Influenza
What is Influenza?
Influenza, or Flu as it has come to be know, is a viral infection which can be past through either the air or by coming into contact with an individual who is infected. It is a seasonal virus, being most prevalent during the winter months between October and May but it is not uncommon to catch it outside of this season. There are at present three type classifications of the virus, these are types A, B and C. Type A, the most sever of the three is also unfortunately the most common with large scale outbreaks running every two to three years. Type B, second in its severity, is not as common as type A, with outbreaks every four to five years. Last but not least there is type C, which posses symptoms similar to that of the common cold.
How common is influenza?
With wide-spread outbreaks every few years influenza is a condition we have all come into contact with at multiple points throughout our lives. Due to the nature of the virus and how it is spread, either air born or through physical contact, it is no uncommon for entire workforces being effect with many offices unwittingly incubating the virus, and helping it spread. Within the UK it is thought that some 10-15% of the population as a whole will suffer with this illness each year with the toll of deaths arising from complications during a spell of flu being in the thousands within this country alone.
What are the symptoms of influenza?
Commonly lasting between three and five days, influenza can be characterised by an array of symptoms suffered by someone who has caught the virus. These symptoms, which do not necessarily include all of the following depending on which strain you have been infected with or the level of protection your own immune system provides against the virus, including headache, fever, loss of appetite, muscle and joint aches, chest pains, vomiting or diarrhoea, chest pain as well as chills and shivering.
What are the risks associated with influenza?
Flu, or Influenza to give it its proper name, can in rare cases cause several serious or life threatening conditions. These conditions, which are relatively rare with only venerable people such as those advancing in years or who have a pre-existing condition which has weakened their body and immune system, include nerve damage and pneumonia which can often lead to death if untreated, Those who can be categorised as a member of one or more of these vulnerable groups are advised to seek immunisation against the virus annually, but with ever changing and more resilient strains of the virus mutating all the time this method of protection is by no means a guarantee that you will not suffer with influenza during the high point of its seasonally tour.
How is influenza treated?
There are several treatment options to get you through the Flu. These include over the counter remedies, which work to target the symptoms of the condition so that you can carry on as close to normal as possible, as well as prescription treatments which actively attack the virus preventing its spread and survival within a carrier. Popular over the counter remedies, sold as ‘cold and flu’ medicines, only combat the symptoms on influenza infection and do not have any active effect on the virus itself. There is also strong advice from medical professionals that these products should be avoided if at all possible as this form of treatment will very likely prolong the lifespan of the virus by a few days. If you are looking for a treatment to fight the virus and not just the symptoms you will need to turn to a prescription drug therapy, such as Tamiflu. Manufacturer by Roche, Tamiflu is by far the best treatment for influenza as well as the H5N1 stand of the virus, otherwise known as Avian or bird flu, which only Tamiflu has been successful in fighting. This treatment works by inhibiting the enzyme neuraminidase, which is used by the virus to copy and reproduce its self. With this chemical inhibited the virus is not able to spread to other cells within the body, so is rendered useless by the drug.