NAME OF THE DISEASE: VIRAL FLU

HISTORY CLASSIFICATION:

The influenza or flu pandemic of 1918 to 1919, the deadliest in modern

history, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwideabout one-third of the
planets population at the timeand killed an estimated 20 million to 50 million
victims. More than 25 percent of the U.S. population became sick, and some
675,000 Americans died during the pandemic. The 1918 flu was first observed in
Europe, the U.S. and parts of Asia before swiftly spreading around the world.
Surprisingly, many flu victims were young, otherwise healthy adults. At the time,
there were no effective drugs or vaccines to treat this killer flu strain or prevent its
spread. In the U.S., citizens were ordered to wear masks, and schools, theaters and
other public places were shuttered. Researchers later discovered what made the
1918 pandemic so deadly: In many victims, the influenza virus had invaded their
lungs and caused pneumonia.
CAUSES:
Flu viruses travel through the air in droplets when someone with the
infection coughs, sneezes or talks. You can inhale the droplets directly, or you can
pick up the germs from an object such as a telephone or computer keyboard
and then transfer them to your eyes, nose or mouth.
People with the virus are likely contagious from the day or so before
symptoms first appear until about five days after symptoms begin, though
sometimes people are contagious for as long as 10 days after symptoms appear.

Children and people with weakened immune systems may be contagious for a
slightly longer time.
Influenza viruses are constantly changing, with new strains appearing
regularly. If you've had influenza in the past, your body has already made
antibodies to fight that particular strain of the virus. If future influenza viruses are
similar to those you've encountered before, either by having the disease or by
vaccination, those antibodies may prevent infection or lessen its severity.
But antibodies against flu viruses you've encountered in the past can't protect
you from new influenza subtypes that can be very different immunologically from
what you had before.
Three main types of influenza viruses cause the flu: Type A, Type B, and
Type C.
All three virus types are spread in the same way: they leave an infected
persons body in droplets whenever that person coughs, sneezes, or puts their
mouth on another object. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
report that a person with the flu can spread the virus to others up to six feet away.
If you are in close contact with an infected person, you may end up inhaling
infected droplets immediately. However, you can also pick up the virus later from
touching an infected object (such as a door handle or a pencil) and then touching
your eyes, nose, or mouth.

COMPLICATIONS:
Most people who get influenza will recover in several days to less than two
weeks, but some people will develop complications as a result of the flu. A wide
range of complications can be caused by influenza virus infection of the upper
respiratory tract (nasal passages, throat) and lower respiratory tract (lungs). While
anyone can get sick with flu and become severely ill, some people are more likely
to experience severe flu illness. Young children, adults aged 65 years and older,
pregnant women, and people with certain chronic medical conditions are among
those groups of people who are at high risk of serious flu complications, possibly
requiring hospitalization and sometimes resulting in death. For example, people
with chronic lung disease are at higher risk of developing severe pneumonia. Sinus
and ear infections are examples of moderate complications from flu, while
pneumonia is a serious flu complication that can result from either influenza virus
infection alone or from co-infection of flu virus and bacteria. Other possible
serious complications triggered by flu can include inflammation of the heart
(myocarditis), brain (encephalitis) or muscle (myositis, rhabdomyolysis) tissues,
and multi-organ failure (for example, respiratory and kidney failure). Flu virus
infection of the respiratory tract can trigger an extreme inflammatory response in
the body and can lead to sepsis, the bodys life-threatening response to infection.

Flu also can make chronic medical problems worse. For example, people with
asthma may experience asthma attacks while they have the flu, and people with
chronic heart disease may experience a worsening of this condition triggered by
flu.

PARTS AFFECTED:
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 5
to 20 percent of Americans contract the influenza (flu) virus each year. Flu
produces a spectrum of disease, ranging from mild, self-limited respiratory disease
to life-threatening pneumonia. Flu primarily affects the immune system, the
respiratory system and the digestive tract.
Immune System
The immune system fights infection caused by the flu and other viruses,
bacteria, fungi and parasites. According to "Harrisons Principles of Internal
Medicine," cytokines are a kind of chemical distress call issued by T-cells, B-cells
and natural killer cells of the immune systems in response to influenza infection.
Most of the systemic symptoms such as fever, muscle pain and headache that are
associated with infections actually reflect the release of these cytokines by the

immune system.

Cytokines cue the hypothalamus in the brain to raise body temperature, which
slows down or inactivates enzymes involved in viral replication. Cytokines also
activate receptors in the blood vessels of the brain--causing headache--and trip pain
fibers in muscles, accounting for the sensation of non-specific muscle pain and
soreness. Cytokine release is proportionate to immune system response. Therefore,
as the infection subsides, so do systemic symptoms.
Respiratory System
According to the NIH, influenza is primarily a respiratory virus that
produces both upper- and lower-respiratory symptoms. Lower-respiratory
symptoms include cough and breathing problems. Upper-respiratory symptoms
include sore throat, runny nose and congestion. Experimental models of influenza
infection reveal that the virus induces death in the cells lining the respiratory tract.
These dead cells are shed, enabling the virus to infect progressive cell layers.
Respiratory symptoms of influenza are proportional to the dose of virus a person
is infected with. Viruses also replicate using a persons own cells like a factory. In
people with delayed or deficient immune response, small initial doses can produce
big effects due to unchecked growth.

Digestive System
Seasonal influenza is associated with a lack of appetite. This is believed to
be a secondary effect of cytokines on the appetite centers of the brain. In addition,
respiratory symptoms such as sore throat and runny nose diminish the desire to eat
by making swallowing painful and producing nausea due to post-nasal drip.
Seasonal influenza is rarely associated with other gastrointestinal symptoms such
as vomiting or diarrhea. However, the novel H1N1 or swine flu also appears to be
different in this respect. According to a 2009 report in the "New England Journal of
Medicine" by the Novel Swine-Origin Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Investigation
Team, vomiting, diarrhea or both was reported by nearly 40 percent of people with
laboratory-confirmed swine flu. Compared to the effects of swine flu on other body
systems, these symptoms were mild and short-lived.

SYMPTOMS:
People who have the flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:
Fever* or feeling feverish/chills

Cough

Sore throat

Runny or stuffy nose

Muscle or body aches
Headaches

Fatigue (tiredness)

Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more
common in children than adults.
* It's important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.

Symptoms of the flu include fever, headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat,
runny or stuffy nose, body aches, diarrhea and vomiting (more common among
children than adults).
If you develop flu-like symptoms and are concerned about your illness,
especially if you are at high risk for complications of the flu, you should consult
your health care provider. Those at high risk for complications include people 65
years or older, people with chronic medical conditions, pregnant women, and
young children.

PREVENTION AND CURE:

Preventing the flu
The most important step in flu prevention is getting vaccinated each year
with a flu shot. Avoid close contact with people who are sick, stay home when you
are sick, cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, wash your hands,
avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, get plenty of sleep, and drink plenty of

fluids. In certain situations, antiviral drugs can be used to prevent seasonal

influenza.
Treating the flu
If you get the flu, there are some actions you can take at home, such as
getting plenty of rest, drinking plenty of liquids, avoiding alcohol and tobacco use,
and taking medication to relieve the symptoms of flu. Using aspirin or ibuprofen
can also help to treat the fever, headaches and muscle aches associated with the flu.
Aspirin should never be used to treat flu-like symptoms in children. Antiviral drugs
may also be prescribed for treating the flu, depending upon the duration of illness,

severity of symptoms, and your medical history.