What is influenza?

Influenza (flu) is a common viral illness that occurs during the winter months in temperate climates.

Outbreaks of the infection range from small local outbreaks to nation-wide epidemics or global pandemics in which millions of people become ill and many die from the condition or its complications.

What causes influenza and who is at risk?

Flu is caused by a group of viruses of which there are three main types, A, B and C, and many subtypes.

The infection is spread from person to person by droplets from coughing and sneezing. It can also be spread by hand contact through droplets from the nose on the hands.

People suffering with flu are infectious for one to two weeks from the time they first get symptoms. If a person exposed to influenza is going to develop the condition they will do so within 2 – 3 days. Although flu occurs most commonly in children, the elderly are most likely to suffer serious complications of the infection.

The illness is also worse in people with diabetes, heart disease or chronic (long term) lung or kidney disease and in people whose immune systems are suppressed (such as those with AIDS).

What are the common symptoms and complications of influenza?

The commonest symptoms of flu are: Sudden fever along with nasal stuffiness

general aches and pains

muscle weakness, loss of appetite nausea and sometimes vomiting

often also a harsh, dry cough

The most common complications are inflammation of the airways in the lungs (tracheitis and bronchitis) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs) caused by infection with bacteria, which follows the influenza viral infection. Flu can also aggravate conditions such as asthma. Rarely flu can cause heart problems and inflammation of the brain and nerves, which have more serious consequences.

In children flu is a cause of croup (swelling and obstruction of the airway in the throat leading to breathing difficulty) and febrile convulsions (fits due to high fever).

Can I prevent influenza?

You can help keep your immune system fighting fit all year long. Washing your hands frequently will reduce your chance of catching the flu virus from another person who has the infection.

Flu vaccination is recommended for people who are at high risk of severe symptoms or complications or whose work involves caring for people at high risk.

What is the treatment for influenza?

Self- care action plan

You can help yourself to feel better by treating your symptoms.

Bed rest is recommended until the fever has subsided

Drink lots of fluids and if you don’t feel like eating for a few days, make sure you eat healthy food as soon as possible

Inhaling steam can help clear mucus from your nose and sinuses

Drinking warm water with honey and lemon may help to ease a sore throat

Avoid alcohol. It reduces your body’s ability to fight the infection

If you have a chronic (prolonged) disease, such as chronic bronchitis, see your doctor as soon as you develop flu symptoms

If you have asthma and adjusting your regular medication according to your treatment plan is not controlling it during this time, see your doctor

Medicines

Take paracetamol for your pain and fever

If you have a sore throat, try lozenges or a mouth gargle with aspirin or a local anaesthetic

A dry cough may be relieved with a cough suppressant available from chemists and supermarkets

For a runny nose, try a decongestant

Relenza is a new treatment that has been shown to reduce both symptoms and the duration of flu. It is taken by oral inhalation, twice daily for five days.

It is important to understand the result of a bird flu pandemic so that if the time comes, people will be enlightened to the knowledge of its overall effects. Also a country will be able to recover faster and the affect on the economy will not be as severe.

So What Would The Result Be If A Bird Flu Pandemic Did Happen To Occur?

Well firstly the worst impact would be a catastrophic loss of life. If the disease was not controlled immediately, the death count could grow into the thousands. Another possibility is that the spread could become uncontrollable, meaning that it will have become too widespread to be stopped. Although this is an unlikely event, it is still a possibility and people should make measures to reduce the likelihood of this occurring. In fact it has occurred to an extent in the past. In 1918 pandemic struck that caused the death of over 50 million people worldwide. It is important to note however that in that day and age, medicine was nowhere near as sophisticated as it is today.

Another impact, although less important, is the need to destroy poultry. Previous bird flu pandemics have seen the destruction of millions of poultry and the bankrupsy of a great number of poultry distributors. The first order that a government gives is to destroy most if not all poultry in the country so that they can quickly start to control the pandemic. This can have a severe impact on a nations economy.

How Should We Prepare For A Bird Flu Pandemic?

The best way to prepare for a pandemic is to do some research and learn about its affects(which is what you are doing now!) Secondly you need to write down a plan and response strategy so that when the time comes, you have a system that will prepare you for such an event. This will include things such as going down and picking up the kids from school and bringing them home. Also you will want to take note of what poultry products you have eaten in the last week. It is unlikely that bird flu will affect every chicken distributor in the country, but it’s better to be on the safe side.

