Cold and Flu

Yes, certain strains of Swine Flu can go from pig to pig, human to human, and pig to human or human to pig. If it is the right type of flu that has been mutated in the pigs, then it can be passed that way. The US CDC and World Health Organization are giving those in close proximity to pigs advice to be very careful when with the swine and to practice good hand washing techniques after touching the swine or their habitat.

Viruses are composed of two main parts: an outer protein covering called a capsid and an inside core of either DNA or RNA. Not both DNA and RNA. Some of these have an envelope over the capsid. The ones that do not are said to be naked. The proteins in the capsid allow the virus to attach to the "docking stations" proteins of the host cell. The naked viruses are more resistant to changes in the environment.
Some naked viruses include poliomyelitis, warts, the common cold, chickenpox, shingles, mononucleosis, herpes simplex (cold sores), influenza, herpes viruses and HIV (AIDS).
Some enveloped viruses include norovirus (stomach bug), rotavirus and human papillomavirus (HPV).
The envelope can be damaged by freezing temperatures, chlorine, and phenol. If damaged, the virus cannot infect.

Viruses are not an organism at all. They are not alive. They are nonliving. They are like cockle burrs that "grab" hold of your clothing or a dog’s coat. They are hijackers. Once they get attached to the cell of a living cell, they can take it over and "make" the living cell produce virus particles instead of cell parts. These particles can assemble into more viruses and then they break out of the cell (killing it) and begin the process again. They cannot make more viruses on their own.

They are very small and can be considered ultramicroscopic. We were not able to see them with the best light microscopes as we could bacteria (prokaryotes). We have to use an electron microscope to see them as they are that small. This was not available until recently.

Longest sneezing fit The longest recorded sneezing fit is that of Donna Griffiths (UK). She began sneezing on January 13, 1981 and sneezed an estimated one million times in the first 365 days. Her first sneeze-free day came 978 days later on September 16, 1983.

No, they are different viruses and different types of viruses. Most common colds are caused by either the rhinoviruses or coronaviruses (but there are over 200 kinds of viruses that cause the common cold). Influenza is also caused by too many influenza viruses to name them all, but they are in the taxonomic family of viruses called orthomyxoviridae. Human influenza refers to one of the three major types of flu viruses ( Influenza types A,B, and C) that are endemic to the human population.

If you mean the "stomach flu" (which is more appropriately called viral gastroenteritis), then it, too, is caused by different viruses; most common is norovirus (aka Norwalk Flu).

Sure. Many people can be carriers of disease but not actually having symptoms themselves.

Yes they can so don't leave an open window when it is cold my friend did because she didn't know then she left the house and her hamster became VERY VERY sick and died a few days later.Small animals are hard to cure so if a hamster does get sick it has to go to the doctor ASAP!Or else,If the cold is very bad or the hamster goes to the vet too late it will not survive.

Yes, fever coming and going can be a common symptom in people thought to have swine flu H1N1/09. When the fever spikes and peaks and then gets better but then later comes back again, it is a sign that you should seek medical attention, some people have had more severe complications after this type of fever fluctuation.

Here is a description provided by one of the Answers.com contributors about the course of the fever with swine flu in their child:

My son has swine flu. It began with intense sore throat and congestion which went to chest in 2 days. Within the same 6 hour period congestion went to the chest, his temperature, which is usually 97.5, rose through 99 to 102. We began Tamiflu and did a very cold bath, then ice packs, Tylenol and cold showers intermittently, kept up Tylenol every 4 hours. Temp went down to 100 in 2 hours and stayed there for 12 hours, then down to 99 and stayed at 99 for 2 days(still 1.5 degrees higher than his normal temp. of 97.5). He was still on Tamiflu, Tylenol and also Augmentin for the original sore throat. Then temp. suddenly went up again to 102. Followed same course of cold shower, ice packs and continued Tylenol. Down to 101 within an hour, then to 100 at 2d hour. Pajamas were soaking wet from sweat by the next Tylenol dose. Must wake them to keep up Tylenol. Temp. back to 99. This is the 6th day.

There are thousands of different viruses and even the same virus will have mutated

over a year so it becomes a "cousin of a cousin's great great grandchild".

A vaccine is a small dose of the virus. Not enough to make you ill, but enough that

your body recognizes THAT PARTICULAR invader and learns to fight it.

Yes, so a cold cannot be treated by antibiotics because antibiotics only kill bacteria. A vaccination would make you immune to that cold, but they don't give vaccinations for colds because there are billions of different types and only one would be made immune to by a vaccine.

Defiantly no. It doesn't mean that all Muslims are not allowed to eat Pig so they shouldn't get vaccinated in the Quran it doesn't say anything about not getting vaccine for the Swine flu.

Being sick with a cold or other mild illness will usually not stop you from being able to be vaccinated for the flu, unless you have a high fever. However, being out in public with an infectious disease is not advised, so you may want to wait until your symptoms are gone if you can. If you are sick from an infectious organism, then your immune system would have to do "double duty" to work on fighting that at the same time as it is busy producing antibodies from the flu vaccine. In a normal healthy adult this usually doesn't prevent vaccination, however, unless, as mentioned above, the symptoms include fever which indicates a battle is already going on between your immune system and an infectious organism. In that case, seek advice from your health care professional. Always tell the clinician who gives you the vaccination if you have been recently ill, or have underlying health issues, before they administer the vaccine.

influenza type A is the most common and dangerous of all the types of this virus. it has caused many medical panics in history.

this cold virus is an agreeable sort.When the virus touches your hand, then it stays on your hand,until you scratch your nose. Then,it alights there,just inside your nostril. If you sniff , then its moving in your nose. Then,now you got the virus in you.

