The influenza A(H1N1) virus has effectively performed a feat that has not yet be demonstrated in the similarly feared avian flu: it has shown a capacity to move from animals to humans and from humans to humans. One further concern is that the swine flu is of the same H1N1 subtype as the Spanish flu, which was responsible for more deaths between 1918 and 1920 than World War I.
The widespread fear of the swine flu is to some extent justified. The virus is new, which means that most people will not have had a chance to develop any specific immunity to it, and it is of the same H1N1 subtype as the Spanish flu, which was responsible for more deaths between 1918 and 1920 than World War I.
Studies suggest that as many as 25 to 50 million people died between 1918 and 1920 after contracting the Spanish flu. And then there is one other unsettling parallel: the new influenza A(H1N1) has so far shown a capacity to spread quickly and forcefully among young people.
While cases have been confirmed in nearly all of the world's countries - 16,556 cases have been confirmed in Europe as of 22 July 2009 - the WHO has issued statements indicating that the situation remains under control and that there are no grounds for panic.
What are the symptoms of a swine flu infection?
The symptoms associated with the new influenza A(H1N1) virus are flu-like, including fever, cough, respiratory congestion, headache and muscle and joint pain, i.e. symptoms that do not differ from many other types of infection.
What should you do if you experience joint pain?
In contrast to degenerative processes in the joints, such as osteoarthritis, the joint pain that is associated with the swine flu tends not to be specific to certain joints and it is also accompanied by the remaining flu-like symptoms. As an inflammatory process, arthritis is an exception because it too can seem affect the entire musculoskeletal system. However, if you experience none of the other symptoms associated with a cold or flu, then your safest option would be to consult a joint specialist. If you do experience the remaining symptoms of a cold or flu, then you should consult a general practitioner.
