How to distinguish flu from a cold and what is the "Hong Kong" virus?
Minsk City Clinical Infectious Hospital's emergency department infectious disease doctor, Nikita Salavey, shared information about flu symptoms and treatment on Facebook.
The doctor notes that almost all patients in the hospital with the flu were not vaccinated this year.
"There's a lot of media buzz around the 'Hong Kong' H3N2 virus. In fact, it's a common variant of influenza A (H3N2) that has been circulating for many years alongside influenza A (H1N1) and influenza B. Each season, one of them might 'lead', but all three are capable of causing severe infection and complications," the medic notes.
How does the flu differ from a cold? It's not a common ARVI (Acute Respiratory Viral Infection), explains Salavey. With the flu, a person feels generally very ill: high temperature and pronounced intoxication are the main reasons for seeking help.
Typical flu symptoms:
temperature is almost always above 38 °C, often 39—40 °C, lasting 3—5 days
severe weakness, body aches in muscles and joints
intense headache
eye pain, photophobia, tearing
cough and runny nose often appear on day 1-2 after the fever
cough is dry, difficult to clear
in children, less often in adults, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain are possible
There are express tests and PCR for diagnosing flu, but more often the doctor makes a diagnosis based on the typical clinical presentation and examination.
Dr. Salavey explains what treatment is prescribed:
"The only drug with proven effectiveness is oseltamivir. It is especially effective if started within the first 48-72 hours of illness — it quickly stops the further development of the flu.
It is especially important for pregnant women (allowed at any stage, reduces the risk of severe course). We have no other means with proven effectiveness against the flu."
Plenty of fluids (any kind, minimum 30 ml/kg + 10 ml/kg for each degree of body temperature elevation above 37 degrees per day, evenly throughout the day) and antipyretics (paracetamol, ibuprofen, if temperature is above 38.5 degrees) also help to cope with the flu more easily.
"Antibiotics are only needed for bacterial complications, never in the first few days. And only a doctor prescribes them!" — notes the medic.
Annual vaccination is important for prevention.