Vaccinations

About Influenza

What is Influenza?

Influenza is an acute respiratory tract infection caused by the Influenza virus. The disease is characterized by the sudden onset of chills, malaise, fever, muscular pains cough, rhinitis and sore throat.

How is Influenza transmitted?

The main way that influenza viruses are thought to spread is from person to person in respiratory droplets of coughs and sneezes. This can happen when droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person are propelled through the air and deposited on the mouth or nose of people nearby. Influenza viruses may also be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets on another person or an object and then touches their own mouth or nose (or someone else’s mouth or nose) before washing their hands.

Why should I take the Influenza vaccination?

Influenza can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent seasonal flu is by getting a seasonal flu vaccination each year. This is especially important for patients at risk for complications from influenza eg. Elderly (>65 years old), patients with chronic diseases, immunocompromised, asthmatics, etc.

Points to Note:

Laboratory diagnostic tests are not perfect and are not 100% accurate

We do not have a test for every disease or virus but most of those pathogens that are of public health importance or have long term implications on your health can be tested
No one single test can be used with absolute certainty to diagnose a disease. Often, we depend on a combination of tests to make a diagnosis
Sometimes, we have to resort to trial treatment or empiric treatment if investigative tests are inconclusive. If the patient makes a therapeutic response and feels better, we have achieved our goal
In PUO, we are looking for treatable causes and to rule out sinister causes eg. malignancies so that we do not miss opportunities for early treatment or intervention

Influenza