What are the types of flu and its symptoms?

Little by little, with the arrival of the autumn season, we see the flu among people, which mostly lasts until the spring season. This disease is accompanied by sneezing, coughing and fatigue, and its severity varies among different people. Knowledge of this disease, its prevention, care and treatment methods are of particular importance, and in the upcoming article from the online pharmacy magazine Positive Green, we will discuss the types of influenza, its symptoms and treatment.

What is influenza?

Influenza is a viral infection that attacks the respiratory system. This disease affects the nose, throat, lungs and other parts of the respiratory system and is highly contagious and its duration is about 4 days. This disease is cured by itself in most people, but sometimes this simple virus causes severe and even fatal complications in patients. Influenza virus is an enveloped virus that can survive in the environment for several hours depending on the environmental conditions, and depending on the type of virus, they are also vulnerable to heat and low pH. Since this virus is fat soluble, it is sensitive to detergents.

Introduction of types of influenza

In general, influenza is divided into four types: A, B, C, and D. Types A and B are the cause of most infectious and annual epidemics, and type C is the cause of simpler colds with less severity and common, and type D has not been reported in humans so far and causes disease only in live animals.

Influenza type A

This type of influenza is also seen among humans, animals and birds. This virus has two types of proteins called HA (hemagglutinin) and NA (neuraminidase) on its surface, which, due to its mutability, causes a wide range of types of influenza A viruses, the three known types of which include the following:

Influenza H1N1: Also known as swine flu or Spanish flu, this strain is known as the deadliest pandemic flu virus. This virus was the cause of the pandemic in 1918 and 2009.

Influenza H3N2: This type of mutated H1N1 influenza, which after 2009 and until 2019, was one of the causes of the pandemic along with other types of influenza and can infect humans, pigs, birds and all mammals.

Influenza H5N1: This strain is known as bird flu and was reported in 2005. This virus revealed its pathogenicity first in wild birds, then in domestic birds and finally in humans. H5N1 is a type of bird flu that causes severe infections and has a very high mortality rate. Bird flu is associated with symptoms such as dry cough, fever above 38 degrees, hoarse voice, runny nose and bone pain in the human body.

Influenza type B

This type of flu has only been reported in humans and is less severe than the first type. Also, it does not include a specific category and is named based on the place where the outbreak occurred. For example, its famous types are B/Victoria and B/Yamagata.

Influenza type C

Since this flu is weaker than the two types A and B, it is referred to as a simple viral cold. People infected with this virus recover easily after a few days and it usually does not cause a widespread epidemic.

Influenza type D

There are still doubts and questions about the classification of this type of flu. This type usually affects livestock and so far no case of human infection has been reported.

What are the symptoms of flu?

At first, the flu may be accompanied by symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing and sore throat like a common cold. But colds usually progress slowly, while flu symptoms appear suddenly and are more severe. People with the flu have the following symptoms:

• Fever or feeling feverish
• Shivering and sweating
• Dry and persistent cough
• Shortness of breath
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle aches or body aches
• Headache
• eye pain
• Feeling tired and weak
• Vomiting and diarrhea

Note that the symptoms of children’s flu are different, and if you see the following symptoms, see a doctor immediately:

• Shortness of breath
• blue lips
• Pain in the chest
• Dehydration of the child
• Severe pain
• convulsions

What are the methods of diagnosing influenza?

Usually, an initial diagnosis is made by visiting a doctor and with a clinical examination of a person suspected of having a disease and according to the symptoms and statements of the disease, but recently with the occurrence of widespread diseases such as colds and corona, various laboratory tests such as serology tests are used for the most accurate method to diagnose influenza. Is.

But in general, the diagnosis of influenza takes place in 3 stages:

• Personal examination and the patient’s statements to the doctor: At this stage, the person notices the initial symptoms in his body and the severity of the disease increases during the first hours and the first to the second day.

• Clinical examination by a doctor: a person is diagnosed with a disease by visiting a doctor and checking the ear cavity, the end of the throat and listening to the sound of the lungs, and prescribes antibiotics and… to the patient.

• Laboratory tests ordered by the attending physician: Influenza diagnosis tests include various tests such as influenza antibody test (by serological method) or molecular genetic tests such as RTPCR test confirming the presence or absence of the virus or other possible cases.

Influenza treatment methods

According to the severity of the disease, the methods of treating influenza are also different. In general, treatment can be divided into two methods: home treatment and drug treatment.

Home remedies for the flu

You can treat the flu at home by doing the following steps:

• Consume enough liquids such as warm and boiled water, hot soup, hot drinks, natural fruit juices.
• Observe personal hygiene and wash your hands frequently with soap and water.
• Do not forget to gargle with salt water.
• Get enough rest.

Drug treatment

If the severity and conditions of the disease were such that it could not be controlled and treated with home care, you should see a doctor and take cold and flu medicine.

How to prevent the flu?

The main cause of flu and cold symptoms is that your body spends all its resources fighting viruses and infections.

By following a few simple tips, you can prevent the flu virus:

• Influenza vaccine injection at the right time
• Constant washing of hands and face
• Buy a filter mask
• Refraining from kissing and shaking hands with people
• Follow a simple and healthy diet
• Continuous use of antibacterial solution
• No smoking and no drug use

Who is most at risk of getting the flu?

Children under one year old, elderly people over 65 years old, those suffering from diseases of the immune system, those who travel more in public places, are at risk of catching the flu virus.

What is the flu vaccine for?

One of the best and most effective ways to prevent and prevent the spread of the flu virus is to get the flu vaccine. By receiving this vaccine, your body reacts to it strain It will secrete antibodies from the influenza virus. These antibodies will protect you against the virus. In this case, if you get the flu virus later, your symptoms will be weaker.

Getting this vaccine is necessary for people who are at higher risk, these people are:

• pregnant women
• Children under 5 years old
• People 18 years old and younger who are being treated for asthma
• People older than 65 years
• People whose body mass index is 40 or higher
• Anyone who works or lives in a nursing home or chronic care facility
• Caregivers of each of the above groups
• Anyone with a chronic disease

What is the difference between flu and cold?

Many people think that flu and cold are similar, but this is not the case and we will discuss the difference between these two diseases. By knowing the symptoms of these two diseases, diagnosis is easier for you. The table below will help you identify the symptoms and differences between flu and cold.

What is the difference between flu and corona?

In some cases, the symptoms of covid-19, flu and allergy are very similar, and it is difficult to distinguish between flu and corona. However, there are differences between them.

The main symptoms of Covid-19 are:

Fatigue, fever, cough, shortness of breath.

The symptoms of flu are similar to Covid-19, but fever and body aches are also added to them. But you may not have shortness of breath in flu. Allergy symptoms are usually more chronic and include sneezing, coughing, and wheezing.

last word

In this article, we introduced you to the types of flu, symptoms and prevention methods of this virus. Finally, to help control the spread of this disease in the community, stay at home and keep sick people at home for at least 24 hours after the fever stops. In case of symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, feeling tired, etc., be sure to see a doctor to help diagnose your disease faster. You can ask us your questions in the comments section so that our doctors will answer them in the shortest possible time.