antigenic properties of the new “swine” flu and circulating H1N1 in humans are too different, and therefore last season’s vaccine containing the H1N1 strain is not particularly effective here.
• Having reassorted into a pig, the new hybrid has learned to be transmitted from person to person, and therefore a massive epidemic (or even a pandemic) cannot be avoided.

How do you know if you have the flu?

You are more likely to have the flu if some or all of these symptoms are present:

• high temperature*
• cough
• sore throat
• runny or stuffy nose
• body aches
• headache
• chills
• feeling tired
• sometimes diarrhea and vomiting

*It is important to note that not everyone who gets the flu will have a fever.

What to do if you get sick?

If you become ill with flu-like symptoms during the flu season, you should stay home and avoid contact with others while awaiting treatment. medical care. Most people with swine flu have mild illness and do not need medical care or antiviral medications, as with seasonal flu.

However, people who are more susceptible to complications from the flu should talk to their healthcare provider about getting tested if they have flu symptoms during the season. These categories of people include:

• Children under 5 years of age, but especially children under 2 years of age
• People 65 years and older
• Pregnant women
• People who have:
  • Blood diseases (including sickle cell disease)
  • Chronic lung disease [including asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)]
  • Diabetes
  • Heart disease
  • Kidney disorders
  • Liver disorders
  • Neurological disorders (including nervous system, brain or spinal cord)
  • Neuromuscular disorders (including muscular dystrophy and complex sclerosis)
  • Weakened immune system (including people with AIDS)

Severe illness can also occur in healthy people due to swine flu, so anyone concerned about their health should consult their doctor.

Listed here are warning signs for which anyone should get immediate medical attention.

What are the warning signs?

• Rapid or difficult breathing
• Leather gray or with a bluish tint
• Not drinking enough
• Reluctance to wake up or lack of activity
• An agitated state in which the baby resists being picked up

In adults:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Some relief of flu symptoms that later return with fever and worsening cough

Are there medicines against swine flu?

Yes. There are antiviral medications that your doctor can prescribe for both seasonal flu and swine flu. These drugs can quickly get you back on your feet and can also prevent serious complications. During this flu season, antiviral drugs are used primarily to treat people with severe illness, including those who require hospitalization; and to treat people who are most at risk for serious complications from the flu. Your doctor will decide whether antiviral drugs are needed to treat your condition.

Should I take any medication to prevent swine flu?

No. You should only take antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir or zanamivir if your doctor tells you to. You should not buy medications to prevent or control this new infection without a prescription.

How long to stay home if you are sick?

You should stay home for at least 24 hours after your high fever subsides, unless you seek medical help.

Your fever should go away without using a fever reducer. You should stay home and not go to work, school, travel, shopping, social events or public gatherings.

What should you do when you are sick?

Stay away from others as much as possible to avoid infecting them. If you need to leave your home, for example to get medical care, wear a face mask if you have one or cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue. Also, wash your hands frequently to avoid spreading the flu to others.

When preparing this article, materials from portals were used

Swine flu (H1N1)- a respiratory disease of pigs caused by the influenza virus type A. People, as a rule, do not become infected with swine flu, but if the viruses mutate, this becomes possible.

What is swine flu?

Swine flu(H1N1) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by influenza A virus, the source of regular outbreaks of this disease in pigs. People usually do not become infected with swine flu, but if viruses mutate, this becomes possible.

Is swine flu contagious to people?

American doctors have found that it is contagious and transmitted from person to person. However, on at the moment It is not known how easily the virus spreads from person to person.

What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?

Symptoms of swine flu in humans are similar to those of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, headache, chills and fatigue. There have been isolated cases of diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. Like regular flu, swine flu can cause exacerbation of underlying chronic diseases.

How is swine flu spread?

The spread of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is believed to be the same
just like regular flu. The swine flu virus is transmitted mainly from person to person through the coughing or sneezing of a person with the flu, or by airborne droplets.

