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Flu (influenza)
Influenza,commonlyknownastheflu,iscausedbyahighlycontagiousvirusthatisspreadby coughsandsneezes.TherearethreetypesoffluvirusA,BandC.Olderpeopleandthosewith anunderlyingmedicalconditionaremorelikelytodevelopseriouscomplicationsasaresultofthe flu. Thefluvirushasauniqueabilitytochangeitssurfacestructure.Thisallowsittoescape recognitionbythebodysimmunesystemandcausewidespreadillness(epidemicsand pandemics).Mostcasesofinfluenzaoccurwithinasixtoeight-weekperiodduringwinterand spring. Epidemicsoccurwhenthereareminorchangesinthenatureofthevirussothatmorepeople withinacommunityaresusceptible,forexampletheelderly.InfluenzaAismorelikelytocause epidemics.Pandemics(worldwideepidemics)occurwhentherearemajorchangesinthevirusso thatthediseaseaffectsalargeproportionofpeopleinageographicregionorcontinent. Influenzaepidemicsoccur,onaverage,everythreeyears.Influenzapandemicshaveoccurred threetimesinthepast100yearsandcancauseverymanydeaths. Flu symptoms Flusymptomsdeveloponetothreedaysafterinfectionandinclude: Highfever,chillsandsweating Sorethroat Weakness Headache Generalmuscleandjointpains(legsandback) Anon-productivecoughthatcanlaterbecomemoresevereandproductive.

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Flu versus the common cold Thefluismorethanabadcold. Coldsymptomslastonetotwodayswhiletheflucanlastuptoaweek. Theflucausesahighfever.Acoldsometimescausesamildfever. Muscularpainsandshiveringattacksoccurwiththeflubutnotwithacold. Coldscausearunnynose,whilethefluusuallystartswithadrysensationinthenoseand throat.

Serious complications are rare Complicationsaremorecommonamongpeoplewithanunderlyingmedicalconditionorreduced immunity.Flucanincreasetheriskofdeathorseriouscomplicationsfromtheunderlyingdisease. Inasmallproportionofcases,fluwillleadto: Secondary bacterial pneumoniaoccurswhenbacteriainvadethelungs.Symptoms includeshortnessofbreath,greenyellowphlegm,chestpainsandatemperature.Death ratesarehighbutitislesslethalthanprimaryinfluenzapneumonia. Primary influenza pneumoniaalmostalwaysresultsindeath.Symptomsinclude difficultybreathingandbluediscolorationoftheskin(cyanosis). Inflammation of the brain or heartcanoccurduringrecoveryfromtheflu. Reyes syndromeleadstobraininflammationandliverdegenerationandisfatalin between10and40percentofcases.Childrenunder16yearsshouldnotbegivenany medicationcontainingaspirinasitincreasestheriskofReyessyndrome.

People at risk of complications

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Peoplewithanunderlyingmedicalconditionorreducedimmunityaremostatrisk.Theyinclude: Everyoneaged65yearsandolder AboriginalpeopleandTorresStraitIslandersagedover50 AboriginalpeopleandTorresStraitIslandersagedbetween15and49yearswithhealth risks Allpublichospitaloutpatientsandinpatientswithhighriskfactors. Publichospitalstaffwhoprovidedirectcaretopatients. Anyonefromsixmonthsofagewithheartdisease,chroniclungdisease,chronic neurologicalconditions,impairedimmunityandotherchronicillnessessuchasdiabetes, kidneydiseaseandhaemoglobinopathies Residentsinnursinghomesorotherlong-termcarefacilities Staffinprivatehospitals,long-termcarefacilitiesornursinghomes Peoplewholivewith,orcarefor,someonewhohasachronicillnessorisaged Severeasthmaticswhorequirefrequenthospitalvisits Pregnantwomen Childrenonlong-termaspirintherapy Anyonetravellingaspartofagroup Workers,particularlythoseinworkplacesthatprovideessentialservices Peopleinvolvedinthecommercialpoultryindustry Workersinotherhighriskindustries.

Treatment Therearenowspecificantiviraldrugsavailable,buttheireffectivenessisverylimited.The recommendedtreatmentforfluis: Stayinbedandrestuntilthetemperaturehasbeennormalfor48hours. Drinkenoughfluidstomaintainnormalurineoutput. Takeparacetamoltocontrolfever,achesandpains(adultscanuseaspirin).Earlyuseof antiviralmedicationmayshortenthelengthandseverityofillness.Consultadoctorto discusstreatment. Avoidexposuretodust,alcohol,fumesandtobaccosmokeasmuchaspossible.

Consultadoctoriffurthersymptomsdevelopsuchasdifficultybreathing,coughingup greenyellowphlegmorsevereheadache. Thisisimportanttoavoidseriouscomplications,suchaspneumonia,thatmayariseasaresultof contractingthevirus. Immunisation Annualimmunisationisrecommendedforolderpeopleandthoseatrisk.Thisisimportantto avoidseriouscomplications,suchaspneumonia,thatmayariseasaresultofcontractingthevirus. ImmunisationshouldoccurbetweenMarchandMay,beforetheonsetofthefluseason.Protection developsabouttwoweeksaftertheinjectionandlastsforuptooneyear. InVictoria,anannualfluimmunisationisprovidedfreeofchargeforthosepeopleinthe communitythatareconsideredtobeatanincreasedriskofdevelopingcomplications.Contactyour doctororimmunisationproviderforfurtherinformationabouteligibility. Where to get help Yourdoctor NurseonCallTel.1300606024forexperthealthinformationandadvice(24hours,7 days) YourlocalCouncil Yourlocalcommunityhealthcentre ImmunisationProgram,DepartmentofHumanServicesVictoriaTel.1300882008 NationalImmunisationInfolineTel.1800671811 Theemergencydepartmentofyournearesthospital

Things to remember Thefluismorethanjustabadcold.

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Flucanoccasionallyleadtoseriouscomplicationsincludingdeath. Olderandatriskgroupsshouldbeimmunisedeveryyearagainsttheflu. Protectionafterimmunisationtakes10to14days.

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DHS-CommunicableDiseaseControl

Copyight 1999/2009StateofVictoria.ReproducedfromtheBetterHealthChannel(www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)at nocostwithpermissionoftheVictorianMinisterforHealth.Unauthorisedreproductionandotherusescomprisedinthe copyrightareprohibitedwithoutpermission. ThisBetterHealthChannelfactsheethaspassedthrougharigorousapprovalprocess.Forthelatestupdatesandmore informationvisitwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au.

Flu(influenza)

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