A scientometric appraisal of global research output on Swine Flu with special reference to India during 1993-2017

Abstract

Swine influenza is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease of pigs caused by one of the several strains of swine influenza A. The virus is spread among pigs by aerosols, through direct and indirect contact, and also by asymptomatic carrier pigs 1 . Swine influenza seen predominantly in the mid-western United States (and occasionally in other states), Mexico, Canada, South America, Europe (including UK, Sweden, and Italy), Kenya, Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, and other parts of eastern Asia and in various parts of India. In humans, the symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of influenza namely chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness, and general discomfort. WHO says that no previous pandemic disease has been detected so early or watched so closely, in real-time, right at the very beginning 2 . The world can now reap the benefits of investments, over the last 5 years, in pandemic preparedness.