Influenza: how it differs from ARVI, treatment and vaccination in Tashkent

Other names: Грипп, сезонный грипп, инфлюэнца, грипп A, грипп B, свиной грипп

Influenza is also a viral respiratory infection, but there is a reason to distinguish it from the general group of acute respiratory viral infections: it is more severe and much more often causes complications from which people actually die. It is often possible to distinguish the flu from a cold by the onset of the illness. The usual ARVI creeps up: first the throat gets sore, then the nose gets stuffy, the temperature is moderate. The flu strikes suddenly - a person can often name the hour when he felt unwell: chills, temperature 38.5–40 ° C, tearing pain in muscles and joints, headache with pain in the eyeballs, and all this with an almost dry nose. A runny nose and cough come later. The second practical point: antiviral drugs for influenza exist and work, but only if you start them within the first 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. Later, the virus has already multiplied, and the meaning of therapy is lost.

🧾 МКБ-10: J10 🏥 Where it is treated: 4 Starts suddenlyAntiviral - first 48 hoursVaccination reduces severity

👨‍⚕️ Which doctor

Therapist, pediatrician, infectious disease specialist

🔬 Diagnostics

Clinical picture, PCR or rapid test

💊 Treatment

Regimen, liquid, antiviral when indicated

📈 Prognosis

Favorable in healthy people, risk higher in risk groups

⚠️ At risk

Pregnant women, children under 5 years old, elderly, chronic illnesses

⏱ When to see a doctor

On the first day; if you have shortness of breath - immediately

🚨 See a doctor urgently

With these signs do not wait for a scheduled appointment — the condition requires emergency care.

Одышка, чувство нехватки воздуха, дыхание чаще 24 раз в минуту
Синюшность губ и ногтей, бледность с мраморным рисунком кожи
Боль или тяжесть в груди, кашель с кровью
Температура снизилась, а через 2–3 дня поднялась снова с усилением кашля
Спутанность сознания, судороги, неукротимая рвота
У ребёнка: отказ от питья, отсутствие мочи, вялость или необычное возбуждение

How is influenza different from a common cold?

There is no absolutely reliable “home” way to distinguish them; the diagnosis is confirmed by a test. But the set of symptoms is characteristic enough to suspect the flu and seek help in time.

Onset: with influenza sudden, literally within an hour; with ARVI, gradual, over a day or two
Temperature: with flu 38.5–40 °C with chills, lasts 3–5 days; with ARVI, more often up to 38 °C and not for long
Muscles and joints: with the flu, there is severe aching, weakness such that it is difficult to get up; with ARVI, slight malaise
Headache: with flu, severe, with pain when moving the eyes; with ARVI moderate
Nose: with the flu, it is dry in the first days, a runny nose appears later; with ARVI, runny nose from the very beginning
Cough: with flu, dry, painful, often with pain in the chest; with ARVI it is milder, appears on the 3rd–4th day
Recovery: After the flu, weakness and fatigue may last 2-3 weeks.

The practical conclusion from this comparison is simple: if the illness began suddenly and severely, you need to see a doctor on the same day, and not “see what happens by the weekend.” It is on the first day that the decision on antiviral therapy makes sense, and the examination allows you to assess the risk of complications taking into account age and chronic diseases.

Выражение «кишечный грипп» медицински некорректно. Рвота и диарея вызываются другими возбудителями — ротавирусом, норовирусом — и к вирусу гриппа отношения не имеют. У детей грипп иногда сопровождается тошнотой, но диарея никогда не бывает его главным проявлением.

How to make a diagnosis

Most cases are diagnosed clinically and not all require laboratory confirmation. The test changes tactics where the decision depends on it: whether to prescribe an antiviral drug, whether to hospitalize the patient, whether to isolate the sick person in a family where an infant or an elderly person lives.

Осмотр и оценка эпидемиологической ситуации: в разгар сезонного подъёма типичная картина сама по себе достаточно убедительна.
ПЦР мазка of носоглотки — наиболее точный метод, различает грипп A, грипп B и другие респираторные вирусы.
Экспресс-тест на антиген гриппа — результат за 15–20 минут, но менее чувствителен, отрицательный ответ не исключает болезнь.
Общий анализ крови — помогает заподозрить бактериальное осложнение.
Рентгенография или КТ грудной клетки — при одышке, боли в груди, подозрении на пневмонию.
Пульсоксиметрия — простое измерение насыщения крови кислородом, которое быстро выявляет угрожающее состояние.

