Infectious Diseases and HIV Conference

Influenza, also known as the flu, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that results in millions of illnesses and significant annual health impacts. Prompt recognition of symptoms and early treatment can help prevent complications and improve outcomes.

This paper will discuss symptoms of influenza, treatments available for this condition, and how it can be prevented. The influenza symptoms usually start abruptly, ranging from mild to severe.

Common symptoms are fever, chills, cough, sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, muscle ache, fatigue, and headache. Gastrointestinal symptoms can also occur, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, though this is more common in children. Complications include pneumonia, bronchitis, and exacerbation of chronic health conditions-thus, correct identification and management of flu symptoms are crucial, particularly in at-risk populations such as the elderly, young children, pregnant women, and those with chronic medical conditions.

Furthermore, as the signs and symptoms of influenza are found with other respiratory infections, such as a common cold and COVID-19, proper management can only be made by proper diagnosis. Rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs), molecular assays (PCR), and viral cultures are the methods made for diagnosing. This session will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the various diagnostic tools and highlight the significance of differentiation between influenza and other respiratory diseases that guide the treatment decision.

Typically, supportive care with rest, hydration, and over-the-counter medications to treat the flu will help with a sore throat, headache, body aches, fever, and congestion. For patients who have high-risk or more severe symptoms, antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu), zanamivir (Relenza), and baloxavir (Xofluza) may be prescribed to significantly reduce the intensity of the illness and shorten its duration. This session will focus on the best time to provide antiviral therapy. Such therapy needs to be initiated as early as possible, within a period of ideally 48 hours from the start of symptoms; in addition, it will also focus on emerging resistance patterns that may affect the response.

Prevention of influenza is, from a point of view, very much aligned with public health; therefore, the vaccine is still one of the most effective prevention measures, and annual vaccination is needed.

The participants will get educated about the following benefits of flu vaccination: reduction in intensity of the disease and fewer probabilities of hospitalization. Next, preventive care given would include hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, mask use during flu season, and even prophylactic antiviral use when the community is at a higher risk during the influenza outbreak period.

Join us in a session in which we work our way through the best practices of diagnosing, treating, and preventing flu with the aim of improving patient care and diminishing the effects of seasonal influenza.