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Viral Fever / Infection

Sep 12, 2025 Posted by admin General Health 0 comments

Overview

Viral fever is not a disease but a symptom of viral infections. It occurs when the body detects the presence of a virus and triggers an immune response by raising the body temperature. This elevated temperature creates an unfavourable environment for the virus, helping the immune system fight off the infection.

Viral fever can manifest differently depending on the type of virus and the systems it affects. For instance:

  • Respiratory viruses may cause symptoms such as sore throat, cough, and congestion.
  • Mosquito-borne viruses like dengue or Zika often present with fever, rash, and joint pain.
  • Gastrointestinal viruses like rotavirus may lead to fever accompanied by diarrhoea and vomiting.

All of us will get viral infections at some point. But you’re at increased risk of serious illness from certain types of viruses if you:

  • Are under 5 or over 65.
  • Have certain health conditions, like diabetes, asthma, COPD or other chronic lung disease.
  • Have a weakened immune system (from HIV/AIDS, cancer or immunosuppressive medications).
  • Are pregnant.

While most viral fevers resolve within a few days, some may last longer or lead to complications, underscoring the importance of understanding and managing this condition.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a viral infection depend on where you’re infected, but some common ones include:

  • Flu-like symptoms: fever, head and body aches, fatigue.
  • Upper respiratory symptoms: sore throat, cough, sneezing.
  • Digestive symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
  • Skin conditions: rashes, sores, blisters, warts.

Causes

Viral fever is caused by various types of viruses that invade the body and trigger an immune response. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the common causes:

  1. Respiratory Viruses:
    • Influenza Virus: Causes seasonal flu with fever, cough, and body aches.
    • Rhinovirus: Common cause of the common cold, often accompanied by mild fever.
    • Coronavirus: Includes strains like SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), which may lead to severe symptoms.
  2. Mosquito-Borne Viruses:
    • Dengue Virus: Transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, causing high fever, rash, and joint pain.
    • Zika Virus: Known for fever and its association with birth defects in pregnant women.
    • Chikungunya Virus: Characterized by fever and severe joint pain.
  3. Gastrointestinal Viruses:
    • Rotavirus: Common in children, causing diarrhea and fever.
    • Norovirus: Highly contagious, leading to stomach pain, vomiting, and fever.
  4. Exanthematic Viruses (causing skin rashes):
    • Measles Virus: High fever with characteristic red rashes.
    • Rubella Virus: Milder fever with a pink rash.
  5. Bloodborne Viruses:
    • Hepatitis Viruses: Hepatitis A, B, and C can cause fever along with liver inflammation.
    • HIV: Fever is often one of the early manifestations of HIV infection.
  6. Modes of Transmission:
    • Airborne Transmission: Spread through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
    • Direct Contact: Transmission through touching contaminated surfaces or close contact with an infected individual.
    • Vector Transmission: Carried by vectors like mosquitoes or ticks.

Diagnosis

Types of samples they might take include:

  • Blood.
  • Spit (saliva).
  • Phlegm or mucus (sputum).
  • Cells from your nose or nasopharynx (nasal/nasopharyngeal swab).
  • Skin or other affected tissue.
  • Fluid around your brain and spinal cord (CNS fluid).
  • Pee (urine).
  • Poop (stool).
  • Cells from your cervix (Pap smear). Pap smears can find HPV, a virus that can cause cancer. The kind of HPV that can lead to cancer doesn’t usually have symptoms.

Duration of Viral Fever

The duration of viral fever depends on the virus and the individual’s immune response:

  1. Mild Cases
    • Typically last 3–5 days.
    • Symptoms like fatigue and mild fever resolve quickly with rest and hydration.
  2. Moderate Cases
    • Can persist for 7–10 days.
    • Common in infections like influenza or dengue, where body aches and fever may linger.
  3. Severe Cases
    • Duration may exceed two weeks.
    • Severe viral infections like COVID-19 or hemorrhagic fevers may require prolonged care.

Post-viral fatigue, where individuals feel weak and tired for weeks after the fever resolves, is also common and typically improves with adequate rest and nutrition.

Management and Treatment

Medications a healthcare provider might prescribe to treat viral infections include antiviral medications, convalescent plasma and post-exposure prophylaxis.

Specific medications are only available for a few viral infections. For viruses that can cause life-threatening or chronic illness, a provider may prescribe antiviral medications or treatment that prevents you from getting sick after being exposed to a virus.

For infections that rarely cause serious illness, like the common cold, you can usually treat the symptoms at home while you wait for them to go away on their own.

Conclusion

Viral fever is a common condition that requires careful management. By understanding its symptoms, causes, and treatments, you can recover faster and prevent complications. While most viral fevers resolve on their own, severe cases require medical intervention. Practicing good hygiene, staying hydrated, and seeking timely medical care are key to managing viral fever effectively.

Please feel free to contact us for further medical management  abroad via email query@gtsmeditour.com

Myokymia/ Eye twitching

Aug 30, 2025 Posted by admin General Health, Ophthalmology, Uncategorized 0 comments

Overview

Eyelid myokymia makes your eyelids twitch or involuntary muscle movement can be seen on skin and if you don’t know why, it’s natural to feel confused or concerned. This condition is extremely common, especially under certain circumstances. But fortunately, it’s also usually nothing to worry about. And even when it’s due to more serious conditions, the twitching is usually very treatable. It is often triggered by stress, fatigue, poor nutrition, or excessive caffeine intake. While typically self-limiting, lasting a few days or weeks, persistent or severe cases may warrant medical attention.Myokymia is usually a minor, temporary concern. Most cases go away within days or weeks without any treatment. But sometimes, eyelid myokymia becomes more than just an annoyance and starts interfering with your work or other parts of your daily routine. Treatment may also be an option if you have myokymia that happens consistently for at least three months.

Symptoms

The main symptom of eyelid myokymia is a twitching you can feel (and you can probably see it if you look in a mirror while it happens). Myokymia twitches usually last only seconds to minutes, but they can last hours for some people. In rare cases, they can become constant.

The twitches are usually:

  • Slow
  • Constant
  • Gentle
  • Rippling (almost like waves on water)

Myokymia usually affects just one eye at a time, but it can affect both. You can have it in your upper or lower eyelids, but lower is more common. In rare cases, it will affect both the upper and lower eyelids of the same eye. Myokymia can sometimes also cause nystagmus (when the eyelid twitching also makes your eyeball move).

Causes

Some of the most common causes of myokymia include:

  • Being tired or sleep-deprived
  • Caffeine intake (especially if you have too much)
  • Nicotine use
  • Dry eyes
  • Severe fatigue or overexerting yourself
  • Stress

Diagnosis

An eye care specialist/Optholmologist or other provider can usually diagnose eyelid myokymia with a simple physical exam and a neurological exam. These exams let your provider watch the twitching happen and diagnose it or rule out other causes based on what they see.

