Fight against flu

Flu is a small but potentially deadly word when we derive what it means. Flu is a contagious respiratory disease caused by the influenza virus. The onset of flu usually occurs during the last week of October and lasts until late April or early May.

Flu can be categorized into three types:

Type A -a potentially severe illness that easily spreads throughout a population, even
Type B -generally less severe and tends to affect fewer people.
Type C -not considered clinically relevant because it causes very mild symptoms.
Every year, type A and type B influenza viruses affect thousands of people who get infected by it. The patients usually suffer mild to serious illness, but sometimes it can also lead to death. Therefore, the threat we face against this disease is quite real.

For healthy people, the potential threat of flu is quite limited. But, young children, old people and those suffering from certain health conditions are at high risk from serious flu complications.

Symptoms of flu The symptoms of flu include - high fever, headache, tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose and muscle aches. Other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea also occur, but these are more common in children.

How it spreads Flu is a highly-contagious disease and it spreads in respiratory droplets caused by coughing or sneezing. The virus usually spreads from person to person; however, sometimes people also become infected by touching something with the flu virus on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

Prevention The best way to prevent flu is to get vaccinated each year. The immune system can easily fight off the flu virus that you have been vaccinated against, but because the influenza virus changes its genetic make up each year, it is advisable to get the shots regularly.

Flu can also be prevented to an extent by following good health habits such as, covering the mouth and nose while coughing and sneezing, keeping clean by washing hands regularly and by avoiding contact with the infected patients.

Medication Medication also plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of influenza. The antiviral drugs that have been approved for use in preventing the flu are Amantadine, Rimantadine, and Tamiflu. These are prescription drugs and a doctor should be consulted before taking them.

Flu, though not mostly severe, can be deadly in certain conditions. Hence, it is better to be prepared for it by getting vaccinated regularly. Especially, when it comes to young children, old people and those suffering from certain health conditions, there can be no second opinion. Hopefully technology and science will make the influenza virus extinct someday. But till then, take guard. Remember, "Prevention is better than cure."