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Friday, March 9, 2012

The influenza virus has been steadily increasing in Kansas, spiking to its highest level this flu season.

The Center for Disease Control has identified flu activity in the state as widespread, reporting an outbreak in at least half of Kansas. Officials said while the number of influenza cases has remained lower than usual this year, the virus will continue to circulate through the spring.

“There is still time for people to get a flu vaccination to protect themselves, their families and the community,” said Robert Moser, Kansas Department of Health and Environment secretary.

The KDHE identified the first laboratory-confirmed influenza cases flu season on Dec. 21. Symptoms of influenza include fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, and muscle aches. Complications can include pneumonia, ear and sinus infections, and dehydration; influenza may also worsen other chronic conditions.

On average, five to 20 percent of the U.S. population contracts influenza yearly and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized with complications. Older people, pregnant women, young children, and people with certain health conditions are at high risk for serious complications. serious complications of the influenza can lead to pneumonia and even death.

Flu is generally referred to as influenza by scientists and is a highly contagious respiratory infection. Influenza viruses are said to be the group of viruses responsible for this disease in humans. these viruses usually make their entry into the patient’s body through the mouth, nose, or eyes.

The influenza virus generally spreads through the air medium. The virus becomes airborne if a person afflicted with influenza starts to sneeze or cough. The person inhaling the virus therefore gets infected by the airborne virus. Chances of getting infected by this disease also are high if a person touches any infected object and then touches either their nose or mouth. This disease is said to mainly spread in places of public gathering. Buses and schools are a few high risk areas.

Children and older adults are the people who are at most risk of getting infected by this disease. There is a common misjudgment in identifying both flu symptoms and cold symptoms. in order to treat flu, one must be able to differentiate between flu and cold and then employ the various options available.

Chills, cough, muscle aches, extreme tiredness, headaches fever, sore throat, and runny nose are said to be a few common flu symptoms. It is to be noted that runny nose is more common among children than in adults. Children are more likely than adults to suffer from diarrhea and vomiting, which are also considered as symptoms of flu.

People suffering from flu are generally known to develop headaches and fever whereas people with cold rarely don’t. Fatigue and body pains can become severe in a person with flu and is low for people with cold. Extreme exhaustion will be observed in people suffering from flu and not in not in people having cold. a few symptoms of cold such as stuffy nose, sneezing, and sore throat are sometimes displayed in flu too. Chest pain can be severe in a person affected by flu although it is a common symptom in both flu and cold.

In order to treat the flu, it’s symptoms must be identified at the earliest as it can be cured with 24-48 hours after the person has been contracted it.

Victor loves to research about various diseases and to write articles on them and creating awareness through them. in this article, he has written about Flu Symptoms.

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What is the difference between a cold and the flu?

? the flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses but they are caused by different viruses.

? it can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone.

? In general, the flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry cough are more common and intense.

? Colds are usually milder than the flu.

? People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose.

? Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations.

How can you tell the difference between a cold and flu?

? Colds and flu share many symptoms, so it can be difficult (or even impossible) to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone.

? Special tests that usually must be done within the first few days of illness can be carried out, when needed to tell if a person has the flu.

What are symptoms of flu?

People who have the flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:

? fever* or feeling feverish/chills

? runny or stuffy nose

? muscle or body aches

? 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.

How does flu spread?

? 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. less often, 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.

What is period of contagiousness?

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

What are complications of flu?

worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes.

How can we best prevent seasonal flu?

The single best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccine each season. There are two types of flu vaccines:

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.

About two weeks after vaccination, antibodies develop that protect against influenza virus infection.

Flu vaccines will not protect against flu-like illnesses caused by non-influenza viruses.

The 2010-2011 seasonal flu vaccine protects against the three influenza viruses that research suggests will be most common.

When should I get vaccinated against seasonal flu?

Yearly flu vaccination should begin in September, or as soon as vaccine is available, and continue throughout the flu season which can last as late as may. This is because the timing and duration of flu seasons vary. While flu season can begin early as October, most of the time seasonal flu activity peaks in January or later.

Who should get vaccinated?

On February 24, 2010 vaccine experts voted that everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine each year starting with the 2010-2011 influenza season.

CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted for “universal” flu vaccination in the U.S. to expand protection against the flu to more people.

