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by Dr. Snehal Kohle
Outbreaks of influenza, familiarly known as "flu," occur during winter months when people spend time close together. Infection by influenza viruses is responsible for the illness. Like a chameleon changing its colors, the influenza virus changes its structure periodically rendering the population defenseless against this almost new virus. A completely new vaccine has to be developed every year to render immunity against this virus, which is a highly orchestrated process.
Five to twenty percent of the U.S. population is affected by influenza every year, sending more than 200,000 to the hospital due to complications. Another 36,000 die each year from seasonal influenza. Vaccination is the single most effective weapon against it, yet every year millions of Americans choose to forego influenza vaccination.
The influenza virus causes an acute respiratory infection, and then spreads via aerosols generated by coughing and sneezing. Personal contact also transmits the infection and as a result, it spreads easily in people who are in close contact resulting in outbreaks in nursing homes, schools and daycares.
Characteristic symptoms of the flu are fever with chills, intense headache, muscle ache, fatigue, sore throat and cough. Symptoms may vary from cold-like symptoms to fever and muscle aches with weakness that can last for weeks. Pneumonia, a serious infection of the lungs, can complicate influenza. Life-threatening complications occur in people who have some underlying illnesses like diabetes, chronic heart and lung disease and the elderly.
Treatment includes bed rest, plenty of fluids and pain relief by Tylenol/acetamin¬ophen and cough sup¬pressants. However, aspirin should not be used in children and adolescents under 18, since it can cause the dreaded complication of Reye’s syndrome (extensive damage to liver and brain). Mortality in Reye’s syndrome is 50%.
Antiviral medications effective against influenza virus are useful if started in the first 24 to 36 hours of illness. Not everybody with the flu needs these drugs; they are reserved for patients with a high risk of complications. These antiviral medications do not eliminate flu symptoms completely but they limit the severity. Antibiotics are not useful in treating the flu unless there are bacterial complications.
For flu, prevention is the best solution. Studies have shown that influenza vaccine is 70 to 90% effective in preventing flu in healthy adults younger than 65. In older people, children and those with chronic illnesses, the vaccine may not necessarily prevent influenza, but it can reduce the severity of the symptoms and the risk of complications if they do get sick. The Center for Disease Control recommends annual flu vaccinations for everybody over 6 months of age. Vaccination is recommended in the months of October and November, but is effective until December and later. The following groups are highly vulnerable to influenza and its complications and vaccination is very strongly recommended for them:
• People over 50 years of age.
• Children ages 6 months to 18 years who have to take aspirin regularly and therefore might be at risk for developing Reye’s syndrome if they get influenza.
• Children ages 6 months to 59 months.
• People with chronic heart or lung conditions, asthma, diabetes, kidney disease, hemoglobin abnormalities or a weakened immune system.
• Residents of nursing homes and other facilities.
• Healthy household contacts and caregivers of children up to 5 years old and people at high risk for severe complications from influenza
• Health care workers.
The Center for Disease Control has the following tips on how to prevent spreading the flu to friends and family if you have it:
• Avoid face-to-face contact with uninfected family members.
• Stay home from work, school and errands.
• Use a tissue to cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing and dispose it immediately.
• Wash your hands frequently with warm, soapy water for about 15 seconds to prevent spreading germs.
Contact your health care provider to get an influenza vaccination and get your flu armor up to fight the flu this season. |
