Why does Flu Look Like?

A severe influenza pandemic would constitute a major disaster unlike anything experienced in the modern world, where we are almost totally reliant on … ‘just in time’ delivery of food and goods … to function in our every day lives. A pandemic will disrupt every aspect of our lives, from access to health care to availability of food and water, and result in an increase in death and disease in our communities. Even our disaster assistance and recovery plans have been based on ‘mutual aid’ – a system where resources and ‘first responders’ from an unaffected area can leap into action to help people in the area of an earthquake, hurricane, or terror attack. But in a pandemic, no such unaffected areas are likely to exist. You now understand that it is up to each individual to care for him- or herself and loved ones. – from the InSTEDD Pandemic Influenza Citizen’s Guide

Yesterday I gave some of the background on the origin of InSTEDD and its Citizen’s Guide to Pandemic Influenza. Today I’d like to include other interesting facts from the guide.

What does the seasonal flu look like?

Normal influenza can encompass any or all of the following symptoms:
• Begins abruptly
• Symptoms include fever, chills, body aches, loss of appetite, headache, and fatigue
• Fever (>100.4ºF) – usually lasts 2-3 days
• Respiratory tract symptoms include cough without phlegm, sore throat, and congestion
• Temperature greater than 100.4 ºF
• Stomach and intestinal issues, such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

Pandemic flu may look very different from seasonal flu symptoms
• Sluggishness or alterations in mental state (seen most often in the elderly and infants)
• The 1918 Spanish strain was unusual for killing many young adults and otherwise
healthy people. People were sometimes struck suddenly with illness and within hours were too feeble to walk; many died the next day. Symptoms included a blue tint to the face (due to
insufficient oxygen from lungs filled with fluid) and coughing up blood.

Children and adults may develop sinus problems and ear infections from the flu. In rare cases complications from bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma or diabetes may be fatal.

Bottom Line
According to the Center for Disease Control, CDC, “It is very difficult to distinguish the flu from other infections on the basis of symptoms alone. A doctor's exam may be needed to tell whether you have developed the flu.” Healthy adults may be able to infect others 1 day before getting symptoms and up to 5 days after getting sick. Therefore, it is possible to give someone the flu before you know you are sick as well as while you are sick.

The InSTEDD guide recommends seeing a doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:

Adults & Children
• Blue discoloration skin, lips or nail beds
• Coughing up blood or foul-smelling sputum
• Bleeding from nose that cannot be stopped easily through pressure
• Bloody diarrhea
• Chest pain
• Difficulty or pain in breathing
• Shortness of breath when at rest
• Persistent vomiting or severe diarrhea not managed by standard measures
• Symptoms of severe dehydration, e.g., a significant reduction in urine output
• High fever for 3 or more days without improvement
• Sudden high fever with recurrence of symptoms
• Extreme drowsiness and difficulty waking
• Disorientation or confusion
• Seizures
• Severe earache
• A severe change in the ability to function, especially if elderly
• Flu-like symptoms with a pre-existing chronic condition like heart failure, asthma or diabetes
• Flu-like symptoms while under immuno-suppressive therapy

Additional Symptoms to Watch for in Children
• Flu-like symptoms or fever in any child less than 3-months old
• Flu-like symptoms with child taking aspirin regularly (could be Reye's Syndrome)
• Excessive irritability or listlessness
• Has a full or sunken fontanel (soft area on the top of a young child’s head)
• Is limp or unable to move