Is swine flu transmitted? Swine flu

Swine flu(H1N1)- a respiratory disease of pigs caused by the influenza virus type A. People, as a rule, do not become infected with swine flu, but if the viruses mutate, this becomes possible.

What is swine flu?

Swine flu(H1N1) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by influenza A virus, the source of regular outbreaks of the disease in pigs. People usually do not become infected with swine flu, but if viruses mutate, this becomes possible.

Is swine flu contagious to people?

American doctors have found that it is contagious and transmitted from person to person. However, it is not currently known how easily the virus spreads from person to person.

What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?

Symptoms of swine flu in humans are similar to those of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, headache, chills and fatigue. There have been isolated cases of diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. Like regular flu, swine flu can cause exacerbation of underlying chronic diseases.

How is swine flu spread?

The spread of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is believed to be the same
just like regular flu. The swine flu virus is transmitted mainly from person to person through the cough or sneeze of a person with the flu, or by airborne droplets.

Can I get swine flu from cooking or eating pork?

The swine flu virus is not spread through food. You cannot get swine flu from pork and pork products. Properly cooked pork and pork products are safe to eat.

When does human-to-human transmission of swine flu begin?

Infected people can infect others the very next day after they become infected themselves, i.e. before the appearance clinical symptoms of the disease.

How long can an infected person transmit swine flu to others?

People infected with swine flu should be considered potentially infectious until 7 days after the onset of illness. Children, especially young children, may be potentially infectious for longer periods.

What should I do to protect myself from getting swine flu?

First and most important: wash your hands. Try to support high level your psycho-emotional state, increase your immunity. Get enough sleep, be physically active, manage stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat a healthy diet. Avoid touching surfaces that may be contaminated with the swine flu virus. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Are there medications to treat swine flu?

If you are sick, antiviral medications can help ease the illness and help you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious complications from swine flu. For successful treatment, you should start using antiviral drugs as early as possible, at the first clinical signs of the disease.

Currently underway active research to create a vaccine against swine flu.

What are the sources of swine flu infection?

A person can become infected when they touch something that has viruses on it and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth without first washing their hands. Viruses move through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can enter the body when a person touches droplets of mucus from an infected person, such as on a table surface, and then touches their eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.

How long can swine flu viruses live outside the body?

We know that some viruses and bacteria can live for 2 hours or more on the surfaces of cafeteria tables, door handles and desks. Frequent hand washing will help you reduce your chance of getting sick from such sources.

What can I do to protect myself from getting this flu?

There is currently no vaccine to protect against swine flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like the flu. Take these daily steps to protect your health:

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Throw the napkin into the trash after using it.

Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after sneezing or coughing. Alcohol-based antibacterial wipes are also effective.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Those. places where infection enters the body.

Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

What is the best way to prevent the virus from spreading through coughing and sneezing?

If you are sick, limit contact with other people as much as possible. Do not go to work or school if you are sick. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. This can prevent infection of others. Throw the used cloth into the trash bin.

That is the best method for hand washing to avoid swine flu?

Washing your hands frequently will help protect you from the virus. Wash your hands with soap and water or rubbing alcohol. The recommended time to wash is at least 15-20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, wipes or an alcohol-based antibacterial gel can be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and pharmacies.

What should I do if I get sick?

If you live in areas where cases of swine flu have been identified and you experience symptoms such as fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea or vomiting or diarrhea, you should consult a doctor.

If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to avoid spreading the infection.

The following symptoms observed in children require urgent medical attention:

Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing,
- Blue skin color,
- Drinking small amounts of liquid,
- Increased irritability,
- Flu-like symptoms improve, but then worsen again with fever and cough,
- Fever with rash.

In adults, symptoms that require immediate medical attention include:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Fever
- Severe or persistent vomiting

How serious is swine flu infection?

Like regular flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. Between 2005 and January 2009, 12 human cases of swine flu were identified in the United States, but with no fatal consequences. However, swine flu can lead to serious complications. In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman in Wisconsin was hospitalized with pneumonia and died 8 days later (she had swine flu). An outbreak of swine flu occurred in 1976 at Fort Dix, New Jersey, causing more than 200 cases of serious illness and one death.

