Cause of Influenza

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Influenza, or in short flu, is caused by several viruses. The influenza virus can easily be transmitted from one person to another by the cough or sneeze of an infected person. Besides, influenza virus belongs to the type of virus that is constantly changing. Owing to this reason, every year, a new influenza vaccine needs to be prepared against the specific year?s existing viral strains.

During the flu season, lasting between November and March (winter), the virus is capable of infecting millions of people simultaneously, through its contagious nature, thus finally resulting in an epidemic.

Features of the Flu Virus

The flu virus is normally round in shape, but it may also be elongated or irregular in shape sometimes, due to its changeability. The flu virus has eight segments of single-stranded Ribonucleic acid (RNA), which possesses the genetic instructions for the virus to make new copies. A remarkable feature of the flu virus is the layer of spikes propelling from the surface. The spikes are of two different types. One type is the protein called HA (hemagglutinin) allowing the virus to adhere to a cell surface to start the infection process. The other type is the NA (neuraminidase) helping the newly produced viruses to break the host cell and exit.

Complications of Influenza

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Influenza has been found to have various complications. Pneumonia is one of the major complications of flu. It normally develops in five days after the viral infection starts. But this is generally a rare occurrence and develops only in people with weak immune system or other vulnerable people. This can be of two types. One is bacterial pneumonia, which is caused by a bacterium. Here, both the bacteria and the virus affects simultaneously. Bacteria like pneumococci are responsible. The second type is the viral pneumonia caused by the flu virus itself. This can spread to the lungs later.

Whatever may be the type, the infected person is subjected to worsened cough, constant or chronic fever, difficulty in breathing, and blood sputum sometimes. Pneumonia occurs frequently in old people or people already with lung or kidney or heart disease. Nearly 7% of old people need to be hospitalized on developing influenza, in which nearly 1-4% die. Young people who have chronic illnesses are also prone to develop complications.

Bronchiolitis is another complication. It is a condition where the bronchioles of the lungs are swollen. It usually affects children less than 2 years old and is the major cause for lower respiratory illnesses especially in infants.

Dietary Supplements to fight Flu

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Most of the people prefer to take dietary supplements in order to fight flu especially in the flu season. This article highlights the dietary supplements which can be essential to prevent many illnesses like flu and cold. Four of the main dietary supplements are

? Vitamin C Supplements

Vitamins on the whole are essential for the maintenance of health. Among the vitamins, vitamin C plays an important role in enhancing the immune system and keeping the immune system healthy. Vitamin C in addition to some other nutrients like fiber and antioxidants is obtained from fruits and vegetables. The additional nutrients are not available in the dietary supplements. However, there is no proven evidence that vitamin C consumption prevents illnesses like flu. But it is generally essential to take dietary supplements in case of the lack of fruits and vegetables to get enough quantities of vitamin C needed by the body.

? Zinc Supplements

Effectiveness of Homeopathic Treatment for Influenza

Related Information: Influenza, homeopathic remedies, natural cures

Seasonal influenza has been a deadly disease in the US, affecting both the young and the older people. Healthy people are capable of fighting off the illness through a flu virus. WHO has estimated that pandemics have been common in every 50 years. In such periods, the people being affected with flu are large in number and as well the symptoms are also very severe. This article analyses whether homeopathic treatment for flu could have been of any help at such periods.

Before going into the topic, it is essential to recognize that homeopathic treatment is not similar to traditional medicine, herbal treatment, holistic healing, conventional medicine or any other treatment. According to Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), the homeopathic treatment for any disease involves the determination of a substance which is capable of bringing the same symptoms in a healthy individual that an infected individual experiences, dilution of this substance in water, till nothing else remains except for water.

Flu Medicine

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There are four different medications which is used in the treatment of influenza especially. They include

? Tamiflu (oseltamivir)
? Symmetrel (amantadine)
? Flumadine (rimantadine)
? Relenza (zanamivir)

All these four medications are available only through prescription. They help in prevention as well as treatment of the influenza disease. In prevention mode, the drugs are to be taken a minimum of two weeks before the onset of the flu outbreak or flu season in the community. In treatment mode, the drugs help in lowering the flu symptoms significantly and also the duration matters.

Flu shot or vaccine is the nest known preventive measure against influenza, but there are also some drugs which can do the same job at times. The first three drugs namely Tamiflu, Symmetrel and Flumadine can be used from the age of just one year, meaning that even children can take it.

