Swine flu(California flu, Mexican flu, North American flu, “Mexican”) is an acute viral respiratory disease caused by certain strains of the influenza virus.
The swine flu virus was isolated in 1930 from domestic pigs in Mexico and North America. Long years the virus circulated in limited areas and caused disease only in animals. Since the 90s of the 20th century, isolated cases of swine flu have been reported among pig farmers and veterinarians.
Over time, mutations led to the emergence of a new strain of the swine flu virus, which acquired the ability to overcome the interspecies barrier and be transmitted from person to person. In the spring of 2009, this virus began to spread widely among people, causing a pandemic called California/2009. According to WHO, it covered 74 countries. The new virus was easily transmitted from person to person and sickened more than half a million people. Therefore, WHO assigned this swine flu virus the highest hazard class (class IV).
The results of numerous scientific studies have proven the high effectiveness of the swine flu vaccine and its safety.
In 2016, infectious disease specialists predicted a new outbreak of swine flu and included the strain of the virus that caused it in the vaccine. This made it possible to create a fairly broad immune layer among the population of a number of countries where this vaccine was used. But despite this, the virus has spread significantly, in particular in Israel, Turkey, Russia, and Ukraine.
Source: arpeflu.ru
Causes and risk factors
Swine flu is caused by strains of influenza viruses of serotype A (A/H1N1, A/H1N2, A/H3N1, A/H3N2 and A/H2N3) and serotype C. All of them received common name"swine flu virus"
The greatest danger in epidemiological terms is the A/H1N1 serotype. Its occurrence is the result of recombination (mixing) of several subtypes of the virus. It was this strain that caused the swine flu pandemic in 2009. The properties of the A/H1N1 virus are:
- the ability to infect birds, animals, humans;
- the ability to be transmitted from person to person;
- the ability to undergo rapid changes at the gene level (mutations);
- resistance to the action of traditional antiviral drugs (rimantadine, amantadine).
The swine flu virus has low resistance in external environment. Ultraviolet rays and disinfectants quickly inactivate it. However, when low temperatures it remains virulent for a long time.
The source of infection for swine flu is sick or infected people and pigs. In the human population, the infection is mainly transmitted by airborne droplets. Contact-household transmission is much less common. Cases of infection associated with eating meat from infected pigs have not been described in the medical literature.
The patient becomes infectious to others from the last days of the incubation period and secretes viruses for another 10–14 days from the onset of the disease, even with specific therapy.
In most patients, swine flu occurs in mild form and ends full recovery within 10-14 days.
Susceptibility to swine flu caused by the A/H1N1 virus is high. Most often, the disease occurs in patients with a reduced immune status:
- young children;
- pregnant women;
- aged people;
- those suffering from somatic diseases;
Replication and reproduction of the swine flu virus occurs in epithelial cells mucous membrane respiratory tract, which is accompanied by their degeneration and necrosis. Viruses and toxic products of their vital activity enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body. Viremia persists for 10–14 days and manifests itself toxic lesions internal organs and, above all, the cardiovascular and central nervous system.
Damage to the cardiovascular system is accompanied by microcirculation disorders, increased fragility and permeability of blood vessels. These changes, in turn, lead to the appearance of hemorrhagic rashes on the skin, nosebleeds (rhinorrhagia), and hemorrhages in the internal organs. Microcirculation disorders contribute to the formation pathological processes in the lung tissue (edema, hemorrhages in the alveoli).
Against the background of viremia, there is a decrease vascular tone. Clinically, this process is manifested by the following symptoms:
- venous hyperemia of the mucous membranes and skin;
- congestive plethora of internal organs;
- diapedetic bleeding;
- thrombosis of capillaries and veins.
All the described changes in the blood vessels cause hypersecretion of cerebrospinal fluid and disruption of its circulation, which leads to and can cause cerebral edema.
Source: simptomer.ru
Swine flu symptoms
Incubation period with swine flu lasts from 1 to 7 days. The clinical manifestations of infection are varied. In people with weakened immune systems, the disease is very severe and often ends in death. In some patients, on the contrary, it is asymptomatic and can only be detected when antibodies to the virus are detected in the blood serum (asymptomatic virus carriage).
Cases of infection associated with eating meat from infected pigs have not been described in the medical literature.
In most cases, the signs of swine flu are similar to those of seasonal flu or ARVI:
- intense headache;
- photophobia;
- increase in body temperature to 39-40 ° C;
- aches in muscles and joints;
- weakness, lethargy, feeling of weakness;
- Pain in the eyes;
- sore and sore throat;
In 40-45% of cases, swine flu is accompanied by the development of abdominal syndrome (diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, cramping abdominal pain).
Diagnostics
Preliminary diagnosis of the disease presents many difficulties, since the symptoms of swine flu and regular seasonal flu are similar. The final diagnosis is made based on the results of laboratory tests, allowing identification of the pathogen:
- examination of a nasopharyngeal smear using PCR;
- virological examination of nasal discharge;
- serological tests (ELISA, RTGA, RSK).
Serological tests for suspected swine flu are carried out twice with an interval of 10–14 days (paired serum method). The diagnosis is considered confirmed if specific antibodies increase by 4 times or more.