Can I get swine flu from cooking or eating pork?

The swine flu virus is not spread through food. You cannot get swine flu from pork and pork products. Properly cooked pork and pork products are safe to eat.

When does human-to-human transmission of swine flu begin?

Infected people can infect others the very next day after they become infected themselves, i.e. before the appearance clinical symptoms of the disease.

How long can an infected person transmit swine flu to others?

People infected with swine flu should be considered potentially infectious until 7 days after the onset of illness. Children, especially young children, may be potentially infectious for longer periods.

What should I do to protect myself from getting swine flu?

First and most important: wash your hands. Try to support high level your psycho-emotional state, increase your immunity. Get enough sleep, be physically active, manage stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat a healthy diet. Avoid touching surfaces that may be contaminated with the swine flu virus. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Are there medications to treat swine flu?

If you are sick, antiviral medications can help ease the illness and help you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious complications from swine flu. For successful treatment, you should start using antiviral drugs as early as possible, at the first clinical signs of the disease.

Active research is currently underway to create a vaccine against swine flu.

What are the sources of swine flu infection?

A person can become infected when they touch something that has viruses on it and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth without first washing their hands. Viruses move through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can enter the body when a person touches droplets of mucus from an infected person, such as on a table surface, and then touches their eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.

How long can swine flu viruses live outside the body?

We know that some viruses and bacteria can live for 2 hours or more on the surfaces of cafeteria tables, door handles and desks. Frequent washing Hands will help you reduce the likelihood of getting infected from such sources.

What can I do to protect myself from getting this flu?

There is currently no vaccine to protect against swine flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory diseases like the flu. Take these daily steps to protect your health:

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Throw the napkin into the trash after using it.

Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after sneezing or coughing. Alcohol-based antibacterial wipes are also effective.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Those. places where infection enters the body.

Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

What best way prevent the spread of the virus through coughing and sneezing?

If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. Do not go to work or school if you are sick. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. This can prevent infection of others. Throw the used cloth into the trash bin.

What is the best method for hand washing to avoid swine flu?

Washing your hands frequently will help protect you from the virus. Wash your hands with soap and water or rubbing alcohol. The recommended time to wash is at least 15-20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, wipes or an alcohol-based antibacterial gel can be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and pharmacies.

What should I do if I get sick?

If you live in areas where cases of swine flu have been identified and you experience symptoms such as fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea or vomiting or diarrhea, you should contact your doctor.

If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to avoid spreading the infection.

The following symptoms observed in children require urgent medical attention:

Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing,
- Blue skin color,
- Drinking small amounts of liquid,
- Increased irritability,
- Flu-like symptoms improve, but then worsen again with fever and cough,
- Fever with rash.

In adults, symptoms that require immediate medical attention include:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Fever
- Severe or persistent vomiting

How serious is swine flu infection?

Like regular flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. Between 2005 and January 2009, 12 human cases of swine flu were identified in the United States, but with no fatal consequences. However, swine flu can lead to serious complications. In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman in Wisconsin was hospitalized with pneumonia and died 8 days later (she had swine flu). An outbreak of swine flu occurred in 1976 at Fort Dix, New Jersey, causing more than 200 cases of serious illness and one death.

The World Health Organization speaks about the possibility of a swine flu pandemic; as of May 1, 2009, 500 cases were identified in the world, 13 of whom died. Swine flu has already been registered in 13 countries around the world.

Swine flu is an infectious disease caused by the influenza B virus and its many subtypes. How does infection occur and how can it be prevented?

Let's look at the symptoms of the disease, which are often absolutely identical to a regular flu or cold.

What is swine flu

Swine flu is respiratory tract disease, very contagious and with a tendency to be acute (appears suddenly and goes away after a fairly short period of time). Swine flu is caused by some types of influenza virus, namely from influenza viruses type B and C, subtypes H1N1, H1N2, H2N1, H2 N3, H3N1, H3N2.