While everyone should get a flu vaccine each flu season, it?s especially important that certain people get vaccinated either because they are at high risk of having serious flu-related complications or because they live with or care for people at high risk for developing flu-related complications.

Who is at high risk for developing flu-related complications?

Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old

Adults 65 years of age and older

Also, last flu season, American Indians and Alaskan Natives seemed to be at higher risk of flu complications

People who have medical conditions including:

Asthma (even if it’s controlled or mild)

Neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions [including disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and muscle such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy (seizure disorders), stroke, intellectual disability (mental retardation), moderate to severe developmental delay, muscular dystrophy, or spinal cord injury]

Chronic lung disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and cystic fibrosis)

Heart disease (such as congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease)

Blood disorders (such as sickle cell disease)

Endocrine disorders (such as diabetes mellitus)

Metabolic disorders (such as inherited metabolic disorders and mitochondrial disorders)

Weakened immune system due to disease or medication (such as people with HIV or AIDS, or cancer, or those on chronic steroids)

People younger than 19 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy

People who are morbidly obese (Body Mass Index [BMI] of 40 or greater)

Who else should get vaccinated?

People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities

People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:

Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu

Household contacts and caregivers of children younger than 5 years of age with particular emphasis on vaccinating contacts of children younger than 6 months of age (children younger than 6 months are at highest risk of flu-related complications but are too young to get vaccinated)

When should I use of the nasal spray seasonal flu vaccine?

Vaccination with the nasal-spray flu vaccine is an option for healthy people 2-49 years of age who are not pregnant.

Even people who live with or care for those in a high risk group (including health care workers) can get the nasal-spray flu vaccine as long as they are healthy themselves and are not pregnant. the one exception is health care workers who care for people with severely weakened immune systems who require a protected hospital environment; these people should get the inactivated flu vaccine (flu shot).

Who should not be vaccinated against seasonal flu?

Some people should not be vaccinated without first consulting a physician. They include:

People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs.

People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination in the past.

People who developed Guillian-Barr? syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine previously.

Children younger than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for use in this age group).

People who have a moderate or severe illness with a fever should wait to get vaccinated until their symptoms lessen.

What is Flu Surveillance?

The exact number of flu cases in Texas is unknown because most flu cases are not reportable, meaning that doctors, hospitals and others are not required to report them to public health authorities.

To track and assess flu activity, DSHS relies on reports from a sentinel surveillance network of doctors, hospitals and others who have agreed to report flu cases.

From those reports and other sources, DSHS prepares a Weekly Flu Surveillance Report. Part of that report classifies the flu activity level in Texas using classification criteria developed by CDC. the classifications range from no activity to sporadic, local, regional and widespread.

The weekly report also includes laboratory test results showing what types and subtypes of flu are circulating in Texas, the estimated level of flu-like illnesses occurring and the number of pediatric flu-associated deaths

Below are URL surveillance reports for last week. First is for Nation. second is for Texas ( I will abstract for News)

dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/influenza/surveillance/2011/

What are the Influenza Activity Classifications?

No Activity: no laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza and no reported increase in the number of cases of influenza-like illness.

Sporadic: Small numbers of laboratory-confirmed influenza cases or a single laboratory-confirmed influenza outbreak has been reported, but there is no increase in cases of influenza-like illness.

Local: Outbreaks of influenza or increases in influenza-like illness cases and recent laboratory-confirmed influenza in a single region of the state.

Regional: Outbreaks of influenza or increases in influenza-like illness and recent laboratory confirmed influenza in at least two but less than half the regions of the state with recent laboratory evidence of influenza in those regions.

Widespread: Outbreaks of influenza or increases in influenza-like illness cases and recent laboratory-confirmed influenza in at least half the regions of the state with recent laboratory evidence of influenza in the state

Acute respiratory distress syndrome, commonly called ARDS, is a sudden failure of the respiratory system that occurs when fluid builds up in the tiny, elastic air sacs in your lungs. in a short time, breathing becomes difficult, depriving your organs of the oxygen they need to function.

ARDS usually occurs in people who are already critically ill or who have significant injuries. Severe shortness of breath — the main symptom of ARDS — usually develops within a few hours to a few days after the original disease or trauma.

