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The Incubation & Symptoms of Swine Flu

Swine flu, medically known as the H1N1 virus, is defined by the Mayo Clinic as "a respiratory infection caused by an influenza virus first recognized in spring 2009, containing genetic material from human, swine and avian flu viruses." Swine flu is influenza found in pigs that can transmitted to humans. Swine flu cannot be transmitted by eating pork. However, once the virus is transmitted to humans, it is highly contagious and spreads quickly from human to human.

  1. Incubation Period

    • The incubation period is the time from the moment of exposure to an infectious agent until signs and symptoms of the infectious agent start to appear. Swine flu has about same incubation period as seasonal flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the incubation period for swine flu to be one to four days. with infected persons being able to pass the illness within one day of showing symptoms themselves.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms of swine flu include fever, cough and sore throat. Persons may also experience body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Many people suffering from swine flu symptoms have also reported bouts with diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. These symptoms are similar to symptoms of those experiencing seasonal flu; however, symptoms of swine flu---no matter how mild---can be very serious. At times, swine flu symptoms call for hospitalization and total isolation in order for the illness not to spread.

    Prevention Measures

    • It is important to take prevention measures to avoid the spread of swine flu. Vaccinations are available for the H1N1 virus. When this strand of flu first presented itself, priority vaccinations were given to pregnant women, children, the elderly and persons with a chronic illness, such as those with diabetes. At this time if the vaccination is available anyone can choose to be vaccinated. People infected with swine flu should avoid any close contact with others until after 24 hours with no fever. Other steps to take include washing hands frequently with soap and warm water, covering coughs and squeezes and avoiding rubbing the eyes, nose or mouth when sick.

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