The most common is the H1N1 influenza virus.

How does the swine flu epidemic develop?

Usually influenza viruses live in balance with endemic species and have difficulty moving from one species to another. Therefore, avian influenza viruses infect birds, swine influenza virus occurs in pigs, its effect on humans is very limited. This is due to the fact that for the virus to transfer to the host cell, the latter must have appropriate receptors on the membrane.

For example, the avian influenza virus is unlikely to spread to humans because it has very few cells in the respiratory system that express receptors on their membranes that promote the adhesion of such viruses.

However, it may happen that human influenza virus and avian influenza virus simultaneously infects one pig, which has both bird and human receptors. As a result, the virus acquires the ability to bind to receptors specific to the human influenza virus. Then an epidemic may develop.

So The virus is not only transmitted from pigs to humans, but also acquires ability to move quickly from person to person. In our time of hypermobile population, an epidemic can easily turn into pandemic.

Infection and incubation period of the virus

Spread of the influenza A H1N1 virus through contact with the virus contained in aerosol particles emitted by an infected person. sneezing or coughing. Another route of infection is direct contact with secretions from the respiratory tract.

Swine flu incubation period lasts several days (1-3 from the moment of infection).

You can also select several risk factors that contribute to swine flu infection:

• Working with frequent contact with pigs eg: veterinarian, farmer.
• Travel to regions or countries where there is currently an epidemic of the disease.
• Contact with an infected person.
• Visiting places large crowd of people.

It should be noted that Eating pork poses absolutely no risk.

Symptoms and possible complications of swine flu

Swine flu symptoms are very similar on manifestations of other strains of influenza viruses, in particular:

• Fever and chills.
• Sneezing and nasal congestion.
• Burning in the eyes and lacrimation.
• Pain in muscles and head.
• Sore throat.
• Dry cough.
• Fatigue and exhaustion even after minimal effort.
• Gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
• Confusion in elderly patients.

Complications of swine flu

The most serious complication is bacterial lung infection and therefore pneumonia which can lead to sepsis.

Other possible complications of swine flu include:

• Neurological problems. It could be seizures.
• Respiratory failure(the inability of the respiratory system to provide adequate gas exchange, which is necessary to saturate the body with oxygen).
• Exacerbation of the patient's chronic diseases. This is a complication typical of older people who are burdened with diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
• Dehydration. And, accordingly, gastroenterological problems (vomiting and/or diarrhea).

Some people are predisposed to developing complications from influenza due to a weak immune system:

• Age over 65 years.
• Infants and young children.
• Persons with weakened immune systems, such as those infected with HIV.
• Patients with chronic diseases: diabetes, asthma, emphysema, heart disease, anemia and other blood diseases.
• Women during pregnancy.

Diagnosis and therapy of swine flu

To be sure of infection with swine flu, it is necessary to collect a sample of secretions from the respiratory tract, a swab from the nose or throat in the first 4-5 days after the onset of symptoms and microbiological analysis by PCR method, which detects fragments of RNA from the virus.

It's time to dispel one of misconceptions, because of which the unfortunate animal fell into the same category as birds that were no less unfortunate last year. We will talk about pork meat as a factor in the transmission of swine flu.

I immediately want to eliminate this rumor, because it is nothing more than a rumor. Although the example of Egypt shows how a rumor can lead to certain economic consequences, when, inspired by the statements of WHO experts about the transmission of a new influenza virus through pigs, they destroyed an impressive number of these animals.

What is it anyway swine flu? This is influenza, a set of antigens (that is, components of the structure of the virus, its components) which species specific for pigs. This means that only pigs get sick with it; humans cannot become infected with this flu directly.

Even with close contact with pigs on the same livestock farms, it is impossible for humans to become directly infected with the influenza virus.

Naturally, the flu, as a rapidly mutating virus, can cause mutations within the species, that is, to the developed immunity in pigs, the influenza virus responds by mutation of its antigens and the immune system stops responding to this newly created influenza virus and time must pass until cells capable of destroying this type(they are called strains) of the virus.