ARDS is fatal in 25 to 40 percent of the people who develop it. Some people who survive ARDS recover completely, though they may not regain full lung function for a year or more.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of ARDS can vary in intensity, depending on its cause and severity. They include:

    * Severe shortness of breath
    * Labored and unusually rapid breathing
    * low blood pressure
    * Confusion and extreme tiredness
    * Cough or fever, in some cases

When to see a doctor
ARDS usually follows a major illness or injury, and most people who are affected are already hospitalized. Still, if you develop any serious breathing problem, see your doctor or get emergency care right away. Several disorders that require immediate treatment, including heart problems, have signs and symptoms similar to those of ARDS. in the case of ARDS, the need for medical treatment is urgent.

Causes

The mechanical cause of ARDS is fluid leaked from the smallest blood vessels in the lungs into the tiny air sacs where blood is oxygenated. Normally, a protective membrane keeps this fluid in the vessels. Severe illness or injury, however, can cause inflammation that undermines the membrane's integrity, leading to the fluid leakage of ARDS.

A number of conditions can injure your lungs and lead to inflammation, including:

    * Severe viral or bacterial pneumonia
    * Infection spreading through your bloodstream (sepsis)
    * Heart failure with fluid in your lungs
    * Multiple or massive blood transfusions
    * A serious head or chest injury
    * fractures of long bones, such as the femur, which can release fat particles that are carried through your bloodstream to your lungs (fat embolism)
    * Prolonged use — from several days to a week — of large volumes of supplemental oxygen
    * Accidental inhalation of vomit or chemicals, such as ammonia or chlorine
    * Smoke inhalation
    * Near drowning
    * an adverse reaction to cancer drugs or other medications
    * Drug overdose, most commonly with heroin
    * Inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis)
    * Shock from any cause

If possible, it's important to find the cause behind ARDS, because it can determine treatment and can predict your chances for survival. in some cases, though, the cause of ARDS is never found.

Risk factors

Most people who develop ARDS are already hospitalized for another condition, and many are critically ill. You're especially at risk if you:

    * Have a widespread infection in your bloodstream (sepsis)
    * Have chronic liver disease (cirrhosis)
    * Use a breathing machine (mechanical ventilator)
    * Have had certain types of surgery recently
    * are a heavy drinker
    * are a current or former smoker

Complications

ARDS is extremely serious, but thanks to improved treatments, more people are surviving it. However, many survivors end up with potentially serious — and sometimes lasting — complications, including:

    * Pulmonary fibrosis. Scarring and thickening of the tissue between the air sacs (interstitium) can occur within a few weeks of the onset of ARDS. this stiffens your lungs, making it even more difficult for oxygen to flow from the air sacs into your bloodstream.
    * Collapsed lung (pneumothorax). usually, a breathing machine called a ventilator is used in the treatment of ARDS to increase oxygen in the body and force fluid out of the lungs. However, the ventilator can cause its own problems. The pressure and air volume of the ventilator can force gas to go through a small hole in the very outside of the lung and out into the pleural space in your chest, causing your lung to collapse. if this happens, your doctor will insert a tube between your ribs into the pleural space to remove the excess air, allowing your lung to reinflate.
    * Bacterial infections. sometimes, the ventilator is attached directly to a tube inserted in your trachea to assist breathing. but this can also make you more susceptible to bacterial infections like pneumonia, which can further injure your lungs. Infections can also occur in other parts of your body, including in your bloodstream, urinary tract and spinal fluid. Some of these infections may be difficult to control if the bacteria have become resistant to commonly used antibiotics. The problem may be compounded even further if ARDS was initially caused by a bacterial infection.
    * Abnormal lung function. many people with ARDS recover most of their lung function within several months to two years, but others may have breathing problems for the rest of their lives. if you have other lung diseases, such as emphysema, you're especially likely to have a difficult time recovering from ARDS. even people who do well usually have shortness of breath and fatigue and may even need supplemental oxygen in the first months after they leave the hospital.
    * Muscle wasting and weakness. if you need to use a ventilator for longer than a week, it can begin weakening your muscles because of nutritional deficiency. many people recovering from ARDS require physical therapy, both in the hospital and once they're at home, to restore strength and stamina. The extent to which you'll regain full functioning depends on many factors, including weight loss, the length of time you were sedated, the length of time on the ventilator, and the amount of damage to your lungs and other organs.
    * Memory, cognitive and emotional problems. Sedatives and low levels of oxygen in the blood can lead to memory loss and cognitive problems after ARDS. in some cases, the effects may lessen over time, but in others, the damage may be permanent. most ARDS survivors also report going through a period of depression, which for some people is quite severe. if you are a friend or family member of someone who has had ARDS, be alert to symptoms of depression and urge him or her to seek professional help as soon as possible.

