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Swine Flu.

Not long ago we had a scare with the Avian Flu, also known as the Bird Flu. The latest disease outbreak is the H1N1, also known as Swine Flu , a new subtype of Influenza. In 1976 it was called the Great Plague and in Medieval times it was the Black Death. Today the Swine Flu has caused close to a hundred deaths in Mexico and in the United States there has been five cases reported. Swine Influenza is normally found in pigs, but studies have found that the new subtype is not isolated in pigs.

The Swine Flu can not be transmitted from pigs to humans. The typical symptoms in humans are similar to the normal influenza and other influenza like illnesses, mostly fever, muscle pains, headache, sore throat, and chills. As well as coughing, weakness, and discomfort. In pigs or swine the symptoms are fever, lethargy, sneezing, coughing, difficulty breathing and decreased appetite, to where pigs can lose almost 12 pounds over a 3 week period.

Doctors are saying that if you start having these symptoms to stay home and take normal flu medication and if the symptoms worsen to go the doctor. They are also saying to keep your hands clean and avoid touching your face. So far no one in Untied States has died from this Influenza, which makes it seem to be no different than the normal flu bug.