Human swine flu symptoms: treatment of H1N1 in adults. Signs and treatment of swine flu in pigs How long does it take to treat swine flu

Colds are considered constant companions of winter, and in 2016 it is especially active swine flu or as it is also called "California". The main symptoms are similar to those of the classic disease, but are expressed in a more aggressive form and in 90% of cases cause severe complications in the form of disruption of work. of cardio-vascular system or pneumonia. Doctors and epidemiologists strongly recommend that, at the first manifestation of symptoms, you immediately contact a medical institution for diagnosis and proper treatment, self-medication and use folk remedies(viburnum, raspberry tea) in this case are absolutely not appropriate and can only aggravate the situation, and in especially difficult situations lead to death.

Swine (California) flu: concept, causes

Swine flu is a disease caused by a specific strain of influenza that affects humans and animals and, in the absence of timely treatment leads to complications and sometimes death. Until recently, the virus was spread in Europe, America, China, but for several years now it has been rampant in the vastness of our country, and this season is especially aggressive.

The virus is quite complex, it constantly mutates, as a result of which its symptoms change, so it is extremely difficult for doctors to develop a vaccine or medicine to counteract the disease. What was effective for treating the virus last year does not have the desired effect this season, as its characteristics have changed and it has ceased to be vulnerable to such drugs. The most common subtype of swine flu is H1N1, which is considered the most dangerous, affecting a large number of people causing epidemics.
The disease is highly contagious, spreads very quickly, conquering more and more new victims. California flu can be contracted in several ways:

• Airborne through direct contact with a sick person. The virus spreads especially actively in crowded places, in poorly ventilated areas.
• Household way through the use of common household items with a sick person (dishes, towels, etc.).

Influenza is equally dangerous for everyone, but several categories of people are at particular risk:

• Women during childbearing.
• Children whose body does not have sufficient resources to withstand such a serious virus. Babies under two years old and after five are especially susceptible to the virus.
• Elderly people whose body is weakened and the immune system is not strong enough to fight the flu.
• Health care workers who are in frequent contact with sick patients.
• People who have chronic lung disease, are overweight (degree of obesity), cardiovascular disease, diabetes, diabetes, or a weakened body as a result of exposure to various kinds medicines(for example, chemotherapy for cancer).

Determining the presence of swine flu is very simple, if you know what symptoms are characteristic of it. Incubation period for this virus is 3 days (from the moment of infection to the appearance of the first signs). The main symptoms of the H1N1 flu include:

• A strong increase in body temperature up to 39-40 degrees.
• General weakness of muscles, joints, inability to get out of bed or difficulty in performing the simplest physical actions.
• Headache, migraine.
• Lack of appetite.
• Sore throat, cough (dry, paroxysmal), runny nose.
• Often there are problems with the gastrointestinal tract: diarrhea, bloating, nausea, heaviness in the abdomen.
• In the case of the development of a severe form, loss of consciousness, cardiovascular insufficiency, and breathing problems may occur.

If timely medical care is not provided, the patient's condition worsens and new symptoms appear that complement the existing ones:

• Shortness of breath, which appears not only after physical activity but also at rest.
• Blueness of the skin.
• Constant vomiting.
• Chest pain, increased cough, sputum.
• Blurred mind, negative changes in the psychological state.
• Severe dehydration of the body, a decrease in the amount of urine excreted.
• Decreased blood pressure.

If one or more signs are found, it is highly likely that swine flu infection has occurred. To avoid complications and negative consequences, you should immediately contact a medical institution to diagnose the condition and prescribe effective treatment. In addition, it is worth limiting communication with healthy people as much as possible in order to prevent their infection and the spread of the epidemic.

California Flu Diagnosis

In order to confirm the diagnosis of "swine flu" it is necessary to visit a general practitioner in medical institution, pass the necessary examinations and take tests. Diagnostics includes the following steps:

• Examination by a general practitioner, taking an anamnesis and a thorough questioning about symptoms, health status and clarification of other nuances.
• A swab from the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, which will help identify the RNA of the virus, if any.
• Blood test to determine the presence of antibodies.
• If necessary, a chest X-ray is performed.

The California flu is not the case when they can be used folk methods or self-medication. Be sure to undergo medical treatment - this will help to avoid the development of complications, various pathologies and the spread of the epidemic. In order to get rid of the disease, you should first of all follow a few recommendations:

• Call the doctor at home, visit the doctor's office for examination and accurate diagnosis.
• Stay in bed, reduce physical activity and use a mask to prevent infecting others.
• People in serious condition, with the presence of complications or chronic diseases must be hospitalized.
• Provide plenty of fluids to help restore the water-salt balance in the body.
• Accurate and unquestioning implementation of all doctor's recommendations and adherence to the regimen.

The following methods are used as treatment:

• Taking antiviral drugs that prevent the active reproduction of the virus and the development of complications. Most often, Tamiflu, Relenza are used for this purpose, but you should carefully read the contraindications, since these drugs should not be taken: pregnant women, children under five years old, the elderly. The course of treatment depends on the severity of the condition and the body's response to the drug.
• Antibacterial agents in case of development of pneumonia of bacterial origin.
• Glucocosteroids to facilitate breathing and remove toxins from the body.
• Antipyretics to relieve fever - Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, Panadol (for children). Pregnant women should refrain from taking drugs that contain aspirin - this can adversely affect the development of the fetus.
• Drugs that normalize the work of the nose (Nazol, Otrivin, Nozalong), cough relief (Ambroxol, ACC, Tussin).
• Antiallergic drugs (Loratadin, Claritin, Cetrin).

You can cope with the disease very simply and quickly if you seek professional help in a timely manner, since it is most effective to fight the virus within 48 hours after infection. If you start treatment during this period, the disease will pass in a mild form without complications. This is one of the main reasons why you should not self-medicate and postpone a visit to the doctor.
The California flu is a very insidious disease that actively progresses and causes a number of complications that can lead to death. The most common consequences include:

• Pneumonia, which has a destructive effect on the lungs, causing a violation of their functioning. It can be primary (develops as a result of exposure to influenza) or secondary (develops under the influence of another bacterial form).
• Respiratory failure.
• Bacterial lesions of the respiratory system (otitis media, sinusitis).
• Development cardiovascular disease(pericarditis, myocarditis).
• Violation of the functioning of the kidneys, liver.

Flu Prevention

In order to prevent infection with influenza, elementary preventive measures should be taken:

• Limit your stay in crowded places, and if possible, avoid visiting them.
• Wash your hands regularly with soap.
• Avoid contact, close communication with people who have obvious signs of a cold.
• Wear a gauze bandage.
• Take vitamins that strengthen the immune system.
• Eat foods high in vitamin C and protein.
• Get vaccinated.

The swine flu epidemic is actively spreading, so it is extremely important to know how it manifests itself, what symptoms it has, and how to deal with the disease. In addition, you should follow preventive measures to protect yourself from illness and maintain your health.

Swine flu virus - acute respiratory disease(ARVI). One of its most common subtypes is H1N1, H1N2, H3N1 and H3N2 are much less common. The disease passes from one person to another by airborne droplets. The new flu is unlike previous strains: it's less deadly, more people get better on their own, but last year's shot doesn't work either. Russia has not stood aside, the number of cases is increasing daily. So how does swine flu manifest itself?

