Swine flu - the facts

Swine flu: Questions and answers from the National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHS).

What is swine flu?

Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses.

Usually, outbreaks of swine flu happen regularly in pigs.

Although people do not normally get it, human infections can and do happen.

More often than not, human cases of swine flu happen in people who are around pigs but it’s also possible for the virus to spread from person to person.

Is swine flu contagious?

The virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human.

But, at the moment, it is not known how easily the virus spreads between people.

How common are cases of swine influenza?

Infection with the swine flu virus has been detected occasionally in humans since the 1950s.

The symptoms are similar to those caused by infections with the human form of the virus.

What are the symptoms of swine flu?

Like human flu, the symptoms include fever, fatigue, lack of appetite, coughing and sore throat.

But some people with the virus have also reported suffering with vomiting and diarrhoea.

Is treatment available?

Testing has shown that the human swine flu H1N1 is sensitive to, and can be treated with, the antivirals oseltamavir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza). Antiviral drugs help to improve the symptoms of influenza but are not a vaccine or cure.

What measures can I take to prevent infection?

General infection control practices and good respiratory hand hygiene can help to reduce transmission of all viruses, including the human swine influenza. This includes: Covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible; disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully; maintaining good basic hygiene, for example washing hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face or to other people; cleaning hard surfaces frequently using a normal cleaning product; and, making sure your children follow this advice.

Is it safe to eat pork and pork products?

Yes. Swine flu has not been shown to be transmissible to people through eating properly handled and prepared pork (pig meat) or other products derived from pigs.

The swine influenza virus is killed by cooking temperatures of 160F/70C, corresponding to the general guidance for the preparation of pork and other meat.