Swine Flu Virus might become more infective

Scientists studying the virus say that changes in its genetic makeup could make it even more efficient at spreading, infecting people. Also, The World Health Organization declared that the global spread of the H1N1 influenza virus had fulfilled the definition of a pandemic is little more than an official stamp on what has been a ground reality for several weeks. The virus, commonly called Swine Flu, has been confirmed to have infected nearly 28000 people over 74 countries.

Given that only people with the most serious cases get themselves tested, it is likely hundreds of thousands of others are unknowingly carrying the virus right now.

Globally, Swine Flu has infected 25288 in 73 countries. Swine Flu has infected around 20 people in India. The first case was confirmed in Hyderabad on May 16 when a 23-year-old information technology student tested positive for the virus. Since then, nine people in Hyderabad, four in Delhi and two in Coimbatore have been found infected.

The Health Minister of India, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad said it is important for a country with India’s population to take the necessary steps to control the fallout. Secondary Transmission has begun and the minister appealed to all the citizens to saty alert and cooperates with the government in testing and containing this new infection.

Dr. Shiv Lal, Director general of the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), one of the two designated labs for testing for the H1N1 virus, said the people are increasingly taking medicine while traveling to lower symptoms of fever and escape detection at the airport, not realizing that they are putting their friends and families at the risk. In the Coimbatore case, the woman landed at Chennai airport with no fever but developed high fever that very day at Coimbatore airport. This can cause cluster outbreaks, as it id in the US. The other lab testing the virus is the National institute of Virology in Pune.

The Swine-origin Influenza A (H1N1) virus that is responsible for the current pandemic clearly has the ability to leap from one human to another. The chain of transmission, aided by global air travel, has taken the virus from Mexico, where it was first noticed among humans in late March, to countries around the globe. Viruses are mostly genetic material packaged in protective coating and have no way of reproducing by themselves. So they are obligate parasites that must enter and take over a living cell, using the latter to make copies of themselves. Flu viruses use a protein on their outer surface known as Hemagglutinin (HA) to gain entry into cells. Infection begins with the viral HA latching onto a receptor molecule on a cell’s surface.

Fever, Lethargy, Lack of appetite and cough are symptoms of this virus.

Preventive measures from the virus are to Avoid travel to infected countries, Wash hands frequently, Cover mouth while coughing or sneezing. Hence, there is a need to pay careful attention to the Evolution of this virus.

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