FLU

Flu or influenza is a medical condition where then flu virus infects the upper airways and lungs of a person. Flu viruses are of three types – A, B as well as C.

Flu is characterised by a sudden high fever with general pains and aches. The person who has flu will tend to have nausea, appetite loss and harsh and dry cough. The symptoms reach the peak after three days. The person slowly recovers within eight days. But the cough as well as tiredness tends to be there for almost three weeks.

Flu is communicable in nature as it spread through saliva droplets that are let out when the infected person sneezes or coughs.

Symptoms

Flu affects the upper respiratory tracts of the persons. The symptoms associated with flu are:

• sudden fever of about 100 to 104 degree Fahrenheit
• a feverish feeling
• sweating
• general muscle pains and aches
• a feeling of general tiredness
• sneezing
• a very dry and chesty cough
• running nose or blocked nose as well as
• difficulty in sleeping.

If babies or small children have been infected with flu, they develop the symptoms given below.

• lethargy – being unresponsive, drowsy or floppy
• very poor feeding
• nausea
• vomiting as well as
• diarrhoea.

Even though flu has symptoms similar to that of common cold, a person having flu does not have the same heavy headed feeling that is felt during common cold.

Causes

Flu virus is of three kinds – A, B, C.

Flu A is the most frequently occurring type of flu. The infection cause by this type is more severe than that caused by type B. The mutation is very frequent in Type A and the strains of this type are not resistant. These are termed as pandemics. The new strains of virus A type cause this.

Flu B is less severe and the immunity to this type of flu remains for a long number of years, once the person is infected with this infection. Flu B is normally found in children of the age group of five to sixteen.

Flu C is very mild and is very much like common cold.

Treatment

If a person healthy, then he requires only care at home when infected with flu. Antibiotics are used only if the person develops pneumonia or any other chest infections.

The person who is infected with flu must stay back at home for two to three days till he gets over the peak of the symptoms and take proper rest. He should take lots of fluids. The symptoms of flu must be given medication.

Antiviral medicines are drugs that are used for fighting against flu virus. Even though it does not cure the infection, the time span and severity of the symptoms can be reduced.

The two drugs that are used are

• Zanamivir
• oseltamivir

These drugs prevent the multiplication of type A and type B virus in the infected person’s body.

Amantadine is a drug that is used only for type A virus.