Category: Flu Virus

The three main respiratory diseases: Covid-19, flu, and RSV are still gripping the country and doctors are seeing lots of cases here in Montgomery County.

A week ago, there was a spike in cases and hospitalizations. However that trend is currently heading in the other direction.

Montgomery County Health Officer, Dr. Kisha Davis, said as of Wednesday, While the three main respiratory diseases are still very active, Covid-19, influenza, and RSV, transmission rates and hospital visits have all sharply decreased over the past week. As weve seen in previous years, there is a possibility of a bounce back since students have returned to school following the winter break and snow days.

The cumulative case rate for Covid-19 is currently 32.9 for every 100,000 residents. That is down significantly from last week when the case rate was 44.5 for every 100,000 residents.

While the situation in the County has stabilized, transmission rates are still elevated across Maryland for all three respiratory viruses.

Last week, hospitals treated 415 people across the state for Covid-19. The figure now stands at 341.

Here in the County, hospitals treated 87 patients for Covid-19 last week. As of Monday, that number dropped and only 57 people are undergoing treatment.

Two weeks ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported Covid-19 is killing about 1,500 Americans every week. This is happening despite the availability of vaccines and widespread information about the virus.

Davis said people are not taking advantage of the tools that exist to protect themselves against Covid-19 and other respiratory viruses.

National vaccination rates for COVID-19, influenza, and RSV remains low for children and adults. Vaccines are available and can help protect people from the most serious health effects of fall and winter viruses. Its not too late to get them and they still will offer benefit for the rest of the season. It is important to remember, that while most folks have a mild course of COVID-19, it is still more deadly than flu. Those who are elderly or have weakened immune systems should continue to be cautious and get vaccinated, Davis said.

Health officials also recommend people at risk wear masks to protect themselves. This week Johns Hopkins announced its hospitals and doctors offices will require patients to wear masks again because of the increase in flu and Covid-19 cases. The University of Maryland medical system also is requiring visitors to use masks.

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Respiratory Viruses Still Active, But Spread Drops - Montgomery Community Media

Influenza (or the flu) is a contagious respiratory (breathing) virus that can cause many mild to severe symptoms and breathing problems.

When youre feeling sick, its important to know which illness you have so you can get the best care. Banner Health can help guide you on everything from flu symptoms to watch out for, to how the flu differs from other viruses like the common cold, COVID-19 and even stomach flu (viral gastroenteritis).

SYMPTOMS OF THE FLU

Influenza viruses cause the flu. These viruses may cause a range of symptoms that often appear suddenly and quickly get worse. For example, you may feel fine in the morning but feel very sick by the afternoon. Common flu symptoms include fever (usually above 100.4F or 38C) cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, fatigue (extreme tiredness), headache, chills and nausea, vomiting or diarrhea (more common in children).Flu symptoms often appear within one to four days after exposure to a flu virus. These symptoms may last for several days and up to two weeks.

FLU AND SERIOUS HEALTH COMPLICATIONS

Most people who get the flu will get better within one to two weeks. Still, some people are at an increased risk of severe complications, including young children, pregnant people, older adults and people with chronic medical conditions and/or weakened immune systems.

These complications can include pneumonia (lung infection(, bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchial tubes in the lungs), sinus and ear infection, asthma attack worsening chronic health conditions, such as heart disease or diabetes

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FLU, OTHER ILLNESSES

At first, the flu can often be mistaken for a bad cold or out-of-control allergies. Here is how the flu differs from other health conditions and illnesses.

Common cold: The flu and the common cold share similar symptoms, such as a runny or stuffy nose, cough and sore throat. However, flu symptoms are more severe and appear more suddenly than a common cold. Fever, body aches and fatigue are also stronger with the flu.

COVID-19: COVID-19 and the flu are both respiratory illnesses caused by different viruses. While they share some symptoms like fever, cough and fatigue, COVID-19 causes more symptoms than the flu, including loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath and digestive issues.

COVID-19 has a higher risk of severe illness and complications than the flu.

The best way to determine which virus you have is to take a rapid or PCR test.

