Swine flu: How it spreads

ISLAMABAD:

Most swine influenza viruses (SIVs) do not cause disease in humans. Most of these human infections have been mild and the viruses have not spread further to other people. According to World Health Organisation, the H1N1 virus originated in swine and is an example of an SIV that was able to spread easily among people and also cause disease.

Unlike typhus, which can be transmitted by lice or ticks, transmission usually occurs from person to person, not animal to person. You cannot catch swine flu from eating pork products. Swine flu is very contagious but can be prevented with the yearly flu vaccine and has symptoms similar to regular flu virus and is treated in the same way.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th, 2016.