Can you get swine flu? How does infection with the swine flu virus manifest and how is it treated?

When a person has a common cold, it is not scary. It usually goes away within 3-5 days. But viral diseases such as influenza pose a serious threat to both health and life. Very often they cause various complications, and sometimes can lead to Swine, which we will describe in this article, is a life-threatening disease. There is no universal cure for it. The reader will be able to learn about what swine flu is. Symptoms in people, treatment and prevention are also described in our article.

Description of the disease

(swine flu) is an infectious disease that affects the respiratory tract. Usually a person becomes infected with it through airborne droplets. A child can get swine flu after interacting with a sick person. The average duration of the incubation period is 3-4 days. How does swine flu manifest? Symptoms: severe fever, chills, weakness, and cough.

Today in medicine it is customary to distinguish several forms of this virus, but the most common are 3 subtypes, conventionally called A, B and C. The most dangerous subtype for humans is A.

Who can get infected

Both humans and animals can get sick. For example, pigs are the most susceptible to this flu, after which it is named. Half a century ago, this virus was transmitted from animals to people extremely rarely, but, mutating, H1N1 gradually became unsafe for humans. Similar changes occurred for the first time in 2009.

Medical history

As mentioned above, this flu infects not only people, but also pigs and birds. In recent years, large epidemics have been observed quite often in large livestock farms. For this reason, every year English farmers lose at least 60 million pounds sterling.

At the end of the last century, the swine flu virus began to interact with avian and human flu, which is why it mutated into a completely new subtype - H1N1.

First cases of infection

For the first time, signs of swine flu in humans have been reported on the North American continent. Then in February 2009, a Mexican child who was six months old became infected with the virus. Further across the continent a chain of infections stretched. By the way, the vast majority of those sick worked on farms. Today, this subtype is freely transmitted from one person to another. The human body has no immunity to this strain, and this greatly increases the risk of the virus spreading throughout the world.

Severity of the disease

As of May 2009, 500 people fell ill with swine flu, 13 of whom died. To date, cases of infection have been reported in only 13 countries around the world. The most dangerous countries are considered to be North America, which was hit by the first swine flu epidemic. Statistics show that approximately 5% of those infected die from this disease. However, let us take into account that in the USA, medicine is well developed. If signs of swine flu begin to appear in Africa, the disease will bring much more negative consequences. On this continent, most people live in unsanitary conditions, and their income does not allow them to benefit from quality medical services.

How does swine flu manifest in children?

The symptoms are almost no different from the picture of the usual flu, which children get sick seasonally. The first signs begin to appear in a child just a few days after contact with an infected person.

The main symptoms of swine flu in children:

• elevated temperature;
• chills, severe weakness;
• redness of the throat;
• aches.

There are often cases of damage to the gastrointestinal tract. They lead to vomiting and diarrhea. Naturally, diarrhea entails serious loss of moisture in the body. Therefore, you should give your baby plenty of water. Doctors recommend non-carbonated mineral water, juice and tea.

Symptoms of swine flu in children sometimes include difficulty breathing. With age, the course of the disease is more easily tolerated. This is why it is most difficult for children under 5 years of age, since their immune system has not yet fully developed. If you notice similar symptoms in your child, you should immediately contact your doctor.

How does swine flu manifest in adults?

Symptoms in adults are similar to those of seasonal flu. A few days after infection, muscle pain, severe fatigue and chills, high fever, cough, sore throat, diarrhea and vomiting appear. Another feature of swine flu is the risk of exacerbation of chronic diseases.

First steps when symptoms appear

If a sick person lives on a street where infections have already been registered or, at a minimum, he experiences: sore throat, cough, runny nose in combination with gastrointestinal disorders and fever, then he needs to urgently consult a physician. If the doctor finds nothing dangerous, then good. However, if it is still swine flu, then delay can cost a lot. It is important to reduce the number of contacts with people so as not to become a direct source of the disease.

