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Swine flu
Swineflu,alsoknownasswineinfluenzaorinfluenzaA(H1N1)virus,isacontagiousrespiratory disease.Symptomsofswinefluincludeafever(temperatureover38C),cough,sorethroat, achesandtiredness. Swinefluisusuallyfoundinpigs.Humansarenotusuallyinfectedbytheswinefluvirusbutitdoes happen.Anewstrainoftheswinefluviruswhichaffectshumans,alsocalledH1N1influenza,was recentlyidentified.ItisthoughttohavestartedinMexico. Itisnotknownhoweasilythisnewstrainofswinefluspreadsfrompersontoperson.Ifswinefluis highlycontagious,awidespreadinfluenzapandemicispossible. A new strain of influenza A SwinefluappearstobeanewstrainofinfluenzaA.Variousfluvirusescaninfectpigs.Thoseofthe H1N1subtypearemostcommon,buttherearealsoothertypes.Occasionally,apigisinfected withtwodifferentvirusesatonce.Thiscanincreasethechanceofthetwovirusescombiningto createanewtypeofinfectiousvirus.Thisisknownasamutation,andthenewviruswhichisthe resultofthismutationisknownasareassortmentvirus. Usually,virusesarespecies-specific,thatisanimalvirusesgenerallydontaffectpeople,buta reassortmentvirusmayspreadtootherspecies,includinghumans. Symptoms Swineflu,whenitaffectshumans,sometimesdoesntcauseanysymptoms.Itusuallycausesa short-termillnesssimilartoseasonalflu.Symptomsofswineflumayinclude: Hightemperature Cough Sorethroat Bodyaches Runningnose Headache Chills Fatigue Sometimes,diarrhoeaandvomiting

Ima ge des crip

Stay home if you have flu like symptoms Ifyouhaveflu-likesymptomsyoushouldstayathome,andnotattendworkorschool.Drink plentyoffluidsandrest. Severe pneumonia is a dangerous complication Swineflu,likehumanorseasonalflu,canmakeunderlyingmedicalconditionsworse.Apotentially life-threateningcomplicationofswinefluispneumonia(atypeoflunginfection).Someofthe symptomsofpneumoniamayinclude: Fever Generalmalaise(feelingtiredandunwell) Rapidbreathing Breathingdifficulties Cough Chestpain Lossofappetite Abdominalpain Headache Bluecolouredskinaroundthemouth(cyanosis)causedbylackofoxygen.

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How the swine flu virus is spread Thewaysinwhichswineflucanspreadinclude: Pigfarmerscanbeinfecteddirectlyfrominfectedpigs,forexample,byhandlingsickpigs andnotwashingtheirhands. Apersoninfectedwithswinefluiscontagiousfromthedaybeforetheydevelopsymptoms toatleastsevendaysaftertheydevelopsymptoms.Itisthoughtthatyoungchildrenmay beinfectiousforlonger. Apersoncaringforsomeonesickwiththeswineflucanbecomeinfectedfrominhaling infectedsneezeorcoughdroplets.Thisisknownasdirectcontact. Theswinefluviruscanliveforabouttwohoursoutsideofthebody.Infectioncanoccur whenapersontouchesacontaminatedobject(suchasadirtytissue)andthentoucheshis orherownnose,eyesormouth.Thisisknownasindirectcontact. Insomecases,swinefluisasymptomatic,whichmeanstheinfectedpersonfeelsfineand hasnosymptoms.However,theycanstillinfectotherpeople.

Swine flu is not spread by eating pork Theswinefluvirusisnotspreadviafoodproducts.Itissafetoeatpork,baconandham.The WorldHealthOrganizationadvisesthatswineinfluenzahasnotbeenshowntobetransmissibleto peoplethrougheatingporkandporkmeatproducts.Eveninthosecountrieswheretherehasbeen anoutbreakofswineflu. Eatingproperlyhandledandcookedporkandotherporkproductsissafe.Cookingporkto temperaturesof70C(160F)killstheinfluenzavirus. Diagnosis Ifyourdoctorsuspectsyoumayhaveswineflu,themedicalstaffwillwearglovesandmasksand willisolateyoufromotherpatientstoreducetheriskofpassingthevirusontootherpeople. Diagnosismethodsmayinclude: Medicalhistory Travelhistory Physicalexamination Noseandthroatswabs(forlaboratoryanalysis).

Treatment Therearenodrugsorvaccinesspecifictoswineflu.Itisnotknownifcurrentfluvaccinesofferany protectionagainsttheswineflu;mostdoctorsbelievetheydont.Treatmentoptionsmayinclude: VariousantiviralmedicationssuchasTamifluandRelenza.Thesemayhelptoreducethe symptomsandspeedrecovery. Restinganddrinkingplentyoffluids. Avoidingpublicplacestoreducetheriskoftransmission.Stayinghomefromschoolor workuntilyouarecompletelyrecovered. Takingstepstoreducetheriskoftransmissiontoothersinyourhousehold.Forexample, disposingofyourowndirtytissues,andwashingyourhandsregularly,particularlyafter coughingorsneezing.Inparticular,avoidcontactwithchildrenortheelderly,whotendto bemorevulnerabletoinfectiousdiseases.

Reduce your risk of infection Goodhygieneisveryimportantandcanreduceyourriskofgettingswinefluorpassingitonto otherpeople.Rememberto: Coveryournoseandmouthwithatissuewhenyoucoughorsneeze.Throwthetissuein thegarbagebinafteryouuseit. Washyourhandsoftenwithsoapandwater,especiallyafteryoucoughorsneeze.Alcoholbasedhandscleanersarealsoeffective. Avoidtouchingyoureyes,noseormouth.Germsspreadthatway. Avoidpublicplacesandclosecontactwithothersifyouhavetheflu. Lookafteryourselfanddontgetrundown,forexample,getplentyofsleepandeata healthydiet.

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ConsiderhavingtheAustralianseasonalinfluenzavaccineifyouareover65years.While thisprobablywontprovideanyprotectionagainstswineflu,itwillreduceyourchancesof gettingseasonalflu. Avoidtravellingtoareaswhereoutbreakshaveoccurred. Avoidsickpigsorsickpeopleifpossible. Beverycarefultowashyourhandsifyouarecaringforasickpersonorasickpig.

Where to get help Call your GP-formedicaladviceifyouhaveaflu-likeillness(fever,coughandfatigue) Call your local hospital-onlyifyouareseriouslyunwellwithflulikesymptoms Call the Swine Influenza Hotline Tel. 180 2007forthegeneralpublicandpeople returningfromtheoverseaswithflu-likesymptoms Call Nurse-on-Call Tel. 1300 606 024forexperthealthinformationandadvice(24 hours,7days) Call the Department of Human Servicesto report a suspected case(doctorsonly)CommunicableDiseasePreventionandControlUnitTel.1300651160 VisitSmartravellerfortraveladvice

Things to remember

Australiahasverygoodcommunicablediseasesurveillanceandcontrolsystemsinplaceto detectandrespondtooutbreaksofillness. Swineflusometimesdoesntcauseanysymptoms.Itusuallycausesashort-termillness similartoseasonalflu.

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Copyight 1999/2009StateofVictoria.ReproducedfromtheBetterHealthChannel(www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)at nocostwithpermissionoftheVictorianMinisterforHealth.Unauthorisedreproductionandotherusescomprisedinthe copyrightareprohibitedwithoutpermission. ThisBetterHealthChannelfactsheethaspassedthrougharigorousapprovalprocess.Forthelatestupdatesandmore informationvisitwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au.

Swineflu

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