Swine Flu

Swine flu or swine influenza is a viral disease that can cause epidemics of acute respiratory disease in pigs. The disease is related to viruses from the type A of the Orthomyxoviridae family. The etiology of swine flu is complex due to the high genetic variation of the causative viruses, mainly on two glycoprotein's: hemagglutin and neuramidase. A nomenclature for virus designation has been established by WHO in as early as 1980. Swine flu usually results in high morbidity but low mortality and it can also persist as an endemic infection and is a potential zoonosis.

Pigs are the main host of the disease as the name suggests. However, strains of swine flu (influenza virus) can also be directly transmissible to humans, and reciprocally. The dreadful impact of the disease can be felt from the fact that swine flu was responsible for the human outbreak in 1918-20 (Spanish Flu) that killed more than 20 million people all over the world. A recent strain of swine flu has also been responsible for an outbreak in 1976.

Interchange of influenza viruses between pigs, other mammals and avian hosts either directly or after a process of genetic re-assortment or mutation has been noticed as far as evidences are concerned. The disease is much more common during spring and autumn season. The swine flu epidemic occur fairly regularly each winter in North America and Europe and flu outbreaks have also been reported in other parts of the world including South Africa, Kenya, India, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and South America.

The common symptoms of swine flu are: High fever Anorexia leading to weight loss Inactivity, prostration and huddling leading to weakness, coughing, sneezing, irregular abdominal breathing, Ocular and nasal discharges

The best way of fighting this ailment is to prevent the occurrence and spread of the disease. Diagnosis of swine flu can be based on clinical signs, virus isolation, histopathological confirmation of lesions, paired serology, and antigen detection. The primary treatment is supportive therapy where the infected pigs are kept dry, clean and away from dust free environment. Vaccination and standard sanitary measures can also help prevent and control the spread of virus.

Swine flu can pose a big threat to humans therefore the disease should be diagnosed and notified to Public Health Department without fail as immediate taken in this regard can prevent the occurrence of future epidemics and pandemics.