All about the flu

FLU- This is an acute respiratory infectious disease, the causative agent of which is several types of flu viruses (A, B and C).

The causative agent of infection:The influenza viruses belong to such pathogens that have an extremely high ability to change. Therefore, our immune system, having met with a changed influenza virus, begins to perceive it as a new, previously unknown virus. And while the immune system “establishes” the production of protective antibodies to fight the influenza virus, a person develops a disease. It is with the variability of influenza viruses that annual seasonal lifts of incidence are associated.

The influenza viruses are transmitted mainly by airborne droplets. The incubation period for influenza lasts from 1 to 5 days, making up an average of 2 days.

Clinical picture:In the clinical picture of the disease, symptoms of intoxication prevail. The disease begins acute at high temperature, which during the first day reaches 39-40 degrees, a severe headache in the forehead, eyeballs, as well as pain in the muscles and bones appear. From 2-3 days of the disease, catarrhal phenomena are joined in the form of dry, painful cough, unfortunate discharge from the nose. The fever with uncomplicated flu continues for 1-3 days, up to 5 days as much as possible. The cough can be saved for 7-10 days.

The most severe complications for influenza:Streaming laryngotracheitis, pneumonia, acute sinusitis with a predominant damage to the maxillary sinuses, damage to the inner ear, pulmonary edema, damage to the nervous system in the form of encephalitis, meningoencephalitis.

Protective immune response.Immunity after the disease is persisted for several months or years.

The flu continues to be the most massive infectious disease (in terms of frequency and number of cases in the world and accounts for 95% of all infectious diseases) and is one of the most urgent medical and socio-economic problems. This is the only infection that causes annual epidemics and periodic pandemias, covering up to 30% of the globe population (1918, 1957-1958, 1968-1969, 1977-1978, 2009).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 20-30% of children and 5-10% of adults are still ill with influenza, and they die from a flu from 250 thousand to 500 thousand people. Economic damage from annual epidemics is from 1 to 6 million dollars per 100 thousand of the population.

Acute respiratory infections- This is a polyetiological group of infectious diseases, which are most often observed in childhood, and are accompanied by inflammation of the respiratory tract. Etiological factors can be influenza viruses, paragraphippus, adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, respiratory-statical viruses, rheoviruses, coronaviruses, enteroviruses, as well as mycoplasma, chlamydia and the most diverse microorganisms.

Clinical picture:Ori are characterized by fever, intoxication symptoms, expressed to one degree or another, and inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.

Influenza prevention measures and other acute respiratory infections

At the present stage, the most effective means of influenza prevention is immunization. In the Republic of Belarus, preventive vaccinations against influenza are carried out in accordance with the WHO recommendations, according to which it is primarily necessary to immunize against influenza, primarily among people from high risk of infection and consequences from influenza infection.

After vaccination or the transferred influenza, protective antibodies are formed in the body, but they remain a little more than six months and then destroyed. When a new variant of the influenza virus comes next year, it again “finds by surprise” our immune system and we are sick again.

Vaccination against influenza

There are the following types of vaccines for the prevention of influenza:

LivingAndinactivated(i.e. killed).

Living vaccine- This is a vaccine that contains a living vaccine (i.e. specially created for the vaccine) influenza virus.

Inactivated(i.e., the killed) vaccine is a vaccine that contains a whole killed influenza vaccine virus or its individual particles (antigens).

InactivatedVaccines, depending on the integrity of the vaccine virus, are divided into:

• Cooperation, i.e. Vaccines containing a whole vaccine virus.
• Split - vaccines, i.e. Cloudly vaccines containing individual external and internal particles of the flu vaccine virus.
• Subsidiary vaccines, i.e. Vaccines containing only external particles of the flu vaccine virus.

What is common between all vaccines for the prevention of influenza? All vaccines for the prevention of influenza create a reliable immunity against influenza.

What is the difference between vaccines for the prevention of influenza?

