Holidays bring cheer, influenza

Rachel Myers
University Wire
12-02-2003
(Daily Kent Stater) (U-WIRE) KENT, Ohio -- Along with the spread of holiday cheer comes the spread of communicable diseases, such as the flu.

"The (influenza) virus is constantly mutating, and different strains are getting passed around," Scott Fleming, a nurse practitioner who teaches at Kent State University, said.

The virus gets passed around so much that, according to the Internet Health Library, it kills about 70,000 people in North America each year, more than AIDS and SARS combined. So far this year, western states are claiming an epidemic of the virus.

But it's not always reported, and it's easy to misdiagnose, said Kelly Engelhart, the nursing director at the Portage County Health Commission.

"People often mistake gastrinitous, where you are throwing up a lot, for the flu," Engelhart said. "Actually, the flu is more of a respiratory infection that can mimic a cold with a high fever."

While many people assume cold weather speeds up the transmission of the virus, Fleming said the two main reasons are shopping and travel; people are more often indoors, and therefore in closer contact with each other.

"I find it very interesting that we see the greatest outbreak of the flu five to seven days after Thanksgiving -- and the biggest shopping day of the year," Fleming said.

Fleming dismissed cold weather as a factor, but said things like alcohol consumption, lack of sleep and even stress can increase the likelihood a person will succumb to illness.

"When you don't take care of yourself, you weaken your immune system, and there's a greater chance you'll get sick," Fleming said.

Advertising suggests vitamin C and herbal remedies, such as echinacea, will help to treat and prevent the flu. The only real prevention, Engelhart said, is the flu shot, which typically is obtained for a fee at almost any health care facility from September through December.

For people afraid of needles, there is also an intranasal vaccination, which is slightly more expensive.

Either way, Fleming said it's important to be vaccinated every year because of the way the virus constantly mutates.

"There's even the transmission of the virus from animals to humans," Fleming said.

While the elderly and very young are the most likely to die from influenza, or "piggyback" illnesses such as pneumonia, college students should be aware of their health, Fleming said. If students have the flu, students should not attend work or school.

"College students come from many different regions and usually share compact facilities," Fleming said. "A big concern is meningitis, which can be deadly and has many flu-like symptoms."

Students who are concerned can visit the University Health Center for information and testing.


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