Influenza Epidemic: A Case Study

An average of 200,000 Americans are hospitalized each year due to influenza virus associated infections (JAMA, 2004). It is so common, that at one point in time, each member of my family has been diagnosed with it; thankfully no complications resulted from the virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Influenza is a virus that comes in three different types: A, B, and C. Most commonly the cause of seasonal flu outbreaks, in humans, is influenza types A and B, while influenza type C causes only a minor respiratory infection. The typical flu season in the United States starts in the colder months of October through as long as April. Symptoms of the flu often come on suddenly. Influenza symptoms include fever, chills, coughing, sore throat, stuffy nose, muscle aches, headaches, and fatigue. Humans who suffer from influenza often recover within a few weeks. However, complications can arise from the flu (CDC, 2015). These complications can potentially be fatal, as thousands of people in the United States die from influenza related complications each year (CDC, 2010). Therefore, with the threat of the influenza virus’ ability to mutate into new stains and potentially cause an epidemic, this virus is a …show more content…
Other respiratory infections have similar symptoms of the flu: fever, chills, coughing, sore throat, stuffy nose, muscle aches, headaches, and fatigue. To be certain that one has come down with the influenza virus doctors will generally use a test called “rapid influenza diagnostic test.” This form of influenza testing takes roughly a half hour. However, this test fluctuates in reliability, and if given a negative diagnosis one might actually have the flu. Other forms of testing require a nasal or throat swab to be sent off to a laboratory. Additionally, it is important to regularly disinfect commonly touched surfaces to prevent the spread of influenza (CDC,