Monday, May 4, 2009

Swine flu in India



First sign of swine flu in India . Two young NRIs, who came from London and Texas, were admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi with suspected H1N1 flu symptoms and have been kept under observation in the isolation ward.
While the 35-year-old London-based NRI was brought to hospital directly from the Indira Gandhi International Airport  this morning, the 25-year-old who came from Texas got himself admitted to the RML last evening.

Swine flu influenza

 
As Swine Flu is on a high tide these days, the requisite of the hour is to bag in as much information as possible. When epidemics spread, rumors and myths also travel along. This makes the situation worse. Thus, it is our prime concern to clear off the misconceptions and spread the word of true information as far as possible. This presentation gives an insight of the present pandemic scenario as well as the prevention and medication tips. Apart from these, the presentation includes slides on slide flu vaccination, slide flu symptoms, slide flu history and swine flu cause. 

Swine flu symptoms

 

Swine flu Catestrophy

 

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Swine flu symptoms

Symptoms of swine flu are similar to those caused by other influenza viruses. These include fever and chills, coughing, sore throat, and fatigue. Sometimes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea can occur. In the past, pneumonia and potentially fatal respiratory failure have been associated with human swine flu infections. It is not possible to distinguish swine flu from "regular" influenza on the basis of symptoms alone. The symptoms of swine flu can also vary in severity among affected individuals. source by:medicinenet.com

What is the swine flu?





The swine influenza a  virus that has infected humans in the America  & Mexico is a novel influenza a virus that has not previously been identified in North America. This virus is resistant to the antiviral medications amantadine(Symmetrel) and rimantadine(Flumadine), but is sensitive too seltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir(Relenza). Investigations of these cases suggest that on-going human-to-human swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is occurring. Swine flu is a respiratory illness of pigs caused by infection with swine influenza A virus (SIV) that can occasionally affect humans. The disease first came to attention in 1976 with the death of an army recruit from swine flu. Widespread fear then led to an often-criticized mass inoculation program in the United States that resulted in illnesses and deaths. Source by:medicinenet.com

History of Swine Flu

The Swine influenza a tendency to keep changing its form. This is actually its own way to dodge the  protective antibodies in Swines, avians and humans that have developed in response to previous exposures to influenza or to influenza vaccines.The virus undergoes an alteration after every one or two years. But at an interval of about a decade, when a large part of the world's population has developed some level of resistance to these minor changes, it changes itself drastically to easily infect the masses around the world, often infecting hundreds of millions of people who have lost their antibody resistance . Definitely a smart species, I must say.  There have been instances when the influenza virus has changed its form over a much shorter period. For instance, during the Spanish flu pandemic, the initial wave of the disease was relatively mild, while the second wave of the disease a year later was highly lethal.
During the 1918 pandemic, when pigs became sick at the same time as humans, it was deduced that Swine flu is the same as human influenza, atleast the similarities were quite a lot. But only about ten years later, i.e. in 1930, a virus was identified as a cause of disease in pigs. For the next 60 years, Swine influenza strains  meant exclusively H1N1. It was only between 1997 and 2002, that novel viruses of three different subtypes  and five genotypes entered the scene as the carriers of influenza among pigs and then the following years brought the H3N2 strains. These strains, which include genes derived by  from human, swine and avian viruses, have become a major cause of swine influenza in North America. Reassortment between H1N1 and H3N2 produced H1N2.
 As well as persisting in pigs, the descendants of the 1918 virus have also circulated in humans through the 20th century, contributing to the normal seasonal epidemics of influenza. However, there have been very less cases of viral transfer from pigs to humans.