The introduction method

Living vaccines are introduced by spraying using a dispenser

The killed vaccines are introduced using an injection

The age from which you can carry out vaccinations

Living and inactivated whole-enyan vaccines can be administered from the age of 3 years and older

Split and subsidiary vaccines can be administered from the age of 6 months

The frequency of development of reactions

With the introduction of living and inactivated whole-enynurion vaccines, the probability of developing reactions is higher than when using split and subsidiary vaccines

When using split- and subunitable vaccines, the probability of developing reactions is lower than when using living and inactivated whole-invention vaccines

A list of contraindications

When using living and inactivated whole-enynurion vaccines, this list is expanded compared to the list for split and subsidiary vaccines

When vaccinating using split and subsidiary vaccines, the list of contraindications is minimal

Listen to readings

The list of indications for vaccination by live and inactivated whole-invention vaccines is less compared to the list for split and subsidiary vaccines

Using split and subsidiary vaccines, vaccinations against influenza can be carried out to pregnant and lactating women, children from the age of 6 months and individuals who have a history of some diseases

What flu vaccines are used in our country?

All of the below vaccines are registered by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus and have experience in our country and abroad.

Living vaccineIt is represented by the influenza allanto-based dry intranasal vaccine ultravak (country-producing country of Russia).

Inactivated vaccinesrepresented:

• whole-in-cloud vaccines-influenza (producing country of Russia), inactivated influenza vaccine-IGV (producing country Russia);
• Split vaccines-Vaxigrip (producing country of France), fluiriks (producing country of Belgium), flivaxin (country-producing country China. Safety and efficiency of the use of flivaxin vaccine, which began to be used in our country since 2010, identical with experience in the use of Vaxigrip vaccine in our country
• Substantial vaccines-the flu (producing country of Russia), the neo (producing country of Russia), the grippol plus (the country of the Russian), the inflouvak (the manufacturer of the Netherlands).

Ways to introduce vaccines against influenza.

Living vaccines are introduced by spraying into the nasal passages.

All inactivated vaccines are introduced in the form of injection intramuscularly or subcutaneously. The intramuscular path of administration is preferable, since it implies the best absorption of the drug and, therefore, its greater effectiveness. The subcutaneous path of administration is less preferable for the reason that the vaccine remains at the place of administration for some time and is slowly resolved, this in turn affects the speed of the formation of protective immunity.

The intramuscular administration of the vaccine is carried out in the shoulder (children 18 months and older, adolescents and adults), and subcutaneous - to the subscapular area or the outer surface of the shoulder.

How is the composition of vaccines determine?

The influenza virus circulates according to certain biological laws. Almost always, the virus, which caused the increase in the incidence in Southeast Asia, comes to Europe in the fall.

There are several hundred laboratories in the world that monitor the influenza viruses. Analyzing information about the influenza viruses, specialists of the World Health Organization (WHO) annually by April - May make recommendations on the options for influenza viruses, which must be included in the vaccine. Every year, 3 actual options for the influenza virus are included in the vaccines.

The statistics of the 20th last years indicate that those options for influenza viruses that were recommended for inclusion in the vaccines coincided in more than 90% of cases (in some years, discrepancies were noted for one of the 3 options that are part of the vaccine).

Vaccines of various manufacturers do not differ in terms of influenza viruses included in their composition. Every year, the vaccines include those options for influenza viruses that are recommended by WHO specialists.

The effectiveness and safety of vaccines for the prevention of influenza.

Dates of formation protection against the disease after preventive vaccination.14-21 days after vaccination, immunity develops, which provides protection against influenza for 6-12 months.

Vaccination effectiveness.No therapeutic and preventive drug gives a 100% guarantee of the disease.

The reliability of the protection formed after vaccination depends on many factors, including the age and state of health of the patient, individual characteristics, etc. But on average of 100 vaccinated 70-98 people will be protected against influenza. If, nevertheless, a vaccinated person gets the flu (2-30 out of 100 vaccinated people), then his disease will occur in mild and without complications. Thus, vaccination guarantees protection against the disease with severe and complicated forms of influenza, which may result in death.

The influenza vaccine is intended primarily for protection from the influenza viruses, and not from other respiratory viruses. At the same time, the flu vaccine has additional, to some extent immunomodulating properties. Thanks to this, the immune system of approximately 20-25 people out of 100 vaccinated acquires additional protection from other respiratory viral infections.

Security of vaccination against influenza.

Introduction of any vaccines, including Vaccines for the prevention of influenza can cause reactions.