Allergies: Triggered by exposure to allergens like pollen, dust or pet dander, allergies can cause symptoms that resemble the flu, such as a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing and coughing. However, allergy symptoms typically include itchy or watery eyes and dont cause fever or body aches.

Pneumonia: The flu is a viral infection, while pneumonia is a lung infection that can develop from bacterial or viral infection. The flu can sometimes progress to pneumonia, which can cause symptoms like the flu but with additional and often more severe breathing problems.

The flu tends to come on suddenly, while pneumonia develops more slowly. Muscle aches and fatigue accompany the flu, while pneumonia symptoms tend to center around the lungs.

Stomach flu (viral gastroenteritis): Stomach flu (also known as viral gastroenteritis) is caused by viruses that primarily affect the digestive (gastrointestinal) system. It leads to symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps. Unlike the flu, stomach flu rarely causes chest problems like cough or sore throat.

SEEING YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER

While most cases of the flu can be managed at home, there are instances when medical attention is necessary.

Contact your health care provider or visit your nearest urgent care if you or a loved one experiences the following: a fever that gets better then suddenly worse; signs of dehydration; symptoms dont improve within two weeks; hoarse, barking cough; and combination of fever with a sore throat, headache, stomachache, earache or muscle ache that doesnt get better.

If you have flu-like symptoms and are at high risk for complications, you should contact your health care provider for care as soon as possible.

Learn more about when to seek medical treatment.

Its not too late to get vaccinated. Even if you know youve recently had the flu, there are still many good reasons to get a flu shot. Thats because several strains of the flu circulate each season.

Catching the flu does give you some protection, but the flu shot boosts your defense against the most widespread strains of the year. This can help keep you healthy for the rest of the season.

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Banner Health: Knowing when you have the flu - Nevada Appeal

"This is the worst flu season I've seen in 10 years," Flu virus surging locally

by Karina Hollingsworth

KTXS/Karina{p}{/p}

ABILENE, Texas

Merkel ISD announced yesterday the school district will be closed today and tomorrow due to an increased number of illnesses. Anson ISD and Benjamin ISD have also announced school closures due to experiencing increased absences due to illnesses.

According to Elaine Thomas the nurse practitioner at My Emergency Room 24/7 the emergency room saw 130 patients on Monday with flu symptoms causing them to run out flu test. In Thomas professional medical opinion this is the worst flu season shes seen in ten years, and she believes the flu shot isnt working.

It is their best guess every year, Thomas said. They try to take the top three strands that they think its going to be. I dont know if we got it right this year.

Thomas believes the same is true for the COVID vaccine.

The same amount of people that are vaccinated are having COVID positives as people who are unvaccinated, Thomas said.

According to the nurse practitioner flu cases increased after the holiday season, and the re-starting of school after winter break.

Part of it is that people are in more combined spaces, Thomas said. More germs are easily spread that way. Also, the seasons have gotten colder. So, weve had a lot of weather issues that creates an environment that flu likes to live in.

With the elderly, children, and people with pre-existing conditions being the most vulnerable to the flu virus Thomas advises everyone to do their part in preventing the spread of the virus.

The number 1 thing we always stress is washing your hands, and to use hand sanitizer in between touching surfaces, Thomas said. Dont sneeze or cough on anyone.

When needed the nurse practitioner advises the emergency room is available to help anyone who is having trouble with flu symptoms.

I want people to come into the ER when they have difficulty breathing, or if they have a cough that triggers bronchospasms, Thomas said.

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"This is the worst flu season I've seen in 10 years," Flu virus surging locally - KTXS

Now that the holidays are over and kids are back to school, more cases of the flu are being reported, Frank Esper, MD, pediatric infectious disease specialist with Cleveland Clinic Childrens, said is to be expected.

Influenza does this, where it slowly goes up week after week, and then it really hits a peak and goes up exponentially for about three, four weeks and then finally subsides, Dr. Esper explained. The flu is a common respiratory virus and can easily spread.

Symptoms often include fever, chills, body aches, cough, headaches, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose and fatigue.