How does the swine flu virus manifest itself?

The main symptoms of swine flu in humans are very similar to the usual SARS. The first signs are fever, fever, chills. A person may feel general malaise, dizziness, muscle pain. Further, a sore throat, snot and / or cough may begin. Indirect evidence may be vomiting, diarrhea. The flu epidemic in 2016 is a time when it is very important to notice the first signs of the disease. Otherwise dangerous virus will begin to spread throughout the body, blocking the resources responsible for recovery and correction.

First symptoms of H1N1 in humans

The rate of spread of the virus Russian Federation began to decline, but the number of cases is still threatening. Find out how the disease begins, what initial symptoms of swine flu can be diagnosed in a person on their own. With this type of malaise, a number of stages of the disease are distinguished:

1. At the stage of infection with the virus, no special external manifestations are visible, with the exception of the appearance of weakness and fatigue.
2. The next period lasts from a couple of hours to 3 days. The first symptoms begin to appear:

   • muscle pain;

   • fever up to 39 degrees.

3. The next phase lasts up to 5 days. During this time, complications may arise.
4. The course of the disease depends, firstly, on what kind of treatment is being carried out, and secondly, whether prevention has been carried out before.

In children

As medical practice shows, children cope with ARVI much easier than adults. Here it is extremely important to recognize the first signs of infection in little man. This particular virus can be very dangerous for babies. What are the symptoms of swine flu in children?

• chilliness;
• increased body temperature;
• body aches, fatigue;
• sore throat;
• cough;
• headache;
• vomiting or diarrhea;
• lethargy, inactivity;
• blueing of the skin;
• lack of tears, urination;
• unusual breathing;
• any rashes on the body.

In adults

Particular attention should be paid to people belonging to the so-called risk groups: elderly people over 65 years old, women expecting a child, people with any chronic diseases. However, an insidious disease can also affect absolutely healthy people. If the following symptoms are found, all adults, without exception, should immediately seek emergency medical help.

• high temperature (it may not be);
• cough;
• snot, nasal congestion;
• headache;
• sore throat;
• body aches;
• chilliness;
• fast fatiguability;
• diarrhea, vomiting;
• shortness of breath, shortness of breath;
• sudden dizziness;

Video: swine flu symptoms in 2016

Only a doctor can diagnose this serious illness in a number of ways. characteristic features which the layman may not notice. Watch the video to hear the opinion of a certified physician of the Moscow Doctor clinic network on the features of this deadly virus in 2016. From the video below you will learn about the main manifestations of the disease, listen to advice on which specialist to contact.

Swine flu is the same respiratory disease as regular flu, but differs from it in some symptoms and, of course, consequences. Swine flu is very easy to catch, so doctors classify it as a highly contagious disease. This type of flu was discovered by the American doctor Richard Shope back in 1931, but we learned about it relatively recently. "Swine" flu is called because it was very common among domestic animals, in particular, pigs. Although they can get sick and birds, and, as it turns out, people. How to recognize swine flu in yourself or others and how to treat it?

The most important thing about swine flu

We have learned about swine flu relatively recently, as it has been spread mainly in farms in Kenya, Europe, the United States, as well as in Taiwan, Japan and China. With the development of trade, some diseases that were not previously known to us in practice migrated to us. Swine flu is a rather cunning disease that can mutate and modify its symptoms. Therefore, it is difficult to come up with a suitable vaccine to fight it - the virus is constantly changing its characteristics.

Doctors came up with a classification for swine flu. It belongs to a particularly dangerous group - A, it is given only to those types of diseases that can cause an epidemic and are very common.

If you make a swine flu vaccine, you must first determine which virus caused it. The fact is that the vaccine that was made last year, if the nature and type of the virus changes, can be absolutely useless in a year.

Risk groups for swine flu

1. Children are especially susceptible to this disease - they are at high risk. Children under two years of age and children over five years of age are most susceptible to this disease.
2. The second risk group is the elderly, especially after 65 years.
3. The third risk group is pregnant women
4. The fourth risk group is people with chronic diseases. These diseases include blood diseases, cancer, lung diseases, especially chronic ones, asthma, diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, disorders of the nervous system, brain and weakened immune system.

It is important to know that swine flu can affect not only these risk groups, but also absolutely healthy people. Therefore, having discovered the symptoms of this disease, you will need to see a doctor immediately.

The most common symptoms of swine flu are fever and chills. Fever, high - up to 40 degrees - temperature. In this case, a person or animal may die. But with modern medical care mortality in swine flu is low - up to 4% of cases.

If a person has all or some of these symptoms, chances are you have contracted swine flu. It is worth knowing that not everyone with the flu has a high fever. So, according to these symptoms, you can suspect swine flu in yourself or loved ones.

• Elevated temperature
• Severe cough - dry or wet
• Nasal congestion or runny nose
• Aches and pains all over the body
• My head hurts
• The face may turn red
• The person may have chills
• Very fast fatigue
• Vomiting and diarrhea

Here are the warning signs for which anyone should seek immediate medical attention.

What flu symptoms should a person get immediate medical attention for?

What concerns children

• Breathing too fast or very difficult
• Skin changes color to gray or bluish
• The child does not want to eat or drink
• The child has severe vomiting that does not stop for a long time
• The child is lethargic, does not want to wake up, is inactive
• The child is too nervous, reacts with aggression to any actions of adults
• Symptoms stop for a while, and then attack with renewed vigor
• The child has a cough and a high fever

Warning symptoms of swine flu in adults

• The person is choking or breathing is difficult
• The chest or abdomen may hurt, there may be pressure in these parts of the body
• A person may have bouts of dizziness, and sudden
• The mind may be clouded
• Vomiting can be very severe and not stop for a long time

Flu symptoms may stop and then attack the patient again

How is swine flu different from bird flu?

Avian influenza, which is designated as the H5N1 virus, killed a lot of patients - more than half of those who fell ill. With swine flu, many people recover even without serious treatment, although its viruses change faster.

Subtypes of swine flu

Swine flu is divided by physicians into subtypes. The most common of these is the H1N1 subtype. He was assigned the highest - the sixth degree of danger, according to international classification. This means that the H1N1 influenza virus is capable of causing large epidemics, which are called a pandemic. But this does not mean that the swine flu virus in practice infects entire cities. It's just that there is such a possibility if people are not treated and do not get flu vaccines.

There are also other subtypes of swine flu - H1N2, as well as H3N1 and H3N2. All these types of influenza are characterized by airborne spread (when sneezing, coughing, unwashed hands, and so on).

World Health Organization experts believe that the ability of the flu strain to change can lead to a combination of viruses. And this threatens humanity with a higher mortality rate if the infection spreads.

Forecasts are such that in the event of the spread of new aggressive forms of swine flu, human losses can increase significantly about six months after the start of the epidemic. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor your health and consult a doctor in time if suspicious symptoms occur.

Swine flu treatment

If a person is ill with swine flu or suspects that he has symptoms of it, you must first of all refuse to communicate with other people, since the swine flu virus is transmitted by airborne droplets. In a mild form of the disease, it can go away on its own within a week.

If the symptoms indicate a severe form of the flu, you need to contact your local doctor or an ambulance. To determine what disease caused your suffering, the doctor will conduct a thorough diagnosis.

