Swine flu is a respiratory infection, with symptoms similar to that of the common flu and people living with Parkinson’s disease are at particular risk of developing severe symptoms if infected. Swine flu is caused by a new strain of influenza A virus, called the H1N1 virus. Normally, swine flu is a disease confined to pigs, and transmission to humans is rare, but the new strain has spread rapidly from pigs to humans. In this current pandemic, human-to-human transmission by direct contact (hand to mouth or nose) and by sneezing or coughing.

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