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Flu Basics
from Your 2005-2006 Flu Prevention Guide
What Is the Flu?
Influenza–often called the flu–is a highly contagious illness caused by
viruses that spread when infected people cough or sneeze When you breathe
airborne flu viruses through your mouth or nose, they settle in your
throat, lungs, and the rest of your respiratory system
Its also possible though uncommon to become infected by touching an
object that has viruses on it, like a telephone or doorknob, and then
touching your nose or mouth
The flu can make people of all ages seriously ill Symptoms include high
fever, extreme tiredness, headache, dry cough, sore throat, muscle aches,
and more Children may also get nausea, diarrhea and vomiting Flu may
lead to bronchitis and pneumonia, or asthma, diabetes, lung and heart
problems, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD and
congestive heart failure
Flu causes about 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths each year in
the US Depending upon which flu virus strains are circulating, the
disease sickens from five percent to 20 percent of the people in the US
annually during the fall and winter flu season The viruses may be active
from October to
May
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC and the
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices ACIP, the best way to
prevent flu and protect yourself and others from serious complications is
to get an annual flu vaccination Getting vaccinated before the end of the
calendar year offers the best protection against the flu, which often peaks
in February
Two types of vaccines are available in the US One is inactivated killed
and given as an injection; the other is a live attenuated weakened nasal-
spray vaccine Protection develops two weeks after vaccination Both types
reduce flu risk, but the nasal spray is only approved for healthy people,
ages five to 49, with no chronic conditions or other risks including
pregnancy
A word of caution: If you are allergic to eggs, have ever had an allergic
reaction to flu vaccine, have ever had Guillain-Barré Syndrome, or have a
current illness, consult your health care professional before receiving
either vaccine
Who Is at Risk?
Anyone can get the flu The virus is highly contagious and may spread from
person to person before symptoms appear and up to five days afterwards
Children may be infectious for 10 days or more
Smoking increases your risk
of flu infection and mortality
Because flu thrives in close quarters, such as schools, children are more
likely to become infected than adults Yet older people and very young
children are more likely to be hospitalized or die from flu-related causes
People who work in close physical spaces with others who are infectious,
such as in office cubicles, or travel on crowded public transportation, may
be exposed to influenza viruses easily So are those who sleep and live in
tight quarters with individuals who may be infected, such as in shelters,
nursing homes or college dormitories
People in the following groups are at high risk for developing flu
complications and should receive a flu vaccine every year:
Anyone aged 65 or older
Residents of nursing homes, assisted-living and other care facilities
for those with medical conditions
Anyone of any age with asthma, COPD, anemia, or other chronic lung,
heart, kidney or blood disorder
Anyone with diabetes, renal dysfunction or other chronic metabolic
disease
Anyone with a weakened immune system, either from medication, cancer
treatment or disease such as
HIV/AIDS
Anyone with cognitive dysfunction, spinal cord injury, seizure
disorder or other neuromuscular problem which could compromise
breathing
Children, from six months to 18 years old, who are taking aspirin as
long-term therapy flu infection could cause Reyes syndrome
Women who are pregnant during flu season
Babies and toddlers, aged six to 23 months
Its also very important for those who could spread flu to high-risk
individuals to be immunized They include:
Household members and contacts adults and children
Health care and day care workers
Any caregiver of the elderly or the very young
Caregivers for people with weakened immune systems flu shot preferred
over nasal spray
Flu vaccinations are also recommended for:
Anyone aged 50 to 64 because many in this group have developing
chronic medical conditions
Anyone wanting to avoid getting the flu one New England Journal of
Medicine study of healthy working adults showed those receiving the
vaccine had 43 percent fewer days of sick leave from work
Those providing essential community services
Dormitory and shelter
residents, or others living in crowded
conditions
Travelers to the Southern hemisphere between April and September, or
to the tropics or in those traveling in tour groups
A word of caution: If you are allergic to eggs, have ever had an allergic
reaction to flu vaccine, have ever had Guillain-Barré syndrome, or have a
current illness, consult your health care professional before receiving
