Seasonal influenza, often called ‘the flu’, is an infectious disease of the respiratory tract caused by an influenza virus and spread efficiently from person to person. Outbreaks of seasonal flu follow largely predictable seasonal patterns and occur annually. In the temperate climate zones, they occur predominantly in the winter months and may emerge from late […]
Timely collection and exchange of information on influenza activity is of utmost importance when it comes to reducing the burden of influenza worldwide. National and international networks for the clinical and virological surveillance of influenza have therefore been established everywhere. The WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network comprises 4 WHO Collaborating Centres (London, Tokyo, Atlanta and […]
Seasonal influenza places a heavy demand on healthcare resources and the economy each year, as a direct result of increased primary care consultations, hospitalizations, clinical complications and patient treatment. In addition to direct medical costs, the most significant cost of influenza to society is the indirect cost of lost productivity and absenteeism. In Europe, influenza […]
Besides the suffering of individual patients caused by seasonal influenza, which also has an impact on society as a whole, several other negative effects on society and its functioning may take place. Adults missing working days due to influenza represent a considerable proportion of the burden of influenza. In addition, children and elderly patients may […]
Although many people think of the flu as a mild annoyance that we have to deal with each winter, it can actually be a dangerous disease. During annual influenza epidemics in temperate climate zones, an estimated 5-15% of the population become infected and an average of 2-10% of the population develop clinical influenza. The WHO […]
The course of an influenza infection depends on factors relating to both the virus itself and the infected organism. The following factors influence the course of infection: physiological status of the patient in relation to age, nutritional status, history of the patient with respect to disease/health and related burden of chronic diseases, and level of […]
Influenza and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses but they are caused by different viruses. These two types of illnesses have similar flu-like symptoms, yet there are differences: Symptoms Cold Flu Fever Rare Usual; high (37.8°C to 38.9°C occasionally higher, especially in young children); lasts 3 to 4 days Headache Rare Common General Aches, […]
Clinical diagnosis The clinical symptoms of influenza are fairly characteristic, and during periods of epidemics enable a sufficiently reliable diagnosis to be made. For general practitioners, they form the basis for diagnosing influenza. During differential diagnosis, account must be taken of conditions such as: the common cold, infections caused by other types of viruses and […]
he course of influenza takes the form of a group of suddenly occurring symptoms such as: cough, fever above 38°C, muscular pain and/or headache. In the course of influenza infection, apart from the symptoms listed above, the following clinical symptoms often appear suddenly in the patient: generalized symptoms: shivering, general feeling of malaise, weakness, lack […]
The incubation period for influenza is one to four days. The period of infectivity depends on many factors, and has the following typical characteristics: in adults , it lasts six days – secretion of virus usually starts one day before the appearance of clinical symptoms and lasts approximately five days; in children, infectivity can last […]
