What is the danger of swine flu and how to distinguish it from the usual flu? The doctor named 7 symptoms

MD, Medical Director of CITILAB laboratory, clinical laboratory diagnostician

Swine flu is a respiratory viral infection that is highly contagious and more severe than other seasonal ARVI (acute respiratory viral infections).

Why this season’s flu has the name “swine flu”

The swine flu virus has been known since the 1930s. It was widespread among livestock in the United States, Canada and Mexico, but posed no threat to humans.

After heat treatment, meat became safe, and in addition, the virus then affected only animals. Over time, there were isolated cases of infection among farmers.

The outbreak of a new swine flu virus occurred in 2009. The origin of the H1N1 strain is still not known for sure. The infection has been labeled “swine” for its greatest genetic similarity to swine flu.

Specifically among pigs this strain could not be found, but, according to one version, the virus could mutate in such a way that it began to circulate in the human population.

How to distinguish it from the common cold

Usually the disease begins with typical symptoms of any flu: fever, headache, fever, increased temperature, dry cough. It is often accompanied by gastrointestinal disorders. In severe form, the disease affects the blood vessels, threatens thrombosis and hemorrhage.

Only by symptomatology, no doctor will not be able to distinguish swine flu H1N1 from the other, because the disease does not have pronounced characteristic symptoms.

However, in order to choose the right treatment, the doctor needs to know the specific pathogen that caused the ailment.

Swine flu is easy to confuse with other types of influenza, ARVI and even coronavirus – in a mild form, all these diseases have a similar clinical picture. Therefore, doctors turn to laboratory diagnosis.

Today there are special tests for complex acute respiratory infections: one swab from the patient’s pharynx is checked for many respiratory infections at once. You can also take a separate test for coronavirus COVID-19 in case of suspected infection.

How to protect yourself

Because of its high contagiousness, the swine flu virus spreads very quickly, outbreaks are massive. However, the measures to protect against it are familiar to everyone: they are the same as the recommendations for covida.

• If possible, avoid crowded places during a flu outbreak. Wear a medical mask in public places.

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water and rinse your nose with saline solution when you return home.

• Watch the heat treatment of food, be sure to treat purchased fruits and vegetables with the product or scald them with boiling water.

Social isolation is required at the first symptoms of infection, and seek medical attention immediately if fever rises.