3 Comments
Every year, 30 to 60 million people get the flu in the United States, leading to about 35,000 deaths. Those are some daunting numbers for a virus most of us treat like a nuisance. Why are many public-health officials already worried about the current strain of swine flu when it's still relatively new? Many things remain unknown about it. Given the available data, here's what's got some teeth chattering.

1. Wrong season. Seasonal Flu (Influenza A) peaks in the fall and winter because the cold and dry weather is conducive to viral spread. That swine flu thrives in warmer temperatures suggests it's tougher and perhaps more potent.

2. Sans pig. Swine flu outbreaks occur periodically, but are typically on pig farms with transmission directly from the pigs to the pig farmers and tend to be small-scale outbreaks. The current cases, however, clearly indicate person-to-person transmission. The Great Flu Pandemic of 1918 in which one-third of the world's population became infected and more than 50 million people died was also a strain of swine flu.

3. Disconcerting mix. This strain of swine flu has been reported to be a mix of avian flu and Influenza A. If so, such a mix could endow it with the potential to pose a far greater threat than any of the individual strains.

4. Victims' ages. Usually the most serious flu cases occur in vulnerable populations such as the elderly or young children. This strain is affecting young and healthy people, raising concern that it may be very potent.

See what you can do to prevent getting swine flu after the jump.

5. No vaccine. Most flu seasons there's a vaccine available that offers some protection against the virus, or at least mitigation of the infection. There's no evidence that the recent flu vaccines offer any protection against this swine flu, and no other vaccine currently exists that would protect against this strain.

6. Fear of the unknown. There's so much still unknown about this virus that being cautious is a prudent choice. For example, because Mexico is the epicenter of the outbreak, the number of cases and the number of deaths should give some idea of the potency of the virus. Unfortunately, it's very possible the number of cases and deaths being reported do not accurately reflect the full extent of the epidemic.

What are the symptoms of swine flu? Similar to most flu strains: fever, headache, exhaustion, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, diarrhea or vomiting (more common among children than adults).

Simple Ways to Stay Healthy
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) advice on protecting yourself against swine flu:
-- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and then throw the tissue in the trash.
-- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleansers are also effective.
-- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. That's a major route of entry into your body.
--Try to avoid close contact with sick people or those in close contact with sick people.
--The virus can remain on objects previously touched by infected people, so regular hand washing is very important.
-- Influenza is thought to spread from the coughing or sneezing of infected people.
-- If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Dr. Ken Spaeth is a Harvard-trained physician and a faculty member at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. He is also co-author of "The Bioterrorism Sourcebook." You can e-mail him your questions at askdrken@aol.com.