Signs of swine flu in adults, in which you should immediately contact a doctor:

• bluish skin;
• frequent breathing, breathing disorders;
• reluctance to drink liquids;
• alternating improvement and deterioration of well-being;
• cough;
• temperature increase;
• rash;
• fever.

This also applies to children. What other signs of swine flu could be:

• dyspnea;
• dizziness;
• vomit;
• pain in the abdomen and chest area.

Treatment of swine flu

Treatment of this disease is extremely difficult, since even today no vaccine has been developed to reduce the risk of infection to zero. Standard medications also do not guarantee 100% effect. First of all, this can be explained by constant mutations of the virus. So how to defeat swine flu, how to treat it? We invite you to familiarize yourself with the detailed list of tools that are used.

What treatments are used after a person is diagnosed with swine flu? Treatment usually includes the following:

"Arbidol" is a Russian drug that has undergone a large number of tests and studies. As a result, its strong antioxidant and antiviral effect was proven. At the same time, "Arbidol" suppresses both human viruses and its animal varieties.

You cannot self-medicate. All of these medications should only be prescribed by a qualified healthcare professional. It is equally important that the infected person has his own utensils and personal hygiene products. To prevent the virus from spreading, the room must be regularly ventilated and wet cleaned. This will help avoid infecting people living with the patient, and will also prevent you from getting sick again.

Prevention

How can you protect yourself from swine flu? Firstly, you need to adhere to a daily routine, sleep for 6-8 hours, try to eat right, and, if possible, avoid overload and stress that weaken the body’s immunity. Secondly, prevention of swine flu includes the use of vitamins and immune boosters. As well as mandatory personal hygiene. We must not forget about proper food processing. So, pork must be thoroughly fried (eating meat with blood is unacceptable).

Over the past decade, the swine flu virus has been actively studied in order to create the most effective vaccine against H1N1. However, there are currently no significant changes in this direction. This is why prevention of swine flu is so important.

How to protect children from swine flu

The child's body is practically unfamiliar with such an infection. This seriously increases the child's risk of contracting swine flu. In order to prevent the disease, parents should take some preventive measures.

1. Wash your hands often, always with soap, especially before eating.
2. Do not allow your child to go to school or preschool until the respiratory infection has completely recovered.
3. If possible, avoid public places where there is a risk of contracting the virus.
4. Vaccinate your baby, as vaccination is considered the most effective way of prevention.

What to do if your child shows the first symptoms

The baby can take a non-hot bath with the addition of powdered mustard, after which the feet are rubbed with warming ointments and warm woolen socks are put on. Scientists have proven that the H1N1 virus completely ceases to manifest itself and actively reproduce at temperatures above 50 degrees. Doctors often prescribe inhalations for babies at a temperature of about 70 degrees with the addition of mint, lemon and other essential oils that have a beneficial effect on the respiratory system. For example, to prepare eucalyptus inhalation, add 50 drops of tincture to boiling water. The procedures are carried out throughout the week. Children under 3 years of age are prohibited from breathing steam due to the possible development of bronchospasms.

This disease is not common in Russia. However, prevention should not be neglected. If you notice similar signs in yourself or your child, consult a doctor immediately. Perhaps this is a simple seasonal flu, which will pass without a trace within a week. But there may be a more serious illness. In this case, the sooner the virus is identified and proper treatment is started, the faster the person will become healthy and will not suffer any complications. There is no point in delaying contacting a doctor.

Instructions

Mumps is transmitted by airborne droplets from a sick person to a healthy person when coughing, sneezing, or talking. The patient is from the end of the incubation period until the 9th day of illness. Maximum virus release occurs on days 3-5 of illness. Once in the body, the virus begins to multiply in all glandular tissues of the body - in the reproductive and salivary glands, as well as in the pancreas and thyroid gland. The salivary glands are affected first and most severely.

The disease usually begins acutely with fever, pain in the ear area, which intensifies when swallowing, chewing and putting sour food into the mouth. The patient develops profuse salivation, and then a swelling in front of the ear, which quickly increases and becomes as large as possible by the 5-6th day of illness; when palpated, this place is sharply painful. The earlobe protrudes upward, and the face takes on a specific appearance, hence the name of the disease. The elevated temperature may persist for several days.

