Swine Flu Outbreak in Mexico: Can it Unleash a Global Epidemic?

U.S. health officials say that an unprecedented multi-strain form of swine flu has sickened seven people in the United States and killed at least sixty people in Mexico.

According to AFP, from December 2005 to February 2009, 11 out of the 12 reported cases of swine flu in the United States were contracted from direct or indirect contact with pigs. But what is troubling is that the seven aforementioned U.S. cases of the heretofore undetected strain of swine flu did not have direct contact with pigs. It should be noted that all seven people - two are from Texas, five are from California - have made a full recovery.

Can the Swine Flu Outbreak Turn into a Pandemic?

"So far this is not looking like a very severe influenza," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at a teleconference.

Dr. Schuchat says she does not know the extent to which this unique strain of swine influenza has spread to humans. She notes that while it's possible for people to contract swine flu without direct contact with pigs, it's very unusual. She does believe, however, that more cases will be discovered.

According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, infection of humans with swine flu could lead to a flu pandemic (a worldwide outbreak against which millions of people would have little or no immunity), but the risk is small. Flu pandemics occur about every 30 years or so. The last flu pandemic was the "Hong Kong flu", which killed about 34,000 people.

Swine Flu Facts

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, there is currently no vaccine that can be given to humans to prevent swine flu. The seasonal flu vaccine that many people take will not protect against the strain of swine flu that is now circulating. It also should be noted that one cannot contract swine flu form eating pork.

Swine flu outbreaks among pigs occur regularly, but the disease is rarely fatal to the animals. The virus was first isolated from a pig in 1930.

As previously mentioned, most outbreaks of swine flu in humans occur as a result of direct exposure to pigs. Thus, workers in the swine industry are more inclined to contract swine flu then the rest of the population. There have been cases of children contracting the disease due to exposure to pigs at state fairs, however.

The symptoms of swine flu are similar to more common strains of influenza, including fever, coughing, weakness and lack of appetite.

Sources:

Swine flu outbreak raises pandemic fears, canada.com

Swine Flu Cases Now Total 7: CDC, Steven Reinberg, ABC News, April 24, 2009

CDC.gov

Definition of Hong Kong Flu, medterms.com

US Very concerned about swine flu outbreak, AFP