vcdcav dscdcx

1. 1
UNIVERSIDAD TECNICA DE MACHALA
ACADEMIC UNIT OF CHEMICAL
SCIENCES AND HEALTH
MEDICINE SCHOOL
ENGLISH
INFLUENZA
STUDENTS
William Cruz
Kevin Herrera
TEACHER:
Mgs. Barreto Huilcapi Lina Maribel
CLASS:
EIGHTH SEMESTER ‘’A’’
Machala, El Oro
2018

2. 2
Influenza
Definition
Commonly known as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by an influenza
virus. Symptoms can be mild to severe. The most common symptoms include:
high fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pains, headache, coughing, sneezing,
and feeling tired. These symptoms typically begin two days after exposure to the
virus and most last less than a week. The cough, however, may last for more than two
weeks. In children, there may be diarrhea and vomiting, but these are not common in
adults. Diarrhea and vomiting occur more commonly in gastroenteritis, which is an
unrelated disease and sometimes inaccurately referred to as "stomach flu" or the "24-
hour flu".Complications of influenza may include viral pneumonia,
secondary bacterial pneumonia, sinus infections, and worsening of previous health
problems such as asthma or heart failure.
Etiology
Flu viruses travel through the air through the drops when someone who has the
infection coughs, sneezes or speaks. You can inhale the drops directly or you can
contract the germs from an object (for example, a telephone or the keyboard of a
computer) and then transmit them to your eyes, nose or mouth.

3. 3
People with the virus are likely to get it from the day before the onset of symptoms
until five days after the onset of symptoms, although they can sometimes infect it for
as long as 10 days after the onset of symptoms. Children and people with weakened
immune systems can spread the virus for a slightly longer time.
Influenza viruses are constantly changing; There are new strains that appear on a
regular basis. If you have had influenza in the past, your body has already produced
antibodies to fight that specific strain of the virus. If the future influenza viruses are
similar to those that you have already been exposed to because of having had the
disease or receiving the vaccine, these antibodies can prevent the infection or reduce
its severity.
However, antibodies against influenza viruses that you have been exposed to in the
past can not protect you from the new subtypes of influenza that may be very
different from the previous ones from the immunological point of view.
Signs and symptoms
 Fever and chills
 Cough
 Nasal congestion
 Runny nose
 Sneezing
 Sore throat
 Hoarseness
 Earache
 Muscle pains
 Fatigue
 Headache
 Irritated, watering eyes
 Reddened eyes, skin (especially face), mouth, throat and nose
 Petechial rash

4. 4
 In children, gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting,diarrhea, and
abdominal pain, (may be severe in children with influenza B)
People who get the flu can spread the virus to others by coughing or sneezing. The
droplets
that fall off when a sick person coughs, sneezes or speaks can end up in the mouth or
on the nose of who are close. These droplets can also be inhaled and deposited in the
lungs.
People can also get influenza by touching something contaminated with influenza
viruses, such as Doors, tables or the hand of an infected person, and then touch the
mouth or nose.
Complications of influenza
Most people who get the flu will recover in a period ranging from a few days to less
than two weeks, but some people develop complications (such as pneumonia) as a
result of influenza, some of which can put them at risk life and cause death.
Sinus and ear infections are examples of moderate complications of influenza while
pneumonia is a serious complication due to influenza that can cause infection by the
influenza virus or bacterial coinfection and by the influenza virus. Other possible
serious complications triggered by influenza can be inflammation of the tissue
surrounding the heart (myocarditis), brain tissue (encephalitis) or muscle tissue
(myositis, rhabdomyolysis) and multiorgan failure (eg, renal failure and respratory).
Inflammatory virus infection of the airways can trigger an inflammatory response in
the body and can lead to sepsis, a response to life-threatening infections. Influenza
can also worsen other chronic health problems. For example, people with asthma may
have asthma attacks while they have influenza and people with chronic heart disease
may have an exacerbation of their condition triggered by influenza.
Diagnosis
A series of tests can help diagnose influenza (see table). But it is not necessary to
make an analysis to all patients with presumed influenza. In the case of individual
patients, the tests are more useful when there are possibilities that they yield useful

5. 5
results in clinical terms that collaborate with the diagnosis and treatment decisions. In
an outbreak of respiratory diseases in a closed environment (eg, hospitals, long-term
care facilities, cruise ships, boarding schools, summer camps), influenza screening
tests can be useful in determining if the cause of the outbreak It's the flu.
Diagnostic tests available for influenza include viral culture, serological tests, rapid
antigen detection test, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR),
immunofluorescence assays, and rapid detection molecular assays. The sensitivity
and specificity of any influenza test may vary depending on the laboratory that
performs it, the type of test used, the time that elapses between the beginning of the
disease and the collection of the sample, and the type of sample analyzed. Among
respiratory specimens for viral isolation or rapid detection of influenza viruses, nasal
and nasopharyngeal specimens generally perform better than nasal or throat swab
specimens. As with any other diagnostic test, the results should be evaluated in the
context of other clinical and epidemiological information available to health care
providers.
Treatment
It has been shown that antiviral medicine reduces flu symptoms if given within a day
or two after becoming sick. It is recommended for people with more serious illnesses,
especially those that may require hospitalization. Treatment with antiviral medicine is
more important for people with suspected or confirmed influenza, as they are at
higher risk of complications.
Prevention
1. Get vaccinated against the flu every year. It is recommended that everyone over 6
months get the flu shot every year. The flu vaccine protects you from several of the
most common types of influenza, and it is very effective.
2. Practice good health habits. Wash your hands, cover your mouth and nose, and do
not go to work, school and public places when you are sick.

6. 6
Bibliography
 Avendaño L. Influenza virus, Clinical Virology. Mediterranean. Editorial
Mediterráneo Ltda. Santiago 2011 p. 121-127.
 Prevention and Control of Influenza Recommendations of the Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), August 8, 2008 / Vol. 57 / No.
RR-7.
 Baehr F, Morin G, Del Solar J, Olivi H, Torrez J Clinical characterization of
adults under and over 50 hospitalized for influenza A H1N1 2009 in a private
hospital in Santiago, Chile. Rev Chil Infect 2010; 27 (2): 139-143.