What is the Scientific Name For Swine Flu & Other Interesting Facts
Everything You Need to Know About Swine Flu
With swine flu, also known as H1N1, currently sweeping the nation, you probably have a lot of questions that you’d like to have answered. For example, what is swine flu, and can you have the swine flu with no fever?
First of all, swine flu is called swine flu because original study indicated that the genes within this form of influenza were very similar to those located to an influenza commonly found in pigs. However, further study has shown that while this flu may have partially originated from those found in pigs, it also has genes from an avian flu and a human flu.
What is the Scientific Name for Swine Flu
In June of 2009, as you’ve probably heard, the World Health Organization (WHO) began calling the spread of the H1N1 virus, the scientific name for swine flu, a “pandemic.” A simple way to explain this is that a pandemic is when a serious infectious disease sweeps the globe.
Since swine flu is just a type of influenza, it spreads the same way that the normal flu does — by coming into contact from one person to another, whether via a sneeze or a cough. So the best way to avoid catching it is to keep your hands clean.
Another thing to keep in mind is that if you avoid touching your face, you are less likely to accidentally bring germs from your hands into your body. So experts advise you to keep your hands at your sides.
How Contagious is the Swine Flu?
Typically people who do catch it can spread it for up to a week after getting sick.
People in the US are currently catching swine flu, so yes, the epidemic has reached us here. However, most people who catch this disease experience a mild version of it.
The people who are getting really ill and dying right now are those who are normally at high risk for experiencing complications from the flu. These groups include children under five, pregnant women, and those with preexisting medical conditions, such as diabetes.
Rumors that H1N1 flu can be spread by drinking tap water or eating properly-cooked pork products are unfounded. (While there hasn’t been any specific research on normal tap water treatments killing H1N1 in drinking water, other similar viruses have been studied, and were found to be taken care of by conventional levels of chlorine in tap water.)
Household products and toys should be kept clean and sanitized to avoid spreading disease. But while you can catch influenza from, say, a doorknob, take note that the virus couldn’t even last there for twenty-four hours.
There are flu vaccines available for you and your family, both for the H1N1 virus and other viruses. Getting a flu vaccine is an important step to take in trying to avoid the flu during this flu season.
If you do get the flu and develop any serious complications, there are antiviral treatments that can help you to get well. Fortunately, however, for the vast majority of us, this will be a normal flu season. We may cough and sneeze, but we’re unlikely to ever need any anti-viral medications.
For more information about swine flu and much more please visit the health section on GKHealth.
