INFLUENZA
By Heart Hatchet
Influenza
Influenza, also commonly known as Flu, is an illness of the breathing system (respiratory system) and muscles caused by a virus. Flu is highly contagious and able to cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Certain people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications. Flu is easily spread through air, water and also objects. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick. Children may pass the virus for longer than 7 days. Symptoms start 1 to 4 days after the virus enters the body. In this case, the patient could already carry the virus and spread it before he/she fell sick. Meanwhile, there are some individual that can be infected by flu virus but have no symptom.
2.0 Causes
Straight-forwardly, influenza is caused by its’ viruses. Three types of viruses exist: A. B and C. Types A and B cause epidemics of severe respiratory illnesses, known as "the flu; whereas type C delivers a mild illness that not associated with epidemics. Influenza viruses continually transform over time, usually by mutation (change in the viral RNA). This constant changing frequently enables the virus to avoid the immune system of the host (humans, birds, and other animals) so that the host is susceptible to changing influenza virus infections throughout life. In other word, the antibodies will not detect the virus from time to time. For instance, influenza virus A (H1N1) had cause a major illness in the spring of 2009, where almost no individual has the antibodies to recognize this modified virus.
3.0 Symptoms
The symptoms of flu normally appear in sudden, such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache and etc. Most people who get influenza will recover in a few days to less than two weeks, and no longer suffer from the symptoms; but some people will develop complications (such as pneumonia) as a result of the flu, some of which can be life-threatening and result in death.
4.0 Treatment
Symptomatically, the flu is treated with rest and fluids. The patient has to increase consuming of water, especially water which contains adequate electrolytes (sodium and potassium) that the body requires. Commercially available products such as Gatorade and other similar sports drinks can be useful in this regard. Besides, warm shower and warm compresses, especially in the nasal area, can reduce the body aches and reduce nasal congestion. Particular drugs for fever and cough might be necessary sometimes.
5.0 Prevention
The most effective way is by getting the influenza vaccine (the flu shot). With a simple shot and a little bit of soreness, a person who is vaccinated less likely to get flu compare to those without vaccine, approximately 60% protection by the vaccine. Besides, there are plenty of control methods in order to prevent flu, such as wearing mask, watching hands, and stop smoking. In other words, tightly control exposure to flu.
Nobody escapes from flu before, even myself suffering from flu since I were young. Influenze may looks simple, as many of us take it as "not a big deal", somehow it is the sixth leading cause of death among American adults. Every year, about 36,000 people die from influenza, and 114,000 people are hospitalized. It may not an impressive numbers compare to other diseases, but again, simple and dealy.
Influenza, also commonly known as Flu, is an illness of the breathing system (respiratory system) and muscles caused by a virus. Flu is highly contagious and able to cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Certain people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications. Flu is easily spread through air, water and also objects. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick. Children may pass the virus for longer than 7 days. Symptoms start 1 to 4 days after the virus enters the body. In this case, the patient could already carry the virus and spread it before he/she fell sick. Meanwhile, there are some individual that can be infected by flu virus but have no symptom.
2.0 Causes
Straight-forwardly, influenza is caused by its’ viruses. Three types of viruses exist: A. B and C. Types A and B cause epidemics of severe respiratory illnesses, known as "the flu; whereas type C delivers a mild illness that not associated with epidemics. Influenza viruses continually transform over time, usually by mutation (change in the viral RNA). This constant changing frequently enables the virus to avoid the immune system of the host (humans, birds, and other animals) so that the host is susceptible to changing influenza virus infections throughout life. In other word, the antibodies will not detect the virus from time to time. For instance, influenza virus A (H1N1) had cause a major illness in the spring of 2009, where almost no individual has the antibodies to recognize this modified virus.
3.0 Symptoms
The symptoms of flu normally appear in sudden, such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache and etc. Most people who get influenza will recover in a few days to less than two weeks, and no longer suffer from the symptoms; but some people will develop complications (such as pneumonia) as a result of the flu, some of which can be life-threatening and result in death.
4.0 Treatment
Symptomatically, the flu is treated with rest and fluids. The patient has to increase consuming of water, especially water which contains adequate electrolytes (sodium and potassium) that the body requires. Commercially available products such as Gatorade and other similar sports drinks can be useful in this regard. Besides, warm shower and warm compresses, especially in the nasal area, can reduce the body aches and reduce nasal congestion. Particular drugs for fever and cough might be necessary sometimes.
5.0 Prevention
The most effective way is by getting the influenza vaccine (the flu shot). With a simple shot and a little bit of soreness, a person who is vaccinated less likely to get flu compare to those without vaccine, approximately 60% protection by the vaccine. Besides, there are plenty of control methods in order to prevent flu, such as wearing mask, watching hands, and stop smoking. In other words, tightly control exposure to flu.
Nobody escapes from flu before, even myself suffering from flu since I were young. Influenze may looks simple, as many of us take it as "not a big deal", somehow it is the sixth leading cause of death among American adults. Every year, about 36,000 people die from influenza, and 114,000 people are hospitalized. It may not an impressive numbers compare to other diseases, but again, simple and dealy.
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