swine flu

[ swahyn floo ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. a form of influenza that afflicts pigs.
2. a form of influenza that afflicts humans by infection with a virus once thought to be very similar to the influenza virus found in North American pigs.

swine flu

/ swīn /

1. A highly contagious form of influenza seen in swine, caused by a virus of the family Orthomyxoviridae. The infection is communicable to humans and caused a worldwide epidemic in 1918.

Word History and Origins

Origin of swine flu¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

A swine flu vaccine from 1976 was associated with increased risk for Guillain-Barré, and the syndrome’s link to seasonal influenza vaccines seems to vary year to year.

From Popular-Science

A National Academy of Medicine review in 2003 found that people who received the 1976 swine flu vaccine had an increased risk of Guillain-Barré, with about one additional case for every 100,000 people who received the swine flu vaccine.

From Washington Post

In 1976, there was a small increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome after people received the swine flu vaccine, which was a special shot for a potential pandemic strain of the influenza virus.

From Washington Post

When this virus mutates in ways that make it, for a season, a more serious threat, the very names we call it highlight the role animals played in that transformation — swine flu, bird flu.

From FiveThirtyEight

A 2010 study commissioned by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention following the swine flu outbreak warned that we needed to stock up on masks or face devastating consequences.

From ProPublica

Gerald Ford and the swine flu pandemic that never happened in 1976 is a cautionary tale that government action can backfire.

From The Daily Beast

A few years ago, this Joe Biden warned people not to ride on aircraft or subways out of fear of contracting “swine flu.”

From The Daily Beast

Yet the Obama who hysterically declared Hurricane Irene “historic” also declared the swine flu a national emergency.

From The Daily Beast

Gone were free pillows and blankets (those actually were cut out when the swine flu epidemic hit).

From The Daily Beast

This is a worrisome phenomenon, especially as major health threats like avian and swine flu grow in importance.

From The Daily Beast