In mild cases, Dr. Esper said it can be treated at home with supportive care, like getting plenty of rest, staying hydrated, and taking pain relievers to help with headaches, body aches and fevers.

Anti-viral medications are also available under certain circumstances.

So, how can you and your little ones avoid getting sick?

Dr. Esper said be sure to regularly wash your hands, sanitize high touch areas and get the flu vaccine if you havent. The flu vaccine and the flu virus thats in the community right now are pretty good matches based on the initial tests. So its going to help protect you from getting the flu, but more importantly, it will protect you from getting really, really bad flu, like that gets you in the hospital or on a breathing machine. Dr. Esper said its also very important for people who are 65 and older, children under five, pregnant women, and those with pre-existing health conditions to get vaccinated, since they are considered more vulnerable.

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Mommy Minute: Pediatric flu cases on the rise - ABC27

Youor your childhave body aches, fever, and cough. Is it RSV, COVID, the flu, a common cold, or something else? And does it even matter anymore?

Unfortunately, its impossible to definitively tell the conditions apart without testingeven by cough, experts tell Fortune. But the answer will still matter, if your condition is severe and a treatment plan is needed.

COVID, RSV, the flu, and common colds all come from contagious respiratory viruses. Whats more, additional flu-like viruses circulate as well, muddying matters.

Now in the fifth year of the pandemic, were all too familiar with COVID, especially given this winters JN.1 surgethe second largest wave the U.S. has seen so far. For the most part, symptoms have remained the same. Though theres talk of the variant possibly leading to more severe disease and additional GI symptoms like diarrhea, nothing has been confirmed.

While COVID hospitalizations and deaths are up this winter, JN.1 itself may not be to blame. Rather, the rise in severe illness could be due to waning population immunity. The majority of Americans havent received the latest COVID booster, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Whether its from illness or vaccination, antibody immunity to COVID only lasts three to six months, on average.

RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus infection, is a common illness that usually presents as a mild cold. Almost everyone has been infected with it by age 2, according to the CDC. But RSV isnt mild for everyone. The virus hospitalizes tens of thousands of infants, young children, and elderly adults each year in the U.S. And it kills between 6,000 and 10,000 elderly adults in the U.S. annually, according to the national public health agency.

Last year, levels of RSV, COVID, and flu rose early and dramatically at the same timepart of what some public health officials called a tripledemic that coincided with the lifting of pandemic restrictions. This year, combined levels of respiratory illnesses rose later than they did last year. While they havent peaked yet, the current respiratory season is, so far, more mild than last. While levels of RSV and flu may be on the brink of cresting, they havent quite yet. Some good news: Levels of COVID have peaked for now, though the downward trend could certainly reverse at any moment.

While there are distinct differences between all four illnesses, they can present differently, depending on the patient. Thats why its impossible to tell the them apart by symptoms alone.

Unfortunately, both COVID and RSV can result in different types of cough, including dry, wet, wheezing, and the like, Dr. Dan Olson, associate professor of infectious diseases and epidemiology in the Colorado School of Public Health at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, tells Fortune.

While children with a lower respiratory infection like RSV tend to wheeze, such noises may only be apparent to medical providers. The typical nonclinician parent usually wont be able to detect it, Dr. Ishminder Kaur, an assistant professor of pediatric infectious diseases at UCLA Health, tells Fortune.

The flu usually leads to a dry cough, and a cold tends to cause a slight cough. However, you can have any of the four conditions without cough.

All conditions can lead to aches, difficulty breathing, fatigue, fever, loss of taste or smell, cough, sore throat, and wheezing. Difficulty breathing is more common in COVID, while wheezing is more common in RSV, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID).

In general, however, there are no distinctive clinical characteristics that can conclusively distinguish the flu from COVID from RSV from a cold without testing, experts say. But there are some potential tells:

With society functioning as if the COVID-19 pandemic is over, does it even matter any more which illness you, or a loved one, has?

Yes, experts say. Thats because if treatment is required, a precise plan will need to be formulated. Antivirals like Paxlovid are available to children and adults with COVID ages 12 and older. While no specific treatment is available for RSV, supportive care at a hospital may be needed in either case. (And by the way, its possible to have two or more viruses at the same time.) Antivirals like Tamiflu are available to high-risk patients.

