By Abinash Achrekar

All of us have felt the fevers, muscle aches, headaches and tiredness of influenza, but many of us may have not stopped to actually understand what the flu really is and what an enormous impact it has on a global scale. The flu is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses, usually from late fall to early spring. Viruses are protein capsules that contain genetic material and reproduce by infecting cells. They are radically different from single-cell bacteria, which is why antibiotics cannot treat viral infections like the flu. The influenza virus usually enters the body through mucus membranes in the mouth, nose or eyes from infected individuals around you.

Most of us are sick for only one to two weeks with the flu and staying home from work or school is the most costly effect. However, for the elderly, infants and those with chronic health problems, the flu can be severe and may require hospitalization. It is sometimes even deadly. Yearly, 25 million to 50 million Americans are infected with the flu, resulting in 30,000 to 40,000 deaths.

Each year, most influenza virus originates in southern China, where it lies quietly in wild aquatic birds. They are infected, but for the most part have no symptoms. Their strains infect domestic chickens and pigs, and these hosts support more mutations, or changes in the virus, that allow the virus to then infect humans. The enormous number of people that reside in and travel from southern China and Hong Kong disseminate flu across the globe. So, if you’ve ever really wondered about the source of the flu, it pretty much comes from ducks in China.

The movement of influenza from ducks and other aquatic birds to domestic animals to humans continually changes the characteristics of the virus and results in a different infectious strain each year. When the virus undergoes a major genetic shift, global pandemics can occur. The worst such pandemic (the so-called Spanish flu of 1918), infected one fifth of the world’s population and killed nearly 40 million people. It has been reported that everyone knew somebody who died of the flu that year.

The cornerstone for controlling the flu, both personally and in our individual communities, is prevention through vaccination. Treatment with anti-viral medications is most effective when administered within 12 to 48 hours of developing symptoms. As most patients do not recognize the illness so early and cannot see their doctor on such short notice, vaccination is imperative for prevention.

There is currently little to no influenza in New Mexico. However, according to Susan Kellie, Hospital Epidemiologist at the University of New Mexico, “flu typically hits New Mexico in late January to early February and can linger into late March. This year’s vaccine is an excellent match with the strains tested so far. It is not too late to get vaccinated now.” It is about 90 percent effective for preventing the flu in younger healthy populations. In patients over 65 years old it may be only 30 percent effective in preventing influenza infection, but will be 90 percent effective in preventing death and 50 percent effective in preventing hospitalization. Kellie goes on to say, “The diminished response to vaccination in older people is why it is so important to immunize the people around them such as grandkids and health care workers.” The flu shot will start working in 10 to 14 days. Flu vaccine, as a killed virus, cannot result in the flu. The most common side effects are minor local arm pain and possibly a transient low-grade temperature. 

Remember: vaccination is safe, protects you and your family from illness, can be administered by any health provider, and finally keep ducks in China from ruining your week.
  
Dr. Abinash Achrekar (Dr. Ash) is a Cardiology Fellow, Internal Medicine and Public Health specialist at the University of New Mexico.

[mos_sb_discuss:7}