Diseases » Flu » Prevention

Prevention of Flu

Prevention of Flu:

Methods of prevention of Flu mentioned in various sources includes those listed below. This prevention information is gathered from various sources, and may be inaccurate or incomplete. None of these methods guarantee prevention of Flu.

• Avoid contagion
  • Avoid exposure to people with flu
  • Handwashing
  • Avoid touching eyes or nose with your hands
• Flu vaccination - annual vaccination against various flu strains; either avoids flu or reduces its severity and complications.
• Anti-viral preventive medications:
  • Tamiflu® (oseltamivir)
  • Flumadine® (rimantadine)
  • Symmetrel® (amantadine)

Medications used to prevent Flu:

Some of the different medications in the possible prevention of Flu include:

• Influenza vaccine
• Flu-Immune
• FluMist
• Fluoge
• Flu-Shield
• Fluzone
• Fluvirin
• Fluviral S/F
• Vaxigrip

Note:You must always seek professional medical advice about any treatment or change in treatment plans.

Medical news about treatments for Flu

These medical news articles may be relevant to Flu treatment:

• Belief in salt vapor therapy for varying ailments
• Boosting the immune system naturally
• High blood pressure sufferers should be wary of decongestant use
• Hospital over prescribe steroids for cold patients
• More treatment news »

Clinical Trials for Flu

Some of the clinical trials for Flu include:

• High-Dose Vs. Standard-Dose Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) to Treat Severe Influenza and Avian Influenza - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Oseltamivir
• Development of Immune Globulin Treatment for Avian Flu - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - H5N1 Vaccine
• Safety and Immunogenicity of Two Adjuvanted and One Non-Adjuvanted H5N1 Influenza Vaccine in Adults - This study is not yet open for patient recruitment (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Safety and Immunogenicity of a Commercially Available Influenza Vaccine (Formulation 2006/2007) When Administered to Subjects 18 Years of Age or Older - This study is not yet open for patient recruitment (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• more clinical trials...»

Rare Types of Flu:

Some rare types of Flu include:

• Glandular fever
• more rare types...»

Latest Treatments for Flu

Some of the more recent treatments for Flu include:

• Antipyretics
• NSAIDs
• Cough suppressants
• more treatments...»

Treatments for Flu

Treatments to consider for Flu may include:

• Rest
• Fluids
• Antibiotics - not for the flu itself, but either treating or preventing secondary bacterial infections and other complication of flu.
• Symptomatic relief: various medications help in the headache and other symptoms of flu:
  • Analgesics
• more treatments...»

Prevention of Flu:

New Flu Drugs Neuraminidase Inhibitors, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID (Excerpt)

Oseltamivir also is approved for preventing influenza A and B in people 13 years and older.

Currently, oseltamivir is the only neuraminidase inhibitor approved to prevent the flu. (Source: excerpt from New Flu Drugs Neuraminidase Inhibitors, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)

New Flu Drugs Neuraminidase Inhibitors, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID (Excerpt)

Neither the neuraminidase inhibitors nor the older flu drugs are a substitute for the flu shot. The flu shot can provide season-long protection against influenza A and B and more effectively prevent you from spreading the virus to others. (Source: excerpt from New Flu Drugs Neuraminidase Inhibitors, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)

The Flu, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID (Excerpt)

The main way to keep from getting the flu is to get a yearly flu vaccine. You can get the vaccine at your doctor's office or a local clinic, and in many communities at workplaces, supermarkets, and drugstores. You must get the vaccine every year because it changes.

Scientists make a different vaccine every year because the strains of flu viruses change from year to year. Nine to 10 months before the flu season begins, they prepare a new vaccine made from inactivated (killed) flu viruses. Because the viruses are killed, they cannot cause infections. The vaccine preparation is based on the strains of the flu viruses that are in circulation at the time. It includes those A and B viruses (see section below on types of flu viruses) expected to circulate the following winter.

