Swine Flu - Emerging Threat

A swine influenza virus (SIV) is any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is usually hosted by pigs. Swine flu is common throughout pig populations worldwide and this infection causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs resulting in high levels of illness and low death rates in swine population. Transmission of swine influenza virus from pigs to humans is not common and results in production of antibodies and does not always cause human illness. The meat of the animal poses no risk of transmitting the virus when properly cooked. If transmission does cause human influenza, it is called zoonotic swine flu. Keywords: Swine flu, Human transmission, Zoonosis