Influenza is a highly contagious viral infection, which goes from one person to another due to respiratory secretions, for example, during the chihanya. Influenza is called respiratory infection, that is such, which develops in the lungs. This disease usually causes fever, malaise, pain and heaviness in the body.

Influenza viruses are divided into three scientific types, designated A, B and C. Influenza types a and b are responsible for the epidemic of respiratory diseases that occur almost every winter. As for influenza type, it usually causes or very mild respiratory illness or disease without any symptoms at all.

According to official statistics, every year in Ukraine is fixed from 3 to 5 million cases of acute respiratory viral infection (ARVI). The biggest number of the diseases occur with children under the age of 5 years. During the time period from November 2011 January 2012 in Ukraine died 1 296 thousand people.

Facts

There are two types of vaccines against flu injections (with a depressed virus) and nasal sprays (contains live but weakened virus). A new type of injection was introduced during the influenza season of 2011-2012, their novelty is that these vaccines can be introduced into the skin (intracutaneously)and not into a muscle (intramuscularly).

Every year the flu virus mutates, alters its structure, quickly leads to the appearance of his new subtypes. For this reason, the strains of the virus are also being improved every year, resulting in a vaccine received in previous years, is inefficient. As a rule, it is optimally valid for two weeks after vaccination. You also need to know that the vaccine is only effective against strains of the virus that match her, and her performance is dependent on the age and health of individuals.

Protivogrippoznye vaccines stimulate the production of antibodies in the body that helps to fight the disease itself. So when the virus enters the human body, which was vaccinated, antibodies his attack, kill and prevent infection. Influenza vaccination does not protect against infections caused by microbes.

Doctors recommend to every person to receive the seasonal flu vaccine. Vaccination is most important for people who have a high probability of development of dangerous complications in case of illness, for example, people with asthma, diabetes, or chronic lung diseases, people over 65 years of age and pregnant women. It is also important for those who care or living with people that are in these risk groups.

But there are also some people who should avoid vaccination, among them: people who have ever had a severe allergic reaction to eggs and themselves flu vaccines, also people who had Guillain-Barre syndrome (a severe paralytic illness), occurred after vaccination.

Interesting is the fact that viruses, which are used for making flu vaccines are grown in chicken eggs.

Risks and side effects

Serious side effects from flu vaccine are rare, but do occur. They are in pain injection site, muscle pain, fever, and poor health. People report about a little discomfort from intradermal, not intramuscular vaccine. Serious allergic reactions are rare, they are not registered.

The Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is a disease characterized by fever, nerve damage and muscle weakness. In 1976 vaccination against "swine flu" was associated with the development of the SSC. Studies have shown that only one person out of a million vaccinated may GBS disease.

Live virus in the nasal spray vaccine weakened so that they do not cause severe symptoms. However, people who have initially there is increased likelihood of developing serious exacerbations of influenza, and those with depressed immune system, should receive inactivated vaccine. Side effects nasal spray flu vaccine include headache, runny nose, cough, sore throat.

Myths

The first myth is that flu contributes to the disease. The fact that immediately after vaccination is possible only severe pain in his hand. Annually the new vaccine for the new strain of the virus, that is, one way or another, vaccination annual-old man will not protect. Sometimes, after vaccination, as mentioned earlier, there is a fever, but this is temporary and is not often.

The second invention: flu vaccines don't work. A review of studies from 1967 to 2012 shows that standard injectable influenza vaccine contains three strains of security (guarantee about 59 percent).

Nasal spray containing live attenuated influenza vaccine, protects children aged from six months to seven years in 83 percent of cases.

Another myth is that pregnant women may not be vaccinated. Getting this kind of vaccination during pregnancy protects women and their babies during the first six months of life, when they cannot be vaccinated.

Conclusion
Now we all more clearly feel the breath of autumn, and in some regions of our country - winter, which every time is not only pleases us with snow and frost, but also frustrates the arrival of such a common disease of modern times as influenza.

Annually the scientists and doctors suggest the population of the planet latest tools from this disease, but we still continue to hurt. In any case, better not give the disease a chance to life than a long period of time "move away" from it. To achieve such a goal, prevention is the best way. It should be performed in late November or early December. It is the timeliness of this procedure allows to develop immunity in humans before the beginning of the epidemic.

According to statistics, from influenza and its complications in European countries killed 4 million people every year, most of them - people who have not been vaccinated. In developed countries this situation is a cause for serious relationship to prevention of influenza for this event spend large amount of money.

Do vaccinated or not, it's each individually, but if there is a possibility to somehow protect yourself and your children, why not start to try?

Palamarchuk Irina