flu and prevention

Did you know...

Today we are talking about flu and prevention, being the third cause of death for infectious diseases after AIDS and tuberculosis in Italy.

It is estimated that each year five milion people get the flu on avarage in Italy. These numbers are enormous and are explained by the great capacity of the flu virus to modify from time to time, being able to overcome the immune system defences which were created by previous flus.

In fact flu is very contagious because it can be transmitted through mucus and saliva even only by being around another person.

Flu virus attacks the respiratory tract (throat, nose and lungs) and its symptoms are: cold, throat inflammation, bronchitis and osteoarticular pains. Elderly peolpe and children, which are risk categories, are recommended to get the preventive vaccine every year. The symptoms for elderly people are weakness and confusion and those for children are vomiting and diarrhea.

Some steps identified by the European CDE can help to prevent the flu:

• wash your hands thoroughly and fequently;
• blow your nose properly and cover your mouth when you cough; then wash your hands;
• avoid contact with other people when you suffer from the first flu symptoms to prevent contagion.

These simple actions, even if they seem to be banal and are often undervalued, are the first preventive measures to do and are recognized by the World Health Organisation as the most efficient ones to control the spread of infections even in hospitals.