“Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans, however, sporadic human infections with influenza viruses that normally infect swine have occurred. How does swine flu spread? Swine flu can be spread to humans by sick animals.Īccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
Because it may be difficult to tell the swine flu from the normal flu, you should definitely seek the advice of a medical professional you trust if you are coming down with flu symptoms. These include coughing, fever, trouble breathing, sore throat and inflammation of the mucous membranes. Symptoms of swine flu resemble those of a normal respiratory influenza. In short, swine flu is still a threat to us, and precautions should be taken, especially during cold and flu season. While the last major pandemic of swine flu was back in 2009, there has recently been an outbreak in India and cases are still documented once in awhile all over the United States. If the flu is not treated and the body does not successfully fight off the infection, death may occur. If a person is infected with a “combination flu” of these three different types, complications can arise. This is because pigs can carry not only swine flu, but also human and bird flus, resulting in a sort of “triple threat” flu. If a human contracts this type of virus from a pig, as has happened in the past, the resulting infection can be very difficult to treat. The danger occurs when the virus spreads from pigs to humans, as it did in 2009 when the subtype H1N1 led to a pandemic.
Swine flu is a respiratory influenza A virus that is common in pigs.