H1N1 flu

Symptoms

Swine flu symptoms in humans are similar to those of infection with other flu strains:

• Fever
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Body aches
• Headache
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting

Swine flu symptoms develop three to five days after you're exposed to the virus and continue for about eight days, starting one day before you get sick and continuing until you've recovered.

Causes

Influenza viruses infect the cells lining your nose, throat and lungs. The virus enters your body when you inhale contaminated droplets or transfer live virus from a contaminated surface to your eyes, nose or mouth on your hand.

Risk factors

Because novel H1N1 virus is new, everyone is at some risk. Health care workers who provide direct patient care are at particular risk of catching H1N1 flu. College students and children in school and child care are also at high risk. Children typically pick up the virus in the classroom and pass it to other members of the household.

Complications

Influenza complications include:

• Worsening of chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and asthma
• Pneumonia
• Respiratory failure

Severe complications of human swine flu H1N1 seem to develop and progress rapidly.

References:

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm

http://www.flu.gov/about_the_flu/h1n1/

http://www.medicinenet.com/swine_flu/article.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza_A_virus_subtype_H1N1

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/h1n1fluswineflu.html