Flu Season

Tarek Safwat , MD,FCCP Prof.of Pulmonary Diseases, Ain Shams University. President of The Egyptian Scientific Society of Bronchology.

Flu season is an annually recurring time period characterized by the prevalence of outbreaks of flu.

The season occurs during fall and a time and specially in the smog time end of october to december. Three virus families are available which are A,B and C which are the main infective agents. Each annual flu season is normally associated with a major influenza virus subtype, which changes every year due to development of mutation.

Mechanism of transmission:

- People during winter time are more often indoors and are more inclose contact.

- Cold temperatures lead to dry and dehydrated mucus membranes somore prone to infection.

- School children are a potentialsource of spread of flu.

Health conditions likely to beaffected by Flu: Medical conditions that compromise the immune system increases therisks from Flu such as:

- Diabetes specially if uncontrolled

.- Asthma- COPD and AECB.

- Cancer patients on chemo andradiotherapy

- HIV/AIDS- HCV and Liver diseases

- Interstitial Lung diseases

- Cardiovascular diseases

- Chronic Renal failure

- Vit D deficiencyFlu Vaccine The single best way to protect against flu is to get vaccinated eachyear.

The Flu shot is an inactivated vaccine ( killed virus) which is approved for use in people older than 6 months including healthy people and those with chronicmedical problems. Each vaccine contains 3 influenzaviruses which are:

- Influenza A (H3N2)- Influenza A (H1N1)- B-virusWhen to get vaccinated?

Should start end of September as soon as the vaccine is available and to be continued throughout the flu season till January andsometimes beyond.

Who should get vaccinated?

- Children from 6 months to 8 years of age, receive ½ the injection to berepeated after 4 weeks.- Pregnant women- People 50 years and above - Chronic medical conditions- People who live in nursing homes - People who live and care for thosewith high risk for complications. - Health care providers.Vaccine Effectiveness The ability of a flu vaccine to protect a person depends on the age and health status of the person getting the vaccine and the match of the virus in the vaccine and those viruses in the circulation.

Who should not be vaccinated - Those who have severe allergy toegg yolk. - Those who had severe reactionpreviously. - Those who developed GuilainBarre’syndrome- Children less than 6 months old. - Patients having fever and moderate to severe illness shouldwait until they recover.

Minor side effects of the vaccine - Soreness, redness and mildswelling at the site of injection. - Fever which is usually low grade( less than 24 hours) - Mild body aches relieved byanalgesics