Treatment of swine flu
Treatment of swine flu includes symptomatic and etiotropic drugs.
Etiotropic therapy is aimed at suppressing further replication of the virus. It is carried out with interferons (alpha-2b interferon, alpha interferon), kagocel, zanamivir, oseltamivir.
In people with weakened immune systems, the disease is very severe and often ends in death.
Symptomatic treatment of swine flu is carried out with antihistamines, antipyretics and vasoconstrictors. If indicated, detoxification therapy is carried out (intravenous infusion of glucose and electrolyte solutions).
Antibiotics are indicated only when secondary bacterial infection. In this case, macrolides, cephalosporins or penicillins are used.
Swine flu... The mere mention of this disease terrifies many people.
It is believed that the declared disease is very insidious and dangerous, it strikes weak people.
Is it really?
If you care about your own health, then you should know what swine flu has.
It is much easier to prevent pathology than to eliminate it.
Therefore, you should be aware of preventive measures.
Swine flu is especially dangerous for people with weak immune systems
The swine flu formula AH1N1 was developed at the beginning of the last century.
More than 80 years have passed since then.
During this time, scientists have identified the existence of several subtypes of the disease: H3N1, H3N2, H2N3.
All of them belong to acute viral infections that occur with severe symptoms.
Swine flu became very famous in Russia in 2009.
The pandemic dates back to May 2009.
Many sources even indicate the number - 22. Now it is no longer possible to verify the accuracy of this information.
By August of the same year, 55 cases were officially registered.
But these are only those who turned to specialists for help.
After another 10 days, there were already three times more infected.
The authorities proposed to postpone the start school year to minimize the risk of further spread of the disease. By the end of September, one death was officially confirmed due to swine flu.
At that time, more than three hundred thousand infections were reported worldwide. More than 500 people have died from this disease in Russia.
How does infection occur?
The swine flu virus can infect humans, animals and birds.
They start abruptly.
A person can feel good in the morning, but by the evening he can already feel all the “delights” of the disease.
The symptoms of a viral infection are divided into several stages. The peak of infection occurs on days 3-5.
It all starts with a headache and fever
First hours
The first signs of swine flu include the following symptoms:
- headache;
- heat;
- chills.
As practice shows, the H1N1 virus is distinguished from a cold by the fact that the head hurts near the forehead and temples.
If the patient has hypertension, this significantly aggravates the state of health.
The headache is so severe that it is difficult for a person to lift his eyelids.
The temperature rarely rises in the first hours.
The sick person can name exact time when I felt bad. The thermometer mark can reach 39-41 degrees . In some patients it is quite difficult to reduce it.
The height of the disease
What symptoms of swine flu appear later?
- On the second (less often third) day, symptoms increase.
- The patient has tactile irritation.
- Even light clothing causes discomfort.
- At high temperatures it continues to freeze: the patient wants to warm up.
- Redness of the mucous membrane of the larynx is accompanied by pain when swallowing.
- The patient has no appetite, there is severe weakness and drowsiness.
- Unpleasant sensations are caused by bright light, the eyes become watery (conjunctivitis occurs less frequently).
With the H1N1 virus, a cough is often present. It can be caused by a number of reasons: throat irritation, posterior rhinitis or inflammation of the lower respiratory tract.
Cough is one of the most common symptoms swine flu
A runny nose is often absent with the declared illness, but this symptom cannot be completely excluded.
Some people experience severe nasal congestion, loss of smell and distorted taste.
With swine flu, the patient always has abdominal pain, diarrhea and nausea. Vomiting may occur. Like seasonal flu, .
What is the danger?
In people with strong immunity, the disease is mild.
A few days later acute course infection, a period of recovery begins.
Doctors identify people who are at risk. They are especially likely to experience complications.
- Small children (especially infants and newborns).
- Aged people.
- Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.
- Persons with immunodeficiency.
- Having chronic diseases(diabetes, hypertension, vascular abnormalities, cancer).
If you are one of these people, then at the first manifestation of the disease, immediately seek medical help!
The pathology is dangerous because it can cause complications. As practice shows, there is a possibility of death.
The most common complications are:
- myocarditis and vascular pathologies;
- viral pneumonia, acute bronchitis;
- nephritis and its accompanying diseases;
- pulmonary edema;
- changes in blood structure;
- the appearance of blood clots.
Complications from swine flu can affect the cardiovascular system
You need to be wary if there is no improvement within a few days.
Call an ambulance if the chills are accompanied by cold sweat, you are short of breath, or you are eating strong pain in the sternum area.
In children, the disease can cause dehydration and the formation of acetone in the urine.
At the same time, the child is very lethargic, he does not want to play and sleeps all the time.
Consult a doctor!
How to treat swine flu in one case or another, the doctor decides.
Experts usually prescribe complex treatment, which includes symptomatic therapy, the use of antiviral drugs and regimen.
If one of your family members is sick, it is advisable to prescribe preventive medications for everyone else.
The H1N1 virus is very contagious, and it is almost impossible to protect yourself from it by constantly being in contact with a carrier of the infection.
Swine flu can have outpatient and inpatient treatment. The second option is necessary in case of severe disease or after complications occur.
Ambulatory treatment
Depending on the symptoms of swine flu, the patient is prescribed appropriate medications.