When myokymia is longer-lasting, more disruptive or starts spreading and getting worse, your eye specialist or other provider will likely recommend other tests. These are usually imaging tests like CT scans or MRIs.

Treatment

The most common treatment approaches include:

  • Changing things that could cause or contribute to your myokymia. Some simple examples include limiting how much caffeine you consume, managing your stress or making sure to get enough quality sleep. Limiting alcohol intake and reducing or quitting nicotine (including smoking and vaping, or smokeless forms like chewing tobacco or snuff) may also help. These can also reduce your risk of developing myokymia in the first place.
  • Medication changes. If you’re having myokymia because of a medication, your provider may recommend changing to another.
  • Medication injections. The most common medication treatments for myokymia are neurotoxins like onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox®). They temporarily block nerve signals traveling to your eyelids. The injection points are all around your eye, just underneath your skin, and this doesn’t involve any injections into your eye itself. These medications paralyze the related muscles, keeping the twitching from happening entirely until the effect wears off.

Eyelid myokymia is usually nothing to worry about. For most people, it’s a minor condition and isn’t enough to affect their usual routines and activities. The twitching from myokymia often lasts only a few seconds to minutes, and it’ll probably go away if you resolve the potential causes or contributing factors like lack of sleep or caffeine intake.

But if eyelid myokymia doesn’t go away after a few weeks or it’s disrupting your life, it’s a good idea to talk to an eye care specialist or your primary care provider. They can help figure out what might be causing your myokymia or refer you to a provider who can diagnose and treat it.

If you have any big concerns related to health you can connect us via email : query@gtsmeditour.com.

Hypochondriasis – An illness anxiety disorder

May 16, 2025 Posted by admin General Health, Mental health 0 comments

Overview

Illness anxiety disorder, sometimes called hypochondriasis or health anxiety, is worrying excessively that you are or may become seriously ill. You may have no physical symptoms. Or you may believe that normal body sensations or minor symptoms are signs of severe illness, even though a thorough medical exam doesn’t reveal a serious medical condition. Even after medical tests show no problems, people with hypochondriasis have trouble focusing on anything other than worrying about being very sick. Their persistent health worries can interfere with their relationships, careers and lives. You may be more familiar with the term hypochondria or health anxiety. Healthcare providers now use the term illness anxiety disorder.

Illness anxiety disorder (hypochondria) is extremely rare. It typically appears during early adulthood. Illness anxiety disorder is a chronic (ongoing) condition. You may go through periods where you have little or no health anxiety — and then it returns. You can take steps to keep illness anxiety disorder symptoms in check.

Symptoms

Symptoms of hypochondria include:

  • Avoiding people or places due to worry about catching an illness.
  • Constantly researching diseases and symptoms.
  • Exaggerating symptoms and their severity (for instance, a cough becomes a sign of lung cancer).
  • High level of anxiety about personal health.
  • Obsession with usual body functions, like your heart rate.
  • Oversharing your symptoms and health status with others.
  • Repeatedly checking for signs of illness, like taking your blood pressure or temperature.
  • Seeking reassurance from loved ones about your symptoms or health.
  • Uneasiness with healthy body functions, like gas or sweating.

Causes

The exact cause of illness anxiety disorder isn’t clear, but these factors may play a role:

  • Beliefs. You may have a difficult time tolerating uncertainty over uncomfortable or unusual body sensations. This could lead you to misinterpret that all body sensations are serious, so you search for evidence to confirm that you have a serious disease.
  • Family. You may be more likely to have health anxiety if you had parents who worried too much about their own health or your health.
  • Past experience. You may have had experience with serious illness in childhood, so physical sensations may be frightening to you.

Diagnosis

To determine a diagnosis, you’ll likely have a physical exam and any tests your primary care provider recommends. Your provider can help determine if you have any medical conditions that require treatment and set limits on lab testing, imaging and referrals to specialists.

Your primary care provider may also refer you to a mental health professional. He or she may:

  • Conduct a psychological evaluation to talk about your symptoms, stressful situations, family history, fears or concerns, and ways that your anxiety is negatively affecting your life
  • Have you fill out a psychological self-assessment or questionnaire
  • Ask you about alcohol, drug or other substance use
  • Determine whether your illness preoccupation is better explained by another mental disorder, such as somatic symptom disorder or generalized anxiety disorder.

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to help you manage anxiety about your health and improve your ability to function in daily life. Psychotherapy — also called talk therapy — can be helpful for illness anxiety disorder. Sometimes medications may be added.

Psychotherapy

Because physical sensations can be related to emotional distress and health anxiety, psychotherapy — particularly cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) — can be an effective treatment. CBT helps you learn skills to manage illness anxiety disorder and find different ways to manage your worries other than excessive medical testing or avoidance of medical care.

CBT can help you:

  • Identify your fears and beliefs about having a serious medical disease
  • Learn alternate ways to view your body sensations by working to change unhelpful thoughts
  • Become more aware of how your worries affect you and your behavior
  • Change the way you respond to your body sensations and symptoms
  • Learn skills to cope with and tolerate anxiety and stress
  • Reduce avoidance of situations and activities due to physical sensations
  • Reduce behaviors of frequently checking your body for signs of illness and repeatedly seeking reassurance
  • Improve daily functioning at home, at work, in relationships and in social situations
  • Address other mental health disorders, such as depression

Other therapies such as behavioral stress management and exposure therapy also may be helpful.

Medications

Antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), may help treat illness anxiety disorder. Medications to treat mood or anxiety disorders, if present, also may help.

Prevention

Unfortunately, there’s no known prevention against illness anxiety disorder. But getting support from medical and mental health professionals and loved ones (family, friends, etc.) may help reduce the severity of your symptoms and help you cope with the disorder.

Conclusion

If you come across your closed ones  or near ones with any such kind of disease  you can send us the latest reports via, email  – query@gtsmeditour.com or whatapp same on +91 9880149003 and get the best medical second opinion from our doctors and decided the further plan of action. we can support you the best way possible .

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Dehydration and Oral Rehydration Solution(ORS)

Mar 22, 2025 Posted by admin General Health 0 comments

Overview

when your body loses more fluid than you consume primarily due to diarrhea, vomiting, excessive of sweat and urine you become to happen dehydrated and so is called dehydration. In order to combat dehydration ORS is given as a primary solution for mild to moderate condition of dehydration However, a person may need intravenous (IV) fluids if they become dangerously dehydrated. ORS – Oral Rehydration Salts is made of water, glucose, sodium, and potassium. The combination optimizes fluid absorption in the body, which then helps quickly replenish fluids and makes you feel better and recover fast. One can buy ORS over the counter or get a prescription.

 What is ORS?

Oral rehydration solution (ORS) is made of water, sugar, and electrolytes, specifically potassium and sodium. ORS helps in replenishing the body’s fluid levels. It’s generally used to treat moderate dehydration due to diarrhea, vomiting, or other conditions.