What is the treatment for swine flu?

For its treatment, antiviral drugs are prescribed, since swine flu is caused precisely by viruses. These drugs may be similar to those used to treat the common flu. This will help to cope with the complications that the flu can bring if carried on your feet or not treated at all.

It is very important in the treatment of influenza to observe bed rest and take into account the possible risk of recurrence of other diseases that a person had recently suffered from. Whether it is necessary to prescribe antiviral drugs and which ones, you cannot decide for yourself. This decision should be made by a professional – your primary care physician.

Antivirals used to treat swine flu include zanamivir and oseltamivir. Over-the-counter products sold in pharmacies should not be used against the flu without a doctor's recommendation.

How long does it take for a person to recover from swine flu?

It depends on the individual characteristics of the person. As a rule, with the right approach to treatment, the disease disappears in 7-10 days. But you must make sure that you are already healthy and do not infect others. The indicator of recovery will be a normal working condition without weakness, headache, fatigue, cough and fever. If you have a fever, you should stay at home for at least a day after it has passed.

It will not be superfluous to know that after you have had the flu, you need to follow precautionary measures. First of all, wash your hands thoroughly, treat door handles with disinfectants at home, and wear an antiviral mask in transport. And turn away when other people cough and sneeze, try not to contact sick adults and children.

Swine flu is pretty serious disease. Therefore, you need to protect your health additional funds prevention, so as not to get sick, drink vitamins on time and not come into contact with sick people.

The main symptoms and signs of swine flu

Swine flu, the symptoms of which are very acute in humans, is an extremely dangerous infectious disease. Until relatively recently, the influenza virus that affected pigs did not indulge in humans and did not lead to serious pandemics, but everything changed dramatically when a small mutation appeared in it, allowing it to infect not only livestock, but also people.

The human swine flu virus is highly pathogenic and spreads rapidly from person to person. The swine influenza virus is also known as the California influenza virus, as it was in this area that the first outbreaks of the disease were diagnosed. It is believed that the warm climate of California contributed to the emergence of a new strain of the virus, which spread around the world at lightning speed. In medical practice, the strain of the new influenza virus is listed under the H1N1 type.

Description of the development of swine flu

Swine flu is an acute respiratory illness caused by a specific virus that is transmitted through the air or by contact. The swine flu virus is highly mutable, which allows it to spread not only among domestic and wild pigs, but also among other mammals. The first large outbreaks of the epidemic caused by the H1N1 virus were recorded in 2009, and then in 2012. During the first outbreak of the pig creep pandemic in California, which occurred in 2009, this disease claimed the lives of more than 17 thousand people. Recently, small outbreaks of swine flu in humans have been recorded almost everywhere every year. After a new strain of the virus was discovered, work began on the study of this disease.

Swine flu, which only affected pigs, was discovered as early as 1930, but since only livestock suffered from it, scientists did not conduct a thorough study of it.

The mutation process that started in this type of influenza virus made it extremely dangerous for people.

Given that the mutational potential of the virus has not yet been exhausted, new subtypes of it appear from time to time. The constant mutation of the swine flu virus leads to the fact that scientists from the world's leading medical centers cannot develop an effective vaccine or medicines. Swine flu risk groups include:

• people with chronic respiratory disease;
• pregnant women;
• obese people;
• children under 2 years old;
• those who work in crowded places;
• people working on pig farms.

An infected person can transmit the virus to others in as little as 2 days. After about 5-7 days, the highest concentration of the virus is observed in the respiratory tract, so it is during this period that patients are most contagious.

Symptoms of swine flu

In adults, the causes of high mortality are negligent attitude to their health. Many people do not pay attention to the first signs of swine flu, so they go to the doctor when the condition worsens. The symptoms of swine flu are similar at first to other colds and do not make it immediately clear how serious the disease is. In different patients, this type of flu can occur in moderate and severe form. With a moderate form of the course of the disease, patients experience:

• a sharp increase in body temperature up to 40 ° C;
• signs of general intoxication of the body;
• severe general weakness;
• pain in the joints;
• muscle pain;
• severe chills;
• runny nose, sore throat;
• cough;
• loss of appetite;
• headache;
• photophobia;
• drowsiness;
• profuse sweating;
• chest pain.

Severe swine flu is characterized by life-threatening symptoms. One of these dangerous complications is a progressive syndrome of segmental lung disease, which is accompanied by acute heart failure. With the hypertoxic form of swine flu in humans, rapid pulmonary edema is possible. In a severe form of the course of swine flu, encephalopathies can join the existing signs of the disease, which indicate toxic and viral damage to brain tissues. Symptoms of brain damage include seizures, psychotic states, and hallucinations.

Perhaps the development of vascular disorders, for example, profuse nosebleeds. In some cases, the development of swine flu leads to the appearance of profuse vomiting and diarrhea, which cause dehydration in the shortest possible time and worsen general state human health. Symptoms that indicate the development of severe complications of swine flu include:

• cyanosis of the skin;
• severe shortness of breath even at rest;
• low blood pressure;
• long-term persistence of the main symptoms inherent in influenza.

In the absence of a directed drug treatment swine flu quickly affects all body systems, which can cause severe intoxication, complications and rapid death of the patient, therefore it is very important to consult a doctor when the first symptoms of a cold appear, especially if a child shows signs of the disease, because in children the symptoms increase much faster .

Methods of treatment of swine flu

If you suspect the development of swine flu, you should not self-medicate, as improper therapy can lead to the rapid death of the patient. To detect swine flu in humans, complex diagnostics. Of great importance in the diagnosis is the collection of anamnesis and the presence in it of cases of contact with others infected with this disease or stay in the area where cases of morbidity were detected. Among other things, to help establish the diagnosis can PCR study samples taken from mucus, which reveals RNA of the influenza virus subtype A. Culture of mucus from the nasopharynx and sputum for viruses also allows you to quickly establish the correct diagnosis.

After making a diagnosis and assessing the patient's condition, the doctor decides on the need for hospitalization. As a rule, treatment in a hospital setting is indicated for children, pregnant women and people with a high risk of developing pulmonary edema and other complications. Considering that currently there are no drugs developed to carry out targeted treatment of swine flu, the main therapy requires a combination of antiviral drugs and drugs aimed at eliminating symptomatic manifestations, including the use of:

• interferons alpha;
• antibiotics;
• antipyretics;
• vasodilators;
• antitussives;
• antihistamines.

Among other things, the use of remedies is required to eliminate the common cold and signs of swine flu, the symptoms of which can cause complications. In severe cases, fluid therapy, cardiovascular stabilizers, corticosteroids, bronchodilators, and muscle relaxants may be indicated. Highly important point in the treatment of swine flu is proper care for the sick. Patients should adhere to strict bed rest. To eliminate signs of dehydration and improve the discharge of mucus from the bronchi, drinking plenty of water, for example, hot tea with honey, is indicated. The intake of lingonberry juice and alkaline acids has a positive effect on the condition of patients. mineral waters. Also, people with swine flu should eat a sparing diet and stop drinking alcohol and smoking.

