Swine Influenza: General Information
Last update: April 29, 2009  4:40pm EST
 

About Swine Flu
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza that regularly cause outbreaks of influenza among pigs. Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans, however, human infections with swine flu do occur, and cases of human-to-human spread of swine flu viruses has been documented.

Symptoms of Swine Flu
The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human  seasonal  flu and include:  

  • fever 
  • cough 
  • sore throat 
  • body aches 
  • headache 
  • chills and  
  • fatigue 
Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu as well. Patients who are at risk for swine flu include those that have traveled within the last 7 days to Mexico, Southern California, Delaware, Kansas, New York, Texas or Ohio, or those who have been in close contact with ill persons with a history of travel to these areas.   Protecting Yourself from Getting Sick
There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu. Everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza and protect your health include:
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.  
  • If no tissue is available, cough into your shirt sleeve. 
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs can be spread this way.
  • Try to avoid close contact with sick people. Avoid shaking hands; do a fist-bump or elbow-bump as an alternative. 
  • If you get sick with influenza, the CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
  If You Are Sick
If you become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact your health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed. The Mecklenburg County Health Department does not do testing or give treatment for swine flu. If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness. For more information, please see Frequently Asked Questions about swine flu.   For more information, please call 311. If you are calling from outside Mecklenburg County or if your cellular carrier will not connect you to 311, dial (704) 336-7600