Prepared by: Wafaa Shwaiky. RPH

The Flu or alternatively Influenza is a severe respiratory viral infection.

When it's flu season, every one should take the necessary steps to stay healthy, and that include recognizing fact from misconception which may lead patients to endanger themselves.

The following are the most common misconceptions and facts about the flu, its treatment, prevention ways and vaccination.

1.    Flu and common cold are the same.

No they are not the same, despite the similarity between the symptoms, and both of them are respiratory illnesses but they are caused by different viruses.

    Flu virus                               Cold virus

It can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone, but 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. In the United States alone, 36,000 people die and more than 200,000 are hospitalized each year because of the flu.

Cold is usually milder than the flu. People with cold are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. It doesn’t result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations.

2.    Flu is not a major danger for healthy children over 5 years old. 

Parents shouldn't underestimate the dangers of flu for their kids. The Influenza can attack healthy child and put him in the intensive care unit within eight hours.

A study by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that vaccinating kids 2 years old and older cut rates of infection in half. Federal guidelines now recommend that children 6 months to 5 years old be routinely vaccinated against the flu.

3.    Flu is easy to be diagnosed.

Actually Influenza is difficult to be diagnosed without a test. Specialists trained in recognition of influenza will typically diagnose influenza correctly only a third of the time. In patients that later prove to have influenza, doctors often make a diagnosis of a bacterial illness like sinusitis, pharyngitis or bronchitis nearly two out of three times. These diagnoses, of course, lead to treat patients with antibiotics. Inaccurate diagnosis is the common reason for overuse of antibiotics and lot of complications.

A new rapid throat swab test that is 99.9% accurate for influenza prevents the wrong diagnosis and subsequent antibiotic usage.

4.      Flu can be caught only in cold weather regions. 

Cold weather gets a bad rap for causing cold and flu. While the influenza virus is more prevalent during the winter months, cold weather does not necessarily cause the flu.

Flu knows almost no temperature or geographical boundaries, according to the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

5.    There is no treatment except rest, Aspirin or Paracetamol, and chicken    soup.

·         Chicken soup: Generally, Hot liquids can soothe a sore throat and provide much needed fluids. But chicken soup has no other specific qualities that can help fight the flu.

·         The CDC recommends that Aspirin not be given to children under the age of 18, as this may cause a rare but serious illness called Reye's syndrome.

·         Rest And Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) may help relieve the symptoms.

·         Anti-viral drugs can help lessen sick time and symptoms if patient takes the prescription medicine within the first couple of days' onset of the flu, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Four anti-virals are approved for use in the United States for treating influenza: Amantadine, Rimantadine, Zanamir, and oseltamivir. They will be used more often now that there is a reliable test to diagnosis influenza. A new study, Published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, suggests oseltamivir and zanamivir may also help reduce the spread of the virus within families. The study found those exposed to the virus and took the drugs were much less likely to become ill.

6.    The use of antibiotics may be necessary if patients have high fever that lasts more than a day or two.

Antibiotics work well against bacteria, but they aren't effective for a viral infection like the flu. But, some people may develop a bacterial infection as a complication of the flu, so it may be a good idea to get checked out if the symptoms drag on or worsen.

7.    Taking vitamin C or Echinacea will prevent the flu.

While there is a belief that Vitamin C may reduce the frequency, severity and duration of colds, this has not been proven in clinical trials.

Concerning Echinacea, a North American plant of the daisy family, the Clinical studies show that its effect is similar to placebo in preventing colds and the flu.  Some studies suggest that this herb improves immune function and may reduce the severity and duration of a cold, not the flu.

8.      Antibacterial soaps are effective preventives.

Antibacterial soaps are useless against the influenza virus. Regular hand washing, however, is a simple and effective way to reduce the transmission of contagious diseases, including the flu.

9.      Who already had the flu this year, will not get it again. 

False, patient can get flu caused by one strain of the flu viruses, and get it again later caused by another strain.

10.   The vaccine prevents influenza completely

The influenza vaccine's effectiveness varies each year and depends on two things:

1- The Center for Disease Control's (CDC) prediction: The CDC predicts what strains will cause the next year's outbreak. In 1997-1998, however, the dominant influenza strain didn't evolve until after the vaccine was made, so its effectiveness was diminished. All vaccines give some immunity to related strains and make antiviral medications work better, so receiving a vaccine is still beneficial.

2- The strength of a person's immune system: the function of immune system varies considerably. It is found that vaccine is less effective for those people who need it most, such as those over age 65 or those taking medications for AIDS or cancer.

11.  By January, it's too late to get the vaccine.

It takes about two weeks for the body to make protective influenza antibodies. According to the CDC, the best time to get vaccinated is October or November, but getting the vaccine in December or later in the flu season will still be effective.

12.  There is no need to get flu vaccine every year.

The influenza virus changes (mutates) each year. So getting vaccinated each year is important to have immunity to the strains most likely to cause an outbreak.

13.  People can get the flu from the vaccine.

The vaccine cannot develop the flu, because it is made from an inactivated virus that cannot transmit infection. The most common side effect caused by the vaccine is soreness, or a runny nose or scratchy throat for a day after the nasal vaccine. Recent research out of England suggests that exercising your arm muscle a few hours before a flu shot helps the body deal with the vaccine and enhances production of antibodies.

14.  Healthy and young people don't need to be vaccinated.

Usually, the flu vaccination is routinely recommended for people who have a chronic illness and the elderly. But anyone, even healthy people can benefit from being vaccinated. Current guidelines suggest that children ages 6 months to 19 years old, pregnant women in the second or third trimester, and anyone over age 49 be vaccinated each year. In addition, the flu shot is recommended for healthy people who might spread the virus to others that are particularly susceptible. For this reason, health care workers are routinely advised to get the flu vaccination to protect their patients.

15.  Getting the flu vaccination is enough to protect people from the flu.

Beside vaccination, there are some preventive measures that should be taken during flu season. Such as:

- Avoiding the contact with people who have the flu.

- Washing hands frequently.

- Taking anti-viral medications if exposed to the flu before being vaccinate.

References:

http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC275/9273/35323/889624.html?d=dmtHMSContent

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=118274&page=1

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/03/22/flu.myths/index.html

http://www.drdonnica.com/myths/00000395.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/coldflu.htm