Swine Flu Information and Advisories (updated daily)

What you need to know from the world's leading medical experts.

Watch these two short videos below.

Updated on May 7, 2009 at 2:00 EST
 
Robert Bazell
Chief science and health correspondent
 

 

    

 
 Swine Flu  
6 min
 
 
Symptoms Of Swine Flu  
3 min 57 sec
 
Important, current  information that you need as a medical professional or a concerned citizen. Order online now.

 
Have we seen the worst of the swine flu? Check the latest statistics  from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
 

What is swine flu?
Influenza circulates regularly among humans and animals such as pigs and birds. Pigs are important because they are close genetically and physically to humans. Birds are important because they can transport viruses across great distances.

As the virus passes through these animals, it sometimes acquires different genetic characteristics that can make it more or less dangerous to human beings. Scientists have been warning for a long time that even though bird flu that’s been around in Asia for awhile is infecting mostly birds and occasionally infecting and killing human beings, there is always the possibility of a new virus that can cause serious disease. We have that now with swine flu.

People have no natural immunity to the new virus. If you’ve had flu shots in the past, it doesn’t matter. Nobody has had this virus before and that’s what makes it potentially so dangerous.

Things will keep popping up out of nature. We live in a global ecosystem that not only includes billions of other people, but hundreds of billions of animals. And we exchange viruses and new viruses do appear.

How is it detected?
Labs provide clear ID on swine flu by a specific test that has been developed. One of the things that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is doing that should speed up the process of identifying cases is getting test kits out to the state health departments. Right now, it can only be done in Atlanta. That’s why it often takes several days from the time a cases is suspected to the time until it is positively identified.

If someone got sick in April and they recovered, they don’t have to worry if it was swine flu or not.

If you’re over it, just be happy you’re fine.

           IMPORTANT LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION
             The Center for Disease Control and Prevention
                        Blog Posts about Swine Flu
                  The latest swine flu statistics from CNN
                                       WebMD

                         DNA DATASOURCE Home Page

Should I be worried?
The reason that we’re worried about swine flu is the people typically killed by flu are often the very old and frail, and sometimes the very young. Because of the deaths in Mexico, there are indications that swine flu might be able to strike and kill younger people — those in their 20s, 30s and 40s. In 1918, the ultimate pandemic we know about killed healthy young adults. That’s one of the reasons why this outbreak is potentially frightening. We still have to understand more.

The United States is already doing almost everything possible to track the spread of the virus, treat the victims and try to develop a vaccine.

Investigators from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control are investigating very actively, because a lot more needs to be understood about the deaths before we can understand the threat.

What can I do to keep from getting swine flu?
The authorities have talked about it again and again: Wash your hands often and cover your mouth with your elbow when you cough or sneeze. That’s all really important in order to cut down the transmission of any infectious agent, particularly this one to which we have no natural immunity.

Antibacterial hand wash is excellent at eliminating the threat of flu and many other viruses and bacteria. These skin cleaners are basically just alcohol that has been put in an emulsifier to make it easier to apply and doesn’t dry your hands out. Health officials strongly recommend using it for swine flu. You can even use pure rubbing alcohol — it would have the same effect.

Masks sold over the counter provide minimal protection. Mostly they’re recommended for people working in hospitals or in laboratories. The virus can usually pass through them.

No previous flu shots provide any protection from this disease. No matter how many times in your life before that you’ve had the flu, that doesn’t provide any protection, either.

One reassuring thing is that we know now that many cases that have occurred in the U.S. have resulted in mild illness and people have recovered completely. Those who do are almost certainly immune to this virus in the future.