Causes of dehydration

It’s normal to lose water from the body every day through sweat, urine, stools and saliva. Usually, we replenish it by drinking fluids and eating water-rich foods. If someone loses too much water or doesn’t replace it, they can get dehydrated.

Following are other reasons you may lose more water than usual:

  • Diarrhea
  • A fever
  • Vomiting
  • Excessive sweating
  • Too much urination

Symptoms of dehydration

Signs of mild or moderate dehydration include:

  • Thirst
  • Less urination
  • Headache
  • Dry or sticky mouth
  • Muscle cramps
  • Dry, cool skin
  • Dark yellow urine

Signs of severe dehydration include:

  • Dehydrated skin
  • Rapid breathing
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Sunken eyes
  • Not urinating or observing very dark yellow urine
  • Fainting
  • Feeling dizzy
  • Sleepiness, lack of energy, confusion, or irritability

Symptoms for young children and babies can be different than for adults. The symptoms include:

  • No tears when crying
  • Sleepiness, lack of energy, or irritability
  • Dry diapers for 3 hours
  • Dry mouth and tongue
  • Sunken eyes, cheeks, and soft spot on the top of the head

Treatment and Dosage recommendations

You can treat mild dehydration with fluids such as water and clear broth.

But in the case of moderate dehydration, an ORS is considered ideal. In addition to containing water, ORS also contains specific amounts of glucose and electrolytes. The electrolytes are potassium and sodium.

These components help in maximizing fluid absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. The gastrointestinal tract relies on sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLTs), which are carriers of proteins in the intestinal cells of the body. Cotransporters help move substances across membranes in the body.

Specifically, SGLTs combine sodium and glucose transport in the small intestine. It then allows glucose to increase the absorption of fluids in the body. Additionally, sodium needs glucose to be adequately absorbed. Therefore, ORS contains both glucose and sodium.

Since 1975, the World Health Organization and UNICEF have used ORS to treat dehydration due to diarrhea. It’s commonly used in countries with limited access to clean water or other hydration options.

The success rate of oral rehydration therapy is high. According to 2018 researchTrusted Source, oral rehydration therapy has prevented 54 million deaths due to diarrhea since 2007. Since 1980, the therapy has also reduced diarrhea-related deaths in children by two-thirds.

Dosage

Compared to adults, children are more likely to experience dehydration due to diarrhea. They have a higher metabolic rate, meaning their bodies quickly use water. Children might unable to recognize thirst or hydrate themselves.

The correct dosage for children under the age of 2 is at least half a large glass of ORS after each watery stool and for children above the age of 2 is at least one large glass of ORS after each watery stool.

The appropriate amount of ORS depends on your age.

This is because your age determines how much fluid your body needs to function. Younger children are naturally smaller, so they need less. Adults will need more because they have larger bodies.

Here are the recommended doses by weight or age, according to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital:

Weight or age Dosage
7–10 pounds at least 2 ounces (4 tablespoons or 1/4 cup) per hour
11–15 pounds at least 2 1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) per hour
16–20 pounds at least 3 1/2 ounces (1/2 cup) per hour
21–40 pounds at least 6 1/2 ounces (3/4 cup) per hour
41–60 pounds at least 10 ounces (1 1/4 cups) per hour
10 years or older up to 68 ounces (8 1/2 cups) per day

Potential risks and side effects of oral rehydration therapy

Oral rehydration therapy is designed to normalize electrolyte levels. However, if the solution isn’t prepared or used correctly, it can cause salt toxicity. This is also known as hypernatremia.

Possible side effects include:

  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • weakness
  • loss of appetite
  • confusion
  • severe thirst
  • kidney damage

Who should avoid oral hydration solutions

You should use oral rehydration solutions with caution if you:

  • have a kidney disorder
  • have diabetes
  • have heart failure
  • are taking heart disease or blood pressure medications

A doctor can determine if oral rehydration therapy is safe for you.

ORS preparation

It’s not recommended to treat dehydration with homemade ORS. Over-the-counter or prescription ORS is the safer choice.

Typically, ORS is available as powders in packets. The powders are designed to be dissolved in water.

The general steps for preparing an ORS are as follows:

  1. Wash your hands with soap and clean water.
  2. Next, wash a container and utensil with soap and clean water.
  3. Pour one liter of clean water into the container.
  4. Add the ORS powder to the water, then mix with the utensil.

Precautions to Consider

While ORS is generally safe and well-tolerated, certain precautions should be observed:

Underlying Health Conditions: Individuals with pre-existing kidney disorders, heart conditions, or electrolyte imbalances should consult a healthcare professional before using ORS.

Allergies: Those with known allergies to any of the ingredients in ORS should avoid its use and seek alternative hydration solutions.

Proper Dilution: Ensure proper dilution of ORS according to the instructions provided to avoid adverse effects due to excessive electrolyte intake.

Monitoring: In cases of severe dehydration or persistent symptoms, medical attention should be sought promptly to prevent complications.

Conclusion

An oral rehydration solution treats moderate dehydration. It’s made of water, glucose, sodium, and potassium. The combination optimizes fluid absorption in the body, which then helps quickly replenish fluids. The solution is often used to treat dehydration caused due to diarrhea or vomiting. One can buy it over the counter or get a prescription. If a person has had a lot of diarrhea or vomiting, they should speak with a doctor. They can determine if the person needs an oral rehydration solution or if they need intravenous fluids.

last but not the least if you come across any of your known friend, neighbour or loved one suffering from any disease unaffordable or untreatable at your country please feel free to contact us via email query@gtsmeditour.com or you can whatsapp us  on +91 9880149003 and get second medical opinion from our professional healthcare providers abroad. further we shall assist in getting the appropriate treatment.

How rabies can lead to death if unvaccinated

Dec 10, 2024 Posted by admin General Health 0 comments

Overview

Rabies is a deadly virus spread to people from the saliva of infected animals. In India rabies virus is usually transmitted through a bite especially stray dog, once a person begins showing signs and symptoms of rabies, the disease nearly always causes death. For this reason, anyone who may have a risk of contracting rabies should receive rabies vaccinations for protection. It causes symptoms like seizures, hallucinations and paralysis. Rabies is preventable if you’re vaccinated quickly after exposure. Once symptoms start, rabies is fatal.

There’s no approved treatment for rabies once you have symptoms. If you’ve been exposed to rabies (were bitten by or been in contact with an infected animal), contact a healthcare provider as soon as possible.

Clean the wound gently but thoroughly with soap and water. Ask your provider for additional instructions on cleaning the wound. Your provider will give you a series of shots (vaccinations) to prevent the virus from causing rabies. They’ll also give you an antibody treatment directly to the wound if you’ve never been vaccinated before.

Symptoms

Prodromal symptoms of rabies

  • Fever.
  • Tiredness (fatigue).
  • Bite wound burning, itching, tingling, pain or numbness.
  • Cough.
  • Sore throat.
  • Muscle pain.
  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Diarrhea.