At-home testing kits are available for COVID, of course. But while at-home collection kits exist for RSV and the flu, none will give you results in home. A trip to your doctor or urgent care will be necessary. (Your doctor can run tests to see if you have a virus that causes common colds. But such a test wont be necessary unless you have severe symptoms.)

Parents should seek care for their children if they witness any of the following, experts tell Fortune:

But if your childs symptoms arent resolving on their own after a few days, it might be time to consult with a pediatrician, Alhassani advises.

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That nagging cough you have might not be COVID. Heres how to determine if its the JN.1 variant, RSV, the flu, or a cold instead - Fortune

If youve ever had the flu, youre all too familiar with its icky symptomsbody aches, chills, and the general feeling of being under the weather. What should you do when those symptoms strike?

Each year, millions of Americans are diagnosed with the flua viral infection caused by influenza. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the flu resulted in between 9.4 million and 41 million illnesses each year between 2010 and 2022.

While you may not think of the flu as being a serious illness, it definitely can be, particularly for older adults and those with diminished immune systems. In that same period between 2010 and 2022, as many as 710,000 hospitalizations occurred and as many as 52,000 deaths were caused by the flu.

Because the flu can cause mild to severe illness, its important to pay careful attention to your symptoms and seek medical attention if they begin to worsen.

In many cases, the flu can be treated with basic at-home care, says Fred Sesti, ANP with West Tennessee Medical Group. But if youre older, feeling particularly sick or at a higher risk of complications, check in with your provider, who may prescribe an antiviral to lessen the duration and intensity of your infection.

Defining the Flu The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. Each year, different strains of influenza are prevalent, and you can be infected by any of the strains.

The influenza virus spreads from person to person, primarily through viral droplets. When someone who is infected with the flu coughs, sneezes, or even speaks, you can be infected if you breathe in those droplets or touch them and then touch your face. Influenza can also spread if you touch a surface or object thats been recently touched by someone who is infected.

The tricky part is that someone who has the flu is contagious one day before symptoms develop and up to seven days after symptoms develop. That means its easy to pass it on without realizing youre doing so.

Deciphering Flu Symptoms Symptoms related to the flu often pop up quite quickly. If you have the flu, you may experience:

Children who have the flu may also experience vomiting and diarrhea, but those symptoms are less common among adults.

While the symptoms above have long been considered tell-tale signs of the flu, the onset of COVID-19 in 2020 made it much more difficult to know if you actually have the flu. Symptoms of COVID-19, particularly recent variants, often mirror those of the flu.

The only way to definitively know if you have the flu is to be tested. A rapid influenza test can confirm whether you are infected and what strain of the flu you have.

What to Do Next If youre experiencing any of the symptoms above and your symptoms are mild, you can choose to stay home and treat those symptoms. In the past, that was the most common recommendation for treating the flu, since you cant treat this viral infection with an antibiotic.

If youre at a high risk of complications or even simply dont want to feel sick, you can check in with your medical provider. If its confirmed that you have the flu, your provider may prescribe an antiviral, which can help lessen the duration of the flu and intensity of your symptoms.

Certain symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, severe muscle pain, dehydration, or a high fever, are a sign that medical care is needed. You should also see a medical provider if your symptoms begin to worsen or linger for longer than a few days.

If you choose to ride out the flu and treat your symptoms at home, get plenty of rest, stay hydrated, and use over-the-counter medications to alleviate individual symptoms. A decongestant or antihistamine, for example, may be helpful in relieving congestion, while an anti-inflammatory can ease fever and aches.

The CDC recommends staying at home and away from others for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone without the use of fever-reducing medications. Once youre feeling well again, take an extra step to protect yourself from getting sick again with a different strain of the fluif you didnt get your flu shot already this season, go ahead and do that now.

The flu shot is always your best defense against the flu, so keep yours on your annual to-do list.

Think you might have the flu? A quick and easy rapid test can provide a diagnosis in minutes. Schedule an appointment today with a West Tennessee Medical Group primary care provider.