The occurrence of temperature or redness at the place of introduction of the vaccine is a natural reaction to any vaccine indicating the beginning of the formation of protection.

After vaccination against influenza, the vaccinated ones may be noted:

• General reactions are reactions that generally affect the body and are manifested in the form of an increase in body temperature, malaise, headache, etc.;
• Local reactions are reactions that appear at the place of introduction of a vaccine in the form of a seal and pain.

These manifestations are short-term, do not require treatment and disappear independently within 2-3 days, without violating the ability to work and without requiring additional treatment.

What kind of vaccines against influenza are more often developed by reactions?

More often there are general reactions to the introduction of living vaccines: out of 100 vaccinated against influenza in 8-15 people, there can be general reactions in the form of an increase in body temperature (up to 38 ° C), general malaise. All these symptoms are short -term and disappear independently.

With the introduction of split- and subunitable vaccines of 100 vaccinated against influenza, 2–8 people can have local reactions in the form of redness, compaction or soreness at the place of introduction of a vaccine and in 1-7 of 100 vaccinated- general reactions in a short-term increase in body temperature (up to 37.5 ° C), and general malaise. All these symptoms are short -term and disappear spontaneously, as a rule, after 1-2 days.

Contraindications for vaccination

When is it impossible to carry out flu vaccinations?

There are certain health states when vaccination for the prevention of influenza can be temporarily delayed (temporary contraindications) or vaccination cannot be carried out never at all (constant contraindications). In any case, the decision on contraindications is made by the doctor, after the examination and survey of the patient.

Temporary contraindications to the vaccination against influenza include the condition of an acute disease or exacerbation of a chronic disease. After normalizing the condition (reduction in temperature and recovery) or the transition of a chronic disease to the remission stage, a vaccine can be introduced.

A constant contraindication for influenza vaccination is extremely rare, in the event of an immediate allergic reaction in the form of anaphylactic shock, urticaria, and curing edema to the protein of chicken eggs (because growing a vaccine virus occurs precisely on chicken embryos). Such reactions are in people who, when trying to eat a chicken egg in any form (boiled egg, scrambled eggs, etc.), a person immediately develops swelling of the lower lip, throat, etc. If there are no such reactions, then the flu vaccination for such a person is safe.

Is it possible to vaccinate against influenza if there is a chronic disease?

You can and should. Chronic diseases (including heart disease) are not a contraindication, but an indication for conducting influenza vaccination. Patients with chronic diseases tolerate vaccination well and they develop sufficient protection against the disease. The vaccination does not lead to an exacerbation of a chronic disease, while the transmitted flu with a high degree of probability can lead to an exacerbation of a chronic disease and the weight of its further course.

However, during the period of exacerbation of a chronic disease, the doctor will offer to postpone the vaccine to stabilization of the condition.

Risk contingents subject to flu vaccination

For whom is the flu is most dangerous?

The flu is dangerous for everyone, because during the seasonal rise in the incidence of influenza, healthy people die. However, the greatest threat of influenza and its complications are represented for young children, elderly faces, as well as for people suffering from chronic diseases. These are, first of all, children with lesions of the central nervous system, patients with heart pathology (congenital heart defects, history of heart failure, coronary heart disease, etc.), with lung diseases, kidneys, endocrine systems, with immunodeficiency, etc. Unfortunately, sometimes it is precisely these conditions that are mistakenly considered as contraindications for conducting influenza vaccination. Although such persons require priority protection.

Influenza is dangerous for women planning pregnancy. It is advisable to vaccinate before pregnancy or during the second or third trimester. The influenza disease of a pregnant woman may lead to the development of defects in the fetus or the occurrence of a miscarriage.

Influenza is also relevant for people who, due to the characteristics of the profession (teachers, educators, sellers, doctors, other persons working in teams) are in contact with a large number of people and have a high risk of infection with influenza.

About annual vaccination against influenza and selection of vaccines

Is it necessary to vaccinate this year if you are vaccinated in the past?

Protective antibodies developed after vaccination are usually destroyed within 6-12 months after vaccination or their number becomes insufficient to protect against influenza in the new season. In addition, the flu viruses, which are part of the vaccines, are annually updated. So it is worth vaccinating annually.