Remember that before taking any medicine, you must read its instructions.
You should not rely on reviews from experienced friends or blindly follow your doctor’s advice.
Be sure to make sure that you have no contraindications to the use of drugs.
- A high temperature during swine flu should only decrease if the thermometer level exceeds 38.5 degrees. Many viruses, including H1N1, begin to die at 38 degrees. Your body is now trying to cope with the disease on its own. Children with birth trauma or neurological diseases antipyretics are needed when the thermometer reading exceeds 37.5. These babies have a high risk of seizures.
- Sore throat is eliminated with drugs with an anesthetic effect . They can be produced in the form of lozenges or sprays. Antiseptics that destroy viral infections and prevent the proliferation of bacteria will also be useful. Many of these medications are contraindicated for children under 3-4 years of age.
- Vomiting and diarrhea with swine flu are caused by intoxication. To cleanse the body of harmful substances, you will need sorbents. The drugs are available in the form of tablets, powders, suspensions or gels. Choose what you like best. Please note: all enterosorbents are taken separately from others medicines.
- At severe diarrhea You can use fixative medications, for example, Loperamide or Imodium . Motilium or Cerucal will help stop vomiting and eliminate nausea.
- And finally, antiviral agents. They are an integral part of swine flu therapy. The drugs of choice are Relenza and Tamiflu. They are sold by prescription, so they cannot be purchased without prior medical consultation. Simpler drugs, such as Kagocel, Rimantadine, Anaferon, Groprinosin, may be ineffective in the fight against the H1N virus
Relenza is one of the most effective antiviral agents for swine flu
Hospitalization
How does swine flu begin in severe cases??
In patients at risk or people with reduced immunity, the disease can immediately develop into a dangerous form.
If you constantly vomit and are unable to drink plenty of fluids, coughing with difficult sputum separation, and body temperature is not reduced by conventional medications – there is a need for hospitalization.
You should not go to the clinic and stand in line to see the doctor. , thereby protecting yourself and the people you may infect.
How to be treated in a hospital?
Swine flu in a medical facility has treatment similar to that at home.
The patient is provided with symptomatic and supportive treatment and given potent antiviral drugs. Added to manipulations. In case of dehydration, saline solution with glucose is administered.
This therapy helps reduce temperature, reduce intoxication, and prevent cardiac and kidney complications.
At the patient. If studies show the presence of a bacterial infection, which is not uncommon as a complication of swine flu, then antibiotics are prescribed.
The sputum is preliminarily examined for the sensitivity of microorganisms.
A very dangerous complication is viral pneumonia. The patient may experience acute respiratory failure, in which case it will be necessary artificial ventilation lungs. Being in a hospital allows doctors to react urgently. When this condition develops at home, it is often fatal.
Home events
For an uncomplicated viral infection, home treatment can be performed.
There is no specific antiviral food or drink.
Fermented milk products normalize intestinal microflora
At the same time, you can help your body fight off infection by building resistance.
- Dairy products, made from natural ingredients, normalize intestinal microflora. They should not be used if you have severe diarrhea.
- Vitamin C It can not only improve immunity, it also has a thinning effect on phlegm. If you do not have allergies, then eat oranges, grapefruits, limes and any greens.
- Drink fruit drinks made from cranberries, raspberries, lingonberries. As you know, drinking plenty of fluids promotes recovery. The mentioned drinks also have an antiseptic effect and wash away pathogenic flora.
- During illness, you should avoid heavy meals. Eat easily digestible proteins: turkey, eggs, fish. Don't overeat on chocolate and sweets.
Remember important rule : home activities do not exempt you from drug therapy which was prescribed by the doctor.
If you have the slightest suspicion of a complication of the disease, immediately see a therapist or infectious disease specialist.
Influenza in pigs in its classic version was discovered in the thirties of the last century. This disease is viral in nature and is caused by influenza type A. The peak incidence in pigs occurs at the same time as human epidemics - in autumn and winter. The disease is especially dangerous for young piglets, old and weakened animals.
What kind of disease is this?
Swine flu - acute viral disease, which most often affects the respiratory system. The disease is characterized by a high level of infectivity, while among strong adults the mortality rate during infection is quite low.
Like any influenza virus, swine flu in pigs is constantly changing and mutating, adapting to medications and environmental conditions. To date, there are four types of influenza virus identified in pigs:
- H1N1;
- H1N2;
- H3N2;
- H3N1.
The causative agent of swine flu is classified by scientists as belonging to the orthomyxovirus family (RNA viruses). It has an unstable structure and changes frequently; cross-mutations are possible - various combinations of influenza subtypes with each other. Because of this, in addition to swine flu itself, pathogens of “human” or “avian” disease can be isolated from pigs during laboratory analysis of biological material.
The swine flu virus particle contains eight fragments of ribonucleic acid (RNA) enclosed in an envelope consisting of lipids and proteins.
The pathogen is detected in laboratory tests in secretions from the respiratory tract - in mucus from the nose, in sputum from the trachea, lungs and bronchi. The virus is also found in lymphatic system, in the respiratory organs closest to the infected lymph nodes. In particularly severe cases of the disease, the virus can be detected in waste products (feces, urine) and spleen tissue.
