Swine influenza or swine flu is a type of flu that normally only affects pigs.
That pigs can get the flu shouldn't be too surprising to people, as there have been many reports in recent years about the bird flu (Avian Influenza), another type of flu virus that affects birds.
Although both types of flu have long caused outbreaks in animals, the main problem occurs when these flu viruses infect humans. This was highlighted by a swine flu outbreak in Fort Dix, New Jersey in 1976, in which at least four soldiers got sick and one died, and the more devastating bird flu outbreaks that have killed hundreds of people worldwide.
Swine Flu
Swine flu is actually very common in pigs. And surprisingly, many things about swine flu are the same as the human flu, including that:
- pigs can get a swine flu vaccine
- swine flu outbreaks usually occur among pigs in the late fall and winter, just like our flu season
- swine flu symptoms in pigs can include the sudden onset of fever, coughing, running nose, sneezing, trouble breathing, and not wanting to eat
Fortunately, especially as we have enough to worry about with our own flu viruses, humans do not usually get swine flu. Occasionally they do however, especially children and adults who have close contact with pigs. In fact, the CDC usually reports one or two human cases of swine flu each year.
Swine Flu Symptoms
Swine flu symptoms in humans are the same as regular flu symptoms, and include fever, coughing, decreased appetite, and decreased energy.
2009 Swine Flu Cases
Unlike most years, in which just one or two cases of human swine flu were reported in the United States, at least 40 cases of swine flu in humans were reported as of April 27, 2009 -- the date the CDC declared the issue a public health emergency. Of course, there are many more cases now, as we are well into the swine flu pandemic.
As new cases are being reported daily on swine flu maps, for the latest case counts and swine flu news, see:
Even as swine flu has spread and become a pandemic, swine flu cases are still mostly mild. The continued spread of swine flu over the summer is a bit surprising though, and many experts think that means it will return in a larger wave in the fall, once kids are back in school.
It is also important to keep in mind that unlike the bird flu, which has an almost 60% fatality rate, there have been relatively few deaths reported from human swine flu this year.
What You Need To Know
- You can not catch swine flu by eating pork or pork products.
- Swine flu is a type A flu virus with four subtypes, including H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1. In contrast, bird flu is an H5N1 influenza A virus.
- Antiviral flu drugs, like Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir), are available to treat swine flu in humans, although swine flu is usually resistant to Flumadine (rimantadine) and Symmetrel (amantadine).
- The 1918 Flu Pandemic that may have killed 30 to 50 million people was once thought to be caused by a swine flu, but recent research has found that it was really a severe strain of bird flu.
Sources:
CDC. Human Swine Flu Investigation. Accessed: April 2009. CDC. Key Facts about Swine Influenza (Swine Flu). Accessed: April 2009. MMWR. Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Infection in Two Children --- Southern California, March--April 2009. April 21, 2009 / 58 (Dispatch), 1-3.
World Health Organization. Avian influenza frequently asked questions. Accessed: April 2009.
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/investigation.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/key_facts.htm
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/avian_faqs/en/index.html