Acute neurologic symptoms of rabies

Neurological symptoms of rabies are either furious or paralytic. Furious rabies symptoms may come and go with periods of calm in between (furious episodes).

Furious rabies symptoms
  • Agitation and aggression.
  • Restlessness.
  • Seizures.
  • Hallucinations.
  • Muscle twitching (fasciculations).
    • Fever.
    • Racing heart (tachycardia).
    • Fast breathing (hyperventilation).
    • Excessive salivation.
    • Two different-sized pupils (anisocoria).
    • Facial paralysis (facial palsy).
    • Fear of water/drinking (hydrophobia).
    • Fear of air being blown in your face/drafts (aerophobia).
    • Delirium.
    Paralytic rabies symptoms
    • Fever.
    • Headache.
    • Neck stiffness.
    • Weakness, especially starting from the body part that was bitten and progressing to other body parts.
    • Tingling, “pins and needles” or other strange sensations.
    • Paralysis.
    • Coma.

Causes

The rabies virus causes a rabies infection. The virus spreads through the saliva of infected animals. Infected animals can spread the virus by biting another animal or a person.

In rare cases, rabies can be spread when infected saliva gets into an open wound or the mucous membranes, such as the mouth or eyes. This could happen if an infected animal licked an open cut on your skin.

Animals that can transmit the rabies virus

Any mammal (an animal that suckles its young) can spread the rabies virus. The animals most likely to spread the rabies virus to people include:

Pets and farm animals
  • Cats
  • Cows
  • Dogs
  • Ferrets
  • Goats
  • Horses
Wild animals
  • Bats
  • Beavers
  • Coyotes
  • Foxes
  • Monkeys
  • Raccoons
  • Skunks
  • Woodchucks

In very rare cases, the virus has been spread to tissue and organ transplant recipients from an infected organ.

Diagnosis and Tests

Unlike most illnesses, you shouldn’t wait for symptoms to diagnose rabies. If you’ve been bitten or scratched by a wild animal or a pet that might have rabies, talk to your healthcare provider right away. They’ll examine your wound and ask questions to determine whether you need to be treated for rabies. You may also be tested for signs of rabies.

Your provider may ask you:

  • How you got hurt.
  • What kind of animal scratched or bit you.
  • Whether they can test or observe the animal.

If the animal could have rabies, it’ll be watched for signs or tested, if possible. Animals have to be euthanized (humanely killed) to test them.

What tests will be done to diagnose this condition?

Tests for rabies might include:

  • Saliva test. You’ll spit into a tube. It’ll be sent to a lab to look for signs of rabies.
  • Skin biopsy. Your provider will take a small sample of skin from the back of your neck. Your skin sample will be sent to a lab to look for signs of rabies.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid test (lumbar puncture). Your provider will use a needle to take a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from your lower back. Your CSF sample will be sent to a lab to look for signs of rabies.
  • Blood tests. Your provider will use a needle to take blood from your arm. Your blood will be sent to a lab to look for signs of rabies.
  • MRI. You’ll lie in a machine that takes pictures of your brain. Your provider will use the pictures to help determine what’s causing your symptoms.

Treatment

Once a rabies infection is established, there’s no effective treatment. Though a small number of people have survived rabies, the disease usually causes death. For that reason, if you think you’ve been exposed to rabies, you must get a series of shots to prevent the infection from taking hold.

Treatment for people bitten by animals with rabies

If you’ve been bitten by an animal that is known to have rabies, you’ll receive a series of shots to prevent the rabies virus from infecting you. If the animal that bit you can’t be found, it may be safest to assume that the animal has rabies. But this will depend on several factors, such as the type of animal and the situation in which the bite occurred.

Rabies shots include:

  • A fast-acting shot (rabies immune globulin) to prevent the virus from infecting you. This is given if you haven’t had the rabies vaccine. This injection is given near the area where the animal bit you if possible, as soon as possible after the bite.
  • A series of rabies vaccinations to help your body learn to identify and fight the rabies virus. Rabies vaccinations are given as injections in your arm. If you haven’t previously had the rabies vaccines, you’ll receive four injections over 14 days. If you have had the rabies vaccine, you’ll have two injections over the first three days.

Determining whether the animal that bit you has rabies

In some cases, it’s possible to determine whether the animal that bit you has rabies before beginning the series of rabies shots. That way, if it’s determined the animal is healthy, you won’t need the shots.

Procedures for determining whether an animal has rabies vary by situation. For instance:

  • Pets and farm animals. Cats, dogs and ferrets that bite can be observed for 10 days to see if they show signs and symptoms of rabies. If the animal that bit you remains healthy during the observation period, then it doesn’t have rabies and you won’t need rabies shots.

    Other pets and farm animals are considered on a case-by-case basis. Talk to your doctor and local public health officials to determine whether you should receive rabies shots.

  • Wild animals that can be caught. Wild animals that can be found and captured, such as a bat that came into your home, can be killed and tested for rabies. Tests on the animal’s brain may reveal the rabies virus. If the animal doesn’t have rabies, you won’t need the shots.
  • Animals that can’t be found. If the animal that bit you can’t be found, discuss the situation with your doctor and the local health department. In certain cases, it may be safest to assume that the animal had rabies and proceed with the rabies shots. In other cases, it may be unlikely that the animal that bit you had rabies and it may be determined that rabies shots aren’t necessary.

Conclusion

Bringing awareness is as important as preventing the rabies spread. so if you have pets at home ensure they are vaccinated timely, as said prevention is better than cure. also if you come accross your friends looking for any kind of neurological disease treatment  abroad you share  us the latest reports via email query@gtsmeditour.com or whatsapp on +919880149003.

we shall assist you best opinion as well treatment abroad with  translation & accommodation assistance.

Thank you..!

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Sore Throat

Oct 2, 2024 Posted by admin General Health 0 comments

Sore throat presents as pain ,itching sensation or irritation in the throat, usually hurts more when you swallow. The most common cause of a sore throat (pharyngitis) is a viral infection, such as a cold or the flu. Most sore throats are caused by infections, or by environmental factors like dry air. Although a sore throat can be uncomfortable, it will usually go away on its own.

Causes of sore throat

  • Viral infection
  • Bacterial infection
  • Allergy to pollens, molds and smoke
  • Poor Oro dental hygiene
  • Acid reflux

Sore throats are divided into types,

Based on the part of the throat they affect:

  • Pharyngitis causes swelling and soreness in the throat.
  • Tonsillitis is swelling and redness of the tonsils, the soft tissue in the back of the mouth.
  • Laryngitis is swelling and redness of the voice box, or larynx.

Sore throat risk factors

Though anyone can get a sore throat, there are several factors that can increaseTrusted Source your risk.

