Truth Regarding Influenza
Influenza is an organism that mutates every year. These mutations make the flu more or
less virulent each year and necessitate a change in the flu vaccine to combat it. Influenza
can be a serious life threatening illness or it can be just equivalent to a bad cold. In 1918
influenza killed millions world-wide. Last year influenza was not as virulent, though it
was still a bad illness.
“I have the flu”, is a commonly used phrase in relation to viral illnesses. Viral
gastroenteritis that causes emesis and diarrhea is often incorrectly referred to as stomach
flu. A bad cold is also inaccurately called the flu. These illnesses should not be confused
with influenza A or B which is a much more serious and sometimes life-threatening
illness.
The flu usually begins abruptly, with a fever between 102 and 106°F. Other common
symptoms include a flushed face, body aches, chills, headache, nausea, and lack of
energy. Some people have dizziness or vomiting and diarrhea. The fever usually lasts
for a day or two, but can last 5 days. These symptoms usually totally incapacitate the
sufferer. Being out of school or work for a week to ten days is the norm, not the
exception.
Somewhere between day 2 and day 4 of the illness, the "whole body" symptoms begin
to subside, and respiratory symptoms begin to increase. The flu virus can settle
anywhere in the respiratory tract, producing symptoms of a cold, croup, sore throat,
bronchiolitis, ear infection, or pneumonia.
The most prominent of the respiratory symptoms is usually a dry, hacking cough. Most
people also develop a sore throat and headache. Nasal discharge (runny nose) and
sneezing are common. These symptoms (except the cough) usually disappear within 4
- 7 days. Sometimes, the fever returns. Cough and tiredness usually last for weeks after
the rest of the illness is over.
The most common way to catch the flu is by breathing in droplets from coughs or
sneezes. Less often, it is spread when you touch a surface such as a faucet handle or
phone that has the virus on it, and then touch your own mouth, nose, or eyes.
Symptoms appear 1 - 7 days later (usually within 2 - 3 days). Because the flu spreads
through the air and is very contagious, it often strikes a community all at once.
Tens of millions of people in the United States get the flu each year. Most get better
within a week or two, but thousands become sick enough to be hospitalized. About
36,000 people die each year from complications of the flu.
Anyone at any age can have serious complications from the flu, but those at highest
risk include: People over age 50, children between 6 months and 2 years, women more
than 3 months pregnant during the flu season, anyone living in a long-term care
facility, anyone with chronic heart, lung, or kidney conditions, diabetes, or weakened
immune system.
FLU SHOT INFORMATION
There are two types of flu vaccines: a flu shot and a nasal spray-type vaccine.
The flu shot contains killed (inactive) viruses, so it is not possible to get the flu from
this type of vaccine. However, some people do get a low-grade fever or achiness for
a day or two after the shot as their immune systems gear up to recognize the virus.
The flu shot is approved for people age 6 months and older.
A nasal spray-type flu vaccine called Flutist uses a live, weakened virus instead of a
dead one like the flu shot. It is approved for healthy people aged 2 to 49. The
vaccine helps the lining of the nose fight off actual viral infections. It should not be
used in those who have asthma or children under age 5 who have repeated wheezing
episodes.
Most people achieve protection from the flu approximately 2 weeks after receiving
the vaccine.
RISKS AND SIDE EFFECTS
Most people have no side effects from the flu shot. Soreness at the injection site or
minor aches and low grade fever may be present for several days.
Unlike the swine flu vaccine used in 1976, flu vaccines in recent years have shown
no association with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) in children, and an extremely
small increase in the risk of GBS in adults. This risk is far outweighed by the
number of severe flu cases prevented by immunization.
As is the case with any drug or vaccine, there is a rare possibility of allergic
reaction. Data indicates the flu vaccine does not harm the fetus when given to a
pregnant women, nor does it affect reproductive health.
We recommend that everyone older than 6 months get immunized against influenza
annually. While not everyone gets immunity to the influenza vaccine, and some
years the flu vaccine is not very effective; it is the best weapon we have against this
illness. If you consider being out of work or school for ten days and risking
exposing friends and family members to this illness, the vaccine and the minor side
effects you may get from it are inconsequential. Epidemiologists are warning us that
we are due to have a very virulent flu in the coming years. The last terribly virulent
influenza outbreak was in 1918. It killed millions of people. At that time society
shut down for 2 months. Schools and churches were closed. Assembly in groups
was prohibited. Our society about 100 years later is much more co-dependent. We
don’t live in an agrarian society any longer. Shipping would stop, stores would
close and commerce would shut down. It will be a major disaster when it occurs.
The best offense against a virulent flu is the flu shot. We highly encourage all
patients to protect themselves
References
American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases. Recommended
immunization schedules for children and adolescents -- United States, 2008.
Pediatrics. 2008 Jan;121(1):219-20.
Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP),
2008. MMWR. July 17, 2008/57(Early Release);1-60.
Recommended Immunization Schedule for Persons Aged 7-18 Years -- United
States, 2008. MMWR. October 19, 2007/56(41);Q1-Q4.
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Recommended adult immunization
schedule: United States, October 2007-September 2008. Ann Intern Med. 2007 Nov
20;147(10):725-9.
US Food and Drug Administration. FDA Approves Nasal Influenza Vaccine for Use
in Younger Children. Rockville, MD: National Press Office; September 19, 2007.