Influenza Causes
When an infected individual speaks, coughs, or sneezes, droplets of fluid are expelled into the air, carrying the virus that causes influenza. A person could inhale the droplets directly from the air, or they could take up the germs from an infected object. Computer keyboards and telephones are the most common objects that transfer germs from our hands to our nostrils, mouth, and eyes. Approximately one day prior to the onset of symptoms, influenza-infected individuals are susceptible to transmission. After five days from the onset of symptoms, the infected individual is potentially contagious.
Younger children whose immune systems are still developing and those with a weakened immune system may be more contagious than the general population because they remain contagious for longer. Frequent new variants of influenza-causing viruses are uncovered by the expanding body of medical research. Antibodies against influenza virus strains are present in the immune system of an individual who has previously contracted the infection. If future strains of influenza virus are similar to the strain that caused your previous infection, the body will be able to combat them. The antibodies produced by vaccination or by the body’s immune system can combat the severity of influenza and prevent its occurrence.
Nonetheless, the level of antibodies begins to decline as time passes. Concurrently, the antibodies that develop in response to previous influenza infection may not protect the body from new influenza strains. The new influenza strains may be very different from those you have previously encountered. Chronic maladies such as asthma, lung diseases, nervous system diseases, heart diseases, blood diseases, airway disorders, metabolic disorders, and diabetes may increase the likelihood of contracting influenza. Native Americans may also be at an increased risk for influenza-related complications.
Children as young as neonates aged 6 months to 5 years have a chance of developing seasonal influenza. Over 65-year-olds also have a greater likelihood of contracting influenza. People with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40 may be at a greater risk for influenza infection. Individuals who are typically younger than 19 years old are more susceptible to influenza complications. Moreover, those who take aspirin for a prolonged period of time are more likely to develop influenza because their susceptibility to the illness increases. People who use aspirin therapy for extended durations are also at a greater risk of developing Rye’s syndrome, which is far more dangerous and life-threatening than influenza, if they ever contract influenza.
Pregnant women have a greater risk of contracting influenza and a greater likelihood of developing complications. In the third and second trimesters of pregnancy, expectant women are more susceptible to infectious diseases such as influenza, putting the infant’s health at risk even two to three weeks after delivery. Those who work or reside in facilities with a large population, such as military compounds or nursing homes, are also at a greater risk of developing influenza-related complications. As hospitals are the primary breeding grounds for viruses and other germs, patients staying in hospitals for an extended period of time are also more likely to develop influenza symptoms. Additionally, patients with weakened immune systems due to cancer treatment, longer use of steroids, anti-rejection drugs, organ transplant, AIDS/HIV treatment, or blood cancer treatment are at a greater risk of developing influenza.