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What to Do If You Think Youve Got the Flu - West Tennessee Healthcare

As a surge of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 and influenza, continue to spread across the United States, experts are warning it could lead to a rise in cardiovascular complications.

Weekly COVID hospitalizations are currently sitting at 32,861 for the week ending Jan. 13, lower than the week before but similar to levels seen in January 2023, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Similarly, there were 14,874 weekly flu hospitalizations, lower than the week before but comparable to levels seen in November 2023, the data shows.

Many Americans may assume that complications from respiratory illnesses are limited to sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia and other sicknesses that affect the upper or lower respiratory tracts.

However, Dr. Deepak Bhatt, director of Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital in New York City, said there are two potential routes by which these infections can contribute to heart problems.

"The more common pathway is if somebody gets really sick, say with influenza, running a high fever or getting dehydrated, getting hospitalized because of complications of influenza," he told ABC News. "That's a setup for having heart problems."

Fever or dehydration can raise a patient's heart rate and, particularly for those who have heart disease or heart disease risk factors, this can be very dangerous. Additionally, respiratory infections can cause inflammation, which, in turn, can cause plaques in the blood to form clots -- a potential trigger of heart attacks.

"The inflammation is a result of any serious infection but, including infections like influenza and COVID, can then cause inflammation at the site of plaque buildup in a heart artery and that can help promote that plaque to rupture," Bhatt said. "Or in other words, flowing blood is exposed to the inner contents of that fat and cholesterol and when that happens, blood clots form, and if they block the artery completely, that's what can cause a heart attack."

The other pathway, which is more direct but rarer, is myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle, usually following a virus.

Myocarditis can cause arrhythmias, which are rapid or abnormal heartbeats. It can also cause the heart muscle to weaken, resulting in cardiomyopathy, which affects the heart's ability to pump blood effectively.

Additionally, in rare circumstances, myocarditis can lead to heart failure and cardiogenic shock -- another condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs -- even in otherwise healthy patients.

While these conditions are more likely to affect older adults, those with known heart disease, or those have known multiple cardiovascular risk factors, Bhatt said there may be people who don't know they're at risk.

"One challenge with heart disease is not everybody knows that they have it," he said. "That is, there are people that are walking around with heart disease, but the diagnosis hasn't been made, because they've not had any symptoms yet."

He continued, "But the stressor of a really severe illness, like influenza, can sort of then unmask what has sort of been there all along, but sitting there silently."

Bhatt recommends anyone who is not yet vaccinated against flu and COVID, and RSV for older adults, should get their shots now.

CDC data showed that uptake has been lagging As of Friday, just 21.5% of adults aged 18 and older have gotten the updated COVID vaccine and 46.7% have gotten the flu shot. Additionally, just 2.1% of adults aged 60 and older have gotten the RSV vaccine.

More importantly, if someone is sick and they have chest pain or are out of breath that is worsening, they should call their doctor or 911, regardless of whether or not they have an underlying condition or risk factors, he said.

"If somebody's having really significant discomfort in the chest and symptoms in the chest, and it's getting worse, especially rapidly, don't just assume it's because, 'Oh, I have a bad cold, or I have influenza, or I have COVID," Bhatt said. "Calling 911 is always the right thing to do."

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Why Americans may be at risk of heart problems as COVID, flu spread: Expert - ABC News

The current flu season is shaping up to be a severe one for children.

So far this season, 47 kids and teens have died from the flu, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday a worrisome toll that experts say puts the U.S. on track with what was seen last flu season, a particularly bad one for children that ended with 183 pediatric deaths reported.

"We are probably going to at least meet or exceed that," said Dr. Andi Shane, head of pediatric infectious diseases at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. "We are seeing quite a notable season in terms of deaths."

The increase in pediatric deaths comes amid an apparent slowdown in flu activity.

On Friday, the CDC reported that for a second week in a row, the number of people hospitalized for the flu has decreased slightly.

Still, the virus continues to circulate at "elevated" levels across most of the country, and the agency warned that it is too soon to say the season has peaked as it continues to watch for another possible rise in spread.

An estimated 180,000 people have been hospitalized so far this season, and 11,000 people have died.

