Swine flu, or H1N1 flu, causes similar effects as regular flu strains. According to the Centers for Disease Control, most people who have gotten the 2009 H1N1 swine flu have recovered without having to seek medical treatment. However, older people (aged 65 and above), pregnant women and those with chronic health conditions are at risk of more serious health effects.
Common Influenza Effects
Swine flu causes many health effects that are similar to those caused by regular influenza. Within a few days of being exposed to the virus, symptoms start to develop and typically continue for about 8 days. These common symptoms include fever, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, headache, chills, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, sore throat and cough. Some people with swine flu have respiratory symptoms without a fever.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are "emergency warning signs" that should prompt you to seek help immediately. In adults, these include breathing problems or shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, confusion, dizziness or severe or persistent vomiting. In children, these include rapid breathing, problems breathing, extreme irritability to the point that the child does not want to be held, bluish skin color, flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough, fever with a rash, not drinking enough liquids or not waking up or interacting.
Pneumonia
A small number of people who get swine flu may develop severe pneumonia (an infection of the lungs). Severe pneumonia is often related to failure of other organs or a worsening of an existing respiratory condition. According to the World Health Organization, primary viral pneumonia is the most common type of pneumonia found in severe swine flu cases. In about 30 percent of fatal cases, a secondary bacterial infection was also present. (See References 2)
Respiratory Failure
Lung inflammation and respiratory failure can occur in the most severe cases of the swine flu. What begins as viral pneumonia can progress into severe respiratory distress. Fluid builds up in the lungs and lung tissues, and sometimes bleeding of the lung tissues also occurs. This interferes with the transfer of inhaled oxygen into the blood stream, so even those who can breathe do not gain benefit from it. Oxygen deprivation results in a crash in blood pressure, circulation problems and damage to the lungs and vital organs. In some cases, this respiratory crash happens too quickly to be treated; however, if patients are treated with the antiviral drug Tamiflu and symptoms of decline are recognized early, aggressive treatment targeting oxygenation failure may help to save lives. (See References 3)
