Swine flu outbreak in 2009

• human cases of swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus (S-OIV) infection have been confirmed in the U.S. and Mexico with new cases emerging from countries like Canada, Austria, Germany, Israel, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom (1)
  
  
• the virus that has been documented is a novel influenza virus strain that has not been previously found in the world (2). It is antigenically different from the human H1N1 virus (2) and contains genes from swine, avian and human influenza viruses (3)
  
  
• transmission is similar to normal seasonal influenza:
  • from person to person - through infected air droplets
  • indirectly - when a respiratory-droplet contaminated objects are touched
    
    
• currently there is insufficient information available to determine the clinical complications of the disease or the risk groups for complications. But deaths due to severe respiratory disease have been reported (4)
  
  
• clinicians should consider both the complications and the risk groups for complications to be comparable to seasonal influenza (5). Although the extent of the disease in children is unknown, from seasonal influenza and past pandemics it is evident that young children (particularly younger than 5 years of age) are at a higher risk of influenza-related complications (6).

Reference:

• 1. WHO New Influenza A (H1N1) Number of laboratory confirmed cases and deaths.http://whoterrance.vo.msecnd.net/mediacentre/swine_flu/GlobalSubnationalMaster_20090505_0800.jpg (05/05/09)
• 2. ECDC Influenza A(H1N1) Virus http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/Health_topics/Novel_influenza_virus/ (02/05/09)
• 3. CDC H1N1 Flu-Key Facts About Swine Influenza http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/key_facts.htm (02/05/09)
• 4. Human Swine Influenza: information for health professionals http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&Page&HPAwebAutoListName/Page/1240812234677 (02/05/09)
• 5. CDC Interim Guidance for Clinicians on Identifying and Caring for Patients with Swine-origin Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/identifyingpatients.htm (02/05/09)
• 6. CDC Interim Guidance for Clinicians on the Prevention and Treatment of Swine-Origin Influenza Virus Infection in Young Children.http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/childrentreatment.htm (02/05/09)