Flu A, particularly H1N1, accounts for the majority of cases, though flu B, which is often more severe in children, is also being reported.

Dr. Kali Broussard, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Our Lady of Lourdes Women's and Children's Hospital in Lafayette, Louisiana, said that the majority of children she is seeing with flu have high fevers, of 103 or 104 degrees Fahrenheit, for up to a week.

"This year, it's really the prolonged fevers, dehydration and poor appetite that seem to be getting the best of kids," Broussard said.

Children may also experience a sore throat, runny nose, chills and extreme body aches, said Samia Kadri, a lead family nurse practitioner at Banner Urgent Care in Phoenix, Arizona.

"Some are coming in with one or two of those symptoms. Some are coming in with all of those symptoms," Kadri said.

Flu patients generally have one thing in common: "It's how fast that virus hits you. If it hits you hard and fast, it's probably the flu," she said.

Sometimes, children develop a severe and painful form of muscle inflammation called myositis. They may feel that they can't walk, and sometimes only want to be carried, Broussard said.

"It's a relatively uncommon side effect of influenza," Broussard said, adding that it tends to be more common in males and in influenza B patients. She estimates that it can affect up to 20% of kids during seasons when flu B is spreading widely. It usually resolves within a few days.

But it's dehydration that can send a child into the hospital with the flu. Broussard said the following dehydration signs warrant a doctor's attention:

The annual flu vaccine is recommended for pregnant women, and for children starting at 6 months old. There is still time to get that shot this year, doctors say. While there is no guarantee the shot will protect against infection, it can help reduce the severity of the illness.

Unvaccinated children are often sicker, said Kadri of Banner Urgent Care in Phoenix. "I find them to be much more ill than my kids who have been vaccinated."

CORRECTION(Jan. 19, 2024, 5:08 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated the gender most affected by myositis. It is more common in males, not females.

Erika Edwards is a health and medical news writer and reporter for NBC News and "TODAY."

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Flu symptoms in kids: Doctors describe high fevers and dehydration - NBC News

Climate change is a threat to polar bears survival. Now they have a new deadly challenge facing them: bird flu. It was recently confirmed that a polar bear from northern Alaska has died from the disease.

The current strain of H5N1 influenza has affected a far wider range of species than any previously recorded strain. This has included several mammal species, such as foxes, otters, mink, sea lions and seals (including, for the first time, seals in Antarctica). Cases have been detected in humans, too.

However, while some cases in mammals have been associated with large numbers of animal deaths, the few cases in humans have, so far, shown only mild symptoms or have been asymptomatic. So, why are there such differences between species, and what are the implications of this polar bears death for the wider polar bear population, as well as other large mammals and humans?

Influenza viruses are highly adaptable. Their relatively simple genetic code not only changes at random via mutation in the same way as truly living organisms, but also via reassortment. This is where closely related viruses that infect the same host cell exchange genetic material to produce novel genomes. This can lead to greater adaptation for invasion, survival and replication within that host species.

This is probably how the current H5N1 strain has come to affect such a variety of bird species, with devastating effects for some populations.

Normally, large numbers of deaths associated with a disease are considered to be caused by the spread of a disease between individuals within the population. However, very specific genetic changes are needed for avian influenza viruses to become adapted to mammalian hosts.

These changes have not yet been detected in the current strain of H5N1. Although individual-to-individual transmission cannot be ruled out for some mammalian species that have been affected by H5N1, neither can vertical transmission the transfer of the virus via consumption.

If we look at the list of mammals that have been infected by the current H5N1 strain, we see carnivores and particularly those that are known to scavenge.

Very large numbers of some seabird species have died rapidly with H5N1. The likelihood of a seal or a polar bear finding and eating at least one infected bird carcass at an arctic colony suffering an outbreak seems quite high.

It is easy to imagine a pod of seals finding a colony of seabirds suffering an outbreak of H5N1 and gorging on carcasses. Under these circumstances, each seal would probably ingest and inhale massive viral loads. Those massive viral loads may have overrun the seals immune systems, leading to rapid infection and death without infection being passed between seals.