What is the best way to vaccinate: the same vaccine every year or better to change them?

Considering that annually the options for influenza viruses in all vaccines are the same, the expediency of changing the vaccine you like is absent.

Which vaccine against influenza to choose for a 8-month-old child and his mother, breastfeeding?

It is advisable to use inactivated split or subsidiary vaccines against influenza. Both of these types of vaccines form immune protection similar in strength and are equally safe.

A high degree of vaccine purification and the minimum number of vaccination reactions makes it possible to use them in infants, starting from 6 months, people with chronic diseases, in pregnant women and breastfeeding women.

What else you need to know about the vaccine prevention of influenza:

• The vaccine cannot cause influenza disease, since in the production process, vaccine viruses lose the ability to cause a disease, but retain the ability to form protection;
• When vaccinating a live vaccine, the risk of infection with a vaccine virus surrounding is extremely low. In the case of vaccination inactivated vaccines against influenza, there is no risk of infection others with a vaccine virus;
• Most people are not required special preparation for flu vaccination. To individual patients (for example, with allergic diseases), the doctor may prescribe drug preparation. In patients with chronic diseases, vaccination is carried out against the background of ordinary therapy;
• It is not recommended to be vaccinated during an acute disease. Residual phenomena are not a contraindication, but in any case, your condition before vaccination will be appreciated by a doctor who will make a final decision;
• For children, 2 doses are administered only in the first year of vaccination. In subsequent years, one vaccination is enough to form effective protection;
• On excise flu can be combined with any other vaccine, except for a tuberculosis vaccine. The only condition is that both vaccines will be introduced into different parts of the body;
• If you have a vaccine against influenza and fell ill, then this is, firstly, another viral infection has developed, because you are protected from the flu that gives the greatest number of complications and deadly outcomes. Secondly, there is a slight probability that you have developed flu. But due to the fact that you vaccinated, the disease proceeded without complications. Thirdly, you “met” with the influenza virus at a time when the defense has not yet managed to form. And to develop sufficient protection, 14-21 days are necessary;
• It is best to vaccinate from influenza in the fall: in September-November, before the start of the seasonal rise in the incidence of influenza and or;
• You can get involved against influenza at the clinic at the place of residence, in medical commercial centers, the Minsk city center of vaccine prevention, and sanitary units of enterprises.

Basic recreational activities and sanitary and hygienic measures:

• Tempting procedures: rinsing the throat with cold water, walking barefoot on the floor, sleep in a cold period with open windows, baths, pool, open -air walks, air baths with morning gymnastics,
• preventive ultraviolet irradiation;
• C-vitaminization of dishes.

Prevention of influenza and other acute respiratory infections

using drugs

To carry out the prevention of influenza and other acute respiratory infections, antiviral chemotherapy drugs, such as remantadine, Arpetol, arbidol, oxolin ointment and interferon, are used.

Immunocorrective drugs are recommended to be used to increase non -specific resistance in people with immunodeficiency conditions during the seasonal lifting of Ori and influenza. For these purposes, vitamins (C, A, Group B), vegetable adaptogens (eleutherococcus extract, aralia tincture), interferon inducers are used.

The main recommendations for the prevention of influenza and other

Recommendations for the population:

• Avoid close contact with people who seem unhealthy, reveal the phenomena of heat (temperature) and cough;
• Avoid crowded places or reduce the time of stay in crowded places;
• Try not to touch your mouth and nose;
• Keep your hands hygiene - often wash your hands with soap water or use a hand disinfection;
• Increase the influx of fresh air into the living rooms, open the windows as often as possible;
• Use protective masks in contact with a sick person;
• Adhere to a healthy lifestyle: full sleep, rational nutrition, physical activity, regular walks in the fresh air.

Recommendations for patient care at home:

• isolate the patient from others, at least at a distance of at least 1 meter from others;
• cover your mouth and nose when caring for patients using masks;
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and soap after each contact with the patient. Highlight individual towels to each family member;
• In addition to persons who care, other visitors should not visit the patient;
• If possible, only one adult in the house should care for the patients;
• Pregnant women are not recommended to care for the patients;
• constantly ventilate the room in which the patient is located;
• Keep the room with cleanliness using detergents.