either vaccine
For more information, visit http://wwwcdcgov/flu
Signs and Symptoms of Flu
How do you know if you have the flu influenza or just a cold? Both affect
your respiratory system and have similar symptoms However, there are
significant differences in the severity of each illness and their potential
to cause serious complications or death:
A cold creeps up on you, little by little It might start with sneezing,
then move on to a sore throat, or achy muscles You might not feel great,
but–armed with enough tissues–you can still pursue most daily activities
The flu strikes quickly, often with debilitating exhaustion Flu usually
makes you too sick and weak to go to work, school, or even to leave your
bed
With the flu, youll often have a high fever 102-104F that may
last as
long as four days, an intense headache, strong aches and pains, overall
weakness, and a serious dry cough In addition, you could suffer chills, a
runny or stuffy nose, and eye pain And, after most flu symptoms have
passed, fatigue can still linger
When you have a cold, you rarely have a fever or headache and fatigue is
mild Sneezing, a stuffed nose and sore throat are common with a cold, but
less so with the flu
And the time frame is different for the two illnesses: A cold may last only
a few days, but the flu can make you miserable for two weeks or more
Although people talk about having a stomach flu, adults dont have
stomach-related symptoms with the disease Stomach flu isnt influenza–
its a gastrointestinal disorder
Flu is usually diagnosed based upon symptoms and a physical exam If your
symptoms fit those of other patients becoming ill during the time when flu
is in your community, your doctor can presume that you have one of the
current strains of flu
Because flu symptoms are sometimes similar to those of viral illnesses such
as Respiratory Syncytial Virus RSV and Parainfluenza, as well as
bacterial conditions such as bronchitis and pneumonia, you may receive
more
sophisticated diagnostic testing if needed Lab tests based on viral swabs
of your nasal passages or throat, or blood tests, can confirm whether you
have the flu
Annual vaccinations reduce or prevent your risk of getting the flu As of
yet, there are no effective vaccines for RSV or parainfluenza, although
research continues
Flu Pastand Future
You may have heard from older relatives, or learned in history books, about
the catastrophic 1918 influenza epidemic known as the Spanish flu
It was the fastest-moving, most lethal influenza outbreak in recorded
history, resulting in at least 500,000 US deaths and killing more than 50
million people worldwide More than half of those who died were healthy
people, aged 18 to 40
Such disease outbreaks are called pandemics because they cover the entire
world and affect many people There were two other influenza pandemics in
the 20th century, the Asian flu in 1957-1958 and the Hong Kong flu in 1968-
1969 Together, they left at least 100,000 dead in the US
Although modern flu vaccines and antiviral medications better protect
public health, an average of about 36,000 people still die from flu-related
causes in the US every year Thats the
result of an average flu season,
not a pandemic Worldwide, the fatality rate may be 20 times higher or
more
Experts are concerned that new flu strains, appearing in bird and animal
populations, may threaten humans with a new pandemic Some even consider
such an event inevitable, fueled by a growing world population, increased
foreign travel, and immunization levels that are still low among many
people, despite flu being a vaccine-preventable disease
How can each of us help lower the incidence and risks of flu outbreaks and
pandemics in the future?
Get a flu vaccination every fall, particularly if you are high risk
for suffering flu complications Remember, if you are allergic to
eggs, have ever had an allergic reaction to flu vaccine, have ever had
Guillain-Barré Syndrome, or have a current illness, you need to
consult your health care professional before receiving a flu
vaccination
Urge your relatives, friends and co-workers to get the vaccine every
year
Be sure to vaccinate children over six months of age in your family as
well as adults
When you hear a flu myth being repeated as if its a fact, set the
record straight
Stop the spread of flu viruses and other infectious germs:
Frequently wash your hands with soap and warm water, or use an
alcohol-based hand cleaner
If you cough or sneeze, use a tissue to cover your mouth and nose
When you dont have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper
sleeve–not into your hands
Throw used tissues into the trash
Wash hands after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth this reduces the chance
that infection will enter your body
Stay home when youre sick
Avoid close contact with sick people when possible
2005 National Womens Health Resource Center, Inc NWHRC All rights
reserved Reprinted with permission from the NWHRC 1-877-986-9472 toll-
free On the Web at: wwwhealthywomenorg
Source:eou.edu
