Difference Between Regular Flu And Swine Flu

The expression “when pigs fly” is not unknown to us. Just as people believe that pigs will never fly, people did not believe that any strain of virus specific to pigs would affect humans as well. However, the swine flu (also known as H1N1) has made people think again. This strain of flu virus is one, which has the capacity of affecting humans as well as other animals apart from pigs and has been declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Mexico and Canada are among the most seriously affected areas and this disease made its journey around the world in a matter of just four months! In October 2009, swine flu was declared a national emergency in the US and it has gained a lot of attention in a very short span of time. It is important to know the difference between regular flu and swine flu so as to get the appropriate treatment at the right time. While this can be diagnosed by a swab test, it is imperative for a layman to also know the basic differences between these two viruses.