Prevention of swine flu and the use of folk remedies

Folk remedies cannot be used as the main therapy for such dangerous disease, like swine flu, but they may well help a person strengthen immunity and cope with the disease faster. To maintain the body, it is recommended to use freshly squeezed fruit juices with a high content of vitamin C. Lemongrass, radiola and ginseng tinctures help to eliminate existing symptoms. Can be used in the fight against swine flu decoctions medicinal herbs used for colds, including rose hips, linden and mint.

During the swine flu epidemic, fresh garlic can be added to food, which has a pronounced antibacterial effect. Typically, the person leading healthy lifestyle life, less chance of contracting swine flu, so you should follow certain rules that allow you to avoid illness. First of all, for the purpose of prevention, visits to crowded places should be avoided during the period of greatest likelihood of infection.

Regular exercise can speed up metabolism and strengthen the immune system, so it is very important to visit the gym from time to time and perform at least a minimal set of exercises as morning exercises. Hardening procedures have a positive effect on the state of the immune system, so they should be used as a prevention of colds. Proper nutrition significantly reduces the risk of contracting swine flu, so it is worth including in the diet a large number of vegetables, fruits and fermented milk products. Comprehensive prevention helps to prevent the incidence of swine flu and reduce the risk of complications if infection could not be avoided.

Swine flu: symptoms and signs in humans

When a person is sick with 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 they can lead to death. Swine flu, the symptoms of which we describe in this article, is a life-threatening illness. There is no universal cure for it. The reader will be able to learn about what swine flu is. Symptoms in humans, treatment and prevention are also described in our article.

Description of the disease

The h1n1 virus (swine flu) is infection affecting the respiratory tract. Usually a person becomes infected with it by airborne droplets. A child can get swine flu after interacting with a sick person. Average duration the incubation period is 3-4 days. How does swine flu manifest itself? Symptoms: severe fever, chills, weakness, and cough.

To date, it is customary in medicine to isolate several forms of this virus, but the most common are their 3 subtypes, conditionally 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, it is the pigs, after which it is named, that are most susceptible to this flu. Half a century ago, this virus was transmitted extremely rarely from animals to humans, but, mutating, H1N1 gradually became unsafe for humans. Such changes first occurred in 2009.

Medical history

As mentioned above, not only people are infected with this flu, but also pigs, as well as birds. AT last years quite often there are large epidemics in large livestock companies. For this reason, every year English farmers lose at least 60 million pounds.

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.

The first cases of infection

For the first time, signs of swine flu in humans were registered on the North American continent. Then in February 2009, a Mexican baby who was six months old contracted the virus. Further, a chain of infections stretched across the continent. By the way, the vast majority of the sick worked on farms. Today, this subtype is freely transmitted from one person to another. Immunity to this strain in human body no, and this greatly increases the risk of the virus spreading around the world.

H1N1 can be considered a distant descendant of the "Spanish flu", which claimed more than twenty million human lives in the 20s. The first major outbreak occurred in 1918 in Spain. The name was given in honor of the country.

Severity of the disease

As of May 2009, 500 people have been infected with swine flu, 13 of whom have died. Until today, cases of infection have been registered only in 13 states around the world. The most dangerous countries are considered to be North America, where the first epidemic of swine flu swept through. Statistics show that about 5% of those infected die from this disease. However, we take into account that in the United States, medicine is well developed. If signs of swine flu begin to appear in Africa, then the disease will bring much more negative consequences. On this continent, most people live in unhygienic conditions and their income does not allow access to quality health care.

How do children get swine flu?

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.

Often there are 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 show up as difficulty breathing. With age, the course of the disease is more easily tolerated. That is why children under 5 years of age have the hardest time, since their immune system has not yet fully formed. If you notice similar symptoms in your child, you should immediately contact your doctor.

How does swine flu affect 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 the sick person lives on the street where the facts of infection have already been registered or, at least, he has: sore throat, cough, runny nose, combined with disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and fever, then he needs to urgently contact a therapist. If the doctor does not find anything dangerous, then good. However, if this is still swine flu, then delay can cost a lot. During the period of illness, it is important to reduce the number of contacts with people so that you yourself do not become a direct source of the disease.

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

• bluish skin;
• frequent breathing, its violations;
• unwillingness to drink liquid;
• alternating improvement and deterioration of well-being;
• cough;
• temperature rise;
• rash;
• fever.

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

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

Swine flu treatment

The treatment of this disease is extremely difficult, since even today no vaccine has been developed that reduces the risks of infection. Standard medicines also do not guarantee a 100% effect. First of all, this can be explained by the constant mutations of the virus. So how do you beat swine flu than treat it? We offer you to get acquainted with the detailed list of funds that are used.

What interventions are applied after a person is diagnosed with swine flu? Treatment usually includes the following items:

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

You cannot self-medicate. All these medical devices should only be administered by qualified medical worker. It is equally important that the infected person has his own dishes and personal hygiene products. To prevent the spread of the virus, it is necessary to carry out regular ventilation and wet cleaning in the room. This will help to avoid infection of people living with the patient, and will also prevent you from getting sick again.

Prevention

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

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

How to protect children from swine flu

The child's body is practically not familiar 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 let the child go to school or preschool until the child is fully recovered respiratory infection.
3. If possible, avoid public places where there is a possibility of infection with the virus.
4. Vaccinate your baby, as vaccination is considered the most effective way prevention.

What to do if the child shows the first symptoms

The baby can take a non-hot bath with the addition of mustard powder, after which the legs 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 multiply at a temperature of more than 50 degrees. Often, doctors prescribe inhalation crumbs at a temperature of about 70 degrees with the addition of mint, lemon and other essential oils that have a beneficial effect on respiratory system. For example, to prepare eucalyptus inhalation, add 50 drops of tincture to boiled water. Procedures are carried out throughout the week. It is forbidden for crumbs under 3 years old to breathe steam due to the possible development of bronchospasms.

In Russia, this disease is not common. However, prevention should still not be neglected. If you notice similar symptoms in yourself or your child, contact your 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 disease. In this case, the sooner the virus is detected and started proper treatment, the faster the person will become healthy and will not receive any complications. It is not worth delaying to see a doctor.

Signs of swine flu in children

Although children tolerate acute respiratory viral infections better than adults, some forms of the flu can be very dangerous. One of these extremely dangerous forms of the disease is swine flu. In order to stop the disease in time and prevent complications from developing, it is necessary to clearly know the first signs of swine flu in children.

What are the symptoms of swine flu?

Swine flu is caused by the H1N1 virus type and is spread from person to person through the air. The risk group includes children from 2 to 5 years old, as well as children with impaired immune system and those suffering from chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease.

The main symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of regular flu and include:

• cough;
• sore throat;
• headache;
• chills;
• body aches and fatigue;
• vomiting or upset stomach;
• lethargy and low activity.

Exceptional symptoms of swine flu in children include:

• cyanosis of the skin;
• lack of urination or tears while crying;
• prolonged non-awakening;
• excited state or lack of reactions;
• rapid or difficult breathing;
• any rash on the body.

Symptoms of swine flu are easier to spot in teenagers than in younger children because they are able to describe their condition. In addition, children may experience periodic disappearance and appearance of signs of swine flu, i.e. the child's temperature may decrease, after which the patient will feel significant relief, but after a while the signs of the disease return with renewed vigor. Therefore, even after the symptoms disappear, a sick child should not be allowed to leave the house for 24 hours.

How does swine flu manifest itself?