Home Remedies for Influenza

Related Information: Remedies for influenza, natral cure, home remedies for influenza

Influenza is a disease with the most common symptoms as chills, headache, fever, muscle aches and extreme fatigue. It is caused by infection of influenza virus. The infection of the virus affects nose, throat, lungs, ears and eyes. It normally results in inflammation of nose and throat spreading to the lungs later. There are some home remedies that will prove effective in treating flu naturally without any drug option.

? Pepper is a food ingredient in many of our dishes. It can help treat flu problems. The powder of long pepper needs to be mixed thoroughly with two tea spoons of honey and half a tea spoon of ginger juice. This mixture on consumption provides effective relief for influenza problems.
? Garlic and ginger can be used in a similar fashion for naturally treating influenza.
? The fever symptoms of influenza can be reduced to a larger extent by consuming a mixture of one tea spoon of ginger juice in a cup of honey and fenugreek decoction.

How is influenza diagnosed?

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Normally, a doctor can diagnose influenza infection through some of its typical symptoms like fever, headaches, cough, chills and body aches. In addition, there are numerous tests to detect flu infection. Rapid tests, otherwise called antigen detection tests, can identify and diagnose influenza but cannot differentiate the flu type.

Fluorescent antibody test helps in not only diagnosing but also differentiating the type of flu infection in addition to other respiratory viruses. The differentiation is needed since there are three main types of influenza, A, B and C. If not C, at least differentiation between A and B is essential. The specific viral strain can be identified using a viral culture.

The respiratory illnesses can be caused either by influenza or any pathogens of other diseases. Hence it becomes difficult to differentiate easily based on the common symptoms of influenza. This brings out the significance of laboratory tests for influenza. So it can be easily diagnosed during an outbreak through laboratory confirmation that everyone seeking consultation regarding respiratory illness is mainly due to influenza.

Influenza

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Influenza, otherwise called flu, is in reality a respiratory infection that is highly infectious. It can get transmitted from a person to another just by a sneeze or a cough of the infected person. The flu season ranges between November and March. Nearly 10-20% of the people in America are subject to infection during this flu season, especially during the winter. The common symptoms are fever, headache, cough and excess fatigue.

Influenza is most probably caused by several viruses. Viruses which affect the nose, lungs and throat are the flu or influenza viruses. Influenza is just mild in people are healthy like children, younger adults and people in their middle ages, but can be severe and life threatening in old people and unhealthy people irrespective of age like people already infected by some chronic illnesses including diabetes, kidney or heart or lung diseases.

Influenza Treatment

Related Information: Influenza treatment, influenza symptoms, influenza causes

It is strongly recommended for the people infected with flu to consult a healthcare provider for treatment as soon as possible. It is essential for the patients to get treated within 48 hours subsequent to the beginning of flu. The drugs used in the treatment of flu helps in reducing the time that flu symptoms last and returning faster to daily routine. The main drugs used in the treatment are Tamilflu, Relenza, Flumadine and Symmetrel. Their benefits are given as follows

Tamiflu and Relenza

Tamilflu is prescribed for adults and infants who are elder than 1 year and Relenza is meant for adults as well as children elder than 7 years. These drugs are meant for people those affected with uncomplicated flu and have been experiencing flu for less than 2 days. These drugs help in the treatment for both type A and B influenza.

Flumadine

Flumadine is prescribed especially for type A influenza. This drug has no effect on type B influenza infections.

Influenza Vaccine

Related Information: Influenza Vaccine, influenza viruses, vaccination against influenza

Prior to the start of the flu season, the scientists need to analyze the existing strains and formulate a new vaccine such that it is able to prevent the disease. The vaccine is prepared from inactivated or killed flu viruses that cannot infect the cells. This preparation includes the strains that are now in circulation and also those strains that are expected to circulate in the flu season. This vaccine is a yearly vaccine since the viruses tend to changes or modifications constantly.

Vaccine against a particular strain will not be able to detect other strains and fight against them. Hence the main way to prevent flu is to vaccinate every year. These vaccines are available at the doctor?s offices, local clinics, supermarkets, pharmacies and work places.

It is good to be aware of how the vaccine is prepared. The scientists take an estimate of all the possible strains that is currently present and is expected to occur in the flu season every year. All these flu viruses are killed and hence they contain only the viral components but cannot infect the person. This is mixed with some preservants and the vaccine is ready.