Flu

Flu's disease overview

influenza is a viral infectious disease that attacks the respiratory system of patients - nose, throat and lungs. For most people, the flu will go away on their own. But sometimes, the flu and its complications can be fatal in those at high risk of flu complications such as:

  • Children under 5 years old and especially children under 2 years old

    • Adults over 65 years old

  • Patients in the Nursing Hospital
  • Pregnant women and women two weeks after birth

    • People with weak immune systems

    People with chronic diseases such as asthma, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease and diabetes

    Those who are very obese, have a body mass index (BMI) from 40 and above

    Although the influenza vaccine is 100%ineffective, this is still the best way to prevent influenza if injected every year.

    Causes of Flu's disease

    The cause of the influenza is due to the influenza virus, this virus continuously varies with new strains that appear frequently. The shell of the virus is essentially glycoprotein, consisting of two types of antigens, Hemaglutinin, there are 15 types and neutralized antigens N (neuraminidase) have 9 types. When the combination of these antigens is different to create different types of the type of influenza virus A. During the circulation, 2 antigens H and N are always changing, especially antigens H. Continuous minor change is called antigenic drift, which causes small and medium -sized epidemics. As small changes and gradually accumulate into major changes, creating a new type of antigen, it is due to the recombination between animal and flu virus strains. These new type of antigen fertilizer will cause global influenza pandemic.

    Symptoms of Flu's disease

    Initially, the influenza seemed like a common cold with runny nose, sneezing and sore throat. But colds often grow slowly, while the flu tends to appear suddenly. People often call the flu disease, but these two diseases are different but because they are easily confused due to the similar symptoms, often the patient self -treatment according to oral experience but rarely go to the hospital. .

    Typical symptoms of the flu include:

  • Fever above 38 degrees Celsius
  • Muscle pain
  • chills
  • Headache

    • Astonious cough tired

  • Nasal congestion
  • Sore throat

    • Transmission route of Flu's diseaseFlu

    The influenza virus moves in the air in the water droplets caused by people with the flu when coughing, sneezing or talking. Others can inhale directly or you can infect the virus by touching the surface -stick objects on the surface such as a phone or computer keyboard, then put your hand on the eyes, nose or mouth, from which humans Healthy infected flu.

    People at risk for Flu's disease

    Factors can increase the ability to develop influenza or its complications include:

  • Age. Young children and the elderly are at high risk
  • Living or working conditions. People who live or work in crowded places such as nursing homes or military barracks ... are more likely to get the flu.
  • Weak immune system. Cancer treatment, anti -waste drugs, corticosteroids and HIV/AIDS can weaken the patient's immune system, when the body protection mechanism is weaker, it is easier to get the flu and increase the risk muscle developing complications of influenza.

    • Chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes or heart problems, may increase the risk of flu complications.

    Pregnant. Pregnant women are more likely to develop flu complications, especially in 6 months of pregnancy.

    Obesity (BMI> 40 and above).

    Prevention of Flu's disease

    Influenza vaccine:

    The US disease control and prevention center (CDC) recommends annual influenza vaccination for everyone from 6 months of age.

    The influenza vaccine will protect the person injected from three or four types of influenza viruses that are the most common circulating in the flu season. Currently, in addition to the type of injection, the flu vaccine has a nasal spray. However, the nasal spray has not been recommended for a number of groups of pregnant women, children from 2 to 4 years old with asthma or wheezing and those who are damaged by the immune system. Most flu vaccines contain a small amount of egg protein. If you have mild allergies to eggs like urticaria when eating eggs, it is still possible to vaccinate the flu without any other preventive measures. On the contrary, if an allergic to severe eggs, if an injection is injected, only injected at a medical facility can afford to be emergency in case the injection person has an overcurrent response to the influenza vaccine. >Limiting the spread of the influenza vaccine ineffectively, so it is important to take measures to reduce the spread of infection:

  • Wash your hands. Washing hands properly and regularly is an effective way to prevent many common infections. Or use an alcohol -containing hand disinfectant if there is no soap and water.
  • Cover the mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing. To avoid contaminating the hands, cough or sneeze in a tissue or into the elbow area.
  • Avoid the crowd. The influenza spreads easily wherever people gather such as kindergartens, schools, offices, public areas, by avoiding crowded places when the influenza season is peak

    • Diagnostic measures for Flu's disease

    The doctor will conduct physical examinations, search for symptoms of the flu and may require a test to detect flu virus. The most commonly used test is called rapid test to detect antigens to search for the antigen of the flu on the sample of the specimen taken from the patient's nose or chosen. These tests can provide results for about 15 minutes. However, the results are very different and not always accurate. The doctor may diagnose the flu based on symptoms, although the results may be negative.

    Flu's disease treatments

  • Medicine. Typically, patients with influenza only need to rest and drink plenty of water to treat the flu. But in some cases, the doctor may prescribe an anti-virus drug, such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or Zanamivir (Relenza). These drugs help reduce the symptoms of the flu faster and help prevent serious complications.
  • drink lots of liquids like juice and warm soup to avoid dehydration due to fever.
  • rest. Sleep more to help the patient's immune system against virus infection.
  • Consider using painkillers. Use non -prescription painkillers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce the pain caused by the flu.

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