Epizootology of the virus
Epizootology (section veterinary science, studying animal epidemics) reveals that under natural conditions the pathogen infects only domestic pigs that are susceptible to it. In a laboratory experiment, disease from the swine flu virus can develop in other animals. There are also cases of transmission of the disease from animals to humans.
Transmission of the disease occurs through infected animals in several ways:
- Airborne transmission between animals. Infection occurs through direct inhalation by healthy animals of air infected with secretions of sick animals or through general feeding.
- Infection through objects and equipment. Once in an unfavorable environment (too cold or too dry), the virus can survive for up to several years and become more active when it is re-entered into favorable conditions.
- Infection of people working with animals and their transmission of the disease to healthy animals.
The virus is relatively resistant to low temperatures and, when overcooled or dried out, goes into suspended animation; in this state it can remain dangerous for up to four years.
On the other hand, the virus does not tolerate high temperatures well, and raising the temperature of its habitat to at least 60 degrees quickly kills it.
The disease spreads mainly through direct transmission from sick animals to healthy ones. Carriers of the virus may sometimes have no symptoms but still be infectious (asymptomatic carriers). Transmission of the disease is also possible through waste products of sick animals, tools, bedding, food, soil and water.
The video talks about swine flu research in China, where almost 50% of the world's pig population is kept. Scientists are considering the possibility of gene transfer between swine and avian influenza viruses:
Risk factors that provoke influenza epidemics in pigs may be:
- cold season;
- too cramped room;
- increased dampness;
- drafts.
The incubation period ranges from one to seven days, depending on the state of the animal’s immunity and its age. Young piglets and older pigs suffer from the disease more severely.
Symptoms and signs
Veterinary medicine identifies influenza symptoms in pigs that are similar to human influenza symptoms. Since the infection is classified as respiratory, the manifestations of the disease mainly affect the respiratory organs. The moist environment of the respiratory tract stimulates the rapid multiplication of the virus, and the inflammation of the mucous membranes it causes contributes to further airborne spread of the pathogen when coughing and sneezing.
The following symptoms characteristic of swine flu are distinguished:
- increased body temperature;
- lethargy, apathy, loss of appetite;
- discharge from the respiratory tract (runny nose and cough);
- inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory organs and eyes;
- labored breathing;
- when listening to breathing - bronchial and pulmonary wheezing;
- enlarged lymph nodes.
Other signs of swine flu are associated with the residence of the virus in the cells of an infected animal, which provokes their partial death and leads to the formation of toxins. In combination with high temperature, this can lead to disturbances in the functioning of the circulatory, cardiovascular and nervous systems. The effect of the virus on the body makes blood vessels fragile, which sometimes leads to hemorrhages on the skin and internal organs, nosebleeds and ruptures of blood vessels in the respiratory tract. Because of this, pulmonary sputum may contain traces of blood.
Note! Just like in humans, flu in pigs can cause problems with joints and muscles - the “ache in the bones” familiar to everyone who has had the flu. Difficulty and stiffness of movements, combined with general weakness, lead to the fact that animals move little, the blood in the body “stagnates”, and the skin in the abdominal area of seriously ill pigs acquires a bluish tint.
Forms of the disease
Adult pig with healthy immune system suffers from the flu in about the same time as a person - seven to ten days. After recovery, another week and a half must pass for the animal’s body to fully recover. The mortality rate of adult pigs with typical influenza is no more than four percent.
Weakened animals, piglets and “elderly” pigs suffer the disease more severely; for these parts of the livestock there is a high risk of developing various complications - bronchitis, inflammation of the lungs and their membranes, heart complications, dermatitis, and possible blood poisoning.
Complicated course subacute form Influenza can have a mortality rate of up to thirty percent. This form of influenza occurs with the development of purulent or necrotic pneumonia in sick animals.
Note! At the first sign of disease in the herd, quarantine measures must be initiated. It is especially important to try to protect piglets from infection, since the mortality rate among young animals with influenza is always higher, and piglets that survive the disease may lag behind in development and remain “little ones.”
Atypical influenza is characterized by an inconspicuous course of the disease and less severe symptoms. Recovery also occurs faster than with regular flu - from three to six days.
How is swine flu detected?
Most often, swine flu is diagnosed by clinical picture- a set of symptoms characteristic of of this disease. But to be completely sure, it is recommended to use special laboratory tests, revealing the virus content in the sputum of sick animals, as well as the presence of antibodies in the blood.
To confirm the presence of influenza virus in the sputum of sick pigs, a nasal wash or scraping technique is used. Materials obtained from the procedures are examined in the laboratory using sera and microscopy. This allows not only to confirm or deny the presence of the influenza virus in a pig, but also to accurately determine its strain.
A blood test for the presence of antibodies allows us to identify the exact time that has passed since the onset of the disease (for the virus in the active stage, that is, during the illness) and the level of the immune response to the pathogen. For a healthy animal, this procedure makes it possible to determine by the level of antibodies whether it has suffered from influenza or whether it has been vaccinated.
Treatment
As with the “human” flu, treatment is mostly symptomatic. Sick animals are isolated from healthy ones and placed in a warm room with good ventilation. This area requires regular cleaning, and waste from cleaning should be stored and disposed of as far as possible from healthy pigs, their feeders and waterers.
