Dear Parents,
Swine flu , now known as the 2009 H1N1 flu, is caused by the orthomyxovirus which usually affects pigs but viral mutations allows the virus to cross species to other hosts like humans.
• Respiratory symptoms, usually a cough or less frequently as dyspnoea (difficulty breathing) of pneumonia.
• Fatigue and lethargy
• general body aches
• Headache & Diarrhoea
• Always
wash your hands after touching objects, other people and at regular intervals.
A good antimicrobial soap is useful.
Diagnosis of Swine Flu:
Swine flu is an alarming
infection which affects upper respiratory tract.. This infection is already in the air. As we
all know change in weather makes people more prone to infections & flues. I
want to request you all to be little more careful as swine flu has almost same
symptoms as common flu.
Swine flu , now known as the 2009 H1N1 flu, is caused by the orthomyxovirus which usually affects pigs but viral mutations allows the virus to cross species to other hosts like humans.
Symptoms of Swine Flu:
Swine flu infection causes
symptoms that are similar to the symptoms of influenza infection as seen during
the annual ‘flu’ season.
The general symptoms of swine flu
include:
• Fever
with or without chills.
• Sore
throat.• Respiratory symptoms, usually a cough or less frequently as dyspnoea (difficulty breathing) of pneumonia.
• Fatigue and lethargy
• general body aches
• Headache & Diarrhoea
Treatment of Swine Flu:
• Oseltamivir
(commonly marketed under the trade name Tamiflu) is being touted as the
frontrunner in combatting this outbreak. Oseltamivir is an antiviral drug that
is useful both as a treatment and as a preventative measure against many
influenza type viruses including swine flu, and bird flu.
• Zanamivir,
another widely used antiviral has also been found to be effective in the
treatment of swine flu.
Prevention of Swine Flu:
As with any disease, prevention
is better than cure and a few conservative measures can greatly reduce your
risk of swine flu infection. Proper hygiene and common sense are of the
greatest benefit in dealing with any viral outbreak. A few simple tips to
reduce your chances of swine flu infection include:
• Avoid
close contact with any person suffering with the ‘flu’.
• If
you are suffering with the ‘flu’, practice good hygiene to avoid infecting your
loved ones. This includes blocking your mouth and nose when sneezing, throwing
away used tissues and not sharing food, drink or personal items.
Diagnosis of Swine Flu:
• The
symptoms of swine flu are non-specific meaning that it could be indicative of
many other conditions including the common cold or the annual flu. However in
the presence of these symptoms and a strong history of exposure to infected
persons or other related factors, a differential diagnosis of swine flu should
be considered.
• A
laboratory testing of mucus should be conducted to confirm the diagnosis. This
is only relevant in the first few days of infection as swine flu is only
contagious for 5days.
Santosh Sharma
Nurse