Sometimes, an unpredicted new strain may appear after the vaccine has been made and distributed to doctors and clinics. Because of this, even if you do get the flu vaccine, you still may get infected. If you do get infected, however, the disease usually is milder because the vaccine still will give you some protection.

Your immune system takes time to respond to the flu vaccine. Therefore, you should get vaccinated six to eight weeks before flu season begins to prevent getting infected or reduce the severity of flu if you do get it. The vaccine itself cannot cause the flu, but you could become exposed to the virus by someone else and get infected soon after you are vaccinated. (Source: excerpt from The Flu, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)

The Flu, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID (Excerpt)

If you are in any of the following groups or live in a household with someone who is, CDC recommends that you get the flu vaccine.

• You are 50 years of age or older.
• You have chronic diseases of your heart, lungs, or kidneys.
• You have diabetes.
• Your immune system does not function properly.
• You have a severe form of anemia.
• You will be more than three months pregnant during the flu season.
• You live in a nursing home or other chronic-care housing facility.

The vaccine can be administered to children as young as six months old. Children should get the flu vaccine if they are taking long-term aspirin treatment as they may be at risk of developing Reye's syndrome following a flu infection (see section on complications in children). They should also get the flu vaccine if they live in a household with someone in the above groups.

Health care workers and volunteers should get the flu vaccine if they work with patients in any of the above groups. (Source: excerpt from The Flu, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)

The Flu, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID (Excerpt)

Although the flu vaccine is the best way to prevent getting the flu, three antiviral medicines also are available by prescription that will help prevent flu infection:

• Tamiflu® (oseltamivir)
• Flumadine® (rimantadine)
• Symmetrel® (amantadine)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tamiflu® for use in adults and adolescents 13 years and older. Rimantadine and amantadine have been approved for use by adults and children who are 1 year of age and older.

Rimantadine and amantadine have unpleasant side effects. Your doctor can help you decide which medicine is best for you.

• These medicines help prevent the flu if you take them for at least two weeks during the outbreak of flu in your community.
• You may use these medicines if you are in close contact with family members or others who have the flu.
• You may use them if you are in close contact with people who have been vaccinated but whom you want to give added protection from getting the flu.
• You may use either medicine immediately following flu vaccination during a flu epidemic to protect you during the two- to four-week period before antibodies (proteins from your immune system that protect you from the flu virus) develop or when a flu epidemic is caused by virus strains other than those covered by the vaccine.

You should discuss the flu vaccine and the medicines with your doctor before the flu season begins. (Source: excerpt from The Flu, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)

Facts About Flu (Influenza): CDC-OC (Excerpt)

Annual flu shots are recommended for people who are at high risk of having a serious complication when they get the flu. Groups at increased risk include:

• Persons >65 years of age
• Residents of nursing homes and chronic-care facilities
• Adults and children who have chronic disorders of the pulmonary or cardiovascular systems, including children with asthma
• Adults and children who have required regular medical follow-up or hospitalization during the preceding year because of chronic metabolic diseases (including diabetes), renal dysfunction, hemoglobinopathies, or immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications).
• Children and teenagers (6 months - 18 years) who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and, therefore, might be at risk for developing Reye syndrome after the flu
• Women who will be in the second or third trimester of pregnancy during the flu season.

(Source: excerpt from Facts About Flu (Influenza): CDC-OC)

Shots for Safety -- Age Page -- Health Information: NIA (Excerpt)

Flu viruses change all the time. For this reason, you need to get a flu shot every year. To give your body time to build the proper defense, it's important to get a flu shot between September and mid-November, before the flu season usually starts. (Source: excerpt from Shots for Safety -- Age Page -- Health Information: NIA)

Prevention Claims: Flu

Information on prevention of Flu comes from many sources. There are some sources that claim preventive benefits for many different diseases for various products. We may present such information in the hope that it may be useful, however, in some cases claims of Flu prevention may be dubious, invalid, or not recognized in mainstream medicine. Please discuss any treatment, discontinuation of treatment, or change of treatment plans with your doctor or professional medical specialist.

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