Probably the most important rule that everyone should take note of is to not panic when a bird flu pandemic strikes. Panic only causes confusion, which then leads to chaos, which then leads to a catastrophe. If you have a plan with a series of steps that must be followed in the event of a pandemic then you have nothing to worry about.

Getting sick is no fun, but it happens to the best of us. Although they’re more common in the winter, colds and flus can hit us at any time of the year. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between the two.

The basic difference between the cold and the flu is that they are caused by different viruses. The flu is always caused by a strain of either influenza A or B. The common cold, on the other hand, can be caused by hundreds of different viruses. To those of us outside the medical profession, however, this explanation doesn’t mean much. The easiest way to know whether you have a cold or the flu is to analyze the symptoms. Here is a quick list for each illness:

Cold

* A cough is usually present, and in most cases it is productive.

* Sneezing, stuffy nose and sore throat are common.

* Fever usually does not occur, and if it does it is not high.

* Symptoms usually come on slowly, often over the course of a few days.

Flu

* A high fever, usually between 100 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit, is usually present, and may be accompanied by chills.

* The cough is dry and unproductive.

* Fatigue and muscle aches are usually present, and are often severe.

* Headache and chest discomfort often occur.

* Symptoms set in quickly, usually within a few hours.

Treatment of the Cold and Flu

There is no cure for the common cold. Aside from prevention, the best treatments are rest and over-the-counter medications for bothersome symptoms. The cold should go away on its own within 10 days. If symptoms persist for more than 14 days, it’s a good idea to see a doctor to determine whether a bacterial infection is present.

Doctors can quickly determine whether or not you have the flu with a simple test. If caught early, it can be treated with prescription medications that may reduce its severity and duration. Whether flu medicine is used or not, it is important to get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids until you’re feeling better, usually within a week or two without antiviral treatment. The flu can result in pneumonia and other infections, so it is very important to follow your doctor’s advice.

Flu vaccines can help prevent the flu, but they are not always effective. They only contain selected strains of the flu, and if you are subjected to a different strain, you could still catch it. If you choose not to get the flu shot, staying as healthy as possible will help reduce your chances of becoming infected. And if someone in your household gets the flu, you can ask your doctor for antiviral medication to help keep you from getting it.

While having a cold is unpleasant, having the flu is usually much worse. Knowing the symptoms can help you decide when you need medical attention and when you can successfully treat yourself. But if you are in doubt, it’s better to visit the doctor just to be sure.

About Tamiflu

Tamiflu is approved for the treatment of the Influenza virus and also aids from futher spread with in the body, treating flu at its source. Its mechanism of action includes attacking the virus that causes the flu instead of simply masking the symptoms of the flu in adults and children over 1 year of age. It is also indicated as a prophylaxis against the flu.

Tamiflu facts include:

The trade name for Tamiflu is oseltamivir phosphate Unlike other antiviral flu medications, such as Flumadine and Symmetrel, Tamiflu is effective against both type A and B strains of flu The drug helps in the reduction of the duration of the flu symptoms by about 1.3 days This medication is a neuraminidase inhibitor There is no generic version of Tamiflu available on the market and neither is it available through the NHS.

How does Tamiflu work?

Tamiflu, an antiviral drug, is used in the treatment and prophylaxis of both Influenza virus A and B. A neuraminidase inhibitor, Tamiflu acts as a transition-state analogue inhibitor of influenza neuraminidase, which helps in the prevention of new viruses emerging from infected cells. Tamiflu is the only neuraminidase inhibitor that has been proven to fight against Bird Flu.

Tamiflu was the first commercially developed, orally active neuraminidase inhibitor. Considered a pro-drug, Tamiflu is hydrolysed hepatically to active metabolite, the free carboxylate of oseltamivir.

Tamiflu is indicated for treatment and prevention in people at least one year of age and above. Reports are that Tamiflu may have an adverse effect on infants under the age of one.

Tamiflu Dosages

Tamiflu tablets are available as 75mg capsules and as a 12mg/ml tutti-frutti flavored oral suspension for children who are too young to swallow the pills. Tamiflu can be taken either with or without food. But, there are reduced chances of upset stomach if Tamiflu is taken with a light snack, milk, or a meal. In addition, this drug does not treat other flu-like viral infections, such as the stomach flu, colds, or RSV.

