The Undersecretary of Health Hugo López-Gatell acknowledged that in 2022 the cases of influenza in Mexico; however, few people know the deadly complications that this disease can cause.
The flu is a contagious respiratory disease which is sometimes confused with the common cold or with the COVID-19; It is usually caused by influenza A, B and C viruses, which are characterized by being highly versatile and adaptable.
This disease mainly affects the nose, throat, bronchial tubes, and occasionally the lungs.
The virus is usually easily spread from one person to another through coughing, sneezing, but also through hand and face contact. Influenza usually spreads rapidly in the form of a seasonal epidemic.
flu symptoms
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu can cause mild illness or grave y can sometimes lead to death. Flu symptoms usually come on suddenly. People with the flu sometimes feel some or all of these symptoms:
- Fever* or feeling feverish/chilly
- Tos
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle or body pain
- Headaches
- Fatigue (tiredness)
- Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, although this is more common in children than adults.
*It is important to clarify that not all people with influenza will have a fever.
Influenza complications
The US Health Agency says that most people who get sick with the flu will recover in a few days to less than two weeks, but some people develop complications (such as pneumonia) as a consequence of influenza, some of which may endanger life and cause death.
Sinus and ear infections are examples of moderate complications of influenza, while pneumonia is a serious complication of influenza, which can be caused by a virus infection of influenza or a bacterial and influenza virus coinfection.
Other possible serious complications of influenza can include inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis), of the brain (encephalitis) or muscle tissues (myositis, rhabdomyolysis) and multiple organ failure (eg, respiratory and kidney failure).
Influenza virus infection of the respiratory tract can trigger an inflammatory response in the body and can lead to a sepsisa response to life-threatening infections.
The flu can also make other chronic health problems worse. For example, people with asma can have asthma attacks while they have the flu, and people with chronic heart disease they may have a worsening of their condition triggered by influenza.
Difference Between Influenza and COVID-19
Influenza and COVID-19 are contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses.
COVID-19 is caused by infection with a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2and influenza is caused by infection with influenza viruses influenza.
It is not possible to differentiate influenza from COVID-19 by symptoms alone because some of the symptoms are the same.
Some polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests can tell the difference between influenza and COVID-19 at the same time. If one of these tests is not available, many testing centers offer separate tests for influenza and COVID-19.