Some common risk factors include:

  • Age: Children are more susceptibleTrusted Source to certain conditions that can cause a sore throat, including strep throat.
  • Time of year: Some types of infection are more commonTrusted Source during certain seasons, including winter.
  • Exposure to irritants: Several irritants, such as cigarette smoke or pollution, can cause a sore throat.
  • Personal hygiene: Infrequent hand washing could increase your risk of infection.
  • Certain settings: Some settings, such as schools and daycares, can increase the spread of infections that could cause a sore throat.
  • Vocal strain: People who regularly talk loudly, yell, or sing for long periods can strain their vocal cords more easily, leading to a sore throat.

Treatment includes

You can treat most sore throats at home. Get plenty of rest to give your immune a chance to fight the infection.

To relieve the pain of a sore throat:

  • Gargle with a mixture of warm water and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt.
  • Drink warm liquids that feel soothing to the throat, such as hot tea with honey, soup broth, or warm water with lemon. Herbal teas can beTrusted Source especially soothing to a sore throat.
  • Cool your throat by eating a cold treat like a popsicle or ice cream.
  • Suck on a piece of hard candy or a lozenge.
  • Turn on a cool mist humidifier to add moisture to the air.
  • Rest your voice until your throat feels better.

Otherwise,

You can take medications to relieve the pain of a sore throat, or to treat the underlying cause.
Over-the-counter medications that relieve throat pain.

You can also use one or more of these treatments, which work directly on the pain of a sore throat:
  • a sore throat spray that contains a numbing antiseptic like phenol, or a cooling ingredient like menthol or eucalyptus
  • throat lozenges
  • cough syrup

How to prevent a sore throat

While a sore throat cannot always be avoided, there are several steps you can take to help prevent it.

Some ways you may be able to prevent a sore throat includeTrusted Source:

  • clean your hands regularly
  • limit close contact with others who have respiratory infections, sore throats, and colds
  • if you smoke, consider quitting
  • avoid exposure to secondhand smoke as much as possible

Conclusion:

Viral and bacterial infections, as well as irritants and injuries, cause the majority of sore throats. Most sore throats get better in a few days without treatment.

Rest, warm liquids, saltwater gargles, and over-the-counter pain relievers can help soothe the pain of a sore throat at home.

Strep throat and other bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics. A doctor can use a swab test to find out if you have strep.

See a doctor for more severe symptoms, like trouble breathing or swallowing, a high fever, or a stiff neck.

Please note: for any medical assistance abroad do share all your latest medical reports at query@gtsmeditour.com or whatsapp us on +91+ 9880149003 and get a free medical opinion.

Leptospirosis

Sep 22, 2024 Posted by admin General Health 0 comments

Overview

Leptospirosis, also called Weil disease, is the most common zoonotic infection in the world. One can get leptospirosis after getting water or soil contaminated by animal pee (urine) in your nose, your mouth, your eyes or a break in your skin. Leptospirosis risk often increases after a hurricane or flood when people have contact with contaminated water or soil. leptospirosis in people can lead to kidney damage, meningitis (inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord), liver failure, trouble breathing, and even death.

You can get leptospirosis no matter where you live, but it’s most common in tropical areas and warmer climates with lots of rainfall each year. You’re at an increased risk for leptospirosis if you live in or travel to these areas.

It generally takes 2-30 days to get sick after having contact with the bacteria that cause leptospirosis. The disease may occur in two phases:

  • In the first phase, people may have fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, vomiting, or diarrhea. The person may feel better for a while but become ill again.
  • Some people may suffer a more severe second phase with kidney or liver failure, or inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).

The illness can last from a few days to several weeks. Without treatment, getting better may take several months.

Weil’s syndrome is often deadly if not treated or if you delay treatment. But if treated promptly, it’s very likely you’ll recover.

Signs and symptoms

In people, leptospirosis can cause a wide range of symptoms, including:

  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Chills
  • Body or muscle aches
  • Vomiting or nausea
  • Yellowed skin and eyes (jaundice)
  • Red eyes
  • Stomach pain
  • Diarrhea
  • Rash

Many of these symptoms can be mistaken for other diseases. Some people have no symptoms.

 Phases of leptospirosis

Leptospirosis consists of two phases: the leptospiremic (acute) phase and the immune (delayed) phase.

Leptospiremic phase

During the leptospirosis phase (also called the septicemic phase) you may experience a sudden onset of flu-like symptoms. This usually starts within two to 14 days after a Leptospira infection. It lasts between three and 10 days.

In this phase, bacteria are in your bloodstream and moving to your organs. Blood tests will show signs of infection.

Immune phase

In the immune phase, Leptospira bacteria has moved from your blood to your organs. The bacteria is most concentrated in your kidneys, which make pee (urine). Urine tests will show signs of the bacteria and you’ll have antibodies to Leptospira in your blood.

A small number of people will get very sick with Weil’s syndrome in this phase. Weil’s syndrome causes internal bleeding, kidney damage and severe yellowing of your skin and eyes (jaundice).

Diagnosis and Tests

Your healthcare provider diagnoses leptospirosis with a physical exam, blood tests and urine tests.

  • Blood or urine tests:  A blood sample or  a urine sample under the lab investigation will help diagnose Leptospirosis.
  • Imaging. If you are showing signs of severe leptospirosis, you may use a chest X-ray, CT scan or other imaging. They’ll use a machine to take pictures of the inside of your body to look for damage to your organs.

 Treatment and Prevention

If you have severe leptospirosis, you’ll stay in the hospital. Your provider will give you antibiotics directly through an IV. Depending on which of your organs are affected, you may need additional medications or procedures.

  • Antibiotics. Types of antibiotics that treat leptospirosis include doxycycline, amoxicillin, ampicillin, penicillin-G and ceftriaxone. Your provider will decide which to use based on how sick you are and your medical history.
  • Mechanical ventilation. If your lungs are infected with bacteria, you may have a hard time breathing and need the help of a machine to breathe for you. Your provider will give you medication to keep you asleep while you’re connected to the machine.
  • Plasmapheresis. Also called plasma exchange, plasmapheresis might help you if you’re at risk for organ damage from leptospirosis. During this procedure, your provider removes your blood using a tube attached to a vein. A machine separates your plasma from your blood and replaces it with a plasma substitute. Your blood is then returned to your body through another tube.

The best way to prevent leptospirosis is by not swimming or wading in water that might have animal pee in it. This includes floodwaters. Other ways you can reduce your risk include:

  • Taking preventative medication. If you’re traveling and at high risk for leptospirosis, ask your provider about taking medication to keep from getting sick.
  • Avoiding animals that could have leptospirosis.
  • Wearing protective clothing and shoes if you work with or around animals.
  • Wearing protective shoes and clothing if you have to be in contact with water or soil that might be contaminated with bacteria.
  • Avoiding water sports and swimming in lakes and rivers after floods.
  • Drinking only treated water. Don’t drink water from lakes, rivers and canals without boiling it first.
  • Wearing gloves if you have to touch dead animals. Don’t touch them with your bare hands and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
  • Covering open cuts or wounds with waterproof dressing.

Can humans survive leptospirosis?