The World Health Organization speaks about the possibility of a swine flu pandemic; as of May 1, 2009, 500 cases were identified in the world, 13 of whom died. Swine flu has already been registered in 13 countries around the world.

This name became most widespread in 2009 in the 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 greatest danger represents the fact that this virus can affect 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, a laboratory test is carried out - a 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, the 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, the 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 a 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, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain may occur as symptoms of swine flu. 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 expressed symptoms: a strong general body and the presence of damage to the upper respiratory tract.

Very important in in this case correctly carry out differential diagnosis of the disease. 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 customary to distinguish between two different types of influenza diagnostics - diagnostics clinical and diagnostics laboratory . In addition to a thorough clinical study, modern laboratory tests are 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.

At the 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 method diagnostics are quite accurate and performed in a relatively short time.

Virological research methods include culturing the swine flu virus in a specific cell culture.

In serological diagnosis, specific antibodies are detected in human blood serum. For this purpose, special reactions are used.

Treatment of swine flu

It is imperative to consult a specialist on how to treat swine flu. 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 absent, 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 apply all measures aimed at preventing the manifestation of 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 spectrum of influence.

It is very important to understand why swine flu is dangerous. Every person should immediately seek emergency help if the following signs of swine flu occur: severe respiratory failure, problems in the functioning of the cardiovascular system, signs of brain depression, fainting, chest pain, 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, effective protection to prevent the spread of the virus there will be a gauze bandage, which is recommended to be worn during the epidemic. 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. It is better not to contact people who have obvious signs of a respiratory infection 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 a balanced healthy diet, adequate sleep, and 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, specific vaccines have already been developed that 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, emergency workers, and people who are suffering and, accordingly, have a higher risk of developing complications after influenza.

Studies that have been conducted have proven that modern swine flu vaccines do not cause noticeable side effects. 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 You can't drive her.

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 proper and timely treatment of swine flu, the prognosis will be favorable. However, quite often this disease provokes a number of complications that can have a negative impact 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, older people who suffer from chronic diseases of the respiratory system may experience mixed cardiovascular and respiratory failure.

Another serious complication of swine flu is sometimes acute pneumonia. Most acute pneumonia that occurs as a complication of swine flu is of bacterial origin. Severe forms of pneumonia are provoked by pathogenic staphylococci that are resistant to a large number commonly used antibiotics.

is a highly contagious disease of animals and humans caused by the influenza virus serotype A (H1N1) and prone to pandemic spread. In its course, swine flu resembles the usual seasonal flu (fever, weakness, body aches, sore throat, rhinorrhea), but differs from it in some features (the development of dyspeptic syndrome). Diagnosis is based on clinical signs; To determine the type of virus, PCR, virological and serological studies are carried out. Treatment of swine flu involves the prescription of antiviral (interferons, umifenovir, oseltamivir, kagocel) and symptomatic (antipyretics, antihistamines, etc.) drugs.

The pathogenesis of swine flu is generally similar to the pathological changes that occur in the body during regular seasonal flu. Replication and reproduction of the virus occurs in the epithelium of the respiratory tract and is accompanied by superficial damage to the cells of the tracheobronchial tree, their degeneration, necrosis and desquamation. During the period of viremia, which lasts 10–14 days, toxic and toxic-allergic reactions from internal organs predominate.

Swine flu symptoms

The incubation period for swine flu ranges from 1 to 4-7 days. An infected person becomes infectious at the end of the incubation period and continues to actively secrete viruses for another 1-2 weeks, even during therapy. The severity of clinical manifestations of swine flu varies from asymptomatic to severe and fatal. In typical cases, the symptoms of swine flu resemble those of ARVI and seasonal flu. The disease begins with an increase in temperature to 39-40°C, lethargy, weakness, muscle aches, arthralgia, and lack of appetite. In severe intoxication, intense headaches occur, mainly in the frontal region, pain in the eyeballs, aggravated by eye movement, and photophobia. Catarrhal syndrome develops, accompanied by a sore and sore throat, runny nose, and dry cough. Characteristic distinctive feature swine flu, observed in 30-45% of patients, is the occurrence of dyspeptic syndrome (abdominal pain, constant nausea, repeated vomiting, diarrhea).