With swine flu, as with another form of viral infection, several stages can be distinguished that follow one another.

Flu symptoms in adults - swine flu, bird flu

Flu- viral disease, which even people who are completely distant from medicine know about, since this is the most famous and frequent disease transmitted by airborne droplets, when talking, sneezing, coughing from a sick person to a healthy one. In our time, the flu began to be attributed to one of the most dangerous diseases for its complications.

But even a few decades ago, there was a rather frivolous attitude towards him both among doctors and the population. Influenza did not cause such anxiety in parents as it does now, the children tolerated it quite easily, and complications were very rare.

It was especially frivolous during the Spanish flu epidemic in 1918, when the death toll was 50 million people (about 3 percent of the world's population). The symptoms of influenza in adults were most often mild, and for the most part they suffered the disease, which is called "on their feet", went to work, unable to withstand the pastel regimen and did not particularly bother with treatment, after 3-4 days a strong body easily suppressed the virus and recovery came very quickly.

What is happening today? Every year new strains of this virus appear, there are atypical varieties diseases that are difficult to treat and provoke very formidable complications, the death rate of the population from influenza is increasing all over the world.

The unfavorable ecological situation on the planet, the abundance of low-quality harmful products nutrition, various chemical unsafe substances in everyday life, the increasing radiation load on a person - all this reduces the defenses of any organism, and the overall resistance decreases.

People have become harder to endure any viral infections, while the recovery period is prolonged, and the number of complications after the flu increases. How to distinguish the signs of the flu in adults from the common cold? What are the symptoms of a typical swine or bird flu?

Symptoms of a typical flu

The most important symptom of the flu is a sharp deterioration in health, weakness, fever to high numbers, perspiration, sore throat, dry cough and aching joints. Unlike a cold, the flu starts very abruptly, suddenly, and besides, with a cold, the body temperature rarely reaches 38C, when, like with the flu, it is usually 38-40C. Also, with a cold, there are rarely severe headaches, while with the flu, the pain is intense, concentrated in the forehead, temples. Headache with influenza is due to severe intoxication, which is negligible with a cold. Colds the population suffers more often than the flu and they pass much easier and faster without causing complications. The main distinguishing features of the manifestation of influenza in adults:

• High temperature 38-40C, chills, weakness
• Severe headache, dizziness
• Light sensitivity, pain in the eyes
• Aches in joints and muscles, all over the body
• Profuse sweating
• Sore throat, sore throat, dry mouth, dry cough
• Profuse nasal discharge, sneezing
• Rarely vomiting and nausea

In addition, with a cold, the cough is usually not very strong, but with the flu, it is significant. flu like more serious illness, which undermines the immune system, often contributes to the exacerbation of existing chronic diseases in humans.

Swine flu and its specific symptoms

It is worth noting that information on such forms of influenza as swine and bird flu is somewhat "inflated" in order to impose vaccines on us or for another purpose that has not been announced to us. Complications from such influenza develop in weakened people (the elderly, pregnant women, often ill children). Moreover, pneumonia can develop already on the second day from the first symptoms of the disease.

The symptoms of swine flu are identical to those of a typical human flu strain. Like the regular swine flu, it comes with headaches and high temperature, and aching joints, weakness, cough, increased fatigue. Swine flu causes vomiting and diarrhea. If the following ailments join the usual symptoms, you should immediately seek medical help:

• Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, when inhaling or exhaling
• Pain in chest
• Stomach ache
• Fever not controlled by antipyretics
• Sharp dizziness
• Bleeding from the nose
• Prolonged vomiting or diarrhea

If you have all the symptoms of the flu, you should, if possible, be at home throughout the entire treatment, exclude any contact in order to isolate yourself from others as much as possible, and not become a source of infection with the virus, especially if it is swine or bird flu.

Avian influenza in adults

Sources of bird flu are recognized wild birds when a sick individual is in contact with a healthy one, as well as carriers of the virus, rats that are not susceptible to this disease, but may be carriers of the infection on their fur, can serve as carriers of the virus. For humans, the source is most often poultry, their droppings, and the virus can also be transmitted through objects, things, shoes.

It has been proven that the influenza virus enters the body through the mucous membrane of the eyes and respiratory tract from a sick person through close contact. The main share of all known outbreaks of avian influenza was recorded in people who came into contact with sick poultry, objects surrounding them. Since the virus dies already at 70C, the probability of infection by eating the meat of infected birds is minimal, the only source of influenza through food is raw eggs that are eaten.

The symptoms of bird flu practically do not differ from typical flu, the same fever, cough, runny nose, but if after 5-6 days of the disease the state of health worsens, then atypical pneumonia appears as a complication of this type of flu. Of all the known cases of bird flu outbreaks that have been proven by laboratory tests, 50% of the cases did not survive due to severe pneumonia. Therefore, upon the onset of clinical deterioration, the appearance of respiratory failure, prolonged fever that does not go down, you should call an ambulance.

"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 Shope (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 high-profile swine flu epidemic in 2009 (the so-called California/2009), which was emotionally and persistently informed the population by the media. 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 have been laboratory confirmed. The greatest susceptibility was noted among the group of people from 5 to 24 years old, in second place were children under 5 years old. During the epidemic, the virus was assigned hazard class 6 (that is, the registration of a swine flu pandemic, which is easily transmitted from person to person, and the disease captures many countries and continents). According to official WHO information, the deaths following the pandemic (California / 2009) amounted to 17.4 thousand people. The pandemic came to Russia in the autumn of 2009, but peaked 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 influenza virus in pigs (H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, H3N1), however, 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 influenza virus, as a result, the virus mutated and became highly pathogenic, and it is called the California / 2009 pandemic virus. Just like the normal human influenza virus, the pandemic virus has hemagglutinin in its shell (facilitates the attachment of the virus to the cell) and neuraminidase (facilitates 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 a sick person. A sick person becomes contagious a day before the onset of symptoms of the disease and even 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 on the background of treatment continue to isolate the virus for 10-14 days.

Infection mechanisms:
- aerogenic (airborne droplets) - the patient's discharge during sneezing, coughing is dangerous - in a diameter of 1.5-2 meters;
- contact-household - the patient's discharge on the hands of others is dangerous, as well as on household items (tables, surfaces, towels, cups) - the virus retains its properties for 2 or more hours (you can bring the virus from hands to mucous membranes) oral cavity and eye).

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

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

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

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

Manifestations of severe forms of swine flu

In the first days of illness, intense headaches, pain in eyeballs, photophobia, which increases with eye movement. Possible development serous meningitis, encephalitis. Muscle pain is one of the pronounced symptoms of the disease.

One of the dangerous complications of swine flu is the development of pneumonia. Inflammation of the lungs may be the result of exposure to the influenza virus (primary; may be associated with the addition of a secondary bacterial flora (secondary); may be the result of the action of both the virus and the accompanying layering of the 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 at a rate of 16), auxiliary muscles actively participate in the act of breathing (diaphragm, abdominal muscles), pronounced dry or unproductive cough (mucous and transparent discharge), severe shortness of breath, blue 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 the lungs are tapped.

