8 misunderstandings 'deadly' about influenza A / H1N1

Influenza A / H1N1 is returning when a number of deaths have been recorded sporadically. How to protect yourself and your family is to avoid common misunderstandings below.

Misunderstanding 1: No fever is not infected with influenza A / H5N1. In fact, half of people infected with influenza A / H1N1 do not have fever. Some people show signs of instability in the stomach, intestines and signs of seasonal flu.

No fever is not infected with influenza A / H5N1 ???

This is very dangerous because the patient does not know that he or she has had influenza A / H1N1 and does not pay attention to other signs such as shortness of breath, chest pain or green lips. People with these signs must immediately take antiviral drugs like Tamiflu, even if those signs appear about 2 days.

Misunderstanding 2: This is only mild flu. Mortality rates are lower than regular flu. According to statistics, A / H1N1 flu takes more lives of young people than the elderly.

However, a survey by George Washington Hospital (USA) showed that in 2009 many elderly people died of this flu. About some people have clear signs of flu, but for some people, influenza A / H1N1 causes an indirect death because they lead to other diseases such as heart attack or stroke.

Therefore, the complete data on swine flu deaths is difficult to statistically complete, so it cannot be said that influenza A / H1N1 causes fewer deaths than regular flu.

 

Misunderstanding 3: Healthy people do not get the flu. When sick, the chance of getting the flu is high. In fact, most children who died of previous swine flu were completely healthy, and many of the older adult patients had no sign of deteriorating health.

The number of patients infected with influenza A / H1N1 in 2009 is 6 times higher than normal. Many people believe that people with lung-related diseases like asthma and smokers; Sensitive immune systems like pregnant women, or obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease are more likely to get severe influenza. But up to a third of adults and two-thirds of children who have been infected with H1N1 have never had these diseases before.

The human body has two mechanisms against influenza: proteins or antibodies that prevent viruses from replicating, and immune cells that function to find and destroy infected cells. People over 50 have more effective antibodies against H1N1. That's why few people show signs of severe flu.

In addition, the researchers found that some young people do not have antibodies against swine flu but still have an immune system that is resistant to H1N1 because the swine flu virus was accidentally released in 1977 in the former Soviet Union. They have existed since then with the H3N2 strain.

Misunderstandings 4: Eating organic foods, taking vitamins, wearing masks, washing your hands often and drinking plenty of fluids do not get the flu.

Vaccination is by far the most effective way to prevent influenza. Staying healthy can help make the case milder. Stopping smoking, losing weight and avoiding chronic alcohol can help you avoid severe flu symptoms. However, there is no evidence that these positive activities can help the body immunity to the flu.

Vitamin D is thought to enhance disease resistance. But recent research shows that it does not have this effect. People with influenza are advised to drink plenty of fluids, but there is no evidence of this effect, but some signs that drinking more water can make pneumonia symptoms worse.

Many people believe wearing masks is an effective way to protect the body. But the nurses in Canada wear N95 masks - which are said to be able to block most viruses, but are still infected with the same rate as those who wear regular cloth masks. In addition, there is little evidence that regular hand washing is an effective way to prevent influenza, except in children.

Exercise is an effective way to help your body avoid severe flu symptoms. But vaccination is still the most effective method.

Myth 5: There is already a vaccine, then what is the fear of flu.

Even in rich countries like the UK and the United States, it takes several months for all those in need to get the vaccine. Vaccine lots cannot be produced quickly because the virus matures slowly and few firms can produce the vaccine. That's why some people can get the flu and die before being vaccinated.

The number of patients infected with influenza A / H1N1 in 2009 is six times higher than normal
Many people do not have antibodies against the virus.

Misunderstanding 6: The flu vaccine is not safe. Influenza A / H1N1 often leads to acute symptoms. Unlike regular flu, it often attacks young people, including healthy people. If only mild, patients can still spread family members or friends and make them seriously ill.

Everyone's concern about the safety of the vaccine is understandable. In 1976, after the death of a US rookie, about 48 million people in the country were vaccinated against swine flu. Among those vaccinated, there were 532 cases of acute polio and neuralgia when bad antibodies attacked nerve cells. Most of these cases passed, but 25 died and many others lived with long-term injuries.

Both vaccines against swine flu and regular flu vaccines are at risk of causing Guillain-Barré syndrome at a rate of 10/1 million cases. However, few people know with flu itself, it is easier to cause Guillain-Barré syndrome than the vaccine. A study conducted in 2009 found that in one million cases of influenza infection, 40-70 people had Guillain-Barré syndrome. Therefore, vaccination is still a way to avoid this syndrome more effectively.

Misunderstanding 7: The virulence of influenza virus does not increase.

Many people believe that pathogens often develop in a less toxic way. But this ability is not always true, and no one has enough evidence to predict how it will grow.

In the past, the following outbreaks were sometimes worse than the previous outbreak. However, it cannot be confirmed whether this is due to their genetic changes or weather factors.

Misunderstanding 8: When the disease is over, we will be safe for several decades.

Episodes of influenza in the past occurred in 1580, 1729, 1781, 1830, 1847, 1889, 1918, 1957, 1968 and 2009. Based on these milestones, it can be deduced that a new epidemic will occur in 2059. However, other animal flu strains can develop and attack humans at any time and cause a new pandemic as a result of intensive agriculture.

In 2004, scientists studying viruses warned that many types of flu in animals could attack humans. In addition to the H5N1 bird flu, other types of flu including H7, H2 and H9 also cause many problems. Regardless of which strain of influenza is likely to mutate and cause a new pandemic.

To prevent this, we should pay more attention to viruses in cattle, including vaccinated animals, because some strains of influenza can spread and evolve in vaccinated animals. room.