The disease itself is usually quite mild, but it is scary with its complications. Since glandular tissues are affected, the pancreas is involved in the process, and an attack of acute pancreatitis may occur. It manifests itself with the appearance of girdle pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting and stool disorders. If these signs appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.

The gonads may also be affected. In boys, the testicle becomes sore and becomes swollen. In the future, this can develop into testicular atrophy. In girls, ovarian inflammation can lead to menstrual irregularities and infertility in the future.

Only a doctor should treat mumps. Dry heat is prescribed to the inflamed gland and rinsing the mouth with disinfectant solutions. It is imperative to follow a diet, exclude foods that cause excessive salivation, food should be liquid or crushed. To prevent pancreatitis, it is recommended to reduce the amount of white bread, cabbage, pasta and fats. It is better that the food is dairy and vegetable.

Vaccination is used to prevent mumps. Vaccinations are given at 12 months and 6 years. If a child gets sick, he is isolated until the 9th day of illness, and all contacts are not allowed into the team for 21 days. The problem is that 40% of cases of mumps are asymptomatic, so it is not always possible to avoid infection even with timely isolation of the patient.

By the end of 2009, the so-called “swine flu” loudly declared itself in the world and in Russia. The media was full of frightening reports about the impending pandemic. Is swine flu really worse than the regular seasonal flu? What vaccines and medications will help treat A/H1N1?

What is swine flu

Swine flu is an infectious respiratory disease of pigs caused by influenza A viruses or (less commonly) influenza C viruses. Influenza viruses cause numerous health problems in pigs, but mortality due to infection is low. Swine influenza virus type A/H1N1 was first identified in pigs in 1930.

Swine flu is transmitted in the same way as regular flu. Most often through airborne droplets when the patient sneezes or coughs. The virus can also remain on surfaces that the sick person has touched. If you touch such a surface, you should immediately wash your hands and under no circumstances touch your mouth, conjunctiva of the eyes or nose!

By the way, get infected with swine flu impossible when eating pork.

History of swine flu

This type of influenza can be found in history if we look at 1918-1919, when this extremely dangerous type of influenza virus caused a pandemic known as the Spanish Flu.

Swine flu pandemic...

Since March 2009, new cases of infection have been confirmed in the United States. These facts led the World Health Organization to declare this virus a pandemic on June 11, 2009.

Pandemic is a term that can apply to all diseases and is not reserved exclusively for influenza. A pandemic is an epidemic that covers an entire continent, several continents, or the entire world.

Flu pandemic occurs when a new virus appears in the world, which is significantly different from the influenza viruses that have circulated so far, and, at the same time, has the ability to infect people, moving freely from person to person. Such a virus spreads quickly, so most people do not have immunity against this virus or it will be insufficiently expressed.

Swine flu virus device

As a rule, the genome of the influenza virus is represented by a single-stranded RNA having 8 segments, and is characterized, in comparison with other types, by significant genetic variability with a predominance of mutations and genetic recombination. Individual types usually have the ability to infect only one host.

Virus influenza type A can be further classified into subtypes depending on the type of proteins that make up the protein coat (hemagglutinin HA or H) and neuraminidase (NA or N). Proteins are essential for successful viral replication. There are 16 HA subtypes (H1-H16) and 9 subtypes (N1-N9), representing 144 possible combinations of segments and creating a huge diversity of type A viruses.

The most common strains found among pigs are H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, H3N1 and H2N3. However, if a pig becomes infected with several of them at the same time, a new strain may arise.

Swine flu symptoms

The symptoms are similar to the traditional flu and are as follows:

• pain in muscles, bones and joints;
• headache;
• sore throat, dry cough;
• feeling of exhaustion and general weakness;
• pain in the ear area;

Also possible:

• Qatar;
• nausea;
• diarrhea or vomiting.

Sometimes even:

• stiffness;
• loss and confusion of consciousness.