Swine flu prevention, prevention tips, swine flu pandemic,swine flu virus,swine influenza

Swine Flu: Understanding the need of the hour
Despite the repeated assurance from the government and the health personnel, people just won’t budge from the notion that consumption of pork has no relation with Swine Flu. The Flu is, no doubt, spreading like a forest fire. The number of cases, since the first ever case of the swine influenza has increased manifold. Mexico is reportedly, the worst hit country. Trips and visits to Mexico are being canceled. On top of that, even the native population is moving out of the country to be safe. Mexico has shut down almost completely after the outbreak of this pandemic.
Considering its effects, it is better to stay alert and informed about the flu. Though I admit, these days swine flu prevention is the major concern of the masses. However, there are a number of misconceptions and myths that got themselves attached with Swine Flu facts. The most prominent one, which I have personally noticed occupying people’s minds is that consumption of pork, causes swine flu. Apart from myself (who actually have taken to clearing the air of misconceptions about this disease), a number of other highly reliable sources like WHO, have assured the general public that it is totally safe to eat pork or pork products as swine influenza doesn’t get transmitted through eatables. CDC says that the swine flue virus, if present can be totally destroyed and made harmless by cooking the meat at 160 degree Fahrenheit.
Due to this ‘pork-phobia’, the sales of pig products have considerably dropped. Restaurants do not get pork orders any more. Much to the dismay of animal welfare organizations, the pigs in Egypt are being slaughtered mercilessly in large numbers. .
UAE has banned imports of pork in the name of combating swine flu. Since, it is a well known fact that swine flu virus has no connection with eating pork, this act seems to be just a means of Islamisation to most of the non-Muslims.
The U.S. department of Agriculture has sensed that the real reason behind this unreasonable phobia for pork and that is the name ‘swine flu’. Hence it has asked the government to rename the disease.
Let’s behave rationally and follow things we are supposed to follow. Being cautious is definitely a wise action during such pandemics. But the thing which is even more important is being awake and alert about the forthcoming predicament.
 

Swine flu prevention, prevention tips, swine flu pandemic,swine flu virus,swine influenza

The midwestern U.S.A. , Mexico, Canada, South America, Europe , United Kingdom, Sweden, and Italy, Kenya, Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan and other parts of eastern Asia find themselves in  the grip of an unexpected pandemic, the Swine  Flu. Though much care has been taken to educate people and make them aware of the prevention techniques and the facts  associated with the disease, still, people are getting panicky and this is precisely the reason why certain misconceptions have popped into the scene Pork and other pig products are being shunned due to the fear of catching swine influenza  virus. But the fact is that transmission of swine influenza virus from pigs to humans is not common and properly-cooked pork poses no risk of infection. The virus is destroyed when cooked at 160 degrees fahrenheit. Also, the  virus does not always cause human influenza on transmission and often the only sign of infection is the presence of antibodies which are only detectable by laboratory tests. When transmission results in influenza in a human, it is called zoonotic swine flu. That happens only to the people remian in close proximity with pigs, especially people with intense exposures, are at risk of  falling prey to swine influenza.


Swine flu Prevention

 


All of a sudden, the world finds itself in the grip of Swine Flu pandemic. Though everyone is quite concerned about his own and his family’s well being, yet we find an element of panic in the air. There have been a number of cases in the US and neighboring countries. Most of them are just mild effects of the flu but the large number of death cases in Mexico cannot go unforeseen. Prevention is the best treatment for any disease and what can be a better way to prevent an infection than to be informed and alert? Get thorough information on Swine flu pandemic, Swine Flu virus, Swine Flu Symptoms, Swine Flu infection, Swine flu vaccine, Swine Flu immunization, Swine Flu prevention, Swine flu medication and much more. 

Swine Flu

 
Sense, not scare is the key to stay safe. Keeping this in mind, this presentation is created and compiled with an array of essential and indispensable facts and advices about Swine Flu. Swine Influenza has become the concern of everyone as the disease is spreasing like forest fire. The best Swine flu prevention technique is to keep your knowledge tank filled. Be informed about swine flu immunization, swine flu outbreak, swine flu symptoms, swine flu virus, swine flu shots and much more.