by Ben Tang

Created on: February 11, 2009

Seasonal influenza strikes unannounced and uninvited mainly in the late fall and winter and usually during holiday season; claiming quality time spent with loved ones.

It is estimated that up to 61 million of Americans fall prey to flu every season.

TRANSMISSION

The secret to the explosive transmission of seasonal flu is due to the following:-

Short incubation period -as fast as 48 hoursLong infectious period up to 10 daysHigh levels of virus in nasal or saliva secretions and only small amount of virus is needed to initiate infection

Flu spreads easily and fast through communities due to its airborne nature hence creating an epidemic in a matter of weeks. During the epidemic, it takes only 3 weeks to see the peak of cases and subsides after another 3 weeks. Since there is no medication to treat the condition, the only way out of this illness is to go through the process of sickness to gain immunity.

Communal place are excellent area for flu viruses to thrive. After all, a virus can never replicate and survive if left without a host. Schools are ranked as the highest probability of flu attacks. Families with school-age children are more prone to infections than other families, with an average of one third of the family members infected each year.

THE STRAIN

Influenza A is the strain ( type) that causes seasonal influenza while Type B is present all year round. Influenza A has been recognized as the most fatal strain based on serious epidemic outbreak due to this strain in the past.

THE VICTIMS

To many, getting the flu is just an inconvenience to daily life, with productivity reduced and sick leave taken. However, for the elderly, new born babies, people who have weakened immune system due to chronic illness i.e. cancer, AIDS, SLE; flu can be the final straw that breaks the camel's back.

Most people will just experience the FACTS (F-ever A-ches C-hills T-iredness S-udden symptoms) of flu. For those with weakened immune system, flu weakens the immune system further and make the host susceptible to bacteria infection which leads to complications and serious disease such as pneumonia and encephalitis (brain infection). The National Center Of Health Statistics (NCHS) revealed that
about 36,000 patients die each year due to complications from flu.

THE SOLUTION ?

Vaccination is so far the only protection one can get from flu. However, vaccination does not guarantee "flu-proof" immunity. This is because the strain that you are exposed to is not similar to the vaccine strain that

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