Treatment and prevention of swine flu

The best prevention is vaccination. However, given the fact that the so-called swine flu is no more dangerous than the regular seasonal flu, it makes more sense to vaccinate against seasonal flu, and these vaccines are more effective.

When thinking about vaccination, you should know and remember the general contraindications to vaccination:

• immune disorders, but not HIV infection;
• acute infectious diseases;
• acute illness (at a temperature exceeding 38-38.5°C);
• period of exacerbation of a chronic disease;
• allergy to vaccine components (especially egg white);
• pregnancy (mostly in the first trimester).

According to official recommendations, time in case of swine flu, the use of one of two drugs is indicated: oseltamivir or zanamivir. These drugs are used both in case of confirmed infection and during post-exposure prophylaxis.

However, given that a significant proportion of influenza virus infections are mild, these drugs are mainly used only in debilitated, multi-diseased or elderly patients. These drugs belong to the group neuraminidase inhibitors.

Complications of swine flu

Complications with this form of flu are similar to the “classic” flu, however, as a rule, it is less dangerous than regular seasonal flu and causes fewer complications. Weakened, exhausted, and immunodeficient people are especially susceptible to complications.

Complications include:

• from the respiratory system: sinusitis of the nasal cavities, inflammation of the larynx, bronchitis, exacerbation of chronic diseases of the respiratory system, such as bronchial asthma or COPD. A fairly common complication of this flu is primary pneumonia.
• from the cardiovascular system: myocarditis, pericarditis, sudden cardiac death, decompensation of chronic circulatory failure;
• from the central nervous system: confusion, worsening dementia in older people, seizures (especially in children), inflammation of the brain or meningitis;
• from other authorities: acute inflammation of the middle ear, myositis, acute renal failure, conjunctivitis, exacerbation or decompensation of various chronic diseases (for example, diabetes mellitus);
• Reye's syndrome (in case of taking salicylic acid);
• Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Flu and its complications can even lead to death. People especially susceptible to dangerous complications from influenza include:

• children under five years of age;
• people over 65 years of age;
• people suffering from lung disease, asthma, diabetes, heart disease;
• women during pregnancy.

How to prevent swine flu infection

As already mentioned, good prevention is flu vaccinations, however, we should not forget about general recommendations, which may sometimes be sufficient to protect against infection.

Annual vaccination...

Simple steps can prevent both swine flu and other infections:

• frequent and thorough hand washing using soap and running water;
• avoiding cramped spaces or being in crowded places;
• adherence to the principles of a healthy diet, because the spread of infection is facilitated by weakening of the body and malnutrition;
• use of disposable sanitary napkins;
• avoiding close contact with sick people;
• frequent ventilation of premises;
• rest and regular physical activity, which strengthen the immune system.

In conclusion, it is worth adding that the influenza virus has accompanied people for centuries, sometimes we lost this unequal battle with nature. However, in the case of healthy people it is not always necessary to use flu medicines.

Swine flu is no more dangerous than regular seasonal flu, and its course depends on the condition of the patient's body. Unfortunately, the flu virus has the ability to mutate, so you will never know where and when a really scary type of flu virus will appear.

Today the situation with swine flu is under control!

“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. The influenza A (H1N1) virus is the result of crossing the human influenza A (H1N1) virus 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 (high temperature up to 38-39°, severe weakness, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting of central origin, that is, against a background of high temperature, 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 the early stages (2-3 days 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 of 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:

Antivirals– 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

Swine flu is an infectious disease caused by the influenza B virus and its many subtypes. How does infection occur and how can it be prevented?

Let's look at the symptoms of the disease, which are often absolutely identical to a regular flu or cold.

What is swine flu

Swine flu is respiratory tract disease, very contagious and with a tendency to be acute (appears suddenly and goes away after a fairly short period of time). Swine flu is caused by some types of influenza virus, namely from influenza viruses type B and C, subtypes H1N1, H1N2, H2N1, H2 N3, H3N1, H3N2.