The most common complication of swine flu is primary (viral) or secondary (bacterial, often pneumococcal) pneumonia. Primary pneumonia usually occurs already on the 2-3rd day of illness and can lead to the development of respiratory distress syndrome and death. Possible development of infectious-allergic myocarditis, pericarditis, hemorrhagic syndrome, meningoencephalitis, cardiovascular and respiratory failure. Swine flu aggravates and aggravates the course of concomitant somatic diseases, which affects the overall prospects of recovery.

Diagnosis and treatment of swine flu

Making a preliminary diagnosis is difficult due to the lack of purely pathognomonic signs and the similarity of symptoms of swine and seasonal flu. Therefore, definitive diagnosis is impossible without laboratory identification of the viral pathogen. In order to determine the RNA of the influenza A(H1N1) virus, a nasopharyngeal swab is examined using the PCR method. Virological diagnosis involves cultivating the swine flu virus in chicken embryos or cell culture. To determine IgM and IgG in blood serum, serological tests are performed - RSK, RTGA, ELISA. Infection with the swine flu virus is indicated by an increase in the titer of specific antibodies by more than 4 times.

Treatment of swine flu consists of etiotropic and symptomatic therapy. Among the antiviral drugs, interferons (alpha interferon, alpha-2b interferon), oseltamivir, zanamivir, umifenovir, kagocel are recommended. Symptomatic therapy includes taking antipyretics, antihistamines, vasoconstrictors, and infusion of electrolyte solutions. For secondary bacterial pneumonia, antibacterial agents (penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides) are prescribed.

Forecast and prevention of swine flu

The prognosis for swine flu is significantly more favorable than for bird flu. Most people experience swine flu in a mild form and make a full recovery. Severe forms of infection develop in 5% of cases. Fatalities from swine flu are recorded in less than 4% of cases. Nonspecific prevention of swine flu is similar to other acute respiratory viral infections: avoiding contact with people who have signs of a cold, frequently washing hands with soap, hardening the body, ventilating and disinfecting premises during the season of rising viral infections. For specific prevention of swine flu, the Grippol vaccine and others are recommended.

Humanity first started talking about swine flu in the 1930s. In 2009, the disease reached pandemic proportions. People and birds could become infected with this type of virus. Transmitted from person to person, from animal to animal, the pathology has claimed many lives. It's important to know how swine flu is transmitted. Then you can protect yourself from infection.

Swine flu is a very dangerous disease that can become a pandemic

This virus is called AH1N1. It manifests itself with similar symptoms to seasonal flu or acute respiratory disease. A person’s body temperature rises, fever, and headache occur. The sick person feels drowsiness and apathy, he is tormented by a cough, and less often a runny nose occurs. The peculiarity of the AH1N1 virus is that it provokes diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

It is important for people who work directly with livestock to know what the signs of swine flu are in pigs. Infected animals refuse to eat and their body temperature rises. Swine flu in pigs has symptoms similar to those in humans: apathy, drowsiness, sneezing, coughing, nasal discharge. A sick animal has red eyes and a sore throat.

Infection by airborne droplets and contact

This virus is transmitted from one person to another through direct contact. Like seasonal flu, infection occurs through the release of the pathogen when coughing or sneezing. If a patient scratches his nose and then shakes your hand, then there is every chance that the infection will enter a healthy body. When air is inhaled, the source of the disease enters the mucous membranes, affecting them.

You can become infected with influenza through airborne droplets

You can catch swine flu without close contact with an infected person. If an infected person held a door handle or, for example, a handrail on a bus, and you did the same after him, then at the first touch of a dirty hand to your face, the viruses will enter your body.

