Swine Flu - Know More About It

Swine Flu (also known as H1N1 flu, swine influenza, pig flu and hog flu ) is an influenza virus which causes illness in people.

The Swine influenza virus (SIV) was originally referred to as “swine flu” because as per the laboratory tests done on this virus it showed that many of the genes in this virus were similar to that of influenza viruses which normally occur in pigs (swine).

Swine flu (H1N1virus) is common in pigs worldwide. Transmission of the virus from pigs to human beings is not as common and does not always lead to human influenza. If transmission of the virus causes human influenza, then it is called zonotic flu. Symptoms of zoonotic swine flu in humans are fever, headache, sore throat, coughing, weakness, muscle pain, chills and general discomfort.

People with regular exposure to pigs are at greater risk of getting infected with swine flu. The meat of an animal infected with swine flu poses no risk of infection when cooked at high temperature.