The most common is the H1N1 influenza virus.

How does the swine flu epidemic develop?

Usually influenza viruses live in balance with endemic species and have difficulty moving from one species to another. Therefore, avian influenza viruses infect birds, swine influenza virus occurs in pigs, its effect on humans is very limited. This is due to the fact that for the virus to transfer to the host cell, the latter must have appropriate receptors on the membrane.

For example, the avian influenza virus is unlikely to spread to humans because it has very few cells in the respiratory system that express receptors on their membranes that promote the adhesion of such viruses.

However, it may happen that human influenza virus and avian influenza virus simultaneously infects one pig, which has both bird and human receptors. As a result, the virus acquires the ability to bind to receptors specific to the human influenza virus. Then an epidemic may develop.

So The virus is not only transmitted from pigs to humans, but also acquires ability to move quickly from person to person. In our time of hypermobile population, an epidemic can easily turn into pandemic.

Infection and incubation period of the virus

Spread of the influenza A H1N1 virus through contact with the virus contained in aerosol particles emitted by an infected person. sneezing or coughing. Another route of infection is direct contact with secretions from the respiratory tract.

Swine flu incubation period lasts several days (1-3 from the moment of infection).

You can also select several risk factors that contribute to swine flu infection:

• Working with frequent contact with pigs eg: veterinarian, farmer.
• Travel to regions or countries which are currently experiencing an epidemic of the disease.
• Contact with an infected person.
• Visiting places large crowd of people.

It should be noted that eating pork poses absolutely no danger.

Symptoms and possible complications of swine flu

The symptoms of swine flu are very similar. for manifestations of other strains of influenza viruses, in particular:

• Fever and chills.
• Sneezing and stuffy nose.
• Burning in the eyes and lachrymation.
• Pain in muscles and head.
• A sore throat.
• Dry cough.
• Fatigue and exhaustion even after minimal effort.
• Gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
• Confusion in elderly patients.

Complications of swine flu

The most serious complication is bacterial lung infection and therefore pneumonia which can lead to sepsis.

Other possible complications of swine flu include:

• Neurological problems. It could be seizures.
• Respiratory failure(the inability of the respiratory system to provide adequate gas exchange, which is necessary to saturate the body with oxygen).
• Exacerbation of the patient's chronic diseases. This is a complication typical of older people who are burdened with diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
• Dehydration. And, accordingly, gastroenterological problems (vomiting and/or diarrhea).

Some people are predisposed to developing complications from influenza due to a weak immune system:

• Age over 65 years.
• Infants and young children.
• Persons with weakened immune systems, such as those infected with HIV.
• Patients with chronic diseases: diabetes, asthma, emphysema, heart disease, anemia and other blood diseases.
• Women during pregnancy.

Diagnosis and therapy of swine flu

To be sure of infection with swine flu, it is necessary to collect a sample of secretions from the respiratory tract, a swab from the nose or throat in the first 4-5 days after the onset of symptoms and microbiological analysis by PCR method, which detects fragments of RNA from the virus.

Treatment of swine flu Treatment usually involves resting in bed and taking paracetamol to control painful symptoms and lower body temperature during fever.

If the patient suffers from respiratory pathologies, then they may be prescribed penicillins to fight airway inflammation and preparations for liquefying secretions.

Immune system deficiency may require administration antiviral drugs with active ingredients such as zanamivir And oseltamivir. These drugs are also administered patients who are at high risk development of dangerous complications, see list above.

How to prevent swine flu

Below we summarize the main measures that can be taken to prevent infection with the swine flu virus:

• Seasonal influenza vaccination. Every year, the composition of vaccines changes based on the prevalence of certain types of influenza virus. But, in any case, vaccination helps the immune system even in the case of new subtypes of viruses.
• Frequently washing hands with soap. Helps prevent transmission of the virus through objects.
• Avoiding enclosed spaces and crowded.
• Avoid contact with pigs and visiting places where they can be seen and touched (for example, agricultural shows).
• Avoid contact with flu patients.