tasha41
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Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
What is it?
It's a respiratory disease pigs get caused by type A influenza viruses. Humans are rarely infected.
How do you get it?
Through contact with an infected person or pig. It's unknown how easily it spreads person-to-person, but it's mainly though coughing and sneezing. People can also touch something and leave the virus on it and then touch their nose or mouths. You cannot get it from eating pork. It's not spread through food. It's transmitted through close contact with infected pigs or their environments such as barns or fairs.
What are the symptoms?
It's similar to influenza and includes fever, chills, cough, sore throat, body ache, headache, fatigue, lethargy, and lack of appetite. Sometimes it also causes diarrhea, vomitting, nausea, and a runny nose.
Who is at risk?
Reports suggest it is infecting previously healthy young adults. That is unusual compared to normal human flu which puts the elderly and very young children at the highest risk.
Can you treat it?
Swine flu ranges from mild illness to severe and even deadly. Prescription antiviral drugs are used to treat it, particularly oseltamivir, more commonly known as Tamiflu, or zanamivir, also known as Relenza. It's best to start taking these within 2 days of getting symptoms.
Is there a vaccine?
There is no vaccine for humans, only pigs. The seasonal flu shot is believed to provide at least some protection.
How long can an infected person spread it?
Adults are contagious for up to seven days after the onset of illness and some for the entire time they have symptoms. Children can be contagious for 10 days or longer.
How is it prevented?
The best protection is washing your hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand cleaners. Keep about one metre away from people and avoid close contact with anyone who is sick. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Live healthy by getting plenty of sleep and exercise. Avoid stress. Drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritiously. If you are sick, cover your cough and stay home.
When should you go to the doctor?
Seek medical attention if you have visited Mexico, California, or Texas in the last two weeks and are having any respiratory symptoms.
What is it?
It's a respiratory disease pigs get caused by type A influenza viruses. Humans are rarely infected.
How do you get it?
Through contact with an infected person or pig. It's unknown how easily it spreads person-to-person, but it's mainly though coughing and sneezing. People can also touch something and leave the virus on it and then touch their nose or mouths. You cannot get it from eating pork. It's not spread through food. It's transmitted through close contact with infected pigs or their environments such as barns or fairs.
What are the symptoms?
It's similar to influenza and includes fever, chills, cough, sore throat, body ache, headache, fatigue, lethargy, and lack of appetite. Sometimes it also causes diarrhea, vomitting, nausea, and a runny nose.
Who is at risk?
Reports suggest it is infecting previously healthy young adults. That is unusual compared to normal human flu which puts the elderly and very young children at the highest risk.
Can you treat it?
Swine flu ranges from mild illness to severe and even deadly. Prescription antiviral drugs are used to treat it, particularly oseltamivir, more commonly known as Tamiflu, or zanamivir, also known as Relenza. It's best to start taking these within 2 days of getting symptoms.
Is there a vaccine?
There is no vaccine for humans, only pigs. The seasonal flu shot is believed to provide at least some protection.
How long can an infected person spread it?
Adults are contagious for up to seven days after the onset of illness and some for the entire time they have symptoms. Children can be contagious for 10 days or longer.
How is it prevented?
The best protection is washing your hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand cleaners. Keep about one metre away from people and avoid close contact with anyone who is sick. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Live healthy by getting plenty of sleep and exercise. Avoid stress. Drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritiously. If you are sick, cover your cough and stay home.
When should you go to the doctor?
Seek medical attention if you have visited Mexico, California, or Texas in the last two weeks and are having any respiratory symptoms.
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