Yes, you can survive leptospirosis. Most cases of leptospirosis have no symptoms or have very mild symptoms that go away on their own. Weil’s syndrome is often deadly if not treated or if you delay treatment. But if treated promptly, it’s very likely you’ll recover.

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Dengue Fever

Jun 28, 2024 Posted by admin General Health 0 comments

Understanding Dengue

Dengue fever is an Arboviral disease meaning it is an infection caused by a group of viruses that are spread by the bite-infected mosquitoes and ticks. The Aedes genus of mosquitoes, found in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, is responsible for the transmission of dengue fever. You will notice such diseases more in the warmer seasons as these insects are more active. Dengue is a viral disease caused by any of the four related viruses: dengue virus 1, 2, 3, and 4.

The Different Types of Dengue Fever

 Dengue virus triggers your immune system and causes fever.There are 4 distinct serotypes of the dengue virus: DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4. They are all RNA viruses belonging to the Flavivirus family/genus. All these subtypes can cause severe infections. However, research has shown specific serotypes to be more harmful, especially DENV-1 or DENV-2.

Dengue fever is classified into three types, depending upon its severity:

  • Dengue Fever – the primary infection, which is usually benign
  • Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF)
  • Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS).

Based on your clinical signs, your doctor can diagnose which type of dengue fever you are affected by.

Symptoms of Dengue Fever

Symptoms, which usually begin four to six days after infection and last for up to 10 days, may include

  • Sudden, high fever
  • Severe headaches
  • Pain behind the eyes
  • Severe joint and muscle pain
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Skin rash, which appears two to five days after the onset of fever
  • Mild bleeding (such a nose bleed, bleeding gums, or easy bruising)

Sometimes, symptoms are mild and can be mistaken for those of the flu or another viral infection. Younger children and people who have never had the infection before tend to have milder cases than older children and adults. However, serious problems can develop. These include dengue hemorrhagic fever, a rare complication characterized by high fever, damage to lymph and blood vessels, bleeding from the nose and gums, enlargement of the liver, and failure of the circulatory system. The symptoms may progress to massive bleeding, shock, and death. This is called dengue shock syndrome (DSS).

People with weakened immune systems as well as those with a second or subsequent dengue infection are believed to be at greater risk for developing dengue hemorrhagic fever.

Diagnosing Dengue Fever

Doctors can diagnose dengue infection with a blood test to check for the virus or antibodies to it. If you become sick after traveling to a tropical area, let your doctor know. This will allow your doctor to evaluate the possibility that your symptoms were caused by a dengue infection.

Treatment for Dengue Fever

There is no specific medicine to treat dengue infection. If you think you may have dengue fever, you should use pain relievers with acetaminophen and avoid medicines with aspirin, which could worsen bleeding. You should also rest, drink plenty of fluids, and see your doctor. If you start to feel worse in the first 24 hours after your fever goes down, you should get to a hospital immediately to be checked for complications.

Is Platelet count very important?

Contrary to the popular public opinion, platelet counts are not important for the child’s treatment. Platelet tends to decrease during infection and increase during recovery. Administering platelets doesn’t hasten recovery. However, rarely doctor might order platelets when there is visible bleeding.

It is not the drop in platelet count, but the drop in blood pressure which can be fatal.

It makes more sense to follow up marker of leakage called hematocrit rather than platelet count. Further level of platelet count doesn’t predict if the child is going to be sick. It is best to prevent paranoia around platelet count and running around blood banks for get platelets.

For people with severe dengue, hospitalization is often needed.

Preventing Dengue Fever

 The best way to prevent the disease is to prevent bites by infected mosquitoes, particularly if you are living in or traveling to a tropical area. This involves protecting yourself and making efforts to keep the mosquito population down. Eat some fruits like pomegranate, papaya, kiwi fruit etc for increasing blood platelet count.

  • Kiwi fruit, fig, Pomogranates, papaya etc( these will increase the blood count )
  • Juice made from young leaves of papaya.(daily have one time 5ml or 3ml- continue for 3-5 days).

 

 

Influenza (flu)

Dec 26, 2020 Posted by admin General Health 0 comments

Woman with sore throat sick of coronavirus 2019 ncov

Influenza, commonly called “the flu,” is an illness caused by RNA viruses (Orthomyxoviridae family) that infect the respiratory tract of many animals, birds, and humans.(nose, throat and lungs.) but it’s not the same as stomach “flu” viruses that cause diarrhea and vomiting.For most people, the flu resolves on its own. But sometimes, influenza and its complications can be deadly.

Risk of developing flu complications include:

  • Young children under age 5, and especially those under 6 months
  • Adults older than age 65
  • Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
  • Pregnant women and women up to two weeks after giving birth
  • People with weakened immune systems
  • Native Americans
  • People who have chronic illnesses, such as asthma, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease and diabetes
  • People who are very obese, with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher

Though the annual influenza vaccine isn’t 100% effective, it’s still your best defense against the flu.

Symptoms

Influenza symptoms cartoon style infographic

At first, the flu may seem like a common cold with a runny nose, sneezing and sore throat. But colds usually develop slowly, whereas the flu tends to come on suddenly. And although a cold can be a bother, you usually feel much worse with the flu.

Common signs and symptoms of the flu include:

  • Fever
  • Aching muscles
  • Chills and sweats
  • Headache
  • Dry, persistent cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Tiredness and weakness
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Sore throat
  • Eye pain
  • Vomiting and diarrhea, but this is more common in children than adults

If you have emergency signs and symptoms of the flu, get medical care right away. For adults, emergency signs and symptoms can include:

  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • Chest pain
  • Ongoing dizziness
  • Seizures
  • Worsening of existing medical conditions
  • Severe weakness or muscle pain

Emergency signs and symptoms in children can include:

  • Difficulty breathing
  • Blue lips
  • Chest pain
  • Dehydration
  • Severe muscle pain
  • Seizures
  • Worsening of existing medical conditions

Diagnosing Flu

Some of the symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, making it hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. Diagnostic testing can help determine if you are sick with the flu or COVID-19.

Medical professionals clinically diagnose the flu by evaluating the patient’s history of association with people known to have the disease and their symptoms listed above. Usually, a health care professional performs a quick test (for example, nasopharyngeal swab sample) to see if the patient has an influenza A or B viral infection. Most of the tests can distinguish between A and B types.

A number of flu tests are available to detect influenza viruses in respiratory specimens. The most common are called “rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs).” RIDTs work by detecting the parts of the virus (antigens) that stimulate an immune response. These tests can provide results within approximately 10-15 minutes but are not as accurate as other flu tests. Therefore, you could still have flu, even though your rapid test result is negative. Other flu tests are called “rapid molecular assays” that detect genetic material of the virus. Rapid molecular assays produce results in 15-20 minutes and are more accurate than RIDTs. In addition, there are several more accurate and sensitive flu tests available that must be performed in specialized laboratories, such as those found in hospitals or state public health laboratories. All of these tests require that a health care provider swipe the inside of your nose or the back of your throat with a swab and then send the swab for testing. Results may take one to several hours

How long is the flu contagious?

