Flu Immune 500

Influenza – not to be confused with the common cold!

There are mainly three types of influenza virus – A, B and C. Type A is the most virulent form and is not exclusively a human disease. Birds are particularly susceptible to a variety of type A flu viruses which can then mutate and cross the species barrier to humans, as in the case of H5N1 or “bird flu”. Type A flu causes the most severe illness. The resulting symptoms, caused by the body’s immune response, can be fatal and this type of flu has been responsible for various pandemics over the years with Spanish flu (H1N1) in 1918 causing 40 million deaths.

Type B infects mainly humans, and is much slower to mutate. Due to its apparent inability to cross the species barrier it has fewer possible hosts, who ultimately become immune until the strain eventually manages to mutate. For these reasons Type B is less common and does not cause pandemic threats.

Influenza C infects humans and pigs but is less common than the other two and is less severe, particularly in children. This type of flu gives rise to symptoms similar to a heavy cold and is less serious.

Influenza is spread through the air by droplets containing the virus in coughs and sneezes. It can also be spread through physical contact and for this reason it is helpful to wash hands frequently and before eating.

In all cases the onset of flu is sudden, with just a few hours between feeling well to feeling gravely ill. It might start with a fever or chills and a vague dry cough or sore throat. Headache, aching limbs and sometimes nausea or vomiting follow and very quickly the patient is too ill to do anything but take to their bed. Symptoms usually peak for 24-48 hours after which the patient is left feeling weak and with similar symptoms to a cold. It make take 1 or 2 weeks to fully recover during which time the patient is still infectious.

Complications can occur in the young, the elderly or the sick and these are mostly due to secondary infections such as pneumonia. If you are elderly or suffer from a long term illness such as heart disease, bronchitis, asthma, etc., it is advisable to obtain some protection with an annual vaccination.

The best treatment for flu is simply to rest, drink plenty of fluids and take an analgesic for fever, aches and pains. The flu has been around for a long time and will continue to plague us, but with a healthy lifestyle and some sensible precautions most of us should be able to overcome these microscopic virons which dominate our lives every winter.