California Flu: Symptoms, Treatment, Prevention

Influenza California is nothing more than the "swine flu", which was sensational in 2009, and the name "California" appeared because the virus that caused the disease was first isolated in California. According to forecasts of WHO specialists in winter 2016-2017.A similar agent will circulate among the population of the states of the northern hemisphere.

Influenza California can only be infected by a sick person.Live pigs and pork are not dangerous.The fact that this flu is called "pig" is associated only with the peculiarities of its pathogen( H1N1 virus "California 04/2009"), which is the result of mutation of several other viruses, including strains causing disease among animals.

Table of contents: How can I get influenza California?Symptoms of influenza California Complications of California flu Treatment of influenza California Vaccination against influenza California Other preventive measures

How can I get influenza California?

There are two ways of infection with this disease :

• Airborne droplet when a person inhales droplets of mucus containing a virus.
• Contact-household, when the agent is entered into the respiratory tract through dirty hands, used dishes.

A sick person becomes infectious the day before the appearance of the first signs of the disease and remains so for about seven days. During coughing, sneezing, the patient releases millions of small droplets of mucus to the environment with viruses.In addition, when he wipes his nose or covers his mouth, the pathogens of infection are also placed on his hands, which can easily be foreseen - door handles, handrails in transport, money bills and coins, buttons at ATMs, mobile phones, etc.

Symptoms of flu California

The clinical picture of the flu California is nothing special from other flu species is different.Explicit symptoms of the disease appear about 1-3 days after infection.The patient begins to feel weakness, weakness, body aches, chills, nausea.After a few hours, the temperature rises( sometimes to very high figures), there is a severe headache.The next day, the catarrhal phenomena join the symptoms described: nasal congestion, sore throat, dry cough.

In the normal course of the disease on day 3-4, the patient's condition improves, and at 7-8 all signs of the disease practically disappear, and without the use of any specific treatment.

But not always everything is smooth.Some patients develop severe forms of the California flu. In particular, these risk groups are:

• Pregnant.
• Small children( the risk greatly increases if the child has concomitant neurological disorders).
• The elderly.
• People of any age with chronic pathology of the respiratory tract, immunodeficiencies, endocrine and cardiological diseases.

The most serious manifestation of the severe form of influenza California is primary viral pneumonia, which is difficult to treat and very quickly leads to the development of pulmonary edema and respiratory failure( sometimes per day). Such patients should be urgently transferred to artificial ventilation.During the swine flu epidemic in 2009, most of the deaths of the disease were due to the development of pneumonia and respiratory failure.

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How to recognize the complications of California flu?

It is possible to suspect the occurrence of complications of influenza California on the following symptoms( of course, if they appeared against the background of flu-like illness):

• shortness of breath and blue lips;
• chest pain;
• persistent nausea and multiple vomiting;
• confusion;
• fever, which is not strayed by drugs or holds for more than 4-5 days;
• convulsions;
• fainting.

In addition, immediately consult a doctor if, after a noticeable improvement in the patient's condition, it becomes bad again - weakness returned, fever increased, cough increased.

Flu treatment California

California flu is a disease that can be treated at home, so when you have symptoms of an illness, you need to do the following:

• stay at home;
• call a family doctor;
• to protect others from the possibility of infection( to ventilate your room well, wear a mask on contact with loved ones, especially children, cover your mouth with disposable napkins, wash your hands often, etc.).

For people at risk, the doctor can recommend hospitalization if the patient's condition requires it.

California flu treatment does not differ from that for other ARI.There is a specific antiviral drug that is effective against the H1N1 virus, oseltamivir( Tamiflu), but it is prescribed primarily in severe cases, as well as patients at risk with a confirmed diagnosis.Most often, the California flu treatment regimen is limited to symptomatic therapy, dietary and dietary advice. Patients are prescribed:

• Bed rest. He may not be strict, but because of severe weakness and high fever, the patient himself does not want to get up and walk.
• Lightweight food. In the early days of the disease, if there is no appetite, you can eat a little, preferring low-fat broths, vegetables and fruits.
• Abundant drink. In the priority vitamin vitamins, tea with lemon, compotes.Sufficient fluid intake into the patient's body helps to reduce intoxication and moisturizing the mucous membranes, and also prevents the development of dehydration, which can occur due to fever and profuse sweating.
• Antipyretic agents. With the flu, you can take medicines based on paracetamol and ibuprofen.Aspirin is contraindicated.
• Interferon preparations.
• Cures for the common cold , cough, sore throat and other medications, depending on the presence of certain symptoms.

Flu vaccination California

The annual vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza California.Moreover, it is necessary to do it in October-November, that is, on the eve of the beginning of the season of increased incidence of "cold" diseases.

Every spring, WHO makes a prediction about which strains of the influenza virus will be dangerous for the population in the coming winter.Based on these data, pharmaceutical companies create vaccines that are able to initiate the formation of immunity to pathogens indicated by WHO experts.In the autumn, these vaccines usually appear in medical institutions and everyone can be vaccinated( people at risk are usually vaccinated free of charge, other categories of population - for a fee).

Thus, if WHO predicts that the California flu strain will circulate in the winter, influenza vaccines for the current year will necessarily contain components that provoke the formation of immunity to this infection.

Other preventative measures

First of all, it is necessary to increase the body's resistance to infectious agents.The most simple and effective methods of strengthening immunity include:

• Balanced nutrition.
• Fresh air.
• Hardening.
• Complete sleep and rest.
• Life without bad habits.

Well, in order to strengthen the local immune defense of the respiratory tract, which is extremely important for the prevention of California flu, it is necessary to rinse the nose daily with a solution of salt. This recommendation is especially relevant for the cold season.In apartments with central heating in winter, as a rule, very dry air, so for the night from the surface of the mucous nose, mucus disappears, and with it the immune defense.Moisturizing the mucous saline solution in the mornings, we potentiate the production of immunoglobulins that will fight the airways and bacteria that enter the respiratory tract throughout the day.

In addition to strengthening immunity for the prevention of influenza, it is necessary to reduce the possibility of meeting the source of infection and carefully observe the rules of personal hygiene.That is:

• try not to travel in public transport, especially when it is full;
• not to visit crowded places;
• not to approach closer than a meter to an obviously sick person;
• for a while to refuse kisses and handshakes when meeting;
• wash hands frequently;
• not to use someone else's dishes;
• to touch hands, mouth, eyes, nose;
• regularly ventilate rooms, wipe furniture and floors.

In general, the likelihood of a person getting the flu California or not, largely depends on him - whether he will inoculate, change the pattern of behavior, whether he will take care of his health.

Zubkova Olga Sergeevna, medical reviewer, epidemiologist