Influenza – Dr Ruhil Badiani, British GP
What is Influenza?
Influenza, or the ‘flu’ is common and is caused by different strains of the Influenza virus. In the UAE flu tends to become a problem around the change in season from summer to winter. Also use of air conditioning units can help spread of the flu. Another factor is the huge mix of people from different countries. When people travel they can pick up different strains of flu and bring them back to the UAE.
How can I tell whether I have flu or just a cold?
The main symptoms of flu are listed below.
The symptoms of flu tend to come on more quickly than those of a cold and are more severe. Most people with a cold will have a very mild fever or no fever at all. People with flu tend to feel so unwell that they want to stay in bed.
Most cases of flu are mild and can be treated at home with paracetamol or Ibuprofen for fever and plenty of fluids and rest.
There are some groups of people such as the very elderly and the very young, and those with chronic diseases who are more likely to have a serious case of flu, or suffer with complications of the flu such as pneumonia. If you or a member of your family have any medical conditions or are very young or old it is best to come in to see the family physician or GP.
There are medications which treat the flu, the most well known being Tamiflu. The medication works best if started within 48 hours of you contracting the virus. After this it is less effective. Most cases of flu get better on their own without the need for Tamiflu. However those with serious cases of the flu should be given treatment with medication. Your family doctor or GP will be able to discuss with you whether they think starting medication will be of benefit in your individual case.
Your doctor can perform a swab of your throat to test for influenza and may do this to confirm your diagnosis.
Should I get a flu vaccination?
The flu vaccination is offered every year. Most people can have the flu vaccination, however there are certain groups of people in whom the vaccine is most beneficial. There are:
There are certain groups of people who should not have the flu vaccine. They are:
If you are not in either of these categories you may still have the flu vaccine.
What is in the flu vaccine?
Each year a different flu vaccine is manufactured. A great deal of research goes into deciding which strains of flu viruses will go into the vaccine. The strains that go in are those which are likely to cause the most sickness. This will change every year as the viruses change slightly as they replicate. Every now and again the viruses change dramatically, this is when epidemics tend to happen as people have not developed immunity to these very different viruses.
The viruses in the vaccine are inactivated. This means they are not alive, but they still have proteins on their surfaces which our bodies can recognize as flu. Our bodies then make antibodies to these viruses and so if we come in contact with the flu viruses our bodies are ready to fight it before we get ill.
Can I get the flu from the vaccine?
Because the viruses are inactivated this means that they cannot replicate and cannot cause the flu. If you get a fever or feel under the weather after the vaccine this is your immune response to the virus in the vaccine and is completely normal. It means your body is creating antibodies to the virus.
If you are unlucky enough to get the flu just after having the vaccine this means you were exposed to the flu from somewhere else not long before the vaccine was given. It takes about 2 weeks for the body to produce antibodies after vaccination.
Is the vaccine 100% effective?
Unfortunately, it is impossible to cover all the possible strains of flu in the vaccine. You can get flu of a different strain even if you have had the vaccine. In Dubai with such a melting pot of different nationalities and with so many people travelling regularly it is not surprising that people sometimes get the flu twice.
For an appointment with Dr Ruhil Badiani, British GP, email us on info@cornerstoneclinic.ae
