NP Jafari - In the past few days, there has been much talk about a condition commonly referred to as the Swine Flu (aka. Swine Influenza, Pig Flu). Rightfully so, this condition has gotten the attention of the world leading organizations that deal with outbreaks such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is broadly believed that the outbreak started in Mexico. As of the writing of this article, according to Mexican Health Officials, so far more than 140 people were dead in that country possibly from Swine Flu, although the CDC and the WHO have only confirmed this condition through laboratory testing in approximately 76 cases so far.

This afternoon, the WHO raised its alert level to “phase 4” for this condition – highlighting its outbreak potential and the fact that this virus is capable of “significant human-to-human transmission”.

Here is a brief fact sheet:

What is it and how does it work?

The Swine Flu is a zoonatic infection of a strain of the infamous Influenza A Virus known as the H1N1 Subtype . It is essentially a respiratory infection (like a typical flu). Its existence was first confirmed in March of 2009. Since this is a typical flu virus, it does work much the same however, as the CDC and the WHO have both indicated this virus has a high possibility of human-to-human transmission.

What are the signs and symptoms?

Due to the fact that this is an Influenza Virus in its core, the signs and symptoms are similar to those of a common flu. They include fever, rhinorrhea, sore throat, sneezing, coughing, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, lethargy and lack of appetite.

How does Swine Flu spread?

This type of the flu spreads much the same as other types of the flu. Possible transmission routs include coughing, sneezing, and touching those infected.

Check out the Live Outbreak Map of the Swine Flu

Is there a treatment for Swine Flu?

It appears that the Swine Flu is susceptible to antivirals such as Rimantadine , Amantadine , Oseltamivir and Zanamivir . CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses

Does the Seasonal Flu Vaccine Protect Against Swine Flu?

The seasonal flu vaccine that contains the Human H1N1 is antigenically different that the Swine H1N1 and therefore, seasonal flu vaccines do not offer any protection in this case. Furthermore, according to the CDC there are no human vaccines against the Swine Flu H1N1 at this time.

How many cases are there so far and what countries are affected the most?

As of the writing o this article, there are more than 2,300 suspected cases of the Swine Flu and more than 75 confirmed cases. United States so far has the most confirmed cases however, that could be due to the faster response times to testing possible cases. Mexico, the source of the outbreak, has the most suspected cases – nearing 2,000 so far. Due to the ease of travel across the globe, it is likely that new cases will continue to appear all around the world. Other countries with confirmed cases thus far include Canada, United Kingdom, and Spain.

For more information on this story, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov. GluvSnap will also continue its coverage of this story so be sure to check back soon.

Source: CDC, WHO