The diet during illness should consist of easily digestible foods with a mushy consistency. It makes sense to add anise and dill (or their essential oils), and vitamin complexes and strengthening additives.
To alleviate the course of the disease and shorten its period, special immunizing serums are used to stimulate the body's fight against infection. They are usually used in the form of injections.
Important! Treatment with antibiotics is necessary only if complications occur - a secondary bacterial infection. This is revealed through analysis. qualified veterinarian. Antibiotics do not act on the virus itself, so treating swine flu with antibiotics from the very first days of the disease does not make sense and can even harm animals.
To avoid infection with secondary bacterial infections or alleviate their course during complications, various disinfectant antimicrobial drugs from the sulfonamides (streptocides) class are used - sulfadimezin, etazol, norsulfazole.
The situation with swine flu in veterinary medicine is exactly the same as in humans: there are very few special drugs to combat the influenza virus itself, since the pathogen is very variable and constantly mutates. Anti-influenza drugs (such as amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir, zanamivir) are used with varying success in treating humans, but treating pigs with these drugs will not be economically viable - the drugs are not cheap, and side effects they have a lot. Apart from influenza vaccines, there are no drugs aimed at preventing influenza - only general strengthening immunity.
Prevention
Preventive measures on pig farms can be carried out in two directions:
- Protecting healthy animals from possible contact with pathogens. This includes organizing the farm space in such a way that the animals have enough free space in their pens. When purchasing animals, especially in the autumn-winter period, it is necessary to arrange a thirty-day quarantine for each new individual. To increase the immunity of the herd, special immunostimulating serums and anti-influenza vaccines are used. Also, during a dangerous period, periodic disinfection of the premises where pigs are kept, equipment and work clothes of workers is necessary.
- Procedures for the general strengthening of animal immunity. This includes the organization correct content pigs during the epidemiologically dangerous autumn-winter period: arrangement of clean rooms with heating and ventilation, timely cleaning, avoidance of exposure to drafts, especially in rooms where young animals are kept. Adding vitamins and microelements to pig diets also works well. food additives, hardening piglets with short walks in the fresh air.
If you have a choice, it is better not to purchase pigs at all from mid-autumn to mid-spring, since even one sick animal can cause an entire epidemic on your farm.
Animals with suspicious flu-like symptoms should be isolated as soon as possible. A separate room for a sick pig must be disinfected daily; equipment used in working with a sick animal and special clothing must also be disinfected. Ideally, infected animals are assigned separate personnel who should not have contact with the healthy part of the herd.
The duration of immunity of a pig who has recovered from influenza ranges from two to four weeks.
It is also possible to vaccinate pigs against the swine flu virus. The vaccine contains inactivated strains of the H1N1 and H3N2 viruses obtained in laboratory conditions. Its double use forms stable immunity to the swine flu virus 21 days after the second vaccination, and the duration of action is six months. For best results, vaccination must be carried out under the supervision of a qualified veterinarian, in advance, so that the period of stable immunity occurs during the epidemiologically dangerous cold season.
Note! It is impossible to vaccinate animals that are already sick, since their weakened body may not be able to cope with the additional load.
Vaccinating pigs helps preserve livestock and prevent massive outbreaks of infection. Due to frequent mutations of the influenza virus, the vaccine may not be 100% effective, but even when infected with a new mutated strain, vaccinated pigs tolerate the disease much more easily. This can significantly reduce losses among piglets, which usually account for the majority of complications and deaths.
Since there are documented cases of transmission of swine influenza virus to humans, it is also advisable for workers to be vaccinated. Naturally, here we are talking about a “human” vaccination, which can be given in any clinic.
The best solution for a farmer is to avoid swine flu outbreaks at all costs. This can be achieved by protecting pigs from drafts and dampness during the cold season, maintaining cleanliness on the farm, feeding piglets with vitamins and vaccination. Keeping newly acquired animals in quarantine will also help avoid unpleasant surprises.
Swine flu is the name of one of the strains of the influenza virus that caused the pandemic in 2009. The name “swine flu” was given to the H1N1 subtype virus because it is most similar in genetic structure to the swine influenza virus. It should be noted that as a result of research, the spread of this virus in pigs could not be established; scientists found that the virus of this strain is transmitted exclusively from person to person. It is believed that the mutation may have occurred as a result of infection of pigs with the human influenza virus.
The spread of the virus occurs through airborne droplets; a sick person is contagious to others. The symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of other types of flu, but it is much more severe and the incidence of complications is much higher. According to statistics, death is recorded in 7% of cases, which is a critical indicator for a disease such as influenza.
Swine flu symptoms
The causative agent of swine flu is the H1N1 virus.A viral infection is different in that the symptoms of the disease often appear suddenly and increase rapidly. The symptoms of swine flu are very similar to those caused by other strains of this virus, so it is extremely difficult to recognize it from its clinical picture.
The incubation period of the disease can last from 2 to 4 days, during which time patients may be bothered by a mild cough, sore throat, or slight malaise. In most cases there is no incubation period.
Patients experience a sharp rise in body temperature (up to 40 C), chills, weakness, headaches, muscle and joint pain, pain in eyeballs. A little later, a runny nose, cough, and sometimes...
