The greatest evolutionary scientist and biologist, Charles Dawin said that, “Survival of the fittest” when he propounded that only the fittest of the genes survive and thereby species. No wonder the influenza virus to find better means and ways to survive found at new way. The flu virus that was actually infecting pigs morphed itself and thereby successfully infected the carriers of pork and handlers. A new virus was born. It could now infect other humans easily by spreading from the infected to the others. That is how the Influenza A, B and C viruses found a new form in the ‘Swine flu virus’ or the H1N1. Once it was successful in changing its form and shape it created a pandemic in 2009 across continents. In 2017 according to reports, more than 1700 people succumbed with their lives to this virus.
Now that the transition of weather is in the air and the Dengue virus may see a gradual drop in numbers, it is time to be better prepared to ward away the H1N1 virus as the chill in the air is conducive for it to multiply and spread from one to another. Having said that it is imperative to understand that it may be a usual flu and keep a watch to see that it is not Swine flu!
- The usual symptoms of a flu are, sneezing, runny nose, blocked or a stuffy nose, sore throat, cough and hence pain in the throat, difficulty in swallowing whence headache, bodyache, fever greater than 101F steps in.
- In a Swine Flu, usually apart from the respiratory symptoms of influenza, there could be diarrhoea and vomiting. This can rapidly infect the lungs too.
- An infected person can spread the same to the others as long as they have the symptoms of the flu. Totally about 5-10 days.
- Once a virus reaches a normal individual, it could take one to four days to cause an infection.
- It spreads from the infected to the other through droplet infection. That is if one sneezes or coughs into the air, the infected droplets of virus when inhaled by a healthy person could get infected. If the infected persons touches inanimate objects like handles etc the virus may survive for a few minutes and could be picked up by a healthy persons.
- Once the virus has been contracted if the person touches his eyes, nose of the mouth, the virus finds a place on the mucus membranes to gain nutrition and multiply. The safe haven of the respiratory tract of the humans is a breeding ground for the virus to start generating in numbers and also cause an infection.
- Patients with a swine flu infection could get extremely irritable with rapid breathing or trouble breathing, lack of thirst, skin rash etc. They could get slow or sluggish to react. They could get into persistent vomiting.
- Sudden fall in vital fluids and electrolytes could make them dizzy, incoherent and in some cases unconscious suddenly. It is a call of the patient for help in a hospital set up to replenish him to fight the infection at the earliest and should not be delayed.
- An avian flu is a flu that can spread from the birds or poultry to the humans while swine flu only spreads from a human to human.
- It is also imperative to keep the extremes of ages under a safe umbrella, that is the infants and elderly who are more likely to get infected than the others due to their weak immunity. Chronically ill patients are also more prone and need further care. Immune-suppressed individuals can be easily susceptible to the infection.
- A nasal and a throat swab is taken to test for the influenza virus to confirm whether it is a Swine flue H1N1 infection.
- The best way to prevent is for the infected person to refrain from meeting others, doing handshakes, using a protective mask or a handkerchief while coughing or sneezing and promptly washing his hands with a soap for a good 15 seconds. Needless to say take prompt fluids and medication.
- It is better to keep off areas with a congregation of people when the infection is running its course amongst many.
- According to the symptomatology of the population who have got infected with the swine flu virus at that point of time, a homeopathic remedy is usually identified as a preventive and when given to the uninfected there is a high chance that they will go through the phase without being affected.
- Homeopathic medicine also has good remedies to see that the infection does not play havoc in the body and complications are warded off while pulling the patient out to safety. Natrum mur, Kali bich, Gelsemium, Pulsatilla etc. are a few remedies that can do the job.