Whether the polar bear encountered large numbers of dead seabirds, one or more seals that had become infected after eating dead seabirds or some other source of virus remains unknown. The answer may be uncovered via testing of the virus and comparison with viruses found in species that occupy the same landscape. This approach is being used to track the spread of H5N1 between wild animals and poultry in the UK.

Much of this remains hypothetical for now. The consequences of the polar bears death for the species populations and for other large mammals cannot be predicted with a high degree of certainty. But if genetic testing reveals that the polar bears H5N1 remains poorly adapted to mammalian hosts, we might expect few other cases in polar bears.

Any further cases might also be closely associated with outbreaks of H5N1 in a nearby seabird colony. It also seems likely that the list of affected mammals and their geographical distribution should continue to grow, but relatively slowly. This list is likely to continue to include only carnivores and scavengers in particular.

On the other hand, because influenza viruses are highly adaptable, ongoing surveillance of the H5N1 strain remains critically important. This will prepare us in case a new variant emerges that is adapted to mammalian hosts, potentially including humans.

The consequences of H5N1 for populations of some seabirds have been devastating. The consequences of failure to respond appropriately to a mammal-adapted H5N1 could be severe for polar bears and for us.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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First polar bear to die of bird flu what are the implications? - Alaska Beacon

It crept up slowly, almost imperceptibly. A vague rawness at the back of my throat. A thrumming malaise. On Thanksgiving Day, it lunged.

For two weeks, I was in the grip of an unusually malevolent respiratory illness. But I was in good company: Nationwide, the percentage of health care visits for flulike symptoms ticked up above the baseline at the start of November and has remained elevated ever since, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"All the respiratory viruses are back in full force," Anne Liu, MD, a Stanford Medicine immunologist and infectious disease specialist confirmed. The main reasons, she said, are fairly straightforward: Social distancing and masking are not popular choices in the wake of the pandemic.

Abraar Karan, MD, another infectious disease expert at Stanford Medicine, has been struck by how few people he sees wearing masks in crowded places. "This was most clear when I was recently at the airport," he said.

Still, this season of heightened respiratory illnesses -- while annoying and extra snotty for many -- doesn't appear to be headed for disaster, Karan said. "Thus far, it doesn't seem we're on course for a significantly worse flu season than ones we have seen in the past decade -- and our COVID-19 season is definitely less severe than the past two years," he said.

Indeed, the CDC recently reported that the number of patients seen at outpatient clinics each week for a fever plus a cough or sore throat was trending downward. Weekly hospitalization rates for confirmed cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), flu and COVID-19 have also ticked down since the start of the new year.

This may be cold comfort to readers shivering with a fever beneath a mountain of blankets. So, I consulted with Liu and Karan about what to expect over the next few months as we move deeper into cold and flu season. What can we do to prevent infection from the big three -- influenza, COVID-19 and RSV? And if we catch one of them, how can we manage being sick?

The CDC reports that between Sept. 30 and Jan.13, an average of 4.7% visits to the emergency department have been related to respiratory illness. That's down from 6.3% over roughly the same period a year ago -- though still comparatively high in terms of the past decade. There's more good news: The number of confirmed deaths from the flu over the last 10 weeks of 2023 was down significantly compared with the same period in 2022, from about 6,000 to 1,600.

And while COVID-19 continues to be the most lethal respiratory virus nationwide -- it killed nearly 22,000 people between Sept. 30 and Jan. 13, according to the CDC -- that's only about half the number of deaths it caused during roughly the same period a year ago. Hospitalizations for infection with the virus are also down, even though U.S. wastewater levels of the coronavirus are higher than they were a year ago at this time.

Karan attributes this discrepancy to the fact that many people have gained more immunity to the disease from vaccinations and past infections. "The most recent strain, JN.1, is likely more able to evade the immune system, but it is not as of yet confirmed to be more virulent," he said. "So we are seeing a lot of reinfections, but they don't necessarily lead to hospitalizations."

I asked him whether the severity of other respiratory infections could be worse this season, citing my experience at the start of the holidays (the cause of which wasn't the coronavirus).

