Common symptoms of flu: • Fever (unusually high) • Extreme fatigue • Sore throat • Stomach symptoms • Headache • Dry cough • Stuffy nose • Muscle aches
Treatment
Since flu symptoms vary, treatment focuses on the individual concerns. Symptomatic relief care including rest, fluids and pain management is most common. Complications of flu can include bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, dehydration and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma or diabetes.
Prevention
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the single best way to prevent the flu is to get a vaccination each year.
There are two types of influenza vaccines available. Consult with your doctor to find out which one best meets your needs.
The flu vaccine is inactivated virus which is injected. This shot is approved for use in people 6 months of age and older, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions.
The nasal-spray flu vaccine is made with live, weakened flu viruses that do not cause the flu (sometimes called LAIV for Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine). LAIV is approved for use in healthy people 2-49 years of age, but not for pregnant women.
Approximately two weeks after vaccination, antibodies develop that protect against influenza virus infection. Flu vaccines will not protect against flu-like illnesses caused by non-influenza viruses.
Yearly flu vaccination should begin in September, or as soon as the vaccine is available. The flu season can last as late as May. The timing and duration of flu seasons vary. While flu season can begin as early as October, most of the time seasonal flu activity peaks in the months of January or February.
H1N1-SWINE FLU
The H1N1 flu, often called Swine Flu, isn’t related to pigs. It is a relatively new virus circulating among people. First seen in April 2009, the H1N1 flu virus has gone on to become a worldwide pandemic.
Children should get urgent medical attention if they have trouble breathing, bluish skin color, are not drinking enough fluids, are not waking up, or not interacting. Medical care is also necessary in children who have severe or persistent vomiting, display flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and a worsening cough, or have fever with a rash. Lastly, any child having a seizure or sudden mental or behavioral change should seek medical care immediately.
Adults should seek urgent medical care if they have trouble breathing, dizziness, chest pain or confusion. Additional times to seek care are in the case of severe or persistent vomiting or flu-like symptoms that improve, but come back with worsening fever or cough.
Transmission
The Swine Flu virus apparently spreads just like regular flu. You can pick up germs directly from an infected person or by touching an object that person recently touched, then touching your eyes, mouth or nose, delivering germs for your own infection. That is why you should make a habit of washing your hands; even when you are not ill. According to the CDC, Flu germs can start spreading up to 1 day before symptoms start and for up to seven days after getting sick.
The World Health Organization is no longer keeping count of people sickened by H1N1 Swine Flu and is concentrating instead on unusual cases that may arise. The CDC is also de-emphasizing case counts. Instead, it is reporting where and when there are unusually high numbers of flu cases.
The severity of cases in the current swine flu pandemic has varied widely. Most U.S. cases have been mild, but
15 The Basics
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101
