Full Guide to Swine Flu Symptoms & Treatment
The swine flu symptoms are just like ordinary flu but more severe. Even without treatment, most cases recover within a week and do not suffer complications; however, experts point out that the behaviour of this H1N1 virus strain is unpredictable and uncertain.
Typical Swine Flu Symptoms
The typical swine flu symptoms can include fever, cough, headache, tiredness, sore throat, body aches (muscles, limb or joints), chills, diarrhoea or stomach upset, runny nose, sneezing, and loss of appetite.
Severe Swine Flu Symptoms
More serious swine flu symptoms can include extreme fatigue or tiredness, fast or trouble breathing (pneumonia), bluish or gray skin colour and chronic-constant vomiting. Also, if the person shows signs of improvement but then gets worse, it would require urgent medical attention.
Swine Flu Incubation Period
In general, the incubation period for the H1N1virus is 48 hours, but can range from 1 to 5 days.
Swine Flu Treatment
Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir) are effective at treating the infection when administered at an early stage. If you feel any symptoms, you should avoid other people and call your doctor who very likely will subscribe antiviral medication. Doctors are prescribing such mediation immediately because no one can predict if patient with typical signs of swine flu symptoms can suffer severe complications.
Swine Flu High-Risk Groups
Children and younger people are more at risk of serious illness, but all age groups have confirmed severe complications. The high-risk groups include young children under 5 years old, elders (65+), pregnant women, people with chronic lung (asthma), liver, heart, kidney, and neurological disease, people with diabetes mellitus and immunosuppression.
Swine Flu Mortality Rate
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) almost 0.5% of the laboratory-confirmed cases have died, but the number is likely to be significantly higher taking into account not all cases are reported. Lung infection (pneumonia) is the most common complication of severe cases.
Confusion with Cold or Sinus Infection
It is important to keep in mind most children with a runny nose or cough will not neccessarily have swine flu and will not have to see their paediatrician for swine flu testing.
How does the H1N1 Virus Spread
The swine flu spreads from person to person by coughing and sneezing. Surfaces that have been exposed to respiratory secretions are contagious because the virus can live on surfaces for a short while. The illness is contagious for one day before and up to seven days after the first sign of swine flu symptoms.
Swine Flu in the UK Countdown - Swine Flu Map
According to BBC news, UK swine flu confirmed cases have exceeded 9,000 with 14 dead. Unconfirmed swine flu cases in the UK are estimated to exceed 100,000 by August.
Swine Flu Protection – Antiviral Face Mask
There is no single action that will provide complete protection against the H1N1 virus. Swine flu masks (N95 Masks) are not 100% foolproof but they do slow down spread if the person wearing the mask is infected. The same principle applies to surgical masks in a surgeon-patient relationship where the doctor is preventing its own germs from infecting the patient.
Swine Flu Vaccine
Even though many biotech and pharmaceutical companies are working together to produce the H1N1 virus vaccine, to this day, the treatment is still in the trial period.
Swine Flu Companies
The pandemic crisis (H1N1 Virus) is causing volatility throughout the world’s stock markets since it started in April. Here is a list of Stocks that have been impacted by the epidemic:
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2. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) |
10. Novavax (NVAX) |
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11. Novartis Ag (NVS) |
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12. Pure Bioscience (PURE) |
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13. Quidel Corp (QDEL) |
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6. Crucell Nv (CRXL) |
14. Sanofi-aventis (SNY) |
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15. Sinovac biotech (SVA) |
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This post has 8 comments
August 4th, 2009
my frinend as swineful do i stay away from her can i catch it of her
August 7th, 2009
Excelente sintesis. Gracias
August 8th, 2009
I woke up the other day feeling really under the weather. I checked my temperature today 101.4F .I had a really congested nose it felt like I had bad sinuses. My whole body aches when I cough and my throat is really sore ,I can bearly talk. Are these flu symtoms? Hopefully it’s not the flu virus. Every time I get out of bed my head hurts like someone hit me with a bat. It doesn’t help that I the room spins either . Does any one have any advice please?
August 10th, 2009
Stay in bed have six litres of water at you bedside, and a potty to
save the effort of going to the loo, and drink loads of liquids.
John
August 8th, 2009
Go see a doctor !
October 5th, 2009
wrong information there - stay indoors dont carry it to the surgery to pass on to staff and their families - inculding ME!!
August 9th, 2009
My brother had swine flu , he works aboard a naval ship in South America. He had alot of the basic symptoms , fever, aches and pains ,he said it felt like the normal flu . He’s a strong young guy and I don’t think he lasted more than 2 or 3 days in the hospital. Now he’s all better now and back to work. I personaly think that people are making a big deal over this for nothing.
August 10th, 2009
I think only people in really poor health or respiratory problems should be more worried. My opinion , don’t get the swine flu vaccine. A lot of people have gotten sicker or infected cause of the flu shot. So if you don’t have any swine fever symptoms and you’r not in any pain or feel ill don’t worry about it. All I see is swine flu news and if u ask me the media is just trying to boast it all up just to get better ratings. Now you see all these antiviral mask, funny right. Once again another money making tool . These swine flu mask are only good if you have it. Then maybe it will prevent you from spreading it. In this case stay home or just go to the hospital. Just remember that people love to blow things out of proportion.