Treatment
In swine
As swine influenza is rarely fatal for pigs, little rest beyond the treatment and supportive care is necessary. Instead of veterinary efforts are focused on preventing the spread of viruses throughout the farm or other farms. Vaccination of animals and management techniques are most important in these efforts. Antibiotics are also used to treat this disease, even if they have no effect against influenza virus, helping to prevent bacterial pneumonia and other secondary infections in influenza weakened herds.
In humans
If a person becomes sick with swine influenza, antiviral drugs can make the illness and the patient feel better more quickly. May they also avoid serious complications of flu. For treatment, antiviral drugs are most effective if started shortly after the disease (within 2 days of symptoms). In addition to antiviral drugs, palliative care at home or in hospital, focuses on controlling the fever and the maintenance of fluid balance. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the use of Tamiflu (oseltamivir) or Relenza (zanamivir) for the treatment and / or prevention of infection by the virus of swine influenza, but the majority of people infected with the virus to make a complete recovery without requiring medical treatment or antiviral drugs. Virus isolates in the epidemic of 2009 were found resistant to amantadine and rimantadine.
In the United States, 27 April 2009, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the use of emergency authorizations to provide Tamiflu and Relenza antiviral drugs to treat influenza virus in swine where they are currently not allowed. The Agency has published these EUAs for the treatment of patients younger than the current approval and permits to enable the widespread distribution of drugs, including non-licensed volunteers.
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