Swine flu is a respiratory disease in pigs caused by a virus called H1N1. The new strain of H1N1 is a fatal mixture of viruses from pigs, birds and humans. They symptoms are sudden fever, coughing, extreme fatigue and muscle aches. There is also diarrhea and vomiting more than normal flu.
The strains of the disease is such that it rarely transmit from humans to humans. In rare cases, the virus mutates into a form that can move from human to human. The strain responsible for the flu outbreak is understood to have undergone such a mutation and is expected to stay like that for a longer period of time.
Can Swine flu be prevented or cured? There is no vaccine which can prevent this disease. Medicines like Tamiflu and Relenza are effective, if taken initially.
Is it safe to eat pork? Swine Flu is not spread by eating pork or its products including salami, ham and sausages. However, it is a good practice to cook pork over 70 degrees C, which kills the virus. Risk factors: According to medical experts, people who are exposed to areas which has proliferation of pigs, or where they have to work with pigs are at risk of contracting swine flu.
The virus is called swine flu because one of its surface proteins is similar to viruses that usually infect pigs. Pork industry in the US are putting pressure on the officials to change the name of the disease, because no pig as such have been found infected with this particular disease, which has spread among humans.
