Comprehensive media coverage of recent global epidemics, such as Ebola and MERS-CoV, has placed infectious diseases on the forefront of the collective conscience. One global infectious disease that persists and continues to claim thousands of lives is the flu. The influenza virus has potential for morbidity and mortality. It also has associated costs to society in missed days of school, loss of workforce productivity and substantial health care expenditures.
Influenza has caused famous pandemics throughout history, including the deadly Spanish pandemic of 1918 and, more recently, the H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic of 2009. Like a classic literary villain, influenza invokes fear and mystique, and refuses to be conquered even in modern day.
What distinguishes influenza from many other infectious diseases is its ability to affect both healthy and immune-compromised people, although the risk of serious illness is usually much higher in those who are most vulnerable. This group includes small children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, HIV, congestive heart failure and other conditions.
The average citizen is more likely to contract the flu than other infectious diseases because the influenza virus is easily spread from person to person through infected respiratory droplets via coughing, sneezing and contact with infected surfaces. The virus also has the unique ability to modify itself on a regular basis, evading our host defenses and antibodies against prior flu strains. For these reasons, we should all care about the flu and try to protect the most vulnerable members of our society. We can each do our part by getting ourselves vaccinated against the flu at the start of each new flu season.
One reason people decline the flu vaccine is because they believe the vaccine causes the flu, or at least flu-like symptoms. While some degree of body aches, fatigue and other mild symptoms are commonly reported, the flu vaccine does not cause the actual flu. The vaccine consists of only a component of the virus necessary to trigger the appropriate immune response. This component, known as an antigen, leads to the production of anti-flu antibodies, which protect us throughout the flu season.
Since influenza antigens change all the time, it is necessary to receive a new vaccine each season. The vaccine is produced from components of the most likely circulating strains of influenza. Experts predict the imminent flu strain months in advance by studying the virus strains circulating in other parts of the world. The newer, commercially available quadrivalent vaccine incorporates four different strains of flu virus (both type A and type B influenza virus) to maximize the chance of effective coverage against the flu. Different versions of the vaccine are available for those with egg allergies, and an intranasal vaccine is also available to some people.
For people who develop the flu and are at high risk of death and severe complications, an antiviral agent called Oseltamivir is available by prescription. To ensure it’s maximum effectiveness and prevent the development of resistant flu virus, Oseltamivir is best reserved for vulnerable flu patients who are less likely to make a full recovery on their own and may develop severe respiratory or cardiac complications. It is also less likely to be beneficial if started beyond the initial 48 hours of illness.
Hand hygiene with either soap and water or alcohol-based hand rubs is a highly effective means of preventing the spread of the majority of infections. Influenza is no exception. Those who are infected with the flu or caring for those with the flu can prevent the spread of the virus with strict hand-washing or use of hand sanitizer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends we “cover our cough” when we’re sick with any signs of a viral respiratory infection, such as a cough, congestion, runny nose, sore throat, fever or phlegm. Coughing into the inside of your elbow rather than your hands also helps to contain the spread of virus to others. You may also consider using a surgical mask while symptomatic to protect vulnerable members of your household. Try your best to stay home from work and school while you are coughing, sniffling, sneezing and running fevers, since you will be actively shedding the virus and efficiently spreading the illness to others.
The ability of the virus to change its basic properties and easily spread from person to person is exactly what makes it difficult to eradicate the way we do with other viruses, such as small pox and polio. We are unlikely to see an end to the flu anytime soon, but we will continue to gain protection with each new batch of the flu vaccine. Our best strategies are prevention of new cases with the flu vaccine and control of existing cases through strict hand hygiene, cough etiquette, masking and limiting contact with others while symptomatic.
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The Case for Protecting Yourself Against the Flu originally appeared on usnews.com