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

secondary pneumonia occurs 6-10 days after 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 an increase in cough, the patient has a second wave of fever and intoxication, the patient practically does not take food. Growing pain in the chest when coughing and even breathing. The discharge of the lungs (sputum) is no longer transparent, but has a purulent hue. X-rays show foci of inflammation in the lungs. The course of secondary pneumonia is long, patients cannot recover for a month and a half. Often, staphylococcal pneumonia leads to the formation of a lung abscess.

Pneumonia with swine flu

Mixed pneumonia have clinical symptoms and one, and the second pneumonia, proceed for a long time (progradient), difficult to treat.

Other complications of swine flu include:

pericarditis, infectious-allergic myocarditis, hemorrhagic syndrome.

What worrisome symptoms in terms of "swine flu" should you see a doctor for?

For kids:
- Rapid breathing, difficulty breathing;
- Bluish tint of the skin of the limbs and torso;
- Refusal to eat and drink;
- Repeated vomiting (vomiting "fountain", as well as frequent regurgitation in infants - the equivalent of vomiting at this age);
- Lethargy and drowsiness of the child;
- On the contrary, excitement, resistance even when taking the child in his arms;
- The appearance of a second wave of symptoms with increased cough and shortness of breath.

For adults:
- Shortness of breath and its strengthening during the day;
- Pain in the chest when breathing and coughing;
- Severe dizziness, appearing suddenly;
- Periodically confused consciousness (forgetfulness, loss of individual events from memory);
- Repeated and profuse vomiting;
- The 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 diagnostics 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 endemic zone for swine flu (countries of North America);
- patient complaints about gastrointestinal disorders against the background of temperature and respiratory syndrome;
- unexpressed or no sore throat against the background of a strong cough, mostly dry;
- Development of pneumonia on days 2-3 with characteristic symptoms (described above).

Today, it is not difficult to distinguish influenza from other acute respiratory viral infections, 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, they determine influenza type A, B, and also determines the H1N1 subtype - swine flu.

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

Swine flu treatment

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

1. Organizational and regime 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, persons old age and those with chronic comorbidities). With laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis of swine flu, mandatory hospitalization with the appointment of specific therapy is carried out. 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 symptoms of swine flu are detected, stay at home, do not go out to crowded places.
- At home, protect your loved ones from the spread of infection - put on 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 enhance the body's resistance, a physiologically complete diet with a sufficient amount of protein and a high content of vitamins A, C, group B is shown. To reduce fever, a sufficient amount of liquid is indicated (preferably fruit drinks from black currant, rosehip, chokeberry, lemon). All products are prescribed in a warm form, spicy, fatty, fried, salty, pickled dishes are avoided.

2. Medical 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 reproduction. Reception of 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 virus A/2009 (H1N1);
3) Age group under 5 years old;
4) Elderly people - over 65 years old;
5) pregnant women;
6) people with severe comorbidities 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 appointment of the following antiviral drugs - arbidol, interferon alpha 2b (grippferon, viferon), interferon alpha 2a (reaferon lipid) and gamma interferon (ingaron), ingavirin, kagocel, cycloferon.

When pneumonia of a bacterial nature occurs, antibacterial drugs(III-IV generation cephalosporins, carbapenems, IV generation fluoroquinolones, vancomycin).

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

Symptomatic remedies: antipyretic (paracetamol, ibuprofen), vasoconstrictor for the nose (nazol, tizin, nazivin, otrivin and others), to relieve cough (tussin, stoptussin, ambroxol, acc and others), antihistamines (claritin, zodak).

Particular attention is paid to children and pregnant women. 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, paracetamol and nurofen are preferred from the antipyretic group. Of the antiviral agents, Tamiflu, Relenza, Viferon 1, influenzaferon, reaferon lipind, kagocel from 3 years old, anaferon are indicated.

Pregnant women - drink plenty of water in the absence of edema;
- in mild forms - from antiviral agents - viferon in suppositories, influenzaferon, arbidol, if it is impossible to take pills (vomiting) - the introduction of panavir intramuscularly; in severe forms of 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 the healthy (as recommended by WHO):
Wash your hands often with soap and alcohol-based solutions.
Avoid close contact with sick people.
Avoid hugs, kisses and handshakes.
If you are sick, stay at home and limit contact with other people.
Seek medical attention immediately if you experience flu symptoms. If you are ill, stay home for 7 days after experiencing symptoms to avoid infecting others.

For non-specific drug prevention the following drugs are used: kagocel, arbidol, anaferon, influenzaferon, viferon for pregnant women, tamiflu.

For specific prevention To date, a vaccine has been developed against the highly pathogenic swine influenza (H1N1) virus. This vaccine protects against influenza B, and strains A/H1N1 (swine) and H3N2 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 contains only the surface antigens of viruses, which by themselves cannot cause disease. The vaccine is administered annually.

Infectious disease specialist Bykova N.I.

Temperature, cough, weakness, lack of appetite - flu or cold? As practice shows, not every person can immediately determine the cause of his ailment. This is frustrating, as many are accustomed to being treated on their own. In this case, the chosen therapy turns out to be incorrect. Today, everyone needs to know how to distinguish swine flu from ordinary or banal SARS. This will help you recognize the disease in time, and, therefore, consult a doctor. Increasingly, there are situations when infected people turn to doctors already in critical condition. But everything could have been prevented in time.

Before identifying swine flu, or at least trying to do so, you need to learn about this disease.. It refers to acute viral infections occurring in the human body. As you know, not only people, but also animals and birds can get sick with it. The mutated type of virus is very insidious. Under certain circumstances, it can cause complications leading to disability. And in severe cases, it can lead to death. Want to know what are the signs of swine flu in adults?

There are certain signs that indicate swine flu

The incubation period for swine flu is approximately 2-3 days.. But the disease can appear as early as the first day after infection. It is not excluded the manifestation of infection, a week after contact. If you do not get sick within ten days after meeting with the pathogen, you can consider yourself lucky. The swine flu virus spreads ten meters when sneezing and coughing. It easily enters the body healthy person when inhaled. Settling on the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, the pathogen gradually descends. This nasty disease can be contracted through contact. It is enough just to hold on to the items that the infected person took, and then rub their nose or touch their lips.

First hours after infection

Immediately after the pathogen enters the body, the symptoms of swine flu in adults do not appear. Persistent acquired immunity, supplemented by innate immunity, tries to fight infection. But now the blood counts are changing. If you go to the laboratory, you can notice it. During the day, the first manifestations of the disease may appear. From that moment on, a person understands that he is sick.

Main symptoms

How to recognize swine flu? Very simple! The disease, unlike a cold or an acute respiratory infection, does not begin gradually. Usually a person can name the time of day or even the hour when he felt worse. The manifestations are immediately very pronounced. It seemed that until recently you were cheerful, full of strength, and now you feel the symptoms of the disease. What should they be? Learn the main signs that distinguish swine flu from a cold.

Fever

The temperature with the swine flu virus lasts from those to five days. The thermometer readings reach critical levels. Most often, adult patients are helped by high doses of drugs based on paracetamol or ibuprofen. But if complications begin, they may be powerless.

Doctors forbid the use of Aspirin in this disease in order to eliminate fever. Taking this medication can cause malfunctions in the circulatory, vascular system.