The extremities of a body would colder the fastest. This is because, if someone cools down lower than their normal body temperature, then the capillaries on the surface of the skin contract, letting less blood through, which would reduce heat loss. This is called vaso-constriction, and it happens because the blood stays more towards the major organs of the body, keeping them at the right temperature, so they can work efficiently.

Not in the US, unless you are in jail getting the shot. They will ask you questions, though.

Uh, definitely not. HOWEVER: Buckley's cold medicine looks a lot like semen and it does help a lot. p.s. I do not know which of the two tastes worse, but the Buckley's will definitely work better on your chest cough.

Children. The old saying around where I live is when your kids go back to school get some cold or flu remedies ready. A child having the cold and flu is not pleasant, but certainly not as hard on them as adults and of course, the children being in school with groups of other kids they are more than likely to bring home at least the cold or flu virus to you (even if they don't get it.)

YES. The 1918 flu pandemic killed over 20 million people worldwide.

How to stop a cough depends on what is causing it. Coughs can be due to respiratory infections, allergies or simple inhaled irritants. You need to determine the cause to determine the cure.

If you have a fever, no. If no fever, then contact your doctor treating the strep to be sure your body is ready for another immune response to a virus so soon after, or while still, fighting the bacterial infection.

Yes, definitely. It is recommended for pregnant women.

In the US:

The following excerpts from a September 3, 2009 guidance document from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are about 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine and Pregnant Women:
Influenza vaccines have not been shown to cause harm to a pregnant woman or her baby. The seasonal flu shot (injection) is proven as safe and already recommended for pregnant women. The 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine will be made using the same processes and facilities that are used to make seasonal influenza vaccines.

It is important for a pregnant woman to receive the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine as well as a seasonal influenza vaccine. A pregnant woman who gets any type of flu is at risk for serious complications and hospitalization. Pregnant women who are otherwise healthy have been severely impacted by the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus (formerly called "novel H1N1 flu" or "swine flu"). In comparison to the general population, a greater proportion of pregnant women infected with the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus have been hospitalized. In addition, severe illness and death has occurred in pregnant women. Six percent of confirmed fatal 2009 H1N1 flu cases thus far have been in pregnant women while only about 1% of the general population is pregnant. While hand washing, staying away from ill people, and other steps can help to protect pregnant women from influenza, vaccination is the single best way to protect against the flu.

There are two types of flu vaccine. Pregnant women should get the "flu shot"- an inactivated vaccine (containing fragments of killed influenza virus) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. The flu shot is approved for use in pregnant women. The other type of flu vaccine - nasal-spray flu vaccine (sometimes called LAIV for "live attenuated influenza vaccine)-is not currently approved for use in pregnant women. This vaccine is made with live, weakened flu viruses that do not cause the flu). LAIV (FluMist®) is approved for use in healthy* people 2-49 years of age who are not pregnant. In addition to protecting her from infection, infants less than 6 months old will not be able to be vaccinated so it is recommended that everyone who lives with or provides care for infants less than 6 months of age receive both the seasonal influenza vaccine and 2009 H1N1 influenza monovalent vaccine to provide protection for the infant.

One recent study conducted in Bangladesh, assessed the effectiveness of influenza immunization for mothers and their young infants. Inactivated influenza vaccine reduced proven influenza illness by 63% in infants up to 6 months of age. This study confirmed that maternal influenza immunization is a strategy with substantial benefits for both mothers and infants. There is no evidence that thimerosal (used as a preservative in vaccine packaged in multi-dose vials) is harmful to a pregnant woman or a fetus. However, because some women are concerned about exposure to preservatives during pregnancy, manufacturers will produce preservative-free seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccines in single dose syringes for pregnant women and small children. CDC recommends that pregnant women may receive influenza vaccine with or without thimerosal.

People for whom the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine is recommended should receive it, even if they have had an influenza-like illness previously, unless they can be certain they had 2009 H1N1 influenza based on a laboratory test that can specifically detect 2009 H1N1 viruses. CDC recommends that persons who were tested for 2009 H1N1 influenza discuss this issue with a healthcare provider to see if the test they had was either an RT-PCR or a viral culture that showed 2009 H1N1 influenza. There is no harm in being vaccinated if you had 2009 H1N1 influenza in the past. Pregnant women are encouraged to get vaccinated against the seasonal strains of influenza in addition to the A-H1N1/09 vaccine. The two kinds of vaccine (seasonal flu and "Swine Flu") must both be taken for complete protection from both kinds of flu in the 2009-2010 flu season.

Always check with your obstetrician before taking any medications in pregnancy. Your doctor may also be planning on administering the vaccines to patients.

Note about H1N1 vaccines approved for use in the UK:

These vaccines are slightly different from the vaccines approved for use in the US for A-H1N1/09, but are still recommended by the NHS for pregnant women. The difference is mostly that they contain adjuvants in the UK. See the related question below about swine flu shot ingredients.

In the US, in most states nursing students must work under the direct supervision of an RN in their clinical practice during training. RN's must work under the supervision of a physician. If the nursing student is operating solely on his/her own and has no licensed person supervising them, then they can not administer medications, especially injections or prescription medications to the public. Working in a facility or for a company giving flu shots to the public at health fairs, etc., might allow a student to provide this work in those settings only, but the hiring authority would determine if you could with your qualifications in that state, and they would be responsible for who would be supervising you during your work. But the facility or company would be billing for the medication and for the administration and you would work for them probably for hourly pay. Ask your nursing instructors, who will likely know the regulations that are applicable in your state, or know how to find the information.

No, but if you get swine flu and regular flu shot, it will be harder to get the flu.

There are too many diagnoses that can cause those symptoms to guess which may be causing these. It will take an examination and maybe some diagnostic tests to know for sure. It can be a serious sign when there is blood from a cough, so don't hesitate to have an examination to find out.