Influenza: The Virus and its Effects
Abstract
The flu, properly called influenza, is an amazingly widespread and widely known disease. There are many variations of the influenza virus, differing in severity, but not significantly different in function. The influenza virus infects epithelial cells in the respiratory tract, taking over the cell’s production mechanisms so more viruses are produced, eventually causing the host cells to burst. The body’s immune system tries to combat the infection from succeeding. This internal battle produces many outward symptoms including a fever and dry cough, among others. Influenza is not usually a fatal disease, but its high mutation rate insures its continuing import by allowing it to return in a different form every year.
The flu. Everyone from the oldest grandparent to the youngest child has heard of it. But what is the flu actually? First of all, what is behind its name? “Flu” isn’t actually the disease’s correct name. It’s true name, Influenza, is Italian for “influence”. Flu is an abbreviation of this. People used to believe that influenza was caused by an unhealthy influence from the heavens, hence the name (WHO).
The influenza virus is divided into three types, A, B and C. Influenza A is the most serious of the three. Influenza B is not as serious and less common, while influenza C is rarely noticed and only causes mild symptoms. Influenza A viruses are specified by their host of origin, geographic location of the first isolation, strain number and year of isolation. E.g. A/Swine/Iowa/15/30 (Wilschut 29). Influenza A viruses also have a classification determined by their type of Haemagglutinin and Neuraminidase. Haemagglutinin is necessary for entrance int...
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While influenza, or the "flu", is not commonly recognized as an extremely lethal disease, the pathology of influenza, and especially of the kind found at Fort Dix, does suggest that an immunization program was a reasonable course to take in 1976. In the public's mind, influenza is often not seen as a specific disease, using interchangeable names for it like "flu", "gripe", and "virus". (Silverstein: 1) However, influenza is very different from an everyday low fever or "stomach flu". It is a respiratory infection, connected with a fever, coughing, and muscle aches, which often la...
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Influenza is a major public health problem which has outbreaks all over the world. Resulting in considerable sickness and death rates. Furthermore, it is a highly infectious airborne disease and is caused by the influenza virus. Influenza is transmitted easily from one person to another person, which has a great impact on society. When a member of society becomes sick, it is more prone to spread to other people.
Influenza is very contagious and spreads rapidly from person to person. Influenza causes worldwide yearly epidemics. According to World Health organization Influenza affects 5-15% world’s population and resulting in 500,000 deaths yearly. Ottenberg stated that, in United States, an average of 200,000 were hospitalized and 36,000 died each year from influenza complications. Influenza is the sixth leading cause of death among US adults and is related to 1 in 20 death in persons older than 65 years. Disease control and prevention estimates indicate that infections like H1N1 which is one of the types of influenza, have resulted in an estimated 42 to 86 million cases and 8520 to 17620 deaths. As I mentioned earlier that infections like influenza are very contagious, they can spread easily from hcw to Patient and back to hcw. The most efficient and effective method of preventing influenza infection is vaccination(The best way to prevent influenza is with annual vaccination).(Sullivan,2010) (Gregory,Tosh &Jacobson, 2005). Motivated by a desire to actively avoid illness Influenza may increase the risk for death in people with existing heart, lung, or circulation disorders. In fact, the higher than average number of winter deaths in people with heart disease may be due only to the occurrence of influenza during those months.Vaccination provides immunity to fight against infection.To increase resistance to harm by modifying the environment to minimize preventable illness (NEED TO CHANGE WORDING)
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