"Based on death data from last year compared with this year, I would not say that our usual respiratory viruses are behaving in a more pathogenic way," he said. "However, there have been many hypotheses -- unproven -- that because we had more masking and social distancing in the past seasons, our immune systems have a 'debt' to pay. This hasn't really been proven at a population level."

Based on death data from last year compared with this year, I would not say that our usual respiratory viruses are behaving in a more pathogenic way

In addition, hospitalizations for RSV were down from October through December compared with the same period in 2022, the CDC reports, and the rate continues to drop in the new year. RSV, which can cause cold or flulike symptoms, has hit young and old people particularly hard over the past two years, although it's been responsible for far fewer hospitalizations than the flu and COVID-19.

Both Liu and Karan stressed the effectiveness of vaccines to prevent severe illness from any of the big three -- and that it's not too late in the season to get them.

"COVID vaccinations and boosters, as well as flu vaccinations, should still be on everyone's checklist," Liu said. These vaccines provide modest protection against infection from the viruses but are extremely effective at reducing the severity of the diseases they can cause, she added.

In 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved vaccines against RSV for pregnant women and older adults. An option for babies and some toddlers are monoclonal antibodies, which don't activate the immune system the way a prior infection or vaccination does but can offer short-term protection against the disease.

"The monoclonal antibodies are targeted at very young children with high-risk conditions because there's just not enough of it for all infants," Liu said.

The physicians also recommended the following preventive measures against all three viruses: wearing a mask around people indoors (especially a N95, KN95 or KF94 mask); washing your hands frequently; not touching your mouth, nose and eyes; and ensuring good ventilation in indoor spaces. Installing high-efficiency air filters in building ventilation can also help, they said.

Both Karan and Liu expressed skepticism about the utility of taking dietary supplements, such as Vitamin C and zinc, to prevent illness or combat infection. "It is possible that vitamins and other important nutrients could help bolster the immune system, but we don't have strong data to suggest that there is a causal relationship in terms of their effects on pathogen defense," Karan said.

But Liu said some studies suggest that regular exercise and adequate sleep could benefit immune function.

If you've come down with a viral respiratory illness, it's wise to determine whether you're infected with the coronavirus by first taking an at-home test, Liu and Karan said. If your test comes back negative the first time, take another one in 48 hours. (Testing kits are available free of charge from COVID.gov.) You can also visit your health care provider for a flu test.

COVID vaccinations and boosters, as well as flu vaccinations, should still be on everyone's checklist.

Among those with the flu, pregnant women, women who recently gave birth, children younger than 2, adults 65 and older and anyone with an existing medical condition -- such as a weakened immune system, asthma, diabetes, obesity or heart disease -- should consult with a doctor about possibly taking an antiviral drug, the doctors said.

For COVID-19, adults 50 and older, as well as people of any age with health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, asthma, heart disease or a weakened immune system, are likely to benefit most from an antiviral drug, they said. Pregnant women and young, unvaccinated children are also good candidates, especially if their illnesses are at risk of becoming severe, they said.

For RSV, there aren't expressly tailored outpatient treatments; inpatient treatments are used selectively for high-risk populations, Liu said.

Severe COVID-19, flu and RSV symptoms, such as a fever lasting more than three days, dizziness or shortness of breath, are red flags that it's time to seek professional medical care, the physicians said.

But for mild or moderate cases, they said, some venerable advice still applies: Drink plenty of fluids and get plenty of rest. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen, both over-the-counter drugs, can help manage pain and reduce fever. Pseudoephedrine, another over-the-counter drug, can help reduce congestion, but it also acts as a stimulant, so it should be taken at least a couple of hours before bed, the doctors said. It's not generally recommended for children younger than 6.

For children older than 1, a little bit of honey can help reduce coughing, they said.

Lastly, to avoid spreading your germs to others, the physicians recommended wearing a mask in public and at home, if you live with other people; washing your hands frequently; coughing and sneezing into your arm; and, when possible, steering clear of crowds and places that can get crowded, such as grocery stores and restaurants.

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Sick of being sick? As respiratory viruses roar back, experts offer guidance - Scope