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HEALTH DEPARTMENT |
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Avian Influenza Facts & Updates Other Links |
Facts about the Flu Virus: The Franklin County Health Department wants to remind everyone to receive their flu vaccination each year. Influenza, commonly known as "the flu," is caused by the influenza virus, which infects the respiratory tract (nose, throat and lungs). Unlike many other viral respiratory infections, such as the common cold, the flue causes severe illness and life-threatening complications in many people. Symptoms of the flue include fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and muscle aches. Children can have additional gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but these symptoms are uncommon in adults. Although the term "stomach flu" is sometimes used to describe nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea, these illnesses are caused by certain other viruses, bacteria, or possibly parasites, and are rarely related to influenza. In the United States the peak flu season can occur anywhere from late December through March. The overall health impact (i.e. infections, hospitalizations and deaths) of a flu season varies from year to year. The main way that influenza viruses are 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 (generally up to 3 feet) through the air and deposited on the mouth or nose of people nearby. The viruses also can 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. The single best way to prevent the flu is for individuals, especially people at high risk for serious complications from the flu, to get a vaccination each fall.
Some of the complications caused by flu include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. Children may get sinus problems and ear infections as complications from the flu. Those aged 65 years and older and persons of any age with chronic medical conditions are at highest risk for serious complications of flu. Studies show that most healthy adults may be able to infect others from 1 day prior to becoming sick and for 5 days after they first develop symptoms. Some young children and people with weakened immune systems may be contagious for longer than a week. More than 200,000 persons are hospitalized for flu-related complications each year. About 36,000 Americans die on an average per year from the complications of flu. If the flu is contracted:
In some cases your doctor may choose to use certain antiviral drugs to treat the flu. Influenza is caused by a virus, so antibiotics do not cure it. Contact your doctor at the first sings of flu-like symptoms. To ensure that people who are at the highest risk of complications from influenza have access to vaccine, we recommend that only high priority individuals receive the vaccine until November. When our supply of vaccine is adequate (in early November) all persons will be vaccinated. Those targeted for vaccinations prior to November are:
It is recommended that all children aged 6 month through 5 years of age be vaccinated for influenza this year. However, the health department has not received our pediatric vaccine yet. We expect this vaccine to be delivered by November 1, 2006. Please call the Health Department for vaccine availability and clinics around the area.
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Facts About the Avian Influenza Virus: Avian influenza is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These flu viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry viruses in the intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, avian influenza is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks and turkeys very sick, potentially even causing death. Infected birds shed influenza virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. Susceptible birds become infected when they have contact with contaminated excretions or with surfaces that are contaminated with excretions or secretions. Domesticated birds may become infected with avian influenza virus through direct contact with infected waterfowl or other infected poultry or through contact with surfaces (such as dirt or cages) or materials (such as water or feed) that have been contaminated with the virus. Bird flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but more than 170 confirmed cases of human infection with bird flu viruses have occurred since 1997. Most cases of avian influenza infection in humans have resulted from direct or close contact with infected poultry (e.g., domesticated chickens, ducks and turkeys) or surfaces contaminated with secretions or excretions from infected birds. The spread of avian influenza viruses from an ill person to another person has been reported very rarely, and transmission has not been observed to continue beyond one person. During an outbreak of avian influenza among poultry, there is a possible risk to people who have direct or close contact with infected birds or with surfaces that have been contaminated with secretions and excretions from infected birds. Facts About Contracting Avian Influenza:
The public should observe wildlife, including wild birds, from a distance. This protects the individual from possible exposure to pathogens and minimizes disturbance to the animal. Avoid touching wildlife. If there is contact with wildlife, do not rub eyes, eat, drink, or smoke before washing hands with soap and water. do not pick up diseased or dead wildlife. Hunters should not handle or eat sick game. They should wear rubber or disposable latex gloves while handling and cleaning any game, making sure to wash hands with soap and water. Knives, equipment and surfaces that come in contact with game. Do not eat, drink or smoke while handling animals and be sure to cook all game thoroughly. Symptoms of avian influenza in humans have ranged from typical human influenza-like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, and muscle aches) to eye infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases (such as acute respiratory distress syndrome), and other severe and life-threatening complications. The symptoms of avian influenza may depend on which specific virus subtype and strain caused the infection. Laboratory tests are needed to identify avian influenza virus in humans. The influenza vaccine offered at the Health Department does not provide protection from avian influenza. Most avian influenza viruses that have caused human illness and death appear to be resistant to amantadine (Symmetrel) and rimantadine (Flumadin), with other antiviral medications, oseltramivir (Tamiflu) and zanamavir (Relenza), would probably work to treat influenza caused by avian influenza virus, but additional studies are needed to demonstrate their current and ongoing effectiveness. There currently is no commercially available vaccine to protect humans against the avian influenza virus that is being detected in Asia and Europe. However, vaccine development efforts are taking place. Research studies to test a vaccine that will protect humans against avian influenza virus began in April 2005, and series of clinical trials are under way. In addition to humans and birds it is known that pigs, tigers, leopards, ferrets, and household cats can be infected with the avian influenza viruses. It is possible that other mammals may be susceptible to avian influenza infection as well. The Franklin County Health Department is actively working on plans to deal with many types of public health emergencies, including pandemic flu. We work closely with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and our local emergency Manager for our plan development and the testing of our plans. We currently are focusing on pandemic flu planning and will submit our initial plan to KDHE this summer.
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