Influenza is a common ailment caused by different kinds of virus and spreads very rapidly from one person to another. When a large number of people in the same area are affected it is called an epidemic of influenza. Do you know what causes influenza?
Influenza is caused by three types of viruses, categorized as groups A, B and C. These groups also have some subgroups. Influenza of ‘A’ group virus tends to reappear in cycles of two to three years and influenza of ‘B’ in cycles of four to five years.
Influenza may affect individuals of all ages and is generally more frequent during the colder months of the year. The infection is transmitted from one person to another through coughing and sneezing. The influenza virus settles in the lining of nose and throat. It causes sneezing, coughing and sore throat. It also causes fever, sudden chills and headache. Often the patient has pain in the body. People with influenza feel weak, their muscles and joints ache and they have a dry painful cough. In most cases, influenza lasts from three days to a week. Mortality is usually low and those who die die from other complications such as pneumonia etc.
Some kinds of influenza are very mild but others even fatal. The epidemic ‘Spanish flu’ after World War I killed more people than the numbers of people killed in the war itself. Fortunately there has not been a recurrence of such epidemic.
There is no specific treatment for influenza. If subsides on its own after a few days. However, drugs such as aspirin and codeine sulphate are used to relieve discomfort and control the fever. People who are usually susceptible to influenza and of weak constitution may develop serious complications in case of infection. Normally it is not a serious disease and one should not worry much about it.