The temperature with swine flu can last up to 5 days

General well-being

A person who catches the swine flu virus suddenly begins to feel ill. A few hours or days after the entry of the virus, weakness appears, accompanied by a headache. There is a feeling of sand in the eyes. The sick person cannot look calmly at the daytime and, moreover, sunlight. He immediately begins to lacrimation, and the eyelids close involuntarily. Closing your eyes also hurts. If you do not take painkillers at this moment, then after a few hours you will not be able to open your eyes wide at all. Attempts to do this cause severe pain in the forehead.

With swine flu, an adult develops muscle pain. However, this symptom can be found with seasonal flu. The skin becomes especially sensitive. It is very difficult to touch her. Any touch causes irritation, provokes the appearance of goosebumps.

From the respiratory system

Swine flu causes complications quite often. They are manifested by viral and bacterial diseases of the lower respiratory organs. But even without them, a person feels a violation of the respiratory function.

With the declared disease, shortness of breath often occurs, the pulse quickens, and tachycardia occurs. All this is exacerbated by chronic diseases that every adult now has. Sore throat, irritation of the mucous membranes of the trachea with thick sputum provoke a cough. Most often it is dry, unproductive. The sick person tries to cough, which often leads to a gag reflex.

Distinctive features

Important symptoms that distinguish this disease from others are nausea with diarrhea.. Many also develop vomiting, aggravated by a violent cough. Thus, the body tries to get rid of the toxins that have entered it. Inside the intestines, under the influence of a viral infection, absorption is disrupted. useful substances and breakdown of sugars. As a result of this, a large amount of fluid from all over the body is attracted there. The stool is at first liquid and rapid, and later - watery. In the abdomen there is fermentation, seething, there is increased flatulence and colic.

Violent cough is one of distinctive features swine flu

Differences between swine flu and seasonal and SARS

Patients are wondering: what to use against swine flu? Before taking any drugs, you need to make sure that the diagnosis is correct. If you cannot see a doctor at the moment for some reason, then pay attention to your well-being, note some factors and conduct a comparative analysis.

• The temperature during a cold is usually absent or rises slightly, with the flu it reaches critical levels.
• Pain with the flu is frequent, and with ARVI, it is minor, rarely disturbing.
• Weakness or a serious condition with influenza always appears, and with ARVI they practically do not bother.
• Runny nose, sneezing and nasal congestion with the flu are absent, but with a cold there is in most cases.
• With a cold, there is no or mild discomfort in the lower respiratory tract. With influenza, it is strong, accompanied by pain.

Treatment and prevention

Before treating swine flu at home, be sure to consult a doctor. Often people use antibiotics for this, which only worsen the already unpleasant state of health. Influenza is corrected exclusively by antiviral drugs, which also have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. Also used drugs that relieve symptoms: painkillers, antipyretics, antihistamines, mucolytic, expectorant. In order to normalize the digestive function, antiemetics and fixing agents, sorbents and antioxidants are used.

At home, observe bed rest, drink more, eat less. Protect all loved ones from contact with you.

Keep your immune system up to prevent the flu: use vitamins, harden. When you return home, be sure to wash your hands with soap and use antibacterial gels. During epidemics, apply antiviral agents to the nasal mucosa. According to the doctor's prescription, you can take immunomodulatory complexes. In large groups and mass gatherings, wear a protective mask, change it to a new one every 2-3 hours. Protect yourself from shopping and be sure to get a flu shot.

Get fit so you don't get sick

Brief conclusion

Symptoms of swine flu in adults are practically no different from the signs of illness in children. In some cases, they are less pronounced, but this is an individual immune response.

Apply for emergency assistance need:

• if in a week the symptoms of the disease do not subside, but only become more pronounced;
• when additional symptoms appear (cough, back pain);
• with a lack of oxygen and a feeling of suffocation;
• if your throat hurts so much that you cannot drink;
• with vomiting more than 5, and stool more than 10 times a day.

If the symptoms of a cold do not go away for more than a week, you should consult a doctor.

At the slightest sign of dehydration, call an ambulance.

Influenza in pigs in its classic version was discovered in the thirties of the last century. This disease is of a viral nature and is caused by the causative agent of type A influenza. The peak incidence in pigs occurs at the same time as human epidemics - in autumn and winter. The disease is especially dangerous for young piglets, old and weakened animals.

What is this disease?

Swine flu is an acute viral disease that most often affects the respiratory system. The disease is characterized by a high level of contagiousness, while among adult strong individuals, mortality during infection is quite low.

Like any influenza virus, swine flu in pigs is constantly changing and mutating, adapting to medications and environmental conditions. To date, there are four varieties of influenza virus identified in pigs:

• H1N1;
• H1N2;
• H3N2;
• H3N1.

The causative agent of swine flu is classified by scientists as belonging to the family of orthomyxoviruses (RNA-containing viruses). It has an unstable structure and often changes, cross-mutations are possible - various combinations of influenza subtypes among themselves. Because of this, in addition to the actual swine flu in pigs, laboratory analysis of biological material can reveal pathogens of a "human" or "avian" disease.

The swine flu virus particle contains eight fragments of ribonucleic acid (RNA) enclosed in a membrane composed of lipids and proteins.

The causative agent is found laboratory tests in secretions from the respiratory tract - in mucus from the nose, in sputum from the trachea, lungs and bronchi. The virus is also found in lymphatic system, in the closest to the infected respiratory organs lymph nodes. In especially severe cases of the disease, the virus can be found in waste products (feces, urine), spleen tissues.

Epizootology of the virus

Epizootology (a branch of veterinary science that studies animal epidemics) reveals that under natural conditions, the pathogen affects only domestic pigs susceptible to it. In a laboratory experiment, the disease from the swine flu virus can develop in other animals. There are also cases of transmission of the disease from animals to humans.

Transmission of the disease occurs through infected animals in several ways:

1. Airborne transmission between animals. Infection occurs by direct inhalation by healthy animals of air infected with the secretions of sick air or by general feeding.
2. Infection through objects and inventory. Once in an unfavorable environment (too cold or too dry), the virus can survive up to several years and become more active when it enters favorable conditions again.
3. Infection of people working with animals and their transmission of the disease to healthy animals.

The virus is relatively resistant to low temperatures and when hypothermia or desiccation falls into suspended animation, in this state it can remain dangerous for up to four years.

On the other hand, the virus does not tolerate high temperatures well, and an increase in the temperature of its habitat to at least 60 degrees quickly kills it.

The disease is spread mainly by direct transmission of infection from sick animals to healthy ones. Carriers of the virus may sometimes not have symptoms of the disease, but be contagious (asymptomatic carriers). Also, the transmission of the disease is possible through the waste products of sick animals, tools, bedding, food, soil and water.

The video highlights research on swine flu in China, which holds almost 50% of the world's swine population. Scientists are considering the possibility of gene transfer between swine and avian influenza viruses:

Risk factors that provoke influenza epidemics in pigs can be:

• cold season;
• too tight space;
• increased dampness;
• drafts.

The incubation period is from one to seven days, depending on the state of immunity of the animal and its age. Young piglets and old individuals suffer the disease more severely.

Symptoms and signs

Veterinarians detect influenza symptoms in pigs similar to human symptoms flu disease. Since the infection belongs to the category of respiratory, the manifestations of the disease mainly affect the respiratory organs. The humid environment of the respiratory tract stimulates the rapid multiplication of the virus, and the inflammation of the mucous membranes caused by it contributes to the further airborne spread of the pathogen when coughing and sneezing.

