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It would seem that influenza and SARS are those “habitual” diseases that almost every family encounters at least a couple of times a year … But what caused the seasonal outbursts of this insidious misfortune? How to deal with it correctly? Let’s get into the details!
Flu: know the enemy in person
Although the flu is the name of one disease, it causes a whole family of viruses that can provoke annual epidemics and even pandemics. 100 years later, humanity still remembers the flu pandemic of 1918, called the “Spanish fever”. The Spanish flu, caused by the influenza A virus subtype H1N1, has become no less deadly than the losses during the largest conflicts between people. In two years, three waves of the pandemic were registered, and the death toll, according to some sources, reached 40-50 million people – which at that time was about 3% of the world’s population.
Flu in numbers
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), only severe forms of influenza in the world are recorded annually in 3-5 million people.1. The incidence of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections in Russia is estimated at 20-40 million people per year2. Viruses are transmitted by airborne droplets when coughing, sneezing, talking, dispersing at a distance of 2-3 meters or more, or by household means: through hands, household items.
At the same time, the share of influenza in the group of acute respiratory viral infections accounts for about 12-13% of cases.3. But in general, there are more than 200 types of ARVI pathogens, many of which can also cause severe complications. Fortunately, modern methods of laboratory diagnostics allow for a short time (about 5 hours) to determine the causative agent of the virus or to identify a mixed infection (often, several viruses are combined in one patient).
Who is at risk?
Susceptibility to SARS and influenza is quite high in all age groups, but the greatest number of diseases is observed among children under the age of 14 – 37%. This is almost 4 times more than among the elderly4.
Not surprisingly, during the epidemic season, there are regular reports of quarantines in many educational institutions. So, in a recent decision, Rospotrebnadzor switched to more stringent measures to control the incidence: doctors or teachers of kindergartens and schools will now examine the child in the morning and, if signs of illness are found, send him home5. Experts believe that this will reduce the incidence of SARS and influenza in organized children’s groups during the epidemic season.
Influenza Prevention
Since 1952, WHO has been monitoring the incidence of influenza in all countries of the world and annually determines the strain composition of influenza vaccines. They are one of the most effective methods of protection and allow you to control the epidemic situation, helping to reduce the circulation of viruses among the population.
With timely vaccination, influenza can be prevented in 80-90% of children and adults. Already now, in many regions of our country, an active campaign has begun in support of the need for vaccination, which, of course, will play a role in combating the spread of influenza in the upcoming epidemiological season. However, it should be taken into account that the composition of modern vaccines, updated annually by WHO, may ultimately not correspond to the actually circulating strains. In addition, specific prophylaxis is carried out only against influenza viruses, which, we recall, account for about 13% of all cases of SARS.
Non-specific protection
In modern epidemiological conditions, many experts recommend the use of universal medicinal antiviral drugs that can be used for prophylactic and therapeutic purposes for both adults and children from 3 years of age. At the same time, experts note that the arsenal of means for the prevention and treatment of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza in children is relatively small and significantly inferior in volume to the “adult” range.
Few drugs can be used in both adults and children. In particular, in pediatric practice against SARS and influenza, preparations of the group of interferon inducers are widely used – for example, the original antiviral drug Kagocel. It has undergone numerous studies that have tested its effect against viruses that cause SARS and influenza, regardless of their etiology (influenza type A, B, adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, etc.).
How does it work?
Interferons (IFN), which are immune mediators, are a family of proteins that have an antiviral effect. In fact, the interferon system is the first line of defense of a cell not only from a viral infection, but also from a bacterial one, that is, a mixed infection. When a virus enters a cell of the body, interferons are produced in it, which prevent the reproduction and further spread of viruses and provide resistance to infection of healthy cells.
One of the means of combating acute respiratory viral infections are interferon inducers, which stimulate the production of synthesized by the body (endogenous) own IFN. The medicines of this group include the antiviral agent Kagocel with a wide range of therapeutic and prophylactic effects against SARS and influenza, which is used for adults and children from 3 years of age.
In the context of the mass spread of ARVI, not related to influenza, and the lack of vaccines against them, additional protection in the form of the use of an antiviral agent can be an excellent method of non-specific prevention! Especially for a child’s body, which is not always able to withstand easily transmitted viruses.
Can the flu be beaten forever?
Over the past century, mankind has coped with many challenges. Medicine and pharmaceuticals have made tremendous strides in understanding the nature of disease and creating defenses against it. And yet, even today, the flu is still an uncontrollable and difficult to predict disease. The unique ability of influenza viruses to genetic variation leads to the emergence of new strains. However, given all the experience gained, the accumulated knowledge and achievements, you can prepare for a meeting with an insidious disease.
Leading WHO experts and scientists from all over the world are studying the nature of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections. In many countries, annual vaccination is carried out, antiviral drugs have been developed that act against viruses that cause SARS and influenza, regardless of their etiology. And while the leading scientific minds continue to fight to reduce the health threat from these diseases, there is confidence that very soon they can be fully controlled!
1 http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/influenza-(seasonal)
2 Popov A. F., Shchelkanov M. Yu., Dmitrenko K. A., Simakova A. I. «Сombined therapy of influenza with antiviral drugs with a different mechanism of action in comparison with monotherapy» // J. Pharm. Sci. & Res. 2018, V.10 (2), 357–360.
3 https://medvestnik.ru/content/interviews/Novaya-geopolitika-mikromira.html
4 “Influenza in the practice of a clinician, epidemiologist and virologist”, T.V. Sologub, L.M. Tsybalova, I.I. Tokin, V.V. Tsvetkov. Moscow, 2017.
5 https://iz.ru/775323/elina-khetagurova/utrennii-filtr-prostuzhennykh-detei-otpraviat-po-domam