Swine Flu 2011

The CDC expects 2011 to be an average flu year, although it's getting a foothold in the United States later than in recent years. According to the CDC, flu seasons are generally unpredictable, although epidemics happen every year.

Considering 33,000 people die every year from the regular flu. Swine flu (swine influenza) is a respiratory disease caused by viruses that infect the respiratory tract of pigs and result in nasal secretions, a barking-like cough, decreased appetite, and listless behavior. Swine flu produces most of the same symptoms in pigs as human flu produces in people. So we need swine flu medicine to treat patients

Two swine flu medicines have been reported to help prevent or reduce the effects of swine flu. They are zanamiver (Relenza) and oseltamiver (Tamiflu), both of which are also used to prevent or reduce influenza A and B symptoms. Swine flu is caused by a strain of the influenza type A virus known as H1N1.


Swine flu medicine Zanamivir works by binding to the neuraminidase on the surface of the virus and stopping it from working. This prevents the flu virus from spreading and infecting other cells and so confines the infection to a smaller area. This makes the symptoms of the infection less severe and also makes it is easier for the body's immune system to kill the virus.


Another swine flu medicine Oseltamivir suppresses and decreases the spread of influenza A and B viruses, the viruses responsible for the flu. It does this by blocking the action of neuraminidase, an enzyme produced by the viruses that enables the viruses to spread from infected cells to healthy cells. By preventing the spread of virus from cell to cell, the symptoms and duration of influenza infection are reduced.