Tamiflu treatment should be started with the first appearance of the flu symptoms or soon after exposure to the flu. If one has the flu then Tamiflu must be taken twice a day for five days. But, if you want to take Tamiflu as a preventive medication against the flu, Tamiflu must be taken once a day for ten days. Tamiflu can be taken for up to six weeks. Do not take two doses at a time to make up for a missed dose.

Tamiflu precautions

Safety and effectiveness of Tamiflu have not been determined in people with chronic heart or lung disease, kidney failure, or in people with other underlying medical conditions. In addition:

Efficacy for Tamiflu has not been established in the treatment of flu-like illnesses caused by any virus other than influenza A and B (e.g., stomach flu, common cold, or other respiratory illnesses not caused by influenza). Tamiflu is not known to work in other kinds of infections that appear like influenza or occur along with influenza, and need different types of treatment. Taking Tamiflu should not affect an individual\’s decision to have an annual influenza vaccination. The safety and efficacy of repeated courses of Tamiflu treatment have not been established. Tamiflu is not indicated for treatment or prevention of the flu in patients less than 1 year of age.

Tamiflu side effects

Vomiting, abdominal pain, epistaxis (nosebleeds), ear disorders, conjunctivitis (pinkeye) and nausea are the most common side effects of Tamiflu. Tamiflu side effects are mostly mild to moderate and are generally presented within the first two days of taking the medication. Sometimes, taking the medication on a full stomach may prevent these side effects.

Severe rash is another side effect of Tamiflu and the medication must be stopped in case this happens.

With Tamiflu, some people are at an increased risk of seizures, confusion, delirium, hallucinations, abnormal behavior, convulsions, and encephalitis.

In order to prevent side effects, it is also essential to tell your healthcare professional about receiving nasally administered influenza virus vaccine during the past two weeks.

Bird flu is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These flu viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, bird flu is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them.

Bird flu, or avian flu, is currently of great concern worldwide. Governments are greatly concerned of a pandemic of bird flu that could kill millions.

Tamiflu is the main drug for the treatment of bird flu. Tamiflu can lessen the effects of bird flu, speed up recovery. Tamiflu can also minimize the effects of bird flu to the point that a patient may survive the virus when, without Tamiflu, the attack would have been fatal. Tamiflu is the only drug that is this effective against the bird flu virus.

These drugs must be taken within two days after the appearance of symptoms, something that may prove logistically difficult on a worldwide scale, even if there were enough to go around. Because they’re in short supply, it’s not entirely clear how flu drugs would be allocated if there were a widespread epidemic.

Avian refers to birds and flu is the common name for influenza. Avian flu is influenza that infects birds, including wild birds such as ducks and domestic birds such as chickens. Avian flu is caused by influenza virus type A. There are 15 subtypes influenza A, two of which affect birds. These are called the H5 and the H7 subtypes.1

These viruses are known as “highly pathogenic (disease-causing) avian influenza” (HPAI). They produce a severe disease in birds and are rapidly fatal, leading to bird flu epidemics.

Currently, wearing a mask is not recommended for routine use (e.g., in public) for preventing influenza exposure. In the United States, disposable surgical and procedure masks have been widely used in health-care settings to prevent exposure to respiratory infections, but the masks have not been used commonly in community settings, such as schools, businesses, and public gatherings.

A new treatment for human infections of bird flu claimed to be more effective than Tamiflu has been developed by Chinese scientists.

Like the drug made by Switzerland-based Roche, the new medicine is a neuraminidase inhibitor which inhibits an enzyme called neuraminidase and prevents the virus from leaving the cell and spreading to others.

People who develop flu-like symptoms (e.g., cough, fever, muscle aches) within ten days of traveling to an area of the world where there is a known outbreak of bird flu should contact their health care provider immediately. When traveling in these areas, avoid live poultry markets. Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. People who handle birds that may be infected should wear protective clothing and breathing masks.

Giving aspirin to children and teenagers who have influenza can cause a rare but serious illness called Reye syndrome. Children or teenagers with the flu should get plenty of rest, drink lots of liquids, and take medicines that contain no aspirin to relieve symptoms.

Bird flu treatment is directed at reducing the severity not preventing it. Bird flu treatment therefore is the domain of natural health.

Herbs, Homeopathics and Acupressure have been used for centuries to aid your ability to fight infection and prevent them. What they do is arm your body to fight better and protect itself from attack.