Swine flu is a virus which originated from infectious pigs.  A pig which is a carrier then infected another pig as so on, just the same way as it spreads in people.  People may be infected through direct contact with infectious hogs or by droplets holding the virus in the air where this carrier must have sneezed or coughed.  Some microbes that infect humans can change or may mutate into strains that most people can catch.  Diseases that humans catchfrom animals are most commonly called zoonotic diseases.

The swine influenza A (H1N1) virus has two components which are from pigs and birds.  That is the reason why humans don’t have any immunities for it.  This said virus is contagious and makes it more likely to become a pandemic virus because it can easily spread from a person to another person.

Symptoms of swine flu are very similar to flu’s that occurs in humans likely fever, cold, cough, runny nose, body pains, frequent vomiting, headache and diarrhea.  Swine flu symptoms might be more severe to some than others.  The symptoms of swine flu are:

• Being breathless
• High grade fever
• Losing of appetite and fluid intake
• Listlessness

Swine flu can also spread through fomities like air, infected handkerchiefs or tissues, papers, pens and more.  Preventive measures are very important.

Because swine flu is a new virus, most humans do not have any natural immunity for this so called flu.  Furthermore, there is a concern that this may mutate into a much dangerous virus and may create a health crisis on a huge scale causing public alarm and media furor around it.  Swine flu is considered more dangerous than other type of influenza known at this time.