But upon contact with humans, this pig virus can perform the so-called antigenic transition, that is, to change its structure radically and adapt to the transition not only from pig to pig, but also from person to person, but this will in no way be swine flu, but it would be more correct to call it “ mutated swine flu" It will be more correct this way.

By the way, when transferred to humans, this virus will no longer be able to be transmitted to pigs. No matter how similar the genes of pigs and humans are. Although this possibility will remain, through reverse antigenic transition.

And the already mutated swine flu in the human body will undergo further species-specific mutations and adapt to existence in the human body.

Based on the above, it is clear that in principle it is possible to become infected with the flu through pig meat. not possible. I do not know of any people who would eat raw pig meat or pork tripe, because only in the case of direct contact of the pig virus with human mucous membranes is colonization possible in the event of a mutation of the virus, when it has nowhere to go and must either die or make the transition to a new alien organism. And, considering that raw pig meat is not consumed in any way, then even standard heat treatment(at temperature conditions at 70-80 degrees Celsius, which is much less than even cooking a rare steak), will destroy unstable in the external environment influenza virus.

Swine flu(English: Swine flu) is the conventional name for a disease in humans and animals caused by strains of influenza virus.

How to test for swine flu

In the Federal municipal institution Science "Central Research Institute of Epidemiology" of Rospotrebnadzor has developed a test system for detecting the influenza virus A/H1N1/CA/2009 "swine flu".

The danger of swine flu

Its danger is that swine flu transmitted from person to person by airborne droplets- This distinctive feature, for example, bird flu, which can only be contracted through close contact with unhealthy or contaminated food. WHO ( Global organization Health) assigned this flu category 4 out of 6 probable threats.

Incubation period swine flu in ninety-five cases out of 100 ranges from 2 to 4 days, it can last a maximum of one week.

Swine flu symptoms
Swine flu manifests itself in the same way as an ordinary virus. Swine flu symptoms:

From a laboratory point of view, this is absolutely new virus. It contains within itself strings of DNA from both the influenza virus that infects pigs and the avian and human influenza viruses. From a medical point of view, it does not cause any absolutely atypical symptoms, at least in almost all patients.
In the vast majority of cases The virus manifests itself identically: fever, cough, loss of strength. Some people who suspect they have had swine flu believe that the symptoms lasted longer than with regular flu. Others say that the illness was barely noticeable. There is reason to believe that in some patients the virus does not cause any symptoms at all. Ontario's Agency for Health Protection and Promotion is launching a provincial study to find how many people have already been infected.
Although in the early days after the discovery of the virus in Mexico there were fears that it was killing a huge number of young and healthy people, it has now become clear that the number of deaths is not enough compared to the number of people exposed to infection. It should also be kept in mind that even seasonal flu can lead to death - more often in older patients, and from time to time in young people in good health.

What makes swine flu so unusual is the fact that it appeared at an unusual time of year for the flu and people were getting sick throughout the summer. It also turned out that people had little immunity to this strain before the first wave of the disease hit North America. After it, swine flu was able to spread throughout the world faster than any other flu virus before it. In the first 6 weeks it spread as much as past pandemics spread in 6 months.

Why is swine flu especially unsafe for pregnant women?

There still seems to be no clear answer to this question, but history seems to be repeating itself here too. During both pandemics—the 1918 Spanish flu and the 1957 Asian flu—pregnant women were at highest risk, particularly in the 3rd trimester.

Even during the common flu, pregnant women are more often hospitalized with complications than other women of reproductive age. Pregnancy causes a general decrease in immunity so that the body does not reject the “foreign body”, which for it is the fetus. Consequently, an organism with a weakened immune system is more susceptible to infection any infections, including the flu.

In addition to weakened immunity in late pregnancy in women the diaphragm rises, What reduces lung volume and can make diseases such as influenza more unsafe.

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