1. What other tests might my doctor request to diagnose my flu-like symptoms?
Your doctor may request a
streptococcus test to check for streptococcus infection,
blood cultures to check for bacterial infections in the blood, an RSV test (respiratory syncytial virus; a virus that often infects young children and the elderly), or a sputum culture to look for bacterial and/or fungal causes of a respiratory infection. They may also order blood tests such as a
FBC (Full blood count) to monitor body organ function.
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2. Why is the flu important?
Because the flu can be deadly and because every few decades an especially lethal influenza emerges. The worst on record is the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic (large scale epidemic), which killed more than 20 million people worldwide. That is why prevention is stressed and why research for additional treatments is ongoing.
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3. Can I still get the flu if I've had the vaccination?
Yes. Influenza circles around the globe and moves through communities. As it travels, it undergoes spontaneous changes that allow it to evade the protections of last year's flu vaccine and re-infect you. The amount of change varies from year to year. Bigger changes in the flu virus often result in more severe illnesses. Doctors and researchers carefully track the influenza virus as it moves through the world and try to anticipate the strain(s) that will eventually appear in the next season. Each year the flu vaccine is produced based on their observations and experience, and targeted to protect us against the expected strain.
In most cases the flu vaccine will prevent the flu but it requires a few weeks before it provides protection and it is not 100% effective. In addition, sometimes the flu will 'break through' - there will have been enough change in the virus so that it appears slightly different to the body's immune system, decreasing the effectiveness of the vaccine's protection.
Alternatively, the flu that predominates may end up being an unexpected strain, not the one that the vaccine was developed to protect against. Usually in these cases the vaccination will at least reduce the severity of the infection. In individual high-risk patients (those with heart, kidney, and lung disease for instance), doctors may bolster the protection by prescribing anti-viral treatments that can provide short term protection while influenza moves through the community (although this comes at a price in terms of cost and treatment side effects).
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4. Where can I find out about bird flu?
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