At present, it is the alternation of winter and spring, the temperature is low in the morning and evening, the air is dry, and it is a period of high incidence of respiratory infectious diseases. The high crowds in schools during the school season have created favorable conditions for the spread of influenza.
Since February, some classes in some schools in Shanghai Qingpu, Zhejiang Ningbo, Zhejiang Jinhua and other places have been suspended due to students' fever, and the cause of fever is influenza A.
First, how to distinguish between influenza and cold?
Influenza, or "influenza" for short, is an acute respiratory infection that is highly contagious and spreads quickly caused by influenza viruses. According to its core protein, it is divided into four types: A, B, C and D.
◎ Influenza A virus can be further divided into various subtypes according to the different combinations of hemagglutinin antigen (18 H antigens) and neuraminidase antigens (11 N antigens) on the surface of viral particles, and theoretically up to 198 subtypes.
◎ Influenza B virus can be divided into Victoria and Yamagata two lines, and the influenza A H1N1 and H3N2 subtype influenza viruses circulate together every year to cause seasonal influenza epidemics.
◎ Influenza C virus is only sporadic infection.
◎ Influenza D virus mainly infects pigs and cattle, and no human infection has been found.
2. How does influenza spread?
Influenza viruses are mainly spread by droplets and contact. Sneezing and coughing produce droplets, which cause infection after inhalation by others; Virus-containing droplets polluting the surface of the body, after hand contact, and then touch the mouth, nose, etc., through the mouth, nasal cavity, eyes and other mucous membranes infection; Aerosol infection is possible in a closed environment in the hospital.
Studies have shown that droplets produced by a single sneeze of influenza patients can be up to 8 meters away and can contain about 260,000 influenza viruses.
3. What is the difference between the flu and the common cold?
The flu has an acute onset, and the symptoms are heavier than the general cold, although most stay up for a few days, and even do not treat themselves, but some can develop into severe influenza due to complications such as pneumonia. A small number of severe cases progressed rapidly and even died from acute respiratory failure and multiple organ failure.
(Source: Beijing Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention)
For adults, if there is a fever as soon as the disease occurs, it is mostly influenza; If it's just a runny nose, cough, and no fever, then the common cold is more likely. For children, it is recommended that parents judge mainly by the child's symptoms:
1. Sudden fever, chills
Influenza often causes sudden fever and tends to burn very high at once, generally greater than (or equal to) 39°C.
When fever, there are signs of chills, such as trembling all over the body, and there may be poor mental status, facial flushing, conjunctival hyperemia, muscle aches, sore throat and other manifestations.
In addition, some children will also have vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea as the main manifestations.
2. Basically asymptomatic two days before the onset
In the first two days of illness, there are no symptoms of the common cold such as cough and runny nose.
3. Have been exposed to influenza patients
During the flu season, parents should be on high alert if they have or have been exposed to people with flu-like symptoms in their home, and your child is likely to have the flu.
4. How to prevent uninfected people?
The population is generally susceptible to influenza viruses and is mostly self-limited. Some patients will have complications and can progress to severe disease or even death, and these groups are at high risk of influenza and need special attention, including: the elderly over 65 years old, children under 5 years old, especially children under 2 years old, pregnant women and patients with underlying diseases.
1. Influenza vaccination is currently the most effective means of preventing influenza;
Wang Linghang, director of the emergency department and deputy director of the Clinical Center for Infectious Diseases at Beijing Ditan Hospital, pointed out that people who received the flu vaccine may not be completely guaranteed that they will not have influenza that year, but they can reduce the chance of getting influenza and severe influenza.
Infants, school students, pregnant women, patients with chronic diseases, immunocompromised people, and the elderly over 60 years old are at higher risk of influenza complications and should be prioritized for influenza virus vaccination.
Influenza viruses mutate in greater or small sizes every year, and there are different strains with epidemic dominance every year, so they should be vaccinated once a year.
2. Wash your hands frequently, use soap or hand sanitizer, wash your hands with running water, and wipe your hands with a clean towel;
3. Keep the environment clean and indoor ventilation;
4. Reduce crowd gathering and wear masks when going out;
5. When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with tissues, towels, etc.;
6. Wash your hands after coughing or sneezing, and try to avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth;
7. Strengthen exercise and improve immunity;
8. If respiratory symptoms occur, you should rest at home and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
When you have symptoms of influenza such as acute fever, cough, and body aches, you should seek medical attention in time. There are currently antiviral drugs specifically targeted at influenza viruses, which can help patients shorten the course of the disease, improve symptoms, and prevent the disease from progressing to severe disease.
V. How do infected people in the family respond?
If there is already a flu patient in the family, the patient and family should pay attention to the following:
1. Wear a mask
When you have flu symptoms such as fever, cough, sneezing, sore throat, etc., you should wear a mask to avoid infecting others. Masks should be worn when others are in close contact and caring for someone who is sick.
2. Pay attention to hygiene
Change clothes frequently, wash hands frequently, and cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when you sneeze or cough.
After direct contact with the patient, or after handling the patient's used items or contact with respiratory secretions, wash hands with ordinary soap, soap or hand sanitizer or disinfect hands with disinfectant.
3. Open windows for ventilation
When isolating at home, we should also pay attention to the ventilation of the windows in the room, and pay attention to environmental hygiene.
Closely observe the changes in the condition, and when the patient's condition has persistent high fever, dyspnea, severe vomiting and other changes, he should seek medical attention in time and take medicine on time according to the doctor's advice.
4. Child protection
Children and primary and secondary school students should minimize their participation in extracurricular tutoring classes or go to training institutions in the near future to avoid cross-infection by other sick students; If participation is mandatory, be careful to take personal protective measures or keep your distance from children with symptoms.
5. Rest at home
People with influenza should rest at home according to the doctor's advice and temporarily do not go to school and work. ▲
Editor of this issue: Deng Yu