Monday, May 16, 2011

Swine Influenza (Swine Flu)

Swine Influenza (Swine Flu)

Swine Influenza (flu) is an acute respiratory disease in pigs caused by influenza virus type A. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in general, this disease similar to influenza with symptoms of fever, cough, runny nose, shortness of breath, sore throat, lethargy, fatigue and possibly accompanied by nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The disease is rapidly spreading into the group of animals within 1 week, usually the disease can be cured quickly, except when complications occur with bronchopneumonia (pneumonia), would result in death.

The first swine flu virus disease is known since 1918, when the world was contained in a pandemic influenza outbreak in humans which cost the lives of about 21 million people died. The case occurred in late summer. In the same year reported epizootik outbreak in pigs in northern Central America that have similar clinical symptoms and pathology with influenza in humans.

Because the incidence of this disease coincided with the occurrence of epidemic diseases in humans, the disease is called flu in pigs.

The spread of disease

The spread of influenza viruses from pigs to pig to pig snouts through contact, by air or droplets. Weather factors and stress will accelerate the transmission. The virus will not last long in the open air.

The disease can only survive long in pigs or pig breeder chicks. Maternal immunity can be seen up to 4 months but may not prevent infection, immunity may preclude the emergence of active immunity.

Inter-species transmission can occur, sub-type H1N1 has the ability to infect between species, especially pigs, ducks, turkeys and humans, as well as sub-type H3N2, which is another sub-type of influenza A. H1N1, H1N2 and H3N2 are the 3 subtypes of influenza virus commonly found in pigs is endemic in North America, but had also sub-type H4N6 was isolated from pigs affected by pneumonia at. Humans can be exposed to clinical influenza disease and pass it to their pigs.

Causes of disease

Swine Flu is a disease caused by influenza virus type A Family Orthomyxoviridae H1N1 subtype that can be transmitted by an animal, particularly pigs, and there is the possibility of contagious between humans.

The virus is closely related to the cause of swine influenza, equine influenza and avian influenza (fowl plaque). The size of the virus diameter 80-120 nm. In addition to influenza A, influenza B and C have also been isolated from pigs. While the 2 types of influenza virus in humans is type A and B. Both types are known to be very progressive in a very dramatic antigenic change once (antigenic shift).

Antigenic shift is closely related to the nature of the pandemic spread of disease and malignancy. This can occur as a genetic reassortment between avian and human nation ..

The three types of influenza virus A, B, C is a virus that has the same shape under the electron microscope and only differ in terms of immunity only. The three types of these viruses have RNA with proteins and surface virionnya axis enveloped by a kind of nails that contain antigens haemagglutinin (H) and the enzyme neuraminidase (N).

The role of haemagglutinin is a tool attached virions at the cell and cause agglutination of red blood cells, whereas neurominidase enzyme responsible for the elution, the release of virus from red blood cells and also have a role in releasing the virus from infected cells. Antibodies against haemaglutinin role in preventing re-infection by viruses containing the same haemaglutinin. Antibodies against antigens neurominidase also formed, but no role dala

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