"B" for "bad." (B-Yamagata flu strain)This year's flu season may mark the U.S. emergence of B-Yamagata, a flu strain that appeared last year in Asia, but that prediction is tentative. The Southern Hemisphere, which has already undergone its flu season, saw a mixture of flu viruses this year, but, because flu strains tend to appear in A and B cycles, "We think influenza B influenza B n. Influenza caused by infection with influenza virus type B. influenza B Infectious disease An influenza virus which causes epidemics in 3-5 yr cycles. Cf Influenza A, Influenza C. is most likely to be the main player in this year's flu season," says Dr. Paul Glezen of the national Influenza Research Center in Houston. This year's flu vaccine covers B-Yamagata, as well as other strains, including A-Taiwan and A-Shanghai. High-risk persons include those age 65 or older, persons with heart and lung disease lung disease Pulmonary disease Pulmonology Any condition causing or indicating impaired lung function Types of LD Obstructive lung disease–↓ in air flow caused by a narrowing or blockage of airways–eg, asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis; (including asthma and chronic bronchitis chronic bronchitis n. Inflammation of the bronchial mucous membrane, characterized by cough, hypersecretion of mucus, and expectoration of sputum over a long period of time and associated with increased vulnerability to bronchial infection. ), diabetics, chronic kidney disease Chronic kidney disease (CKD), also know as chronic renal disease, is a progressive loss of renal function over a period of months or years through five stages. Each stage is a progression through an abnormally low and progressively worse glomerular filtration rate, which is patients, children aged 6 months to 18 years on long-term aspirin therapy, and those with chronic anemia (including sickle cell anemia sickle cell anemia n. A chronic, usually fatal inherited form of anemia marked by crescent-shaped red blood cells, occurring almost exclusively in Blacks, and characterized by fever, leg ulcers, jaundice, and episodic pain in the joints. ). Persons likely to come in contact with such individuals, such as family members and health care professionals, should be vaccinated as well. Flu cases usually begin appearing around early- to mid-December and peak in January or February. Getting a flu shot as late as February is beneficial, although from September onward is the preferred time. For persons exposed to flu who failed to get a shot or are allergic to the vaccine, the drug amantadine amantadine /aman·ta·dine/ (ah-man´tah-den) an antiviral compound used as the hydrochloride salt to treat influenza A; also used as an antidyskinetic in the treatment of parkinsonism and drug-induced extrapyramidal reactions. and a new one, rimantadine, can provide protection against the disease, or reduce its severity if it has already struck. Rimantadine, which may have received FDA FDA abbr. Food and Drug Administration FDA, n.pr See Food and Drug Administration. FDA, n.pr the abbreviation for the Food and Drug Administration. approval by the time you read this, is as effective as amantadine, with significantly fewer side effects. Left untreated, influenza can lead to pneumonia; experts estimate that it kills more than 40,000 Americans each year. Influenza usually strikes suddenly; symptoms include fever, generalized muscle pain, weakness, and a dry, hacking cough. Flu victims should get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids. Aspirin is generally the best pain reliever, although there is the risk of Reye's syndrome for those age 21 or younger who take aspirin. Consult your physician. |
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