Swine Flu is back in New Delhi. Are we to blame Pigs for the flu?
By rekhum
@rekhum (2420)
India
February 11, 2013 6:38pm CST
Newspaper reported that New Delhi recorded the highest number of swine flu cases in a day on Monday with 21 people testing positive for the influenza. They say, Swine flu, also known as 2009 H1N1 type A influenza, is a human disease. People get the disease from other people, not from pigs.
Dating back to when the flu became viral, the disease originally was nicknamed swine flu because the virus that causes the disease originally jumped to humans from the live pigs in which it evolved. The virus they say, is a "reassortant"; a mix of genes from swine, bird, and human flu viruses. The swine flu viruses that usually spread among pigs aren't the same as human flu viruses. Swine flu doesn't often infect people, and the rare human cases that have occurred in the past have mainly affected people who had direct contact with pigs. But the current "swine flu" outbreak is different. It's caused by a new swine flu virus that has changed in ways that allow it to spread from person to person; among people who haven't had any contact with pigs. Now, if that is how the disease is spread now, I do not understand why the newspapers always associate it with pigs (Pigs are always pictured on their articles on swine flu and to avoid pigs and stuff). Considering most Indians who do not eat pork, I don't think they really ought to blame pigs for the outbreak of the disease.
3 people like this
4 responses
@adity5 (51)
• India
12 Feb 13
Why should we blame the poor animal if it is suffering from any disease. I guess the people have to be blamed for this who keep the animals in dirty and diseased environment. The animals live in hell surrounded by unhygienic conditions and swine flu is just an outcome of this :(
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@rekhum (2420)
• India
12 Feb 13
And I've read that the transmission from swine to humans is believed to occur mainly in swine farms, where farmers are in close contact with live pigs and therefore, the farmers and veterinarians are encouraged to use face masks when dealing with infected animals. They are also encouraged to use vaccines on swine to prevent their infection and to limit swine-to-human transmission. Risk factors that may contribute to swine-to-human transmission include smoking and, especially, not wearing gloves when working with sick animals, thereby increasing the likelihood of subsequent hand-to-eye, hand-to-nose or hand-to-mouth transmission. As a result, farmers or people who work in pig farms should really maintain own hygiene and the animals'.
@GardenGerty (160952)
• United States
12 Feb 13
The flu is so persistent because it can modify and change. You are right, the "swine flu" does not really come to humans from pigs, even though it may have originally started there. I have even heard of people who thought it was from guinea pigs, which are not even pigs or swine at all.
@rekhum (2420)
• India
12 Feb 13
Indeed, the swine influenza virus although they say is common throughout pig populations worldwide; however, transmission of the virus from pigs to humans is not common and does not always lead to human flu, but often resulting only in the production of antibodies in the blood. Meanwhile, they say that only people with regular exposure to pigs (framers and/or people who take care of pig farms) are at increased risk of swine flu infection. They have also reiterated that the swine flu cannot be spread by pork products, since the virus is not transmitted through food.
@sweety_81 (2124)
• India
12 Feb 13
It is now more dangerous that Swine Flu can affect those people as well who do not eat pork, and live away from Pigs. In such a scenario, we cannot blame pigs. Moreover, its a matter of Hygiene as well. We should focus on measures to keep away from such diseases.
@rekhum (2420)
• India
12 Feb 13
The worst thing is, even if we maintain our hygiene, chances are that the flu is in the air and anyone could be infected. Any person (especially in places where there is an outbreak) suffering even from a slight symptoms should immediately get a check up and avoid contacts with others who are un-infected.
@rog0322 (2829)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
12 Feb 13
Hi,
We can't always blame the animal when a zoonotic disease breaks out. We humans , having been aware of the process should take the necessary precautions in order not to become infected like avoiding the carrier of the disease, always have a clean surrounding and getting out immune system, sort of antivirus updates by eating the right food an drinking enough water.
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