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Swine flu is caused by the A / H1N1 virus which is spread by airborne droplets. Are the symptoms of swine flu different from those of the flu? How is swine flu treated? There is no sure way to avoid catching the flu virus, but you can significantly reduce your risk of catching the flu, even if you have A / H1N1 patient at home. If you want to avoid the swine flu, remember to follow a few simple steps.

Swine flu , caused by theA / H1N1 virus , like any other flu, is very easily passed on from person to person. AH1N1 is an influenza virus that is a genetic hybrid of human influenza viruses, avian influenza viruses, swine flu viruses found in the American continent, and swine influenza viruses found in the Eurasian continent. The AH1N1 virus that causes swine flu has similar properties to the virus that caused the so-called swine flu. Spanish.

One of the leading causes of death in swine flu patients is pneumonia. Importantly, swine flu can worsen the course of chronic diseases that a person suffered from before catching the flu, such as exacerbation of asthma or dysregulation of diabetes.

US and Canadian data show that 2-5 percent of swine flu patients require admission to hospital, with 6 percent of patients going to the intensive care unit.

Swine Flu - Symptoms

The symptoms of swine flucaused by theA / H1N1 virusare similar to those of the flu. Therefore, when making a diagnosis, the doctor must first check whether, in addition to fever, the patient has at least two of the following three symptoms:

  • headache
  • cough
  • muscle aches

When these symptoms are present, the next step in a swine flu diagnosis is to find out if you may have been exposed to the swine flu virus. If so, your doctor may order tests for A / H1N1 infection. If the results are positive, antiviral treatment should be started immediately.

Basic Swine Flu Symptoms

  • high fever
  • chills
  • muscle pains
  • osteoarticular
  • headache
  • sore throat
  • dry cough
  • feeling exhausted and broken down
  • lack of appetite
  • pain in the ear area

Possible swine flu symptoms

If you are infected with the swine flu virus, you can also:

  • qatar
  • nausea
  • diarrhea or vomiting

In extreme cases, the following appear:

  • muscle stiffness
  • confusion
  • loss of consciousness

Swine flu - treatment

Due to the risk of serious complications of swine flu, it must not be taken lightly, let alone try to "go through" it. First of all, you should stay at home, because as emphasized by prof. Brydak "in case of suspicion of influenza, we should call the doctor home. Do not go to the clinic so as not to spread flu viruses, because, as you know, the disease is transmitted by droplets, i.e. when sneezing or coughing".

It's best to avoid all exertion and stay in bed. Relieve symptoms with NSAIDs (paracetamol, ibuprofen), syrups, herbal mixtures. Moisturizing the air and an easily digestible diet will also help to fight the virus.

Antiviral drugs (neuraminidase inhibitors - oseltamivir, zanamivir and amantadine) can be reached after testing. You should also remember that they are effective as long as you take them up to 36-48 hours from the onset of symptoms.

Swine flu - complications

It is not the swine flu itself, caused by the A / H1N1 virus, but the complications of swine flu - most often bacterial infections of various types - that kill swine flu patients. US and Canadian data show that 2-5 percent of swine flu patients require admission to hospital, with 6 percent of patients going to the intensive care unit.

One of the leading causes of death in swine flu patients is pneumonia. Importantly, swine flu can worsen the course of diseases that a person suffered from before catching the flu, such as exacerbation of asthma or dysregulation of diabetes.

The most common complications of swine flu

Complications from the flu can be serious. Individual diseases are heralded by the following symptoms:

  • sinusitis : purulent runny nose, fever attacks, headache intensifying when bending down, feeling of pressure around the cheeks, sometimes swelling of the face below the orbits.
  • otitis media : earache, low-grade fever progressing to fever up to 39oC, hearing deterioration.
  • bronchitis : paroxysmal, tiring cough that ends with expectoration of mucus (the transparent one is characteristic ofviral inflammation, purulent for bacterial infection), fever
  • pneumonia : high fever, chills, increased dry cough, respiratory distress (rattles), sometimes chest pain, abdominal pain and vomiting.
  • myocarditis : weakness, shortness of breath, fast heart rate, pain behind the sternum that increases with coughing or swallowing, low-grade fever.
  • meningitis : high fever, severe headache, nausea, stiff neck (lying on your back, you cannot pull your head against your chest). Disease is confirmed by examining the cerebrospinal fluid.

Swine flu infection: daily precautions

To avoid contamination, follow these five simple hygiene recommendations every day:

  • wear a mask
  • first of all wash your hands often with soap and water
  • turn your head away when someone next to you is sneezing or coughing
  • try not to touch your face and nose with your hands
  • never store dirty handkerchiefs - throw them into the bin right away
  • if you have nothing to sneeze or cough into, do it in your own sleeve, but remember to change clothes as soon as possible
  • it is a good idea to buy a hand sanitizing gel and rub it into your hands, e.g. after getting off the bus or touching the handrails or buttons in the elevator

What to do when a household member has swine flu?

The zone of greatest risk of swine flu virus around the patient at home is a circle with a radius of 3 meters from the patient's bed.

If someone in your home has swine flu, everyone should follow basic hygiene rules:

  • everyone should wear face masks

How can I prevent flu?

The most important thing in flu prevention is the use of vaccines. However, if we were not able to get vaccinated - we can try to protect ourselves from falling ill in a different way.

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Category:

Infectious diseases