The pathology is quite contagious. It is transmitted through personal hygiene items: towels, handkerchiefs. The disease can even be passed on to you through money. Therefore, it is important to know how to protect yourself from the pathogen.

Can you get infected from meat?

Can the flu be transmitted through food? This question has been studied for many years. During the outbreak, people even refused to eat pork because they were afraid of getting sick. Is it possible to get an infection by eating pork?

Numerous studies have shown that even from an infected animal a person can become infected with minimal probability. Since the 2009 flu outbreak, only 50 such cases have been reported. If you buy meat, you need to do it in specialized places. Legal retail outlets must check the goods. In such places, you most likely will not even be able to purchase infected meat. However, you should not rely on the examinations and analyzes performed. Any meat product, be it pork, beef or anything else, must undergo thorough heat treatment. The influenza virus is killed by boiling. Therefore, do not forget to boil, fry or bake the meat until completely cooked, and treat your hands with an antiseptic after contact with the product.

Infection with the virus from meat is unlikely

The AH1N1 virus can mutate in the human body. If you get both seasonal and swine flu, you can infect other people with a more complex and dangerous disease. It is possible to determine which pathogen has affected a person through laboratory diagnostics.

How to protect yourself?

You already know how swine flu manifests itself in pigs and humans. During disease outbreaks, special precautions must be taken. This way you can protect yourself from pathogen penetration.

1. Minimize contact with infected people. Avoid crowded places. If you see a person coughing or sneezing, stay at least two meters away from him.
2. Maintain personal hygiene. When you return home, immediately wash your hands and face. Do not use other people's towels or handkerchiefs. Always carry hand sanitizer in the form of a gel or spray.
3. Don't touch your own face. If you are forced to touch, first make sure your palms are clean and sterile.
4. Carry protective masks with you. If necessary and in forced contact with sick people, wear them. Masks need to be changed every 2-3 hours.
5. Provide yourself healthy image life. Eat more fruits and vegetables, take vitamin complexes. High immunity can quickly overcome a viral infection.
6. Take antiviral medications. Please note that this should only be done under the supervision of a doctor. Now there are a lot of different drugs that are used in courses to help prevent infection with respiratory infections. Including the AH1N virus. When returning home from crowded places, rinse your nose and gargle with saline solutions. They will help eliminate the pathogenic flora that was acquired during the day.

A protective mask is a necessary preventive measure.

Swine flu vaccine

There is currently a swine flu vaccine for animals. All farmers must vaccinate their livestock. This will help avoid infection in the event of an epidemic. Then you will not worry whether the disease can be transmitted through food.

There is still no specific vaccine for people. Scientists are trying to urgently develop it, but you can easily get vaccinated against other strains. This will develop cross-immunity. Vaccination, according to modern legislation, is voluntary. If you don’t want to get vaccinated, no one will force you. But every person must understand the danger of this disease. If you become infected with swine flu, the following consequences may occur:

• viral pneumonia;
• myocarditis and heart failure;
• dehydration;
• kidney pathologies.

There is no specific vaccine for this flu

If during your illness you feel a noticeable deterioration in your health: shortness of breath, severe cough, fever is not reduced by antipyretic drugs, then you should emergency medical attention required. Inaction leads to death.

“Swine flu” is an acute, highly contagious infectious disease caused by the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus, transmitted from pigs and humans to humans, having a high susceptibility among the population with the development of a pandemic and characterized by fever, respiratory syndrome and severe course with the possibility of death.

The swine flu virus itself was discovered in 1930 by Richard Shoup (USA). For 50-60 years, this virus was found and circulated only among pigs in North America and Mexico. Then swine flu was recorded sporadically in humans, mainly in pig farm workers and veterinarians.

