Influenza is a contagious respiratory disease. It is caused by influential Virus that can determine from less to very serious illnesses that could lead to death. Influenza is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in communities and worldwide.

According to World Health Organization, Influenza has been a significant public health problem worldwide with three pandemics during the past century.

The Influential virus is called Orthomyxovirus, an RNA monofilament virus that is highly contagious and can cause medium and serious illnesses.

Types of Influenza Virus:

We have basically three types of the Influenza virus:

A causes animal and human epidemics and pandemics

B human with little epidemics and mainly involving children

C human without epidemics and low clinical cases

Symptoms

Transmission has been identified as droplets-nasal secretions, air, cough, contact with saliva, fomites.

Centre for Disease Control and Prevention identifies it as syndrome characterized by:

1. Fever + or equals to 37,8 degrees centigrade

2. Cough

3. Sore Throat

4. Headache

5. General body pains

6. General weakness

7. Nasal secretions

Possible complications could be: Pneumonia, Meningitis- Syndrome Guillain Barré, Encefalopatia, Convulsion in kids.

Risk factors

– Pregnant women

– Children from 6 months to 5 years

– Persons with the following health issues: asthma, diabetes,heart and lungs  chronic diseases

– HIV/AIDS infections

– International travellers

– Heath workers

– Over 65

– Immune depressed.

The WHO Media Centre Fact Sheet precises that that the most effective method for preventing influenza and or its consequences is vaccination. Secure and effective vaccines have been available and utilized for 60 years.

According to Pharmacology and Therapeutics for Dentistry (seventh edition) 2017, “vaccination is a procedure in which the immune system is exposed to an antigen, such as an inactivated toxin or attenuated pathogen , to elicit antigen-specific clonal expansion(i.e. , the proliferation of T cells and B cells that recognize the antigen”.

Vaccination serves as protection from complications. The health  worker needs to be vaccinated for self protection, protection of patients and as active example to the populace.

FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INFLUENZA AND VACCINATION was written by Udoamaka Elenwoke. A professional Italian nurse and you can follow her on Social media. 

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