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Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity of the condition is variable.
Infectious mononucleosis, also known as glandular fever, is an infection usually caused by the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV). Most people are infected by the virus as children, when the disease produces few or no symptoms. In young adults, the disease often results in fever, sore throat, enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, and tiredness. Most people recover in two to four weeks; however, feeling tired may last for months. The liver or spleen may also become swollen, and in less than one percent of cases splenic rupture may occur.
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Influenza A virus (IAV) causes influenza in birds and some mammals, and is the only species of the genus Alphainfluenzavirus of the virus family Orthomyxoviridae. Strains of all subtypes of influenza A virus have been isolated from wild birds, although disease is uncommon. Some isolates of influenza A virus cause severe disease both in domestic poultry and, rarely, in humans. Occasionally, viruses are transmitted from wild aquatic birds to domestic poultry, and this may cause an outbreak or give rise to human influenza pandemics.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), also called human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) and human orthopneumovirus, is a common, contagious virus that causes infections of the respiratory tract. It is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Its name is derived from the large cells known as syncytia that form when infected cells fuse.
Oseltamivir, sold under the brand name Tamiflu, is an antiviral medication used to treat and prevent influenza A and influenza B, the viruses that cause the flu. Many medical organizations recommend it in people who have complications or are at high risk of complications within 48 hours of first symptoms of infection. They recommend it to prevent infection in those at high risk, but not the general population. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that clinicians use their discretion to treat those at lower risk who present within 48 hours of first symptoms of infection. It is taken by mouth, either as a pill or liquid.
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The FluChip is a low-density DNA microarray for the identification of influenza viruses, originally developed at the University of Colorado at Boulder in the laboratory of Professor Kathy Rowlen in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta.
NS1 antigen test is a test for dengue, introduced in 2006. It allows rapid detection on the first day of fever, before antibodies appear some 5 or more days later. It has been adopted for use in some 40 nations. The method of detection is through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. India has introduced in 2010 the NS1 test costing 1,600 rupees at a private hospital in Mumbai.
A rapid antigen test (RAT), sometimes called a rapid antigen detection test (RADT), antigen rapid test (ART), or loosely just a rapid test, is a rapid diagnostic test suitable for point-of-care testing that directly detects the presence or absence of an antigen. Such tests are a type of lateral flow test that detect antigens, distinguishing them from other medical tests that detect antibodies or nucleic acid, of either laboratory or point-of-care types. Rapid tests generally give a result in 5 to 30 minutes, require minimal training or infrastructure, and have significant cost advantages. Rapid antigen tests for the detection of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, have been commonly used during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Type A influenza vaccine is for the prevention of infection of influenza A virus and also the influenza-related complications. Different monovalent type A influenza vaccines have been developed for different subtypes of influenza A virus including H1N1 and H5N1. Both intramuscular injection or intranasal spray are available on market. Unlike the seasonal influenza vaccines which are used annually, they are usually used during the outbreak of certain strand of subtypes of influenza A. Common adverse effects includes injection site reaction and local tenderness. Incidences of headache and myalgia were also reported with H1N1 whereas cases of fever has also been demonstrated with H5N1 vaccines. It is stated that immunosuppressant therapies would reduce the therapeutic effects of vaccines and that people with egg allergy should go for the egg-free preparations.
References
- ↑ Vemula SV, Zhao J, Liu J, Wang X, Biswas S, Hewlett I (April 2016). "Current Approaches for Diagnosis of Influenza Virus Infections in Humans". Viruses. 8 (4): 96. doi:10.3390/v8040096. PMC 4848591 . PMID 27077877.
- ↑ "Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Tests | Seasonal Influenza (Flu) | CDC". www.cdc.gov. 2017-04-07. Retrieved 2018-09-08.
- ↑ "Accuracy of Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Tests: A Meta Analysis". www.annals.org. 2012-04-03. Retrieved 2018-11-01.
- ↑ Chartrand C, Pai M (June 2012). "How accurate are rapid influenza diagnostic tests?". Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy. 10 (6): 615–7. doi: 10.1586/eri.12.49 . PMID 22734950.
- ↑ Lee, Joseph J; Verbakel, Jan Y; Goyder, Clare R; Ananthakumar, Thanusha; Tan, Pui San; Turner, Phillip J; Hayward, Gail; Van den Bruel, Ann (4 October 2018). "The clinical utility of point-of-care tests for influenza in ambulatory care: A systematic review and meta-analysis". Clinical Infectious Diseases. 69 (1): 24–33. doi:10.1093/cid/ciy837. PMC 6579962 . PMID 30285232.
- ↑ Louie JK, Guevara H, Boston E, Dahlke M, Nevarez M, Kong T, Schechter R, Glaser CA, Schnurr DP (May 2010). "Rapid influenza antigen test for diagnosis of pandemic (H1N1) 2009". Emerging Infectious Diseases. 16 (5): 824–6. doi:10.3201/eid1605.091797. PMC 2954007 . PMID 20409373.
- ↑ "Use of Influenza Rapid Diagnostic Tests" (PDF). Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases. World Health Organization. 2010.