We all remember the last sensational swine flu epidemic in 2009 (the so-called California/2009), about which the mass media emotionally and persistently informed the population. The epidemic has been spreading since March 2009. The first cases of infection with an unknown strain of the virus were reported in Mexico City, and then in Canada and the United States. Many countries were involved in the epidemic process - the USA, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Great Britain, France, Germany, Australia, Russia, China, Japan and many others. As of the end of October, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 537,248 cases of swine flu were laboratory confirmed. The greatest susceptibility was noted among the group of people from 5 to 24 years old, with children under 5 years of age in second place. During the epidemic, the virus was assigned danger class 6 (that is, registration of a swine flu pandemic, which is easily transmitted from person to person, and the disease covers many countries and continents). According to official WHO information, deaths following the pandemic (California/2009) amounted to 17.4 thousand people. The pandemic came to Russia in the fall of 2009, with its peak at the end of October - beginning of November. In total, more than 2,500 patients with a confirmed diagnosis were registered. There were deaths.

The causative agent of swine flu

There are several subtypes of the swine influenza virus (H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, H3N1), but only the H1N1 subtype has acquired highly pathogenic properties and the ability to be transmitted from person to person. Influenza A (H1N1) virus is the result of crossing human virus influenza A (H1N1) and the swine flu virus, as a result the virus mutated and became highly pathogenic, and it is called the California/2009 pandemic virus. Just like the regular human influenza virus, the pandemic virus has hemagglutinin in its envelope (promotes the attachment of the virus to the cell) and neuraminidase (promotes the penetration of the virus into the cell).

Swine flu virus

Reasons for the spread of swine flu

The source of infection is pigs (sick or carriers of the virus) and sick people. A sick person becomes contagious a day before symptoms of the disease appear and during the week of illness. Accordingly, potential patients at the end of the incubation period are of great epidemic importance. Up to 15% of patients continue to shed the virus for 10-14 days during treatment.

Mechanisms of infection:
- aerogenic ( airborne) – the patient’s discharge is dangerous when sneezing, coughing – 1.5-2 meters in diameter;
- contact-household - dangerous discharge of the patient on the hands of others, as well as on household items (tables, surfaces, towels, cups) - the virus retains its properties for 2 or more hours (the virus can be transferred from the hands to the mucous membranes of the mouth and eyes) .

Susceptibility to infection is universal. There are risk groups for developing severe forms of swine flu:
- children under 5 years old;
- adults over 65 years of age;
- pregnant women;
- persons with concomitant chronic diseases (chronic pulmonary diseases, oncology, blood diseases, liver diseases, urinary system, heart diseases, diabetes mellitus, as well as infectious immunodeficiencies, such as HIV).

Clinical symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of regular seasonal flu, with minor differences. The incubation period (from the moment of infection to the appearance of the first complaints) for swine flu lasts from a day to 4 days on average, sometimes extended to a week. Patients are concerned about symptoms of intoxication ( heat up to 38-39°, severe weakness, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting of central origin, that is, against a background of high fever, body aches, lethargy).

Another group of complaints is related to development respiratory syndrome(dry cough, severe sore throat, feeling of lack of air), as well as the likelihood of rapid development of one of the complications - the development of pneumonia in early stages(2-3rd day of illness).

The difference from seasonal influenza is the presence of dyspeptic syndrome in 30-45% of patients - patients develop constant nausea, repeated vomiting, and stool disturbances.

Manifestations of severe forms of swine flu

In the first days of the disease, intense headaches, pain in the eyeballs, photophobia, which increases with eye movement. Serous meningitis and encephalitis may develop. Muscle pain is one of the most pronounced symptoms of the disease.

One of the dangerous complications of swine flu is the development of pneumonia. Pneumonia may be a consequence of exposure to the influenza virus (primary; may be associated with the addition of secondary bacterial flora (secondary); may be a consequence of the action of both the virus and the concomitant layering of bacterial flora (mixed).

Primary pneumonia develops on the second or third day from the onset of the disease and is characterized by the development of symptoms of acute respiratory failure: the patient breathes frequently (about 40 breaths per minute when the norm is 16), auxiliary muscles (diaphragm, abdominal muscles) are actively involved in the act of breathing, pronounced dry or unproductive cough (mucous and clear discharge), severe shortness of breath, blue discoloration of the skin (cyanosis). When listening to the lungs: moist rales in the lower parts of the lungs, mainly at the height of inspiration, dullness of percussion sound when tapping the lungs.