Treatment of swine flu
Therapy for swine flu and so-called seasonal flu is practically the same. With timely treatment, this form of the disease is cured within a week without the development of complications. In almost all cases of the disease that ended fatally, treatment was started untimely or there was use of folk remedies instead of adequate therapy. In such cases, patients may develop severe pneumonia with hemorrhagic syndrome, which is difficult to treat.
Patients are advised to adhere to bed rest. It is strictly not recommended to carry the disease on your feet. It should also be remembered that the patient is contagious to others, so he must be isolated. Treatment of patients with severe forms of the disease is carried out in a hospital.
Antiviral therapy
Of the antiviral drugs that act directly on the virus and prevent its further reproduction, Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) and Relenza (Zanamivir) have proven effectiveness. The earlier treatment with antiviral drugs is started, the higher its effectiveness, and the risk of complications becomes much lower. It is necessary to start taking the drug no later than 40 hours after the first symptoms of the disease appear; after this time, the effectiveness of antiviral therapy is significantly reduced. It should be noted that Tamiflu is approved for use in children over 1 year of age.
Symptomatic treatment
Symptomatic therapy is aimed at reducing body intoxication and the intensity of headaches.
The use of antipyretic and analgesic drugs is recommended only in cases of poor tolerance to high temperatures and the development of seizures in children. This is due to the fact that the influenza virus is killed at high temperatures. You can take medications such as Nurofen, Panadol, Paracetamol, and taking medications containing acetylsalicylic acid, Not recommended.
To facilitate the discharge of sputum during a dry cough, it is recommended to take expectorants (Ambrobene, Lazolvan, Gerbion, Mucaltin).
For a runny nose accompanied by nasal congestion, vasoconstrictor medications (Tizin, Nazivin, Sanorin, Snoop) will help ease breathing.
It is necessary to urgently consult a doctor if there is no effect from the prescribed therapy within 3 days, the appearance of chest pain, cough with sputum containing blood, severe shortness of breath, a pronounced decrease in blood pressure, fainting.
Prevention of swine flu
If contact with people cannot be avoided during a swine flu epidemic, masks should be used to protect the respiratory tract from the virus. The preventive measures necessary to protect the body from swine flu are no different from those for any viral disease:
- Contact with people with acute respiratory diseases should be avoided. After visiting crowded places, it is recommended to rinse your nose with warm water or saline.
- Usage individual funds for respiratory protection (masks) during seasonal epidemics.
- Strengthening the immune system with vitamin therapy, natural immunomodulators (schisandra, eleutherococcus, ginseng, Echinacea purpurea), hardening and other health procedures.
- Prophylactic use of antiviral drugs during a seasonal influenza epidemic.
Which doctor should I contact?
If flu symptoms appear, you should contact your pediatrician or general practitioner. Treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis. Only patients with severe illness and those from risk groups, such as pregnant women and the elderly, are hospitalized. Swine flu is treated by an infectious disease specialist; if pneumonia develops, examination and treatment by a pulmonologist is necessary.
– this is the conventional name for a disease in humans and animals that is provoked by certain strains of the virus. This name became most widespread in 2009 in the media mass media. A number of strains associated with swine flu have been found in influenza viruses serotype C and subtypes serotype A . The so-called “Swine Flu Virus” is the common name for all these strains.
This disease has a certain prevalence among domestic pigs in many countries of the world. However, the greatest danger is the fact that this virus can infect people, birds and some animals. In addition, during the life of the swine flu virus, it undergoes rapid mutation.
The swine flu virus can be transmitted from animals to humans relatively rarely. Accordingly, you can eat pork that has been prepared taking into account all the rules of heat treatment without fear of contracting swine flu. Very often, when the virus is transmitted from an animal to a person, symptoms of swine flu do not appear in humans, and the disease is often detected only due to the presence of antibodies in human blood. When swine flu is transmitted to humans from an animal, the disease is called zoonotic swine flu. However, according to statistics, since the twenties of the twentieth century, approximately 50 cases of swine flu infection have been recorded among people who work directly with pigs.
A number of strains that cause symptoms of swine flu in humans have, over time, acquired the ability to transmit from person to person.
The first signs of swine flu in humans are similar to the symptoms that are characteristic of acute respiratory diseases and “regular” flu. Disease transmission occurs in a “standard” way by airborne droplets , as well as through direct contact with infected organisms. In order to accurately determine whether a person has this virus, laboratory test- swine flu test.
In 2009, a severe outbreak of a new strain of influenza virus was recorded in the world, which was later given the name “swine flu”. This outbreak was caused by a virus subtype H1N1 , which has maximum genetic similarity to the swine flu virus. To this day, the exact origin of this virus is not known. However, official information from the World Organization for Animal Health states that the epidemic spread of this strain of virus among pigs has not been established.
This virus acts in the same way as other strains of influenza. The infection enters the human body through mucous membranes of the respiratory tract , in which replication and reproduction of the virus takes place. During the development of the disease, the cells of the trachea and bronchi are affected, a process of degeneration, necrosis and subsequent rejection of the cells that have been affected occurs.
