Swine flu has become the headlines of every newspaper and news channel. What actually this Swine flu is? Biologically speaking, swine is used to refer to pigs. Swine flu is a respiratory disease which used to affect pigs in the past centuries. It is caused when the body of the pig is infected by swine virus. The symptoms in pig are high fever, severe weight loss and problems in breathing. Though the disease is severe but it is not deadly. Deaths due to swine flu are very less in case of pigs. It is an air- borne disease so if the virus is released in the air through coughing or sneezing, the pigs in contact will be affected.

Swine is a type of Influenza A virus. But the recent H1N1 virus affecting humans is a mutated form of this swine virus. It has genetic strands from the swine virus, avian influenza virus and the human influenza virus.
Since it is not the normal swine flu virus, it can be transmitted among the humans unlike the swine virus which can not affect humans. The first case of infection of H1N1 in humans was recorded in Mexico and thus it is swine flu is Mexico most active. Then, it spread at a rapid rate in other parts of United States, Canada and parts of U. K. It is now infecting humans all over the world.

The symptoms of swine flu noted in humans are very high fever, dizziness due to weakness, dry coughing, acute weight loss, diarrhea and pain in muscles and joints. Patients may feel breathlessness after a few days. The symptoms may be similar to that of a normal viral fever so one has to be very sure that it is some kind of viral fever or swine flu disease. If the given symptoms are noticed in an individual, he should immediately consult a doctor and go for the swine flu test. This disease is curable if proper care is taken and medication is done at the right time. Thus, some cautiousness is fair enough to save the attack of this virus like maintaining personal hygiene, avoided contact with infected person etc.