Swine flu fear is sweeping the nation. At the time of writing, two cases have been confirmed in Scotland, with numbers rising across the globe. The World Health Organisation has raised the alert level to Phase 4, two steps short of declaring a global pandemic. Alarming stuff indeed.

But look beyond the hysterical headlines and a slightly less scary story emerges. The two cases in Scotland are reported to be suffering from 'mild flu-like symptoms’, with confirmation that they are 'not particularly ill.' And of the 150 victims in Mexico, only 20 have actually been confirmed with swine flu so far.

Bearing this in mind, we felt the need check out the real deal with swine flu.

What is swine flu?
Swine flu is a strain of the Influenza virus. 'Que? Pardon moi?' you may ask. 'Is a virus not just a virus?' Well, not really. Here is the science bit. But don’t worry, it’s actually quite cool.

Yawn…
No really. Influenza is a retrovirus. These viruses are vicious and war-like, literally invading bodies, taking over cells and using the microscopic machinery to produce clones of themselves. These take over more cells until the body is overwhelmed, the organs fail and the viruses move onto the next victim. Yak!

But fear not, because your fabulous amazing immune system kicks in and launches a counter attack to destroy the viruses. Think ‘Inner Space’ and you’re along the right lines.

Whilst an intra-cellular war rages inside your body, you’ll be feeling feverish, headachey and generally quite ill - drinking endless cups of lemsip and watching DVDs in bed. But eventually you’ll recover. And your immune system will ‘remember’ the viruses, so the next time they come knocking on your door they’ll get kicked to the curb.

So how can a pig virus be passed onto humans?
The problem with retroviruses is the fearsome ability to alter their genetic structure, mutating into different strains. And you thought Alien was scary!

Certain strains infect specific species, which is why we have bird flu, swine flu, and human influenza. Sometimes the strains mutate and crossover between species. Which is what has happened with this latest swine flu outbreak. This particular strain is a mixture of swine, bird and human flu and it has never been seen before.

What happens in the unlikely event that you get infected?
The flu is much, much worse than a cold. It’s a nasty illness that can last up to three weeks. If you get it you’ll know about it. Fever, aching limbs, intense headaches, fatigue, coughing and sore throats are the main symptoms.

Often complications like pneumonia can occur as well, and these will need to be treated with antibiotics. It’s not nice. But it’s not generally fatal in healthy people.

Will antibiotics like penicillin work?
No, antibiotics won’t work with viral infections. Viruses and bacteria are different creatures. Bacteria are large, squishy and disgusting, whereas viruses are made largely of genetic material and look like bizarre alien robots. This difference in structure means that you need specific drugs to treat each type of infection. Antibiotics kill bacteria and anti-virals kills viruses.

In this case anti-viral drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza are very good at treating swine flu. And the NHS has stocked up on huge amounts of these drugs, just in case…

Am I likely to get infected?
Not unless you’ve recently been to Mexico, Texas, California or New York State or you know someone who has recently travelled to the area AND you’re experiencing flu-like symptoms. If so, the NHS has advised that you stay at home and call your GP or NHS Direct.

So how worried should I be?
Not worried, but perhaps vigilant. Although a large number of people in Mexico City have died, only 20 have been confirmed with swine flu, and to date all cases outside the area have been mild.

However we are seeing the early spread of the disease, so we won’t speak too soon. Even still, the UK is regarded as one of the best prepared countries in the world to deal with an outbreak if that’s what it comes to.

If I’m worried, what precautions should I take?
It’s simple. – keep clean, stay safe. Frequently wash your hands with soap and water, sneeze and/or cough into tissues (which you then get rid of), and regularly clean surfaces that people put their grubby mits on. And avoid touching your face with unwashed hands, especially your mouth and eyes.

You can take it further by not touching handrails, etc, in public spaces, and using disposable alcohol wipes for your hands when you go out. And for the ultra-paranoid, you can do a ‘Michael Jackson’ and wear cloth facemasks.

Has this outbreak been blown out of proportion?
Everyone expects world governments to be alert, it’s their job to keep us safe. But for the record, even if an epidemic was to hit the UK we’ll not be seeing apocalyptic scenes a-la 28 Days Later. It’s flu, not the Black Death. But for those who are worried, the lovely people at NHS Direct will offer sound advice should you need it.