Sometimes we don't feel well. We might have a fever, runny nose, sneeze, cough, a headache. We are wondering what is wrong? One of the possible reasons is that we might have INFLUENZA, or commonly known as FLU or GRIPPE. It is important to understand is it dangerous, contagious, or can be prevented? Or to know how to protect from it or how to treat it? Some other information about influenza also might be helpful to us.
In this lesson, we are going to learn about INFLUENZA, and we are going to understand:
Influenza is an infectious and highly contagious disease caused by influenza viruses. Influenza is commonly called the flu, but it's not the same as stomach "flu" viruses that cause diarrhea and vomiting. Influenza viruses attack the respiratory system - the nose, throat, and lungs. They spread when people infected with the virus cough, sneeze, or talk, sending the virus into the air and potentially into the mouths or noses of people who are nearby. Influenza viruses sometimes cause mild illness, but they can also be serious or even deadly, for older people, pregnant women, newborn babies, or people with certain chronic illnesses.
People usually wonder how long it takes to get sick after being exposed and how long they are contagious when they have it.
The typical flu incubation period (the time between exposure and the start of symptoms) is between 24 hours and four days, with the average being two days.
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. So sometimes the virus is spread before someone knows that has it.
There are four types of influenza viruses, A, B, C, and D.
The two main types of influenza (flu) virus are Types A and B. The influenza A and B viruses that routinely spread in people (human influenza viruses) are responsible for seasonal flu epidemics each year.
Type A influenza is more common than type B influenza. Researchers suggest that most adults have considerable immunity against type B influenza. Also, type A influenza is generally considered worse than type B influenza, and that is because the symptoms are often more severe in type A influenza than in type B influenza.
The A viruses cause the great influenza epidemics, and the B viruses cause smaller localized outbreaks. The C viruses cause only mild respiratory illnesses in humans. Influenza D viruses have been observed only in pigs and cattle, and are not known to infect humans.
When the influenza virus is spread among many people around us, we usually say, take care, it is "flu season". What does that mean?
Flu season is actually an annually recurring time period characterized by the prevalence of an outbreak of influenza. The season occurs during the cold half of the year in each hemisphere, or from October to March in the northern hemisphere and April to September in the southern hemisphere. In tropical and subtropical countries, seasonal influenza can happen all year round. Influenza activity can sometimes be predicted and even tracked geographically.
The best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccine every year. But it's also important to have good health habits. Some of them are:
Most of the people with the flu recover without medical care within a week. Drinking water and having rest are very important during recovery. Taking vitamins and the use of fever reducers also might be helpful. People should contact their health care provider when having flu symptoms.
But if someone has symptoms of flu and is in a high-risk group or is very sick or worried about the illness, should immediately contact the health care provider.
Flue can be treated with antiviral medicines. Antiviral medicines can make the illness milder and shorten the duration. They also can prevent serious flu complications. Antiviral medicines work best when you start taking them within 2 days of getting sick. It is important to note that antibiotics are not effective against influenza viruses.
