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A raise in viral diseases
that hit upper respiratory system accompanies weather Changes. A lot of
these viruses cause these infections and their symptoms bear a lot of
resemblance. Such symptoms include pain and soar throat, fever, headache,
sneezing and joints/muscles pain.
Influenza viruses (A&B)
are considered the most important due to many reasons of which we state the
following:
1.They cause epidemics every winter
2. They cause a lot of complications to the elderly people
and the young who lack immune. Influenza causes begin in any community with
school children and the virus infects nurseries then the elders. The
disease moves via inhaling the outcomes of infected patients who discharge virus
via sneezing/coughing. The infected person begins spreading the virus via
the respiratory system 24 hours prior to the detection of symptoms that
last for 5-10 days, after which the disease does not hit direct contacts of
the patient. In children, however, influenza takes 2-3 weeks. The disease
symptoms vary from one patient to another. The lightest includes a slight
fever, throat congestion/ pain for two days, but for others it includes
acute fever, trembling, acute muscle pain, headache, loss of appetite and
apathism. Sometimes, the patient reports tear-flow, and eye-ardor. Some
patients might have cough/sneeze that last for 3-4 days before feeling an
improvement.
As stated, Influenza leads
to many complications such as:
·
Acute
pneumonia either due to the virus itself or due to bacteria that follow
influenza a couple of days later. Influenza virus causes complications to
those with narrow bronchium (Asthma) as the virus causes difficulty in
breathing.
·
Myositis
and breaking some Amino-Acids and their discharges thru kidneys which lead
to kidney failure.
·
Cardiomyositis,
which leads to a failure in cardiac muscle contractions.
·
Complications
in the neuro system due to reaction of man’s immune against viruses. This
leads to disease such as encephalitis and Guillun-Barre.
Influenza Vaccine is
available and active. World Health Organization (WHO) specifies its type
annually. It is usually given
annually as of mid October thru end of November and it is valid for one
year. Vaccine becomes effective after 2 weeks of the injection. The
following categories are recommended to have this vaccination:
People over 55 years old.
Cancer patients and those
under Chemotherapy.
Chronic Thoracic Diseases
Patients.
AIDS Patients.
Sickle Cell Anemia
Diabetic Patients
Renal Failure patients.
Health Care Staff who is in
direct contact to above- mentioned patients
Pregnant ladies.
Vaccination is proved to be
effective to patients below 55 years of age. Thus it is recommended to be
taken by all can afford its cost.
Studies proved that it had
no complications except a slight fever and pain in needle site.
For pregnant women, it is
considered good and has no complications to both the mother and the fetus.
However, it is recommended to give vaccination to pregnant only in the end
and 3rd phase of pregnancy, but not during the 1st three months due to some
recorded cases of abortion.
By
Dr. Ziad Mimish
Executive director of
infection control
National Guard Health
Affairs
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