The flu is typically contagious about 24-48 hours before symptoms appear (from about the last day of the incubation period) and in normal healthy adults is contagious for another 5-7 days. Children are usually contagious for a little while longer (about 7-10 days). Individuals with severe infections may be contagious as long as symptoms last (about 7-14 days).

Complications

If you’re young and healthy, the flu usually isn’t serious. Although you may feel miserable while you have it, the flu usually goes away in a week or two with no lasting effects. But children and adults at high risk may develop complications that may include:

  • Pneumonia
  • Bronchitis
  • Asthma flare-ups
  • Heart problems
  • Ear infections
  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome

Pneumonia is one of the most serious complications. For older adults and people with a chronic illness, pneumonia can be deadly.

Types of Influenza Viruses

There are four types of influenza viruses: A, B, C and D. Human influenza A and B viruses cause seasonal epidemics of disease (known as the flu season) almost every winter in the United States. Influenza A viruses are the only influenza viruses known to cause flu pandemics, i.e., global epidemics of flu disease. A pandemic can occur when a new and very different influenza A virus emerges that both infects people and has the ability to spread efficiently between people. Influenza type C infections generally cause mild illness and are not thought to cause human flu epidemics. Influenza D viruses primarily affect cattle and are not known to infect or cause illness in people.

Influenza A viruses are divided into subtypes based on two proteins on the surface of the virus: hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). There are 18 different hemagglutinin subtypes and 11 different neuraminidase subtypes (H1 through H18 and N1 through N11, respectively). While there are potentially 198 different influenza A subtype combinations, only 131 subtypes have been detected in nature. Current subtypes of influenza A viruses that routinely circulate in people include: A(H1N1) and A(H3N2). Influenza A subtypes can be further broken down into different genetic “clades” and “sub-clades.” See the “Influenza Viruses” graphic below for a visual depiction of these classifications.

Human Seasonal Influenza Virus

This graphic shows the two types of influenza viruses (A,B) that cause most human illness and that are responsible for the flu season each year. Influenza A viruses are further classified into subtypes, while influenza B viruses are further classified into two lineages: B/Yamagata and B/Victoria. Both influenza A and B viruses can be further classified into specific clades and sub-clades (which are sometimes called groups and sub-groups).

Flu Treatment and Prevention

If you get sick with flu, antiviral drugs may be a treatment option.

Check with your doctor promptly if you are at high risk of serious flu complications and you get flu symptoms.  People at high risk of flu complications include young children, adults 65 years of age and older, pregnant women, and people with certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease.

When used for treatment, antiviral drugs can lessen symptoms and shorten the time you are sick by 1 or 2 days. They also can prevent serious flu complications, like pneumonia. For people at high risk of serious flu complications, treatment with antiviral drugs can mean the difference between milder or more serious illness possibly resulting in a hospital stay. CDC recommends prompt treatment for people who have influenza infection or suspected influenza infection and who are at high risk of serious flu complications.

Annual influenza vaccination can prevent most of the illness and death that influenza causes. The CDC’s current Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) issued recommendations for everyone 6 months of age and older, who do not have any contraindications to vaccination, to receive a flu vaccine each year.

Flu vaccine (influenza vaccine made from inactivated and sometimes attenuated [noninfective] virus or virus components) is specifically recommended for those who are at high risk for developing serious complications from influenza infection.

Other simple hygiene methods can reduce or prevent some individuals from getting the flu. For example, avoiding kissing, handshakes, and sharing drinks or food with infected people and avoiding touching surfaces like sinks and other items handled by individuals with the flu are good preventive measures. Washing one’s hands with soap and water or by using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer frequently during the day may help prevent the infection. Individuals with the flu should avoid coughing or sneezing on uninfected people; quick hugs are probably okay as long as there is no contact with mucosal surfaces and/or droplets that may contain the virus. Wearing a mask may help reduce your chances of getting the disease, and if you unknowingly or know you have the infection, help to reduce spreading it to others

Controlling the spread of infection

The influenza vaccine isn’t 100% effective, so it’s also important to take several measures to reduce the spread of infection, including:

  • Wash your hands. Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is an effective way to prevent many common infections. Or use alcohol-based hand sanitizers if soap and water aren’t available.
  • Avoid touching your face. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes. Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow. Then wash your hands.
  • Clean surfaces. Regularly clean often-touched surfaces to prevent spread of infection from touching a surface with the virus on it and then your face.
  • Avoid crowds. The flu spreads easily wherever people gather — in child care centers, schools, office buildings, auditoriums and public transportation. By avoiding crowds during peak flu season, you reduce your chances of infection.Also avoid anyone who is sick. And if you’re sick, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone so that you lessen your chance of infecting others.

Takeaway

Influenza viruses travel through the air in droplets when someone with the infection coughs, sneezes or talks. You can inhale the droplets directly, or you can pick up the germs from an object — such as a telephone or computer keyboard — and then transfer them to your eyes, nose or mouth.

People with the virus are likely contagious from about a day before symptoms appear until about five days after they start. Children and people with weakened immune systems may be contagious for a slightly longer time.

During the COVID -19 pandemic, both COVID -19 and the flu may be spreading at the same time. Your local health practioner may help and suggest other precautions to reduce your risk of COVID -19  or the flu. For example, you may need to practice social distancing (physical distancing) and stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) from others outside your household. You may also need to wear a cloth face mask when around people outside your household.

Influenza (Flu)

Dec 26, 2020 Posted by admin General Health 0 comments

Woman with sore throat sick of coronavirus 2019 ncov

 

Influenza, commonly called “the flu,” is an illness caused by RNA viruses (Orthomyxoviridae family) that infect the respiratory tract of many animals, birds, and humans.(nose, throat and lungs.) but it’s not the same as stomach “flu” viruses that cause diarrhea and vomiting.For most people, the flu resolves on its own. But sometimes, influenza and its complications can be deadly.

Risk of developing flu complications include:

  • Young children under age 5, and especially those under 6 months
  • Adults older than age 65
  • Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
  • Pregnant women and women up to two weeks after giving birth
  • People with weakened immune systems
  • Native Americans
  • People who have chronic illnesses, such as asthma, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease and diabetes
  • People who are very obese, with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher

Though the annual influenza vaccine isn’t 100% effective, it’s still your best defense against the flu.

Symptoms

Influenza symptoms cartoon style infographic

At first, the flu may seem like a common cold with a runny nose, sneezing and sore throat. But colds usually develop slowly, whereas the flu tends to come on suddenly. And although a cold can be a bother, you usually feel much worse with the flu.

