LECTURE/PRESENTATION DATE : 06.01.

2016
VIRUSES - H1N1 INFLUENZA (SWINE FLU)
Viral infections occur when viruses enter cells in the body and begin reproducing, often causing
illness. Viruses are tiny germs that can reproduce only by invading a living cell.

How Are Viruses Different from Bacteria?

Viruses are far smaller than bacteria. They are so small that they could not be seen until the
electron microscope was invented in the 1940s. Unlike most bacteria, viruses are not
complete cells that can function on their own. They cannot convert carbohydrates to
energy, the way that bacteria and other living cells do. Viruses depend on other organisms
for energy and viruses cannot reproduce unless they get inside a living cell. Most viruses
consist only of tiny particles of nucleic acid (the material that makes up genes) surrounded
by a coat of protein. Some have an outer envelope as well.

How Do Viruses Infect the Body?

Viruses can enter the human body through any of its openings, but most often they use the
nose and mouth. Once inside, the virus attaches itself to the outside of the kind of cell it
attacks, called a host cell. For example, a rhinovirus attacks cells in the nose, while an
enterovirus binds to cells in the stomach and intestines. After entering the cell, the virus
begins making identical viruses from the host cell's protein. These new viruses may make
their way back out through the host cell's membrane, sometimes destroying the cell, and
then attacking new host cells. This process continues until the body develops enough
antibodies and other defenses to defeat the viral invaders.

How Long Do Viral Infections Last?

In most types of viral infection, the immune system clears the virus from the body within
days to a few weeks. But some viruses cause persistent or latent * infections, which can last
for years. In these cases, a person may get infected and seem to recover or may not be
aware of being infected at all. Then years later, the illness will occur again, or symptoms
will start for the first time.

How Do Viruses Cause Illness?

Viruses can cause illness by destroying or interfering with the functioning of large numbers
of important cells. Sometimes, as mentioned earlier, the cell is destroyed when the newly
created viruses leave it. Sometimes the virus keeps the cell from producing the energy it
needs to live, or the virus upsets the cell's chemical balance in some other way. Sometimes
the virus seems to trigger a mysterious process called "programmed cell death" or
apoptosis,that kills the cell.
Some persistent or latent viral infections seem to transform cells into a cancerous state that
makes them grow out of control. It has been estimated that 10 to 20 percent of cancers are
caused by viral infections. The most common are liver cancer caused by persistent infection
with Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C virus, and cancer of the cervix.

Sometimes a viral illness is caused not by the virus itself, but by the body's reaction to it.
The immune system may kill cells in order to get rid of the virus that is inside them. This
can cause serious illness if the cells being killed are very important to the body's
functioning, like those in the lungs or central nervous system, or if the cells cannot
reproduce quickly enough to replace the ones being destroyed.

Symptoms

Symptoms vary widely, depending on the virus and the organs involved. Many viruses, like
many bacteria, cause fever, and either respiratory symptoms (coughing and sneezing) or
intestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea). Viral illnesses often cause high fevers in
young children, even when the illnesses are not dangerous.

Treatment

Viruses cannot be treated with the antibiotics that kill bacteria. Fortunately, a few drugs,
such as ribavirin and acyclovir, can control the spread of viral invaders without destroying
host cells. Unfortunately, none of these drugs has been able to treat viral infections as
effectively as antibiotics treat bacterial infections.

How Are Viral Infections Prevented?

Hygiene and Vaccination

H1N1 Influenza (Swine Flu)

Swine influenza is an infection caused by any one of several types of swine influenza viruses.
Swine influenza virus (SIV) is any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs.
As of 2009, the known SIV strains include influenza C and the subtypes of influenza A known as
H1N1, H1N2, H2N1, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3.

How the flu virus spreads

The swine flu virus is spread in exactly the same way as ordinary colds and flu. A flu virus is
made up of tiny particles that can be spread through the droplets that come out of the nose
and mouth when someone coughs or sneezes. If someone coughs or sneezes and they do
not cover it, those droplets can spread about one metre (3ft). If you are very close to the
person you might breathe them in. Or, if someone coughs or sneezes into their hand, those
droplets and the virus within them are easily transferred to surfaces that the person
touches. Everyday items at home and in public places may have traces of the virus, such as
door handles, the TV remote control, hand rails and computer keyboards. Viruses can
survive for several hours on these surfaces. If you touch these surfaces and touch your face,
the virus can enter your system, and you can become infected. Evidence from previous
pandemics suggests that one person will infect about two others, and that influenza
spreads particularly rapidly in closed communities such as schools or residential homes.
People are most infectious soon after they develop symptoms, although they can spread the
virus for up to five days after the start of symptoms (for children this is seven days).

Symptoms

The symptoms of swine flu are broadly the same as those of ordinary flu, but may be more
severe and cause more serious complications. The typical symptoms are sudden fever or a
sudden cough. Other symptoms may include:headache,tiredness,chills,aching muscles,limb
or joint pain,diarrhoea,sore throat,runny nose,sneezing and loss of appetite.Most people
who have contracted swine flu recover within a week and do not suffer complications, even
without being given antiviral medication.

Treatment
The Influenza A H1N1 Swine Flu virus treatment mainly involves antiviral drugs and antibiotics to
treat complications.

Paracetomol - As with ordinary flu, people who come down with swine flu should take lots of rest
and use standard paracetomol-based cold remedies to reduce their temperature and help relieve
symptoms.

Antivirals - The antiviral medications oseltamavir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) are
also being used to treat people with swine flu. Antivirals are not a cure for swine flu, but
will help to:

reduce the length of time you are ill by around one day.
relieve some of the symptoms.
reduce the potential for serious complications such as pneumonia.

Antibiotics - Antibiotics are used to treat swine flu patients who develop complications. They help
combat bacterial infections such as pneumonia.

Prevention
Vaccination and Good Personal Hygiene

NB:Health care providers are advised to wear facemasks if in contact with patients of flu-like
symptoms.