Swine Flu – a New Type of Influenza
Transmission, Symptoms, and Possible Origin of Swine Influenza
May 10, 2009
It was 1976 when the first case of swine flu was registered in the US. That year a 19-year-old army recruit died of what was later called “swine flu”.
This year the new type of influenza - H1N1 – has already killed hundreds of people while thousands have been infected worldwide. According to Reuters, the virus was identified on April 23, 2009 in Mexico. Within two weeks the World Health Organization has raised its alert level from three to four.
Possible Origin of the Swine Influenza
According to Professor Dmitry Lvov of D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology in Moscow, the swine flu has appeared as a result of bird flu’s mutation in a body of a pig. Pigs easily catch both human and bird flues. So, mixed together, the genes of these two viruses create a new type of influenza – the swine flu.
A human can get infected with this disease via coming into contact with infected pigs or infected humans, as Lvov claims. Between 2005 and 2009 there have been 12 cases of swine flu registered in the US. Eleven of the infected people had contact with pigs. However, according to Maggie Fox (Reuters), the virus threatening people in 2009 has never been found in pigs: it just transmits from person to person.
Swine Flu Transmission and Symptoms
The swine flu transmits from person to person just like an ordinary seasonal flu. A human can get infected by means of coming into direct contact with an infected person, by touching contaminated items, through coughing and sneezing.
The symptoms of the swine flu are similar to those of the seasonal flu. The only difference is that the new infection may lead to diarrhea and vomiting.
A human body does not have a natural immunity against the swine flu. Therefore, the only possible cure and protection is immunization. However, the conclusion of Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer for England, is that it may take months for a vaccine against the new type of influenza to be created.
Swine flu, a mutated mix of human and bird flu, has become a real threat to the health of all the world’s nations. It is transmitted as easily as an ordinary seasonal flue. The symptoms are rather similar as well. However, while seasonal flu can be treated by means of the existing medication and vaccines, there is no protection against the swine flu so far.
Sources:
BBC News. “Swine flu: How serious a threat?” News.BBC.co.uk, 2009.
Fox, Maggie, and Kevin Liffey. “FACTBOX: How swine flu spreads in humans.” Reuters. 2009.
Fox, Maggie. “FACTBOX: New flu strain is a genetic mix.” Reuters. 2009.
Mickle, Paul. 1976: Fear of a great plague. The Trentonian. Capitalcentury.com.
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