Is it possible after recovery to get sick again?
Can I get the flu again, only having time to recover? Re-infection with influenza virus is possible, but it occurs not so often. How to avoid it and what to do if the infection happened? These issues are particularly relevant in the autumn-winter period.
Influenza - the disease is serious, and it often gives a different complications. Special attention is needed to treat the flu in children, the elderly and immunocompromised. For a healthy person not having any other illnesses, the flu is usually not dangerous.
The types of influenza and their features
The flu is one of the varieties of ARVI (acute respiratory viral infections). He is an infectious character and affects the upper respiratory tract. Different periodic outbreaks, mostly in autumn and winter. In Russia, ARVI occupy the first place among the infectious diseases.
Flu viruses currently there are more than 2000. They differ from each other in structure. There are the following types: serotype A, b and C. Serotype And includes various subtypes, some of them just cause of the epidemic.This type can apply to man and beast. The virus groups b and C are only human and not as dangerous as from group A.
Flu distinguish between uncomplicated and occurring in severe form, with complications. Uncomplicated influenza runs in light and medium form. Usually lasts about a week. But the weakness may persist up to two to three weeks.
A severe form of influenza occurs with pronounced symptoms and may lead to death. Most often seen in patients from the risk group (the elderly, weak, children).
The flu has a tendency to worsen for all chronic diseases.
Complications that can be caused by influenza, there are early and late.
Early very rare but have serious consequences. These include:
- pulmonary edema;
- swelling of the brain;
- meningitis;
- encephalitis.
To late are:
- sinusitis;
- otitis;
- bronchitis;
- pneumonia;
- inflammation of the heart etc.
Often they are caused by the fact that the flu virus joined by a variety of bacterial infection.
Among the types of flu include seasonal, swine, avian, intestinal.
Seasonal flu affects mainly in the cold season. Most often it is in the nature of the epidemic.
In 2009, there was an outbreak of the new virus, dubbed the swinethe flu because it resembled the strain of the swine influenza virus.
Bird flu - viral disease of birds but can get sick and people cases with a fatal outcome.
Intestinal flu is characterized in that, in addition to ordinary symptoms, there are symptoms of food poisoning (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain).
Ways of infection with a flu virus
Contracting the flu is very simple. It is transmitted by airborne droplets. Being in close proximity to the patient, easily catching the virus through coughing, sneezing, talking. In addition to the airborne route, can be transmitted through close contact with the patient, shared utensils and other household items. The incubation period of the disease can last from several hours to three days. In times of epidemics are particularly prone to infection children, elderly people, health workers, teachers, people with heart disease and weakened immune systems.
Swine flu is transmitted like other species, from human to human, but bird - from infected birds to humans. Infection stomach flu occurs from the use of expired or defective products. It pathogens - rotaviruses.
Flu viruses mutate very quickly. So persistent immunity in humans against all types of flu can not be. Nevertheless, people with a strong immune system and strong body are infected much less frequently.
Diagnosis and treatment of flu
To diagnose flu, a doctor can only by laboratory tests. Because its clinical manifestations are not particularly different from other SARS, to identify influenza without additional tests is not easy. During epidemics the diagnosis is often placed only on the basis of the clinical picture and are sometimes wrong.
The initiation of this disease is characterized by a sharp increase in body temperature.
Main symptoms:
- headache, high temperature;
- General weakness and malaise;
- muscle pain;
- pain in the joints;
- chills;
- dry cough;
- runny nose (initially it is not, then can appear allocation from the nose).
Symptoms persist for weeks, and then if there are complications, the patient with appropriate treatment recovering. Treatment involves administration of antiviral drugs, antipyretics, medicines to ease a sore throat, vitamin C is Recommended to drink plenty of liquids: fruit juices, water, herbal teas, but not coffee and strong tea, and bed rest.
If treatment is not completed - there is a risk of re-infection with influenza. When a person carries the disease on their feet (although I should be in bed, to avoid possible complications),yourself treated with inappropriate drugs, very high chances to get sick again.
Drained of strength, your body cannot steadfastly resist viruses. It turns out even that is not a new infection, and the old, which again intensified, backed by a virus from the outside.
Getting sick again, and can be completely cured. After recovery, the immune system has for some time weakened the body's defenses at the end. And since flu viruses constantly evolve to develop immunity to the flu impossible. Although certain flu viruses that people have already been ill, he may remain immune for three years. For seasonal flu, the probability of re-infected is small.
To not get sick a second time, not having time to recover, avoid contact with sick influenza. Being in a room with a large crowd of people or in public transport, it is better first time to wear a special respiratory mask. Strengthens the immune system.
If there is reinfection, the disease can be more severe. Therefore, treatment should be literate. Take this disease seriously. Complications that may arise against the flu, life-threatening. When the first symptoms call your doctor.
Trust the most advertised drugs against influenza and colds, but their effect on viruses are often not proven and not proven. Therefore, in the case of re-infection pay treatment special attention. The course prescribed by the attending physician, go to the end, even if you think that the disease has receded.
Prevention of the disease
To not get sick, are very important preventive measures. They are to strengthen immunity, vaccination and the administration of specific drugs.
Vaccination refers to a specific kind of prevention. Its effectiveness observed in different epidemics. It is held in October-November. For this you need to consult a doctor or special vaccination centers. Vaccine change every year depending on the types of viruses, which is expected can cause an epidemic.
Vaccination there are contraindications: it does not do a newborn to 6 months, people who are allergic to chicken protein, or to those who have observed any allergic reactions previously with the introduction of the vaccine.
Drugs recommended for prevention of: Arbidol, Anaferon, grippferon, immunal, carmolis (the drug of plant origin) and others.
Nonspecific preventive measures:
- It is not possible to communicate with patients.
- Often ventilate the room.
- To comply with the rulespersonal hygiene.
- Try to avoid large crowds in confined spaces.
- Dress for the weather.
Don't forget that if you get sick, you can infect others.
So cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, take sick leave, at home if necessary go to a special mask, regularly ventilate the room.
To strengthen the protective forces of the body, drink vitamins, eat a balanced, healthy lifestyle, exercise, tempered. Then the immune system will be resistant to various infections.