Common signs and symptoms of the flu include:

  • Fever
  • Aching muscles
  • Chills and sweats
  • Headache
  • Dry, persistent cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Tiredness and weakness
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Sore throat
  • Eye pain
  • Vomiting and diarrhea, but this is more common in children than adults

If you have emergency signs and symptoms of the flu, get medical care right away. For adults, emergency signs and symptoms can include:

  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • Chest pain
  • Ongoing dizziness
  • Seizures
  • Worsening of existing medical conditions
  • Severe weakness or muscle pain

Emergency signs and symptoms in children can include:

  • Difficulty breathing
  • Blue lips
  • Chest pain
  • Dehydration
  • Severe muscle pain
  • Seizures
  • Worsening of existing medical conditions

Diagnosing Flu

Some of the symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, making it hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. Diagnostic testing can help determine if you are sick with the flu or COVID-19.

Medical professionals clinically diagnose the flu by evaluating the patient’s history of association with people known to have the disease and their symptoms listed above. Usually, a health care professional performs a quick test (for example, nasopharyngeal swab sample) to see if the patient has an influenza A or B viral infection. Most of the tests can distinguish between A and B types.

A number of flu tests are available to detect influenza viruses in respiratory specimens. The most common are called “rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs).” RIDTs work by detecting the parts of the virus (antigens) that stimulate an immune response. These tests can provide results within approximately 10-15 minutes but are not as accurate as other flu tests. Therefore, you could still have flu, even though your rapid test result is negative. Other flu tests are called “rapid molecular assays” that detect genetic material of the virus. Rapid molecular assays produce results in 15-20 minutes and are more accurate than RIDTs. In addition, there are several more accurate and sensitive flu tests available that must be performed in specialized laboratories, such as those found in hospitals or state public health laboratories. All of these tests require that a health care provider swipe the inside of your nose or the back of your throat with a swab and then send the swab for testing. Results may take one to several hours

How long is the flu contagious?

The flu is typically contagious about 24-48 hours before symptoms appear (from about the last day of the incubation period) and in normal healthy adults is contagious for another 5-7 days. Children are usually contagious for a little while longer (about 7-10 days). Individuals with severe infections may be contagious as long as symptoms last (about 7-14 days).

Complications

If you’re young and healthy, the flu usually isn’t serious. Although you may feel miserable while you have it, the flu usually goes away in a week or two with no lasting effects. But children and adults at high risk may develop complications that may include:

  • Pneumonia
  • Bronchitis
  • Asthma flare-ups
  • Heart problems
  • Ear infections
  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome

Pneumonia is one of the most serious complications. For older adults and people with a chronic illness, pneumonia can be deadly.

Types of Influenza Viruses

There are four types of influenza viruses: A, B, C and D. Human influenza A and B viruses cause seasonal epidemics of disease (known as the flu season) almost every winter in the United States. Influenza A viruses are the only influenza viruses known to cause flu pandemics, i.e., global epidemics of flu disease. A pandemic can occur when a new and very different influenza A virus emerges that both infects people and has the ability to spread efficiently between people. Influenza type C infections generally cause mild illness and are not thought to cause human flu epidemics. Influenza D viruses primarily affect cattle and are not known to infect or cause illness in people.

Influenza A viruses are divided into subtypes based on two proteins on the surface of the virus: hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). There are 18 different hemagglutinin subtypes and 11 different neuraminidase subtypes (H1 through H18 and N1 through N11, respectively). While there are potentially 198 different influenza A subtype combinations, only 131 subtypes have been detected in nature. Current subtypes of influenza A viruses that routinely circulate in people include: A(H1N1) and A(H3N2). Influenza A subtypes can be further broken down into different genetic “clades” and “sub-clades.” See the “Influenza Viruses” graphic below for a visual depiction of these classifications.

Human Seasonal Influenza Virus

This graphic shows the two types of influenza viruses (A,B) that cause most human illness and that are responsible for the flu season each year. Influenza A viruses are further classified into subtypes, while influenza B viruses are further classified into two lineages: B/Yamagata and B/Victoria. Both influenza A and B viruses can be further classified into specific clades and sub-clades (which are sometimes called groups and sub-groups).

Flu Treatment and Prevention

If you get sick with flu, antiviral drugs may be a treatment option.

Check with your doctor promptly if you are at high risk of serious flu complications and you get flu symptoms.  People at high risk of flu complications include young children, adults 65 years of age and older, pregnant women, and people with certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease.

When used for treatment, antiviral drugs can lessen symptoms and shorten the time you are sick by 1 or 2 days. They also can prevent serious flu complications, like pneumonia. For people at high risk of serious flu complications, treatment with antiviral drugs can mean the difference between milder or more serious illness possibly resulting in a hospital stay. CDC recommends prompt treatment for people who have influenza infection or suspected influenza infection and who are at high risk of serious flu complications.

Annual influenza vaccination can prevent most of the illness and death that influenza causes. The CDC’s current Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) issued recommendations for everyone 6 months of age and older, who do not have any contraindications to vaccination, to receive a flu vaccine each year.

Flu vaccine (influenza vaccine made from inactivated and sometimes attenuated [noninfective] virus or virus components) is specifically recommended for those who are at high risk for developing serious complications from influenza infection.

Other simple hygiene methods can reduce or prevent some individuals from getting the flu. For example, avoiding kissing, handshakes, and sharing drinks or food with infected people and avoiding touching surfaces like sinks and other items handled by individuals with the flu are good preventive measures. Washing one’s hands with soap and water or by using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer frequently during the day may help prevent the infection. Individuals with the flu should avoid coughing or sneezing on uninfected people; quick hugs are probably okay as long as there is no contact with mucosal surfaces and/or droplets that may contain the virus. Wearing a mask may help reduce your chances of getting the disease, and if you unknowingly or know you have the infection, help to reduce spreading it to others

Controlling the spread of infection

The influenza vaccine isn’t 100% effective, so it’s also important to take several measures to reduce the spread of infection, including:

  • Wash your hands. Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is an effective way to prevent many common infections. Or use alcohol-based hand sanitizers if soap and water aren’t available.
  • Avoid touching your face. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes. Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow. Then wash your hands.
  • Clean surfaces. Regularly clean often-touched surfaces to prevent spread of infection from touching a surface with the virus on it and then your face.
  • Avoid crowds. The flu spreads easily wherever people gather — in child care centers, schools, office buildings, auditoriums and public transportation. By avoiding crowds during peak flu season, you reduce your chances of infection.Also avoid anyone who is sick. And if you’re sick, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone so that you lessen your chance of infecting others.

Takeaway

Influenza viruses travel through the air in droplets when someone with the infection coughs, sneezes or talks. You can inhale the droplets directly, or you can pick up the germs from an object — such as a telephone or computer keyboard — and then transfer them to your eyes, nose or mouth.

People with the virus are likely contagious from about a day before symptoms appear until about five days after they start. Children and people with weakened immune systems may be contagious for a slightly longer time.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, both CO and the flu may be spreading at the same time. Your local health practioner may help and suggest other precautions to reduce your risk of COVID-19 or the flu. For example, you may need to practice social distancing (physical distancing) and stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) from others outside your household. You may also need to wear a cloth face mask when around people outside your household.

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