The flu does not treated with antibiotics. The flu season has started in Romania. What he recommends specialists

"The flu season has started in Roanania.The flu is not treated with antibiotics, but with antivirals only on the recommendation of the doctor.It is important to consult a doctor since the beginning of the disease. Expect nothing good at home, but complications, "said Professor Adrian Streinu-Cercel, Director General of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases" Dr. Matei Balş "at the beginning of the season influenza 2018-2019 in Romania.

According to official data from the National Institute of Public Health, as of November 18, 2018, eight influenza cases had been nationally confirmed and the total number of cases of acute respiratory infections was 90,982, or 13, 8% more than the one recorded the same week of the previous season – 79 895 cases – and 8.7% higher than the previous week – 83 680 cases.

More than 850,000 people at risk groups have been vaccinated as part of the Ministry of Health's free flu campaign.

The vaccine comes into effect after 14 days

"If vaccination coverage remains low, there will be many deaths during the influenza season, especially in high-risk groups." Vaccine efficacy is variable, avoiding 60 to 70% of infections in adults aged 18 to 64 years and protection is established 14 days after vaccination It is good to vaccinate in October and November, but it is never too late Seasonal influenza vaccines have been used for over 50 years and have a good clinical profile. Influenza vaccination greatly increases the chances of being protected and reduces the serious complications of the disease, "said Dr. Alexandru Rafila, President of the Romanian Society of Microbiology, a member of the Executive Committee of the World Health Organization. Health – WHO Europe.

Influenza is a highly contagious acute infectious disease and patients can quickly develop complications requiring hospitalization. According to data from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), 20 million cases of influenza, 3.5 million hospitalizations and 171 000 deaths were estimated in Europe in 2016, in l. lack of vaccination.

"Influenza is an unpredictable disease at the individual and population level, an annual challenge for epidemiologists, clinicians, family physicians, and virologists.In the past influenza season 2017-2018, 1,750 influenza cases reported 2.3 times more than in the previous season, influenza A (AH1N1 – 22.3%) and mainly B (66.4%) were detected, a situation similar to that observed At the European level, during the Ministry of Health's annual free vaccination campaign, 1,016,724 people were vaccinated, almost twice the vaccination coverage of the previous season, "said Dr Daniela Piţigoi, from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases Prof.dr. . Matei Bals ".

What the tetravalent influenza vaccine contains

For the 2018-2019 influenza season, the composition of the tetravalent influenza vaccine is as follows: type A / Michigan / 45/2015 (H1N1) pdm09 virus; A / Singapore / INFIMH-16-0019 / 2016 (H3N2) – analogue; B / Colorado / 06/2017 – as (line B / Victoria / 2/87) and B / Phuket / 3073/2013.

It is recommended that the influenza B virus of the trivalent influenza vaccine composition be a strain of type B / Colorado / 06/2017 of the B / Victoria / 2/87 lineage.

"Influenza is not a common illness, it's not just a cold, and if there's a medical history, it can lead to death." The influenza virus is transmitted to children in communities thanks to its highly contagious nature, it easily reaches adults.Families with children in school are twice as likely to be infected with the influenza virus.Anti-influenza vaccination is a method of protection active and can be practiced from six months, "says Dr. Anca Drăgănescu, specialist in infectious diseases and pediatrics, president of the Pro Immunization Association.

The conference was organized by the Pro Immunization Association, in partnership with the Romanian Society of Microbiology and the Association of Family Physicians of Bucharest-Ilfov, with the support of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases "Prof.dr .Matei Balş "and the National Institute of Public Health.