The following symptoms are typical for swine flu:

• increased body temperature;
• lethargy, apathy, loss of appetite;
• secretions from the respiratory tract (runny nose and cough);
• inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory system, eyes;
• labored breathing;
• when listening to breathing - bronchial and pulmonary rales;
• enlargement of the lymph nodes.

Other signs of swine flu are associated with the residence of the virus in the cells of an infected animal, which provokes their partial death and leads to the formation of toxins. In combination with high temperature, this can lead to disturbances in the functioning of the circulatory, cardiovascular and nervous systems. The effect of the virus on the body makes the blood vessels fragile, which sometimes leads to hemorrhages on the skin and internal organs, nosebleeds and ruptures of the vessels of the respiratory tract. Because of this, pulmonary sputum may contain traces of blood.

Note! Just like in humans, swine flu can cause joint and muscle problems - the "bone ache" familiar to all flu sufferers. Difficulty and stiffness of movements, combined with general weakness, lead to the fact that the animals move little, the blood in the body “stagnates”, and the skin in the abdomen of seriously ill pigs becomes bluish.

Forms of the course of the disease

An adult pig with a healthy immune system survives the flu in about the same time as a human - seven to ten days. After recovery, another one and a half weeks must pass for the animal's body to fully recover. The mortality rate of adult pigs with a typical flu is no higher than four percent.

Weakened animals, piglets and "elderly" pigs suffer the disease more severely, for these parts of the livestock there is a high risk of acquiring various complications - bronchitis, inflammation of the lungs and their membranes, heart complications, dermatitis, blood poisoning is possible.

The complicated course of the subacute form of influenza can be characterized by a mortality rate of up to thirty percent. This form of influenza occurs with the development of purulent or necrotic inflammation of the lungs in sick animals.

Note! At the first sign of disease in the herd, quarantine measures should be initiated. It is especially important to try to protect piglets from infection, since mortality among young animals with influenza is always higher, and piglets that survive after the disease can lag behind in development and remain “sick”.

Atypical influenza is characterized by an inconspicuous course of the disease and less pronounced symptoms. Recovery also comes faster than with regular flu - from three to six days.

How is swine flu diagnosed?

Most often, swine flu is diagnosed by clinical picture a set of symptoms characteristic of this disease. But for complete certainty, it is recommended to use special laboratory tests that detect the content of the virus in the sputum of sick animals, as well as the presence of antibodies in the blood.

To confirm the presence of influenza virus in the sputum of sick pigs, a nasal wash or scraping technique is used. Materials obtained from procedures are examined in the laboratory using sera and microscopy. This allows not only to confirm or deny the presence of the influenza virus in the pig, but also to accurately determine its strain.

A blood test for the presence of antibodies allows you to identify the exact time that has elapsed since the onset of the disease (for the virus in the active stage, that is, during the illness) and the level of the immune response to the pathogen. For a healthy animal, such a procedure allows you to find out by the level of antibodies whether it suffered from influenza, whether it was vaccinated.

Treatment

As with the "human" flu, treatment is mostly symptomatic. Sick animals are isolated from healthy ones and placed in a warm room with good ventilation. Regular cleaning is required in this area, and waste from cleaning should be stored and disposed of as far as possible from healthy pigs, their feeders and drinkers.

The diet during illness should consist of easily digestible products of a porridge-like consistency. It makes sense to add anise and dill (or their essential oils), as well as vitamin complexes and strengthening supplements.

To facilitate the course of the disease and shorten its period, special immunizing sera are used to stimulate the body's fight against infection. Usually they are used in the form of injections.

Important! Treatment with antibiotics is necessary only if complications occur - a secondary bacterial infection. This is detected through tests by a qualified veterinarian. Antibiotics do not act on the virus itself, so treating swine flu with antibiotics from the very first days of the disease does not make sense and can even harm animals.

To avoid infection with secondary bacterial infections or to alleviate their course in case of complications, various disinfectant antimicrobials from the class of sulfonamides (streptocides) are used - sulfadimezin, etazol, norsulfazol.

The situation with swine flu in veterinary medicine exactly repeats the human one: there are very few special drugs to fight the flu virus itself, since the pathogen is very changeable and constantly mutates. Anti-influenza drugs (such as amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir, zanamivir) are used with varying success in the treatment of humans, but the treatment of pigs with these drugs will not be economically viable - the drugs are not cheap, and side effects they have a lot. In addition to anti-influenza vaccines, there are no drugs aimed at preventing influenza - only for a general strengthening of immunity.

Prevention

Preventive measures on pig farms can be carried out in two directions:

1. Protection of healthy animals from possible contact with pathogens. This includes organizing the farm space so that the animals have enough free space in the pens. When purchasing animals, especially in the autumn-winter period, it is necessary to arrange a thirty-day quarantine for each new individual. To increase the immunity of the herd, special immunostimulating sera and influenza vaccines are used. Also, during a dangerous period, periodic disinfection of premises where pigs are kept, equipment and workers' overalls is necessary.
2. Procedures for the general strengthening of the immunity of animals. This includes the organization of the correct keeping of pigs in the epidemiologically dangerous autumn-winter period: the arrangement of clean rooms with heating and ventilation, timely cleaning, exclusion of exposure to drafts, especially in rooms where young animals are kept. The addition of vitamins and trace elements to the diet of pigs also shows itself well. food additives hardening of piglets with short walks in the fresh air.

If you have a choice, it's best not to buy pigs at all during the period from mid-autumn to mid-spring, since even one sick animal can cause an entire epidemic on your farm.

Animals with suspicious flu-like symptoms should be isolated as soon as possible. A separate room for a sick pig should be disinfected daily, equipment used in working with a sick animal, and overalls should also be disinfected. Ideally, infected animals are assigned separate personnel who should not come into contact with the healthy part of the herd.

The duration of the immunity of a pig that has had the flu is from two to four weeks.

It is also possible to vaccinate pigs against the swine flu virus. The vaccine contains inactivated strains of the H1N1 and H3N2 viruses obtained in the laboratory. Its double use forms a stable immunity to the swine flu virus 21 days after the second vaccination, and the duration of action is six months. For the best result, it is necessary to vaccinate under the supervision of a qualified veterinarian, in advance, in such a way that the period of stable immunity falls on the epidemiologically dangerous cold season.

Note! It is impossible to vaccinate already sick animals, since their weakened body may not be able to cope with the additional load.

Vaccination of pigs allows you to save livestock and prevent massive outbreaks of infection. Due to the frequent mutations of the influenza virus, the vaccine may not be 100% effective, but even when infected with a new mutated strain, vaccinated pigs tolerate the disease much more easily. This significantly reduces losses among piglets, which usually account for the majority of complications and deaths.

Since there are documented cases of human transmission of swine influenza virus, it is also advisable for workers to resort to vaccination. Naturally, here we are already talking about a “human” vaccination, which can be delivered at any clinic.

The best solution for a farmer is to avoid outbreaks of swine flu at all costs. This will be achieved by protecting pigs from drafts and dampness in the cold season, keeping the farm clean, feeding piglets with vitamins and vaccination. Keeping newly acquired animals in quarantine will also help avoid unpleasant surprises.