Often, primary pneumonia leads to the formation of respiratory distress syndrome (the development of pulmonary edema) with possible death.

Secondary pneumonia occurs 6-10 days from the onset of the disease. Most often, pneumococcal contamination occurs (in 45% of patients), less often Staphylococcus aureus (no more than 18%), as well as Haemophilus influenzae. A feature of this pneumonia will be an increase in cough: it becomes painful, almost constant, against the background of increased cough, the patient has a second wave of fever and intoxication, the patient practically does not eat. Pain in the chest increases when coughing and even breathing. The discharge from the lungs (sputum) is no longer transparent, but has a purulent tint. X-ray shows foci of inflammation in the lungs. The course of secondary pneumonia is long, patients cannot recover for a month and a half. Staphylococcal pneumonia often leads to the formation of a lung abscess.

Pneumonia due to swine flu

Mixed pneumonia have clinical symptoms of both one and the other pneumonia, have a long-term (progradient) course, and are difficult to treat.

Other complications of swine flu include:

pericarditis, infectious-allergic myocarditis, hemorrhagic syndrome.

What alarming symptoms of “swine flu” should you see a doctor?

For children:
- Frequent breathing, difficulty breathing;
- A bluish tint to the skin of the limbs and torso;
- Refusal to eat and drink;
- Repeated vomiting (fountain vomiting, as well as frequent regurgitation in infants - the equivalent of vomiting at that age);
- Lethargy and drowsiness of the child;
- On the contrary, excitement, resistance even when picking up the child;
- The appearance of a second wave of symptoms with increased cough and shortness of breath.

For adults:
- Shortness of breath and its intensification during the day;
- Chest pain when breathing and coughing;
- Severe dizziness that appears suddenly;
- Periodically confused consciousness (forgetfulness, loss of individual events from memory);
- Repeated and profuse vomiting;
- Second wave with fever, cough, shortness of breath.

Immunity after swine flu is type-specific and short-lived (1 year).

Diagnosis of swine flu

Preliminary diagnosis difficult due to the similarity of the symptoms of the disease with the usual seasonal flu. The following features will help the doctor:

Contact with a patient with influenza, as well as arrival from an area endemic for swine flu (countries of North America);
- patient complaints of gastrointestinal disorders due to fever and respiratory syndrome;
- unexpressed or absence of sore throat against the background of a strong cough, mostly dry;
- development of pneumonia with characteristic symptoms on days 2-3 (described above).

Today, distinguishing influenza from other acute respiratory viral infections is not particularly difficult, because modern rapid tests allow you to independently determine the influenza virus in a matter of minutes at the first suspicion of infection. They are sold in pharmacies and detect influenza types A and B, including the H1N1 subtype - swine flu.

Definitive diagnosis possible after laboratory confirmation of the disease:
- PCR diagnostics of nasopharyngeal mucus samples to detect RNA of the influenza A virus (H1N1) California/2009;
- Virological method of inoculating nasopharyngeal mucus and sputum on certain media.

Treatment of swine flu

The main goal of treatment is to reduce the number of patients with severe and complicated swine flu.

1. Organizational and routine measures– at the time of making a preliminary diagnosis, hospitalization is carried out according to clinical indications (severe forms, as well as moderate forms in children, the elderly and people with chronic concomitant diseases). With laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis of swine flu, mandatory hospitalization is carried out with the prescription of specific therapy. For the entire febrile period and 5-7 days normal temperature Bed rest is prescribed to prevent complications.

What to do if you suspect swine flu:

If you notice symptoms of swine flu, stay home and do not go to crowded places.
- At home, protect your loved ones from the spread of infection - wear a mask and change it every 4 hours.
- Call a doctor at home. If you come from endemic countries (Mexico, USA), then tell your doctor about it.

