SWINE FLU; A NEW PANDEMIC AFTER CORONA VIRUS

In the last 20 years, we were face six dangerous threats like: SARS, MERS, Ebola, avian influenza and swine flu(Raperant & Osterhaus, 2017).But now a days Corona virus (COVID-19) became a pandemic. ProfessorMatthew Bayls told this is not the last pandemic, so we should be alert for next wildlife disease(Jenco, 2020).
BREIF HISTORY 
Historical pandemic of swine influenza was 1918 (Spanish flu) where pigs became ill at same time as humans. During 60 years swine flu strain were H1N1 (Sun et al., 2020) . In 1976 HIN1 virus jumps from pigs to humans. Then after 60 years from 1997 to 2002 new strain with different subtypes emerged as cause of influenza among pigs.H3N2 strain developed in 1997-1998.In 1999 Canadafaced strain of H4N6 crossed the species barrier from birds to pigs. The emergence ofH1N1 viruscaused pandemic in 2009 where the virus contains three types of strains(Mackenzie,2009). This H1N1v virus is known as HINIv where the v stands for variants and denotes that the virus normally circulating in humans (Sun etal., 2020).
WHAT IS SWINE FLU? 
Swine Flu is also called H1N1 virus.It is relatively a new strain of influenza virus that cause symptoms similar to the regular flu.It is originated in pigs it is spread primarily from person to person. It was also a pandemic when discovered in human in 2009. Pandemic are contagious disease effecting people all over the world(Krause & Poceta, 2019).
MOST RECENT UPDATES 
U.S health department are tracking a newly discovered strain of Swine fluin China they said it has the characteristic of viruses with potential that can spread in humans.However this virus has not been detected in the U.S. Researchers found the strain has genes from pigs, avian and human virus and genes from the 2009 HINI flu virus.Genetic material allowed to mix in an animal host through a process called Reassortment(Jenco,2020). 
Reassortment:
Reassortment is a processin which segmented RNA with multiple viruses play a vital role in new virus development for example:blue tongue virus. But it is most efficiently used to described the evolution of influenza virus(Vijay et al., 2015).After testing the new strain appears to grow well in human airway epithelial cells and contains all authentication of being highly adapted to infecthumans.G4 EA H1N1 can grow and multiply in the cell. Testing of 338 swine infected in china shown 10% evidence of a past infection.There are no reports for person to person transfer, while experts say this virus may continue to adaptations and mutate.The Centers fordisease control and prevention(CDC) known as strain a “potential pandemic concern”because of innovation.Humans don’t have immunity to this new virus, and this is entirely different from seasonal flu vaccine strains for these vaccines to be effective.However, it has not been found in humans and pork in U.S.Doctors said these out comes should not betaken lightly, and also note that the identification of this new strain is a result of effective surveillance systems.In future, this strain is going to become a problem in humans. It is reassuring that global surveillance is in place to be prepared. Prof Kin-Chow Chan, works at university of U.K told: Right now we are disturbed with coronavirus but we should also focused to potentially dangerous new virus. While this is not an immediately problem but be alert and we should not ignore it.A flu pandemic could occur any time. Pandemic happen when a new strain emerges which cantransfer person to person (Jenco, 2020).
CAUSES:
Influenza virus infects the cell that line throat, nose and lungs. Virus can enters in body when you inhale contaminated droplets or transfer virus from a contaminated surface to your nose, eyes and mouth.
SYMPTOMS OF SWINE FLU VIRUS:
The sign and symptoms of swine flu is same as seasonal flu or other flu infection strains.Some of them are: 

• Fever (not always)
• Cough
• Fatigue 
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting 

These symptoms occur about one to three days after exposing the virus.
COMPLICATIONS:
Complications include: 

• Asthma 
• Respiratory failure

SWINE FLU VACCINE
Vaccines have been developed to safe against the swine flu virus. There are two different brands of vaccine: 

1. Celvapan (two dose)  
2. Pandemrix(one dose

WHO WILL GET THE VACCINE IMMEDIATELY? 
The peoples who are most likely to become seriously sick if they get swine flu like: 

1.Children and adults over six months of age, who have long tern health condition: 

• Chronic lungs, kidney, liver, neurological disease, heart disease.

 2.Pregnant women:

• Evidence suggested that pregnant women more likely effected as compare to other individuals.

 PRECAUTIONS 

• Stay at home if you are sick.
• Wash hands with soap.
• Avoid contact from crowds especially pregnant and order individual.

CONCLUSION 
From above it is concluded that swine flu is a major problem all over the world and we can not neglect it. Although we are facing corona virus and we are used to follow the SOPs like wearing mask etc, but we should be also prepare for the next one and recover that pandemic too. 

REFERENCES

1. Jenco, M (2020, July 22). CDC: New swine flu strain in china a ‘potential pandemic concern. Retrieved July 30, 2020, from: https://www.apppublications.org/news/2020/07/08/swinwflu070820 
2. Krause,L & Poceta, J. (2019, July 09). S wine Flu: Risk Factors, Causes & Symptoms. Retrieved July 30, 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/health/swine-flu 
3. Mackenzie, D. (2009, October 21). Swine flu myth: The vaccine isn’t safe-it has been rushed ... prevent mild flu? Retrieved July 30,2020, from https://www.newsscientist.com/article/dn18014-swine-flu-myth-the-vaccine-isnt-safe-it-has-been-rushed-through-test-and-the-last-time-there-was-a-swine-flu-scare-the-vaccine-hurt-prople-why-take-the-risk-to-prevent-mild-flu/ 
4. Mackenzie, M. (2009, October29). Time line: The secret history of swine flu. Retrieved July 30, 2020, from https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18063-timeline-the-secret-history-of-swine-flu/
5. Reilly, J. (2012, November 30). GPs must return flu vaccine over narcolepsy fears. Retrieved July 30, 2020, from https://amp.independent.ie/lifestyle/health/gps-must-return-flu-vaccine-over-narcolepsy-fears-26719901.html 
6. Reperant, L. A., & Osterhaus, A. (2017). AIDS. Avian flu, SARS, Ebola, Zika.... what next? Vaccine, 35 (35 Pt A), 4470-4474.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.04.082 
7. Sun, H., Xiao, Y., Liu, J.,Wang, D., Li, F., Wang, C.,...Liu J. (2020). Prevalent Eurasian avian-like H1N1 swine influenza virus with 2009 pandemic viral genes facilitating human infection.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,117(29). 17204-17210. https://doi:10.1073/pnas.1921186117 
8. Vijaykrishna, D., Mukerji, R., & Smith, G. J. (2015). RNA Virus Reassortment: An Evolutionary Mechanism for Host Jumps and Immune Evasion. PLOSpathogens, 11(7). https://doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1004902 

By: Fatimah Khursheed