Threat of Swine Flu (H1N1)

Swine Flu, have you heard of it. Yes, you would have , it was a very threatening and wide spreading disease in 2009-2012. Even now, many patients who have been affected have lost their life. We must certainly know, what’s so threating about this disease. Let’s know about it.

H1N1 is highly contagious respiratory disease that was seen only in swine (pigs). Hence , they named it in 2009 as SWINE FLU. It was caused due to a swine influenza A virus. Later, these SWINE FLU was also sighted in humans i.e., this influenza started to spread and affected a lot of human, and many lost their life. Transmission of these viruses to human was very unusual , but they can transmit, only if humans have contact with affected swine.

But once it affects human, it can spread vigorously to other person as it’s a communicable disease.

The symptom of SWIN FLU is same as the seasonal influenza. The patient may suffer from cough,fever,sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue, diarrhea and vomiting . These mild symptoms which are much similar to seasonal influenza makes it ignorable by many patients who lost their lives because of un awareness.

So, anyone sighted with these symptoms must contact the health care center near by to save their life and many other life. The common symptoms sighted in children are diarrhea, apnea, altered mental status, tachypnea, dyspnea, cyanosis. The duration of all the symptoms are 3-4 days.Many has lost their life within this duration itself, so please take immediate steps if you have theses symptoms.

It’s necessary for us to know , what kind of treatment is provided by the health care institute.

Treatment consists of bed rest, increased fluid consumption, cough suppressants and analgesic.Medications such as oseltamivir and zanamivir are given to the patients.

WHO(world health organization) has introduced H1N1 monovalent influenza vaccine . Two doses are given for children under 10yrs. Children and adults younger than 10 yrs are given 1 dose. Pregnant women, infants of 6 months to 18 months, person aged between 20-25, 60-65 are all under high risk of infection.

You must surely know certain ways to protect these influenza virus from spreading.

Don’t allow your family to mingle with crowd during this season, take the vaccine available in near by health center, if any of your family member is affected take immediate steps, don’t have any contact the infected person, stop sending children to school if symptoms are seen in children and keep spreading these awareness.

Suctioning, bronchoscopy, or intubation should be performed in a procedure room with negative-pressure air handling.Patients must wear a mask. Standard, droplet and contact precautions must be taken for 7 days from the onset of the symptoms/ infection.

I always repeat this sentence “PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE” . Keep trying all theses prevention methods and advice others to do also.