Swine flu symptoms
Typically, the incubation period for swine flu can last up to three days. It should be borne in mind that the disease can occur in mild, severe and moderate forms. A more complex course of the disease is observed in pregnant women, as well as in children and the elderly. Among representatives of these categories, slight variations in the duration of the incubation period of swine flu are possible. Swine flu is also more difficult for people who have long suffered from severe concomitant diseases.
Signs of swine flu in humans are manifested by viremia, which lasts about 10–14 days. Occurs in the human body toxic And toxic-allergic reactions in internal organs. The cardiovascular and nervous systems are most susceptible.
In the process of damage to the vascular system vascular wall becomes more permeable and becomes brittle. Under the influence of the virus, the microcirculation of the vascular system is disrupted. Due to such changes, symptoms of swine flu are manifested by frequent nasal discharge, the appearance hemorrhages on the skin and mucous membranes. Also, as symptoms of swine flu in humans, hemorrhages in internal organs and serious pathological changes in the lungs. Thus, edema of the lung tissue with hemorrhages in the alveoli is possible.
Due to a decrease in vascular tone, venous hyperemia skin and mucous membranes, microcirculation is disrupted, and blood stagnates in the internal organs. In later stages of the development of the disease, capillaries and veins appear.
Due to such changes, hypersecretion of cerebrospinal fluid and circulatory disorders are observed, as a result of which cerebral edema and rises .
The first signs of swine flu appear similar to those of regular flu: a person complains of headache, his body temperature rises: generally the temperature rises to 38 degrees, but in some cases it can be higher - up to 41 degrees. A runny nose also appears, and signs may occur . A person suffers from a dry, barking cough, and sometimes he is also bothered by pain in the chest. In addition, symptoms of swine flu may include vomiting, diarrhea, painful sensations in a stomach. The mucous membranes of the throat and nose are usually very dry. The patient complains of weakness and general fatigue, which indicates the manifestation of general intoxication of the body.
Diagnosis of swine flu
In the process of making a diagnosis, doctors take into account that the symptoms of swine flu are mostly similar to how the flu occurs, which is provoked by other strains of the virus.
The course of this type of influenza generally coincides with the course of the disease if a person is infected with other strains of the influenza virus. Therefore, diagnosing swine flu due to the similarity of swine flu symptoms to those of a number of diseases makes diagnosing the disease more difficult.
Swine flu does not cause symptoms specific to this particular disease. Consequently, swine flu syndromes are diagnosed by paying attention to the presence of two most clearly severe symptoms: strong overall body and the presence of damage to the upper respiratory tract.
Very important in in this case carry out correctly differential diagnosis diseases. The basis for such a diagnosis is a detailed study and subsequent analysis of clinical and epidemiological data. This will either strengthen suspicions of the presence of swine flu syndromes, or refute such a diagnosis.
Even during diagnosis of swine flu during epidemics, when the disease is widespread, it is difficult, because even during this period, about a third of patients who complain of respiratory tract syndromes suffer from ailments that have a non-influenza etiology.
Today it is common to distinguish between two different types flu diagnostics - diagnostics clinical and diagnostics laboratory . In addition to careful clinical trial modern laboratory research is necessary. Thus, an analysis for swine flu is carried out to isolate the swine flu virus, as well as to subsequently determine the type of virus, its serosubtype or strain variant of the virus.
On this moment The most informative way to diagnose swine flu is PCR (the so-called polymerase chain reaction ). For this purpose, a laboratory examination of smears from the mucous membranes of the nose and pharynx is carried out in order to identify RNA virus . This diagnostic method is quite accurate and can be performed in a relatively short time.
Virological research methods include culturing the swine flu virus in a specific cell culture.
At serological diagnostics specific antibodies are detected in human serum. For this purpose, special reactions are used.
Treatment of swine flu
How to treat swine flu is necessary in mandatory consult a specialist. If you have the slightest suspicion of this infection, you should promptly consult a doctor.
Today, treatment of swine flu is carried out according to the same principles as the treatment of influenza, which is caused by other strains of the virus. If patients experience very severe intoxication and disturbances in the acid-base balance in the body, then treatment of swine flu includes a complex detoxification And corrective therapy. How to treat swine flu is determined by a specialist individually in each individual case, but today it has been proven that the drug () has a particularly effective effect on the swine flu virus. If this remedy is not available, then the use of the drug is recommended for the treatment of swine flu ( ). If a test for swine flu confirms the presence of this disease, then the indicated medications for swine flu are mainly used. But it should still be borne in mind that the highest effectiveness of treatment will be if you start therapy with these drugs in the first forty-eight hours after the onset of signs of the disease.
If mild symptoms of swine flu appear in a person, then it is often used as a medicine for swine flu. , or others used in the treatment of seasonal influenza. The most pronounced effect from the use of arbidol will appear if therapy is started in the first five days after the onset of the disease. The duration of therapy should not be less than one week.
Patients diagnosed with moderate or severe influenza are prescribed a course of treatment, the purpose of which is to prevent the manifestation of primary viral pneumonia. It is also important to take all measures aimed at preventing the manifestation of a secondary bacterial infection, which often leads to pneumonia .
Swine flu syndromes are also treated with drugs that have a symptomatic effect. So, in this case, drugs with antipyretic effects are relevant (mainly drugs that contain And ). Aspirin-containing drugs are not recommended as a cure for swine flu due to the risk of Reye's syndrome.