To strengthen the body's resistance, a physiologically complete diet with a sufficient amount of protein and a high content of vitamins A, C, and B is recommended. To reduce fever, taking a sufficient amount of liquid is recommended (preferably fruit drinks from black currant, rose hips, chokeberry, lemon). All foods are prescribed warm; spicy, fatty, fried, salty, and pickled foods are avoided.

2. Drug therapy includes:

Antiviral agents– oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza), which significantly affect the release of new viral particles from cells, which leads to the cessation of virus replication. Taking Tamiflu and Relenza is recommended in the following cases:

1) If the patient has one of the listed symptoms (fever, nasal congestion, cough, shortness of breath);
2) Laboratory-isolated influenza A/2009 (H1N1) virus;
3) Age group under 5 years;
4) Elderly persons - over 65 years old;
5) pregnant women;
6) people with severe concomitant diseases and immunodeficiency;

Usually the course of treatment is 5 days, sometimes more depending on the severity.

Mild and moderate forms of swine flu allow the use of the following antiviral drugs - arbidol, interferon alpha 2b (gripferon, viferon), interferon alpha 2a (reaferon lipind) and interferon gamma (ingaron), ingavirin, kagocel, cycloferon.

If bacterial pneumonia occurs, antibacterial drugs are prescribed (III-IV generation cephalosporins, carbapenems, IV generation fluoroquinolones, vancomycin).

Pathogenetic therapy includes infusion detoxification therapy, glucocorticosteroids, sympathomimetics to reduce the manifestations of intoxication and ease breathing (carried out in a hospital). At home, with a mild form of swine flu, drinking plenty of fluids (fruit drinks, tea, honey water) is recommended.

Symptomatic remedies: antipyretics (paracetamol, ibuprofen), vasoconstrictors for the nose (nazol, tizin, Nazivin, Otrivin and others), for cough relief (Tussin, Stoptussin, Ambroxol, ACC and others), antihistamines (Claritin, Zodak).

Particular attention is paid to children and pregnant women. For children, taking aspirin-containing drugs is prohibited due to the risk of developing Reye's syndrome (encephalopathy with cerebral edema and the development of liver failure), therefore, from the group of antipyretics, preference is given to paracetamol and nurofen. Among the antiviral agents shown are Tamiflu, Relenza, Viferon 1, Gripferon, Reaferon Lipind, Kagocel from 3 years old, Anaferon.

Pregnant women - drink plenty of fluids in the absence of edema;
- for mild forms - from antiviral drugs - viferon in suppositories, influenza, arbidol, if it is impossible to take tablets (vomiting) - administration of panavir intramuscularly; for severe forms, Tamiflu, Relenza, Viferon;
- to reduce the severity of fever - paracetamol, ascorutin;
- with the development of bacterial pneumonia - III-IV generation cephalosporins, macrolides, carbapenems;
- during the epidemic, mandatory hospitalization is indicated for all pregnant women with severe intoxication.

Prevention of swine flu

Activities for healthy people (according to WHO recommendations):
Wash your hands often with soap or alcohol-containing solutions.
Avoid close contact with sick people.
Avoid hugging, kissing and shaking hands.
If you are sick, stay home and limit contact with other people.
If you experience flu-like symptoms, seek medical attention immediately. If you are sick, stay home for 7 days after you notice symptoms to avoid infecting others.

For nonspecific drug prevention the following drugs are used: Kagocel, Arbidol, Anaferon, Gripferon, Viferon for pregnant women, Tamiflu.

For specific prevention To date, a vaccine has been created against the highly pathogenic swine flu virus (H1N1). This vaccine protects against influenza B, and the A/H1N1 (swine) and H3N2 strains of influenza A (Grippol plus), that is, both swine flu and seasonal flu. It is impossible to get sick after vaccination, since it does not contain the whole virus, but only the surface antigens of viruses, which themselves cannot cause the disease. The vaccine is administered annually.

Infectious disease doctor N.I. Bykova