Swine flu goes person-to-pig; could it jump back?
By Margie Manson, AP Medical Writer
(http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090503/ap_on_he_me/med_swine_flu_people_to_pigs_2)
❝ MEXICO CITY – Now that the swine flu virus has passed from a farmworker to pigs, could it jump back to people? The question is important, because crossing species again could make it more deadly.
The never-before-seen virus was created when genes from pig, bird and human viruses mixed together inside a pig. Experts fear the virus that has gone from humans back into pigs in at least one case could mutate further before crossing back into humans again. But no one can predict what will happen.
"Could it gain virulence? Yes," Juan Lubroth, an animal health expert at the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, said Sunday. "It could also become milder. It could go in both directions.❞
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There is not yet any genetic proof that this strain of influenza ever came from a pig. It's only the mutated virus which has the symptoms similar to human flu but it takes more violent than the seasonal flu in human.
According to the origin of this H1N1 virus which was created when genes from pig, bird and human viruses mixed together in side a pig, so the virus could be possible to transmit from person to pig and go back into humans agian. But as we know that no one can predict it; it might be happened or it might not. The best we can do is to take care ourselves well by washing hands before meals and proper eating. This could help you away from H1N1 flu.
Returning student has mild flu symptoms
From Bangkok Post
(http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/16119/strict-checks-for-14-students-teachers-back-from-mexico)
❝ One of the 14 Thai students and teachers who arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport from Mexico Sunday night had mild flu symptoms, Department of Disease Control director-general Somchai Chakrabhand said on Monday.
Dr Somchai said the sick student was probably just tired from travelling but a blood test would confirm if the student had been infected with the A/H1N1 virus.
The student, whose name was not disclosed, had been separated from other members of the group who returned from Mexico, he said.
Relatives had asked health officials to quarantine four ot the returnees for seven days. The other 10 were allowed to return to their homes.❞ Read More..
As people around the world are so much worried about this virus, Thailand is also concerned about this and prepared to cope with it as well. As you can see from the preventive measures, 7 Thai students and 7 teachers who were back from Mexico have got blood test and they are under the eyes of the Department of Disease Control to observe if they are infected by H1N1 flu for 7 days.
Though Thailand is not reported to have H1N1 infected people or any suspect yet, the Ministry of Public Health and the Department of Disease Control still prepare for dealing with this virus in case it has spreaded out to Thailand.
http://76.nationchannel.com/playvideo.php?id=36891
Swine Influenza
The New York Times
(http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/i/influenza/swine_influenza/index.html)
❝ An outbreak of swine flu in Mexico has raised concerns worldwide that the disease could be emerging as a global pandemic. The World Health Organization raised the alert level of the fast-spreading virus on April 29, 2009, indicating that a "pandemic is imminent." Experts say that the virus cannot be contained by closing borders or restricting travel, even as some begin to question whether this strain of flu is very deadly.❞
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Most H1N1 swine flu viruses are bordered to the breath tract, meaning the risk of a human getting infected by a pig is small. You won't be infected unless patients sneeze or cough near you or you're near the area of sick pigs.
Swine flu viruses normally do not infect humans. However, cases of human infection with this H1N1 virus were first confirmed in the U.S. in Southern California and near Guadalupe County, Texas.
MY REACTION
- It's quite confusing that does the swine flu go pig-to-person and become the new stronger virus in human, doesn't it? or does it have anything to deal with pigs?
- After finished many news articles, my comprehension is that the never-before-seen virus, H1N1, which people might call as "Swine Flu", actually does not comes from pigs directly but it's the new virus which mutates from bird flu, pig flu and human flu mixed together.
- I have to tell the readers that the H1N1 viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get this new HIN1 virus from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills the H1N1 virus as it does other bacteria and viruses. So it's no need to ban pork products if you're the one who consume it.
- I think this virus scares people around the world but don't be scattered in a panic as same as being at ease. Take care youselves and keep healthy could help you far away from diseases.
- I think the way the Ministry of Public Health and the Department of Disease Control prepare to cope with the situation is very good beacuse no one could predict if the pandemic will blow up.
- I think over preparation is better than not to prepare. If we miss it and we don't prepare, we all could be infected the virus and it's going to be terrible.
- The Department of Disease Control should be definitely sure that the students and teachers returning from Mexico are well before they are allowed to go home.
CONCLUSION
The H1N1 flu is the new virus which mutates from human flu, bird flu(H5N1) and swine flu; the virus was created when genes from pig, bird and human viruses mixed together inside a pig, but it takes more virulent than any other flus at this time.
The symtoms of this new H1N1 flu virus are similar to the symtoms of human flu. It also includes fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. Also, like seasonal flu, severe illnesses and death has occurred as a result of illness associated with this virus.
The virus might have gone from humans back to pigs and it could mutate further before crossing back to humans again, but most H1N1 swine flu viruses are bordered to the breath tract, meaning the risk of a human getting infected by a pig is small because you might not be in close contact with sick pigs definitely. Besides eating properly handled and cooked pork products are safe.
The world has been watching and preparing and trying to prevent a pandemic from a bird flu reservoir. The focus has been on birds, and here is a virus that's coming from a swine reservoir. Now it's a human virus.
