Flu Season

Influenza, also known as the flu, is a viral infection causing acute respiratory sickness. The two common strains of influenza are types A and B but there are many subtypes. The prevalence and activity of these subtypes are what determine the exact composition of the vaccine each year. Although the vaccine doesn’t necessarily change each year, the strains are closely monitored and assessed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Millions of people in the United States get sick each year from the flu. Annually, more than 114,000 are hospitalized and about 36,000 people, mostly elderly, die from the infection.

“The best time to receive flu vaccination is October and November,” said Barbara Mobley, Extension program specialist. “This year the vaccine supply is plentiful, so there should be no problem with shortages or delays. Prioritizing people based on their risk categories is not necessary since plenty of vaccine if available.”

Children receiving the vaccination for the first time will require two doses. Anyone in any of the high risk groups should also get vaccinated as soon as possible. Adequate protection, which last about six months, develops about two weeks after vaccination.

For the first time, two methods are available for administering the flu vaccine: intramuscular injection (killed virus) and intranasal solution (modified live virus). Injection is the typical way to receive the flu vaccination. The vaccine is injected into the muscle of the upper arm in an adult and the thigh of a child. People 6 months and older can received the injection, and it is quick and nearly painless.

“FluMist is a new product this year,” said Bernie Olin, director drug information and resource center of the Harrision School of Pharmacy at Auburn University. “It has the same vaccine ingredients that are injected, although this is a live virus vaccine that has been modified so it doesn’t grow well at body temperature.”

The new form of vaccination is sprayed into the nose with a syringe-looking plunger. One half the does is delivered into each nostril. The age range is 5 to 49 years. Children 5 to 8 years old who are being vaccinated for the first time require two doses about 6 weeks apart. Children receiving aspirin therapy should not receive the intranasal vaccine. “

“The good news is that those people who avoid flu vaccines because of their dislike for needles now have a needle-free option,” Olin said. “The bad news is that the intranasal vaccine may not be as convenient to find in community programs, and it is several times more expensive than the injection.“

With the injection vaccination, most side effects are mild and commonly include injection site soreness for up to two days, some fever and muscle aches.

Runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, headache, muscle aches and cough are common side effects of the intranasal vaccine.

The flu is usually spread by person-to-person contact. An infected person may send the virus into the air on small water droplets by coughing, sneezing or even talking. The droplets then make contact with a mucous membrane (mouth, nose, eyes), and the virus quickly takes hold and begins to multiply. Once the virus has landed, symptoms typically begin in two days but can begin up to four days later. An infected person may be contagious from one day before symptoms begin to seven days after becoming sick.

The most common symptoms of flu are fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, stuffy nose and muscle aches. Stomach and intestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting and diarrhea) can occur, but they are most common in children and are actually often caused by infections other than the flu. The flu tends to begin and get worse quicker than the common cold and involved a higher fever. Unfortunately, complications with the flu infections can range from worsening respiratory problems, such as bacterial pneumonia, sinus infections and ear infections, to dehydration or worsening of existing medical problems, such as asthma, heart failure or diabetes.

In the past 100 years, there have been three worldwide flu epidemics. The Spanish flu outbreak in 1918 through 1919 was the deadliest. More than 500,000 people died in the United States, and almost 50 million died worldwide.

The Asian flu outbreak in 1957 through 1958 started in China and caused about 70,000 deaths in the United States.

The Hong Kong flu outbreak in 1968 through 1969 caused about 34,000 deaths in the United States. Variants of this virus still circulate today.

For more information on influenza and other health-related topics, visit the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Web site at www.aces.edu. Click on the environment and health icon on the main page.

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