What is swine flu? What are its symptoms?

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Swine is a respiratory disease which infects pigs. It is caused by influenza type A virus, there are regular outbreaks among herds of pigs, where the disease causes high levels of illness but is rarely fatal.

It tends to spread in autumn and winter but can circulate all year round. There are many different types of swine flu and like human flu, the infection is constantly changing. Swine flu does not normally infect humans, although sporadic cases do occur usually in people who have had close contact with pigs.

There have also been rare documented cases of humans passing the infection to other humans.

There have also been rare documented cases of humans passing the infection to other humans. Human to human transmission of swine flu thought to spread in the same way as seasonal flu – through coughing and sneezing. The outbreak in Mexico seems to involve a new type of swine flu that contains DNA that is typically found in avian and human viruses. The World Health Organization has confirmed at least some of the cases are caused by this new strain of H1N1. "We are very, very concerned," World Health Organisation (WHO) spokesman Thomas Abraham said. "We have what appears to be a novel virus and it has spread from human to human... It's all hands on deck at the moment."

It is genetically different from the fully human H1N1 seasonal influenza virus that has been circulating globally for the past few years. It contains DNA that is typical to avian, swine and human viruses, including elements from European and Asian swine viruses When any new strain of flu emerges that acquires the ability to pass from person to person, it is monitored very closely in case it has the potential to spark a pandemic. The WHO is concerned but says it is too soon to change the threat level warning for a pandemic. However, it has convened an expert panel to consider whether to raise the alert level or issue travel advisories. It might already be too late to contain the outbreak, a prominent US pandemic flu expert said. Dr Michael Osterholm, a public health expert at the University of Minnesota, said given how quickly flu can spread around the globe, if these are the first signs of a pandemic, then there are probably cases incubating in other parts of the world already. "Literally hundreds and thousands of travellers come in and out of Mexico City every day," Dr Osterholm said.

"You'd have to believe there's been more unrecognised transmission that's occurred." There is no vaccine that specifically protects against swine flu, and it was unclear how much protection current human flu vaccines might offer. However, the CDC says two flu drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, seem effective against the new strain. Roche, the maker of Tamiflu, said the company is prepared to immediately deploy a stockpile of the drug if requested. Both drugs must be taken early, within a few days of the onset of symptoms, to be most effective.

There have also been concerns that some forms of flu have been developing resistance to the drugs. Scientists have long been concerned that a new flu virus could launch a worldwide pandemic of a ****er disease. A new pandemic flu virus could evolve when different flu viruses infect a pig, a person or a bird, mingling their genetic material. The resulting hybrid could spread quickly because people would have no natural defences against it.

The most notorious flu pandemic is thought to have ****ed at least 40 million people worldwide in 1918-19. Two other, less deadly flu pandemics struck in 1957 and 1968.

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Symptoms:The symptoms of swine flu are broadly the same as those of ordinary flu, but may be more severe and cause more serious complications. The typical symptoms are: Sudden fever (a high body temperature of over 38C or 100.4F) or a sudden cough.

Other symptoms may include: -

headache- chills- aching muscles- limb or joint pain- diarrhoea or stomach upset- sore throat- runny nose- sneezing- loss of appetite Most people who have contracted swine flu recover within a week and do not suffer complications, even without being given antiviral medication. However, experts point out that as this is a new virus, its behaviour cannot be predicted with certainty.

Swine flu is different from seasonal flu in that most serious illnesses have been in younger age groups, as happened in all three 20th-century A faced with a symptomatic patient cannot yet predict with certainty the course of their illness and whether or not they will be in the small proportion who may become more seriously ill.

Antiviral medication is still being given to all those with swine flu in the UK, subject to their doctor’s discretion. If you feel unwell: If you have flu-like symptoms and are concerned that you may have swine flu: ·

Read up on swine flu symptoms then use the NHS Direct swine flu symptom checker.· If you are then still concerned, stay at home and call your GP who will be able to provide a diagnosis over the phone.·

If the GP confirms swine flu by telephone, they will give you a voucher reference number entitling you to antiviral medication.· Give this number to a healthy friend or relative and ask them to pick up the antivirals for you from a designated local collection centre.·

In the meantime, take paracetamol-based cold remedies to reduce fever and other symptoms, drink plenty of fluids and get lots of rest. High-risk groups Some groups of people are more at risk of serious illness if they catch swine flu, and will need to start taking antiviral medication as soon as they are confirmed with the illness.

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Scientists are still learning more about the risk profile of the virus, but it is already known that the following people are particularly susceptible: ·

people with: - chronic lung disease,- chronic heart disease,- chronic kidney disease,- chronic liver disease,- chronic neurological disease (such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and - immunosuppression (whether caused by disease or treatment) and- diabetes mellitus,· patients who have had drug treatment for asthma within the past three years,· pregnant women,·

people aged 65 years and older, and· young children under five years old.It is vital that people in these higher-risk groups who catch swine flu get antivirals and start taking them as soon as possible.