Info on Swine Flu

The original cause of this virus began when scientist realized that the 1918 human influenza was contagious to pigs. The virus caused coughing, difficulty breathing, fever, lethargy and a loss of appetite. Exposure of the virus to humans began when humans came into contact with an infected pig.

At first when an outbreak was found in humans it was believed that H1N1 was rare and could not be passed from human to human. It is now known after several outbreaks that the virus can indeed be passed on by human-to-human contact.

People who are infected often show signs of coughing, fever, lethargy and loss of appetite. And in some instances, diarrhea, nausea, runny nose and sore throat may occur. And while you can as of right now get relief from the virus with antiviral medication, it is not a cure and if it's not taken within 48 hours of the viral attack, could be ineffective.

There's also no known shot that will protect humans against the virus. The reason for this is because the virus continuously mutates into a new strand after an outbreak has occurred. The good news is, H1N1 cannot be transmitted through food, meaning you cannot get it from eating pork or pork products. The bad news is there is a fear that even with the information already available on Swine Flu, there will become a major global pandemic this winter. Yet the real question is, will we be able to stop it?