When does influenza A/H1N1 become severe?

On November 29, doctor Nguyen Minh Luan, VNVC Vaccination System, recommended the above in the context that Binh Dinh recorded 9 cases of influenza A/H1N1 strain in the past month, of which 4 people died.

Influenza A/H1N1 is one of the seasonal flu diseases, circulating annually in the community. Normally, people with A/H1N1 flu can recover within a week without treatment, but there are also cases of hospitalization with severe complications that progress rapidly, causing severe pneumonia, respiratory failure, and multiple heart failure. viscera leading to death.

There are three reasons why the disease gets worse: the mechanism of deep attack on lung cells of the A/H1N1 virus strain, incorrect treatment, and people with the disease who are immunocompromised such as those with underlying diseases, children under 5 years old, Elderly people, pregnant women, people who have had Covid-19 and have weak respiratory systems…

“The A/H1N1 virus strain deeply attacks lung cells, is dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, causing pneumonia, respiratory failure, and even death when not treated promptly,” Dr. Luan explained. prefer.

Some cases of flu become severe due to the appearance of a “cytokine storm” during flu infection. This is a condition in which the immune system overreacts to a virus, massively releasing inflammatory cytokines. This excess amount of cytokines attacks the virus and damages healthy tissues, leading to widespread inflammation, multiple organ failure, and death. Inflammation is the body’s natural defense mechanism, however, when excessive, it becomes a “double-edged sword”, causing damage to healthy cells, typically lung damage and multiple organ failure.

In addition, when infected with flu, the immune system is weakened and the respiratory mucosa is damaged, leading to the patient being easily infected with other viruses and bacteria, aggravating the condition. Common bacterial agents are Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), Staphylococcus aureus (staphylococcus aureus), Haemophilus influenzae. For example, the damaged mucosa of a person with influenza opens the way for pneumococcal bacteria to reside in the oropharynx. Invasive pneumococcus causes pneumonia, putting patients at increased risk of hospitalization and death.

Influenza can last longer and become more severe when the patient’s health is weak, due to unhealthy lifestyle. For example, patients who do not maintain body hygiene, do not eat enough food, work too hard, or arbitrarily take medication can cause overdose or poisoning, making flu treatment more difficult.

Some patients think that the signs of fever and headache are the common cold, so they go to the pharmacy to buy medicine. Dr. Luan recommends that antibiotics are not effective in killing influenza viruses. On the contrary, overusing antibiotics can cause many side effects such as diarrhea, fatigue, and even increase the risk of complications and drug resistance.

Seasonal flu is an acute infectious disease transmitted through sneezing, coughing and direct contact with virus-infected objects, then spreading through the nose and throat. Influenza A/H1N1 has many symptoms such as fever over 38 degrees Celsius, chills, sore throat, headache, diarrhea, vomiting… When it gets worse, the patient feels restless, uncomfortable or lethargic, lethargic, calling without answering, convulsions, unconsciousness, rapid breathing, indrawing of the lower part of the chest when inhaling, wheezing when lying still, pale lips, cyanosis… If one of the above symptoms is present, the person illness that requires going to the hospital early.

Dr. Luan recommends that people proactively prevent flu by regularly washing their hands with alcohol solution or sterile soap after handling objects and going to public places. Clean your living and working places, open windows to ventilate. Improve your health through exercise, diet, and healthy living.

“Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent flu today,” Dr. Luan said, adding that vaccines help protect the body against four common flu strains such as A/H3N2, A/H1N1, B/Yamagata, B/Victoria. Children from 6 months to under 9 years old who have never received a flu vaccine need two basic shots, at least one month apart. People 9 years of age and older and adults get one shot.

Vaccines need to be injected repeated every year to prevent new flu strains circulating and changing each year. Women should get a flu shot before and during pregnancy, preferably from the 3rd month onwards to protect their health and passively pass antibodies to their children.

The flu vaccine is up to 90% effective in preventing disease and preventing complications. Studies show that in the elderly and with underlying medical conditions, the vaccine reduces flu-related mortality by 70-80%. Flu vaccination helps pregnant women reduce the risk of stillbirth by 51% and reduce the risk of children under 6 months of age being hospitalized due to flu by 72%.