Recommendations for persons with Sympences of Ori:

• With poor well -being, you should remain at home and follow the doctor’s recommendations, if possible to stay from healthy people at a distance (1 meter);
• Rest, take a large amount of liquid;
• Close your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing with a handkerchief or disposable napkins. Use this material immediately after use or wash it and iron it with an iron. Wash your hands immediately after contact with discharge from the respiratory tract!;
• wear a mask if you are in the common territory of the house near other people;
• Tell your loved ones and friends about the disease.

Recommendations for parents and guardians:

• Teach children often wash their hands with soap for 20 seconds. Parents must also perform this procedure, which will serve as a good example for children.
• Teach the children to cough and sneeze in a napkin or in the absence of a napkin, in the bend of the elbow.
• Recommend children not to approach the patients closer than one and a half to two meters.
• Paller children should stay at home (not attend preschool institutions and schools).
• Refrain from frequent visits to people's accumulations;
• If the child is in contact with the patient, consult your doctor about the need to take antivirus drugs to prevent the disease.

Take care of your health and health of your loved ones!

Be sure to protect yourself from the flu!

Be healthy!

At the present stage, the most effective means of influenza prevention is immunization. Despite the distribution of pandemic flu A /H1N1 /, the WHO recommends immunization against seasonal flu to protect the population groups of high risk of infection and the consequences of the influenza infection, which are determined by the order of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus of June 22, 2009 No. 605 “On improving the tactics of influenza against influenza”.

Groups of high risk of the consequences of influenza infection:

• Children from 6 months. up to 3 years;
• Children from 3 years old and adults with chronic diseases;
• faces with immunosupression;
• faces over 65 years old;
• Pregnant.

High risk of infection with influenza:

• children from 3 to 6 years old;
• schoolchildren 6-16 years old;
• medical workers;
• Persons from institutions with round -the -clock stay of children and adults:

1. Children from 6 months. up to 3 years;
2. children from 3 years old and adults;

• Ornithologists, employees of poultry enterprises;
• household service workers;
• employees of educational institutions;
• trade and catering workers;
• transport workers;
• other categories of persons, including:

1. Persons in contact with chronic patients with immunosuppression,
2. Persons in contact with children up to 6 months.

The effectiveness of influenza vaccines.

Influenza vaccines continue to be the main means of influenza prevention in many countries. According to WHO vaccines, they provide 70-90%protection against the clinical manifestations of the disease in healthy individuals. The average duration of protection is 4-6 months.

The main advantages of flu vaccination are:

• reduction in the number of working days lost due to illness by 70%;
• allows you to save up to $ 30 for each vaccinated;
• reduces the risk of pneumonia in people with chronic diseases of the lungs and heart;
• In older people, the incidence of influenza decreases by 50%, the occurrence of complications by 80%, mortality by 90%;
• Vaccination of pregnant women in 2-3 trimester allows you to protect the future baby;
• Among healthy adults, the number of hospitalizations about pneumonia by 40% decreases (among the elderly from 45 to 85%);
• The frequency of acute average otitis media decreases by 40–70%, which is a common complication of influenza in children;
• The frequency of exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, which is observed after the flu is reduced (potentially by 20%);
• The effectiveness of the prevention of bronchial asthma has been established: the frequency of exacerbations decreases by 60–70%;
• Among patients with type I diabetes, vascular complications of diabetes are less progressing and decompensation episodes are less likely to be recorded, requiring an increase in insulin dosage;
• In organized groups of the elderly (for example, in nursing homes), the effectiveness of mortality prevention reaches 80%;
• The antifungal immunity that has developed last year will not save from the flu in this. Due to the continuous variability of influenza viruses, a completely new flu appears every fall, from which last year's vaccinations do not help. Therefore, every year new vaccinations must be done. If you are vaccinated last year's vaccines, then vaccination efficiency decreases to 20–40%, instead of 70–90%;
• vaccination with modern flu vaccines prepared from the corresponding strains and used in the correct dose, protects against influenza disease of about 80% of healthy children and adults;

Mass vaccination of high -risk groups for incidence can limit the flu epidemics as a whole. Vaccination of 70–80% of any team prevents the spread of infection in the team.