Influenza virus

Introduction

Influenza is a viral infection that attacks your respiratory system  like your nose, throat and lungs. Influenza is commonly called the flu, but it's not the same as stomach "flu" viruses that cause diarrhea and vomiting.

For most people, the flu resolves on its own. But sometimes, influenza and its complications can be deadly. People at higher risk of developing flu complications include:

• Young children under age 5, and especially those under 6 months
• Adults older than age 65
• Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
• Pregnant women and women up to two weeks after giving birth
• People with weakened immune systems
• Native Americans
• People who have chronic illnesses, such as asthma, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease and diabetes
• People who are very obese, with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher

Though the annual influenza vaccine isn't 100% effective, it's still your best defense against the flu.

Transmission

People who contract influenza are most infective between the second and third days after infection, and infectivity lasts for around ten days. Children are much more infectious than adults and shed virus from just before they develop symptoms until two weeks after infection. The transmission of influenza can be modeled mathematically, which helps predict how the virus will spread in a population.

Influenza can be spread in three main ways:

• by direct transmission (when an infected person sneezes mucus directly into the eyes, nose or mouth of another person);

Symptoms

influenza can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Flu is different from a cold. Flu usually comes on suddenly. People who have flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:

• fever or feeling feverish/chills
• cough
• sore throat
• runny or stuffy nose
• muscle or body aches
• headaches
• fatigue (tiredness)
• some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

prevention

Reasonably effective ways to reduce the transmission of influenza include good personal health and hygiene habits such as: not touching your eyes, nose or mouth. frequent hand washing (with soap and water, or with alcohol-based hand rubs) covering coughs and sneezes; avoiding close contact with sick people; and staying home yourself if you are sick. Avoiding spitting is also recommended.^[16]

Although face masks might help prevent transmission when caring for the sick, there is mixed evidence on beneficial effects in the community. Smoking raises the risk of contracting influenza, as well as producing more severe disease symptoms

Regards

Billie

Managing Editor

Journal of Infectious diseases and treatment