Tag Archives: fever
INFLUENZA UPDATE – JANUARY 8, 2013
In the U.S., influenza is widespread over eighty percent of the country. There are three particular strains that are circulating – the H3N2, is the dominant one this year, and can cause a more serious illness. Because vaccines were given for both A and B strains of influenza, the third strain doesn’t respond to those shots.
Some persons became infected before receiving the vaccination, or shortly after the vaccination. The flu shot takes time to become effective. Doctors state that even if you get a strain not included in the flu shot, the vaccination should reduce the severity of the illness. The flu is spreading earlier and faster this year.
Anyone who is at least 6 months old should get a flu vaccine this season. Those to whom it is especially important to receive the vaccine are:
- People with certain medical conditions, including asthma, diabetes, and chronic lung disease.
- Pregnant women.
- Persons 65 years and older.
- People who live with or care for others who are at risk of developing serious complications such as asthma, diabetes, and chronic lung disease.
Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by viruses infecting the nose, throat and lungs. Some cases are mild to severe; however, the flu can be lethal. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, tiredness, chills, head and body aches, runny nose, and occasionally diarrhea and vomiting. Some people with these symptoms, however, may not have the flu. Many are being treated for bronchitis or severe allergies.
The flu is spread through contact with bodily discharges. When someone infected sneezes or coughs around them, chances are they will also become infected. Things that we touch, such as elevator buttons, phones, keyboards, salt shakers, and other items in public places make us all susceptible to it.
If you are ill, cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Wash your hands very often, and keep hand sanitizer handy. Use disinfectant sprays in the home to kill germs.
Last, but not least, stay home if you are sick. Do not be in a rush to return to school or work until you have been fever-free for at least 24 hours. During seasons that bring contagious diseases, it’s not a bad idea to stay home and away from crowds as much as possible. Some folks may be coming down with something, yet are unaware of it until they actually get sick.
Stay well, my friends!
RARE TYPE OF MENINGITIS THREATENS PATIENTS
The Center for Disease Control is coordinating a multi-state investigation of meningitis among patients who received epidural steroid injections (medication injected into the spine.) A possibly contaminated medication used in epidural injections is believed to be the cause of this outbreak, which has so far, reached twenty-three states.
The infection is known as Fungal Meningitis. Thus far, the case count is thirty-five. There have been six states reporting the disease, and five persons have died so far. In patients, the meningitis was believed to be caused by a fungus that is common in the environment, but rarely causes meningitis. This form is not contagious. In several patients, strokes have been suffered, related to the meningitis.
People in the states of California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas and West Virginia are being asked to contact their physician or clinic if they have recently received a steroid injection in the lower back, in order to see if they received products from contaminated medication lots. According to U.S. Food and Drug Administration and CDC officials, each one of these patients affected had been injected with a preservative-free steroid called methylprednisolone acetate manufactured by New England Compounding Center (NECC) in Framingham Massachusetts. NECC voluntarily recalled three lots of steroids last week, and shut down production at the entire facility on Wednesday. The FDA is advising all health care professionals who may have NECC medications to not use any products from NECC until the investigation is over. Health officials say approximately 75 medical facilities in 23 states have received products from NECC.
Fungal meningitis is rare, but can be life threatening. It is not connected to the more common forms of bacterial and viral meningitis. People at higher risk to get this disease include those with AIDS, leukemia, or other forms of immunodeficiency and immunosuppression. Meningitis infection is characterized by a sudden onset of fever, headache, and stiff neck. Other symptoms can be nausea; vomiting; photophobia (sensitivity to light) and altered mental status.
If you or a family member or friend has had an epidural injection, please contact your physician to investigate the source of your medication. If you are needing an epidural, it will be wise to wait until the investigation is complete.
Source: CDC, CNN News
‘TIS THE SEASON – FLU, THAT IS!
One of the bad things that happens particularly in cold winter months is a visit by “Mr. Flu Bug” (influenza). It’s been reported recently that the flu is already widespread in several states. During 2009-2010, a new and very different flu virus (2009 H1N1) spread worldwide, causing the first flu pandemic in more than 40 years. It is estimated that the 2009 H1N1 pandemic resulted in more than 12,000 flu-related deaths in the U.S. In contrast to seasonal flu, nearly 90 percent of the deaths occurred among people younger than 65 years of age. People who have the flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:
- fever* or feeling feverish/chills
- muscle or body aches
- cough
- sore throat
- runny or stuffy nose
- headaches
- fatigue (very tired)
- 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.
Most experts believe that flu viruses spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby. In addition, a person might also get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, eyes or nose. You may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5-7 days after becoming sick. Some people, especially children and people with weakened immune systems, might be able to infect others for an even longer time.
Flu is unpredictable and how severe it is varies widely from one season to the next depending on many things, including: what viruses are spreading; how much flu vaccine is available; how many people receive vaccinations; how well the vaccine is matched to flu viruses causing the illness, and when the vaccine is available.
Certain people are at greater risk for serious complications if they get the flu. This includes older people, young children, pregnant women and people with asthma, diabetes, heart disease or other underlying health problems. Over a period of 30 years, between 1976 and 2006, estimates of flu-associated deaths range from a low of about 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people.
You may choose one of two ways to protect yourself from the virus:
- The “flu shot”–an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle. The seasonal flu shot is approved for use in people 6 months of age and older, including healthy people, people with chronic medical conditions and pregnant women.
- The nasal–spray flu vaccine –a vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses that do not cause the flu (sometimes called LAIV for “Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine”). LAIV is approved for use in healthy* people 2-49 years of age who are not pregnant.
It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop that protect against influenza virus infection. Flu vaccines will not protect against flu-like illnesses caused by non-influenza viruses. The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the three influenza viruses that research suggests will be most common. It will protect against 2009 H1N1, and two other influenza viruses (an H3N2 virus and an influenza B virus).
As all experts advise, wash your hands often, or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available, stay away from crowds as much as possible, and if you begin to start feeling sick, stay home. Should you contact the flu, do not return to work or school until all symptoms are gone, and fever is absent for at least 24 hours. Persons with the flu should avoid people that are more likely to become infected – those as described earlier, with other health problems.
We hope this “unwelcome bug” doesn’t make a stop at your house. If you haven’t been vaccinated, consider doing so. There’s much more cold weather ahead of us, and this seems to be the primary time for flu, although the season runs through March.
Source: Centers for Disease Control