Tests and diagnosis

Tests to confirm ARDS may include:

    * Chest X-ray
    * Arterial blood gas analysis
    * Computerized tomography (CT) scan
    * Blood tests to determine infection
    * Heart tests to rule out heart problems that can cause fluid to build up in your lungs

Treatments and drugs

The first goal in treating ARDS is to get oxygen flowing to your lungs and organs until the fluid is cleared out of the lungs and they can function more normally. Treating the underlying condition then becomes equally important.

Oxygen
To get more oxygen into your bloodstream, your doctor will likely use supplemental oxygen and mechanical ventilation.

    * Supplemental oxygen (noninvasive positive pressure ventilation). for milder symptoms or as a temporary measure, oxygen may be delivered through a mask that fits tightly over your nose or your nose and mouth.
    *

      Mechanical ventilation, or breathing machine (positive pressure mechanical ventilator). most people with ARDS also will need assisted breathing. A positive pressure mechanical ventilator pushes air into your lungs, forcing the fluid out of your air sacs. Air flows from a bedside ventilator into your windpipe (trachea) through a tube placed in your nose or mouth. if you need help breathing for more than several days, it's likely that the breathing tube will be inserted directly into your trachea through an incision in your neck (called a tracheotomy).

      you remain on a ventilator until you can breathe on your own. for some people, this may be a matter of days. for others it may take weeks or even months. The longer you remain on a ventilator, the greater the chances of serious complications, including pneumonia and further lung damage. The first week of treatment is critical. People who are weaned from the ventilator within a week have the best chance of a complete recovery.

Fluids
Managing fluids carefully is crucial. in the past, doctors gave people with ARDS large amounts of fluids through an IV to keep oxygen flowing to other parts of the body. now, doctors know that too much fluid can increase the fluid buildup in the lungs. However, depriving your body of fluids can put a strain on your heart and other organs that depend on adequate volumes of blood and oxygen to function properly. Your doctor will likely closely monitor the amount of fluids you receive so that you get just the right balance to regain lung function but protect your other organs.

Medication
People with ARDS are also given medication to prevent and treat infections, as well as relieve pain and discomfort. all people on mechanical ventilation are given comfort sedation. sometimes it is necessary to paralyze the skeletal muscles to relax them and prevent them from "fighting" the respirator. you may also be given an anticoagulant to prevent blood clots (deep venous thrombosis) and pulmonary embolism.

In the past, corticosteroids — meant to reduce lung inflammation — were a routine part of managing ARDS. Several studies, however, have found that corticosteroid treatment has no effect on survival rates among people with ARDS.

Coping and support

Recovery from ARDS can be a long road, and you'll need plenty of support. Although everyone's recovery is different, being aware of common physical and mental difficulties encountered by others with the disorder can help. consider these tips:

    * Ask for help. particularly after you're released from the hospital, be sure you have help with everyday tasks until you know what you can manage on your own.
    * Attend pulmonary rehabilitation. many medical centers now offer pulmonary rehabilitation programs, which incorporate exercise training, education and counseling to help you learn how to return to your normal activities and achieve your ideal weight.
    * Join a support group. There are support groups for people with chronic lung problems. Discover what's available in your community and consider joining others with similar experiences.
    * Seek professional help. if you have symptoms of depression, such as hopelessness and loss of interest in your usual activities, tell your doctor or contact a mental health professional. Depression is common in people who have had ARDS, and treatment can help.
    * Quit smoking. if you smoke, seek help to quit, and avoid secondhand smoke whenever possible.
    * Get vaccinated. To prevent future complications, be sure to get the yearly influenza shot, as well as the pneumonia vaccine every five years.

* Fever (usually high)
* Headache
* Muscle aches
* Chills
* Extreme tiredness
* Dry cough
* Runny nose may also occur but is more common in children than adults
* Stomach symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, may also occur but are more common in children than adults

They may be mild to severe so it is always a good idea to keep your immune system boosted by getting enough rest, no stress and plenty of vitamins