In addition, treatment of swine flu includes the prescription of multivitamins, and in some cases, drugs with antihistamine action are advisable. If a secondary bacterial infection occurs, then in the treatment process they use wide range impact.
It is very important to understand why swine flu is dangerous. Everyone should seek emergency help immediately if the following signs swine flu: presence of severe respiratory failure, problems in the functioning of the cardiovascular system, signs of depression of brain activity, fainting, pain in the chest, decreased .
If the patient’s body temperature does not decrease within three days, then it is also necessary not to hesitate to consult a doctor.
The doctors
Medicines
Prevention of swine flu
Realizing how dangerous swine flu is, you should take all measures to prevent the occurrence of this disease. Most effective method prevention is
against swine flu. However, as a basic prevention of swine flu, it is worth following the basic rules of protection against viral infections. First of all, a gauze bandage, which is recommended to be worn during an epidemic, will be an effective protection against the spread of the virus. You need to wear such a bandage constantly when in contact with people, while changing it every few hours to a new one or one that has been previously washed and ironed.
If possible, during unfavorable periods, you should avoid places where there are large crowds of people. The most unsafe places in terms of the risk of contracting swine flu are: public transport, shops, offices and other premises in which there are many people must be regularly ventilated. With people who have clear signs of having respiratory infection, it is better not to contact or to be extremely careful during such contact.
During an epidemic, regular wet cleaning of premises is of significant importance as a preventive measure for swine flu. This cleaning needs to be done several times a day. During unfavorable periods, you should wash your hands very often, and always with soap.
Prevention of swine flu also includes ensuring rational healthy eating, good sleep, sufficient physical activity.
To ensure a general strengthening of the immune system, experts recommend taking , as well as adaptogen drugs that can have a positive effect on the body’s resistance. This is Rhodiola rosea tincture, alpha- (nasal ointment). Eating enough fruits and vegetables will also provide the body with the necessary amount of vitamins.
It is also important to take into account that the swine flu virus is killed by high temperatures. Consequently, heat treatment (at temperatures above 70 degrees) guarantees the death of the virus. However, it must be remembered that the swine flu virus can be transmitted by animals. That's why Special attention It is worth paying attention to contact with animals and meat after their slaughter. Under no circumstances should you cut up the carcasses of sick animals.
Swine flu vaccine
Due to the fact that doctors around the world have long understood why swine flu is dangerous, today specialists are actively working to improve the vaccine against swine flu. Every year, the swine flu vaccine is improved to take into account mutations A/H1N1 virus .
It is important to understand that a swine flu vaccine made using a regular vaccine will not have the desired effect. On the contrary, it can significantly weaken a person’s immunity.
To date, have already been developed specific vaccines, which are used to produce swine flu vaccinations. The most well-known vaccines used in our country are swine flu vaccines pandemrix (manufacturer - company Glaxosmithkline), fosetria (manufacturer - company Novartis), as well as swine flu vaccine monoinfluenza , created by domestic manufacturers. Vaccines are available in the form traditional vaccination and in shape nasal spray.
During an epidemic, the swine flu vaccine should first of all be administered to pregnant women, as well as to those who care for babies up to six months of age (both mothers and nannies). The swine flu vaccine is not given to children under six months of age. Vaccination is no less important for medical personnel, workers emergency care, people who suffer and, accordingly, have a higher risk of developing complications after influenza.
Studies that have been conducted have proven that noticeable side effects modern vaccines does not cause swine flu. Often, there is redness and some soreness at the site where the injection was given; in more rare cases, a person may experience a headache or fatigue after the vaccination; even less often, the body temperature rises slightly.
Please note that the vaccine is produced using chicken eggs Therefore, people with allergies to this product should not drive it.
Complications of swine flu
Complications after swine flu occur depending on a number of factors. The severity of the infection, the patient’s age, the person’s immunity, as well as the timeliness and effectiveness of medical care are important. Swine flu is more severe in older patients, as well as in children of primary school age.
With the right and timely treatment swine flu, the prognosis will be favorable. However, quite often this disease provokes a number of complications that can have Negative influence on general state human health. Thus, a frequent complication is exacerbation of chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system. The latter is especially common in older people. Sometimes angina pain also appears, and in the first days of the illness the . Also in older people who suffer chronic diseases respiratory system, mixed cardiovascular and respiratory failure may occur.
Another serious complication of swine flu is sometimes acute pneumonia. Majority acute pneumonia, which occur as a complication of swine flu, have bacterial origin. Severe forms Pneumonia is provoked by pathogenic staphylococci, which are resistant to a large number of commonly used antibiotics.
Diet, nutrition for swine flu
List of sources
- Pokrovsky V.I., Kiselev O.I. Pandemic influenza H1N1. St. Petersburg: Rostock; 2010;
- Deeva E.G. Flu. On the verge of a pandemic. - M.: GEOTAR-Media, 2008;
- Ershov F.I., Kiselev O.I. Interferons and their inducers. M.: Geotar, 2005;
- Chuikova, K. I. Highly pathogenic influenza A (HiNi) / K. I. Chuikova; Siberian State University. Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Education and Training. - Tomsk, 2008.