Treatment: what works and when

The mainstay of therapy for most people is rest, adequate fluids, and antipyretics. Specific antiviral drugs that act on the influenza virus are prescribed by the doctor, and time is critical here.

Antiviral drugs block the exit of new viral particles from the cell, so they only make sense while the virus is actively multiplying - this is the first 48 hours, or better yet the first day
Late initiation of therapy is justified only in severe and hospitalized patients, and this is the doctor’s decision
Antibiotics are not prescribed for uncomplicated influenza: the virus is insensitive to them in the same way as other respiratory viruses
An antibiotic is added only if there is a bacterial infection - most often pneumonia, sinusitis or otitis media
Acetylsalicylic acid is contraindicated for children and adolescents with influenza due to the risk of Reye's syndrome - severe damage to the liver and brain

Separately about the “second wave”: if after several days of improvement the temperature rises again, the cough intensifies and purulent sputum appears - this is a classic picture of bacterial pneumonia after the flu, and you need to see a doctor immediately, and not wait until the weekend.

Снижать температуру при гриппе имеет смысл ради самочувствия, а не ради цифры на градуснике: лихорадку люди переносят по-разному. Но у пожилых людей и пациентов с болезнями сердца и лёгких высокая температура сама по себе резко увеличивает нагрузку на организм — здесь её снижают активнее, не дожидаясь тяжёлого состояния.

Who is at risk for severe disease?

A healthy adult usually experiences the flu severely, but without consequences. Complications are concentrated in fairly clearly defined groups, and it is to them that vaccination, early prescription of antiviral drugs, and an insistent recommendation not to carry the disease on your feet are primarily addressed.

Pregnant women, especially in the second and third trimester
Children of the first five years of life, especially up to two years of age
People over 65 years old
Patients with bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Patients with diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, severe obesity
People with heart disease, previous heart attack, heart failure
Patients with reduced immunity: cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, people with HIV infection and more

Грипп повышает риск сердечно-сосудистых событий: в недели после перенесённой инфекции вероятность инфаркта и инсульта заметно возрастает. Это одна of причин, по которым кардиологи настойчиво рекомендуют вакцинацию своим пациентам.

Vaccination: answers to common objections

The flu shot is surrounded by perhaps the densest cloud of myths of all vaccines. Let's look at typical objections in order - almost every one has a simple and verifiable answer.

«От прививки заболевают». Современные инактивированные вакцины не содержат живого вируса и вызвать грипп не могут. Лёгкая болезненность в месте укола и недомогание на сутки — это ожидаемая реакция иммунной системы, а не болезнь.
«Я привился и всё равно заболел». Вакцина не даёт стопроцентной защиты, но существенно снижает вероятность тяжёлого течения, госпитализации и осложнений. Кроме того, под гриппом часто понимают любую ОРВИ, от которой прививка и не защищает.
«Состав каждый год другой — значит, ненадёжно». Наоборот: состав ежегодно обновляется под циркулирующие штаммы, поэтому и требуется ежегодная прививка.
«Лучше переболеть и получить естественный иммунитет». Иммунитет после diseases узкий и недолгий, а цена — риск пневмонии и госпитализации.
Оптимальное время прививки — до начала сезонного подъёма, обычно осенью: защитный уровень антител формируется примерно за две недели.

Вакцинация защищает не только привитого. Когда прививаются взрослые в семье, снижается вероятность занести инфекцию младенцу, которого по возрасту прививать ещё нельзя, и пожилому родственнику, у которого иммунный ответ на вакцину слабее. Этот механизм называют коконом, и в семьях с новорождёнными он работает особенно наглядно.

Home care and protection of loved ones

Most people suffer from the flu at home, and the speed of recovery and whether the whole family gets sick depends on how this period is organized. Separately, it is worth mentioning about work: having the flu on your feet not only gives more complications, but also turns the office or classroom into a hotbed of infection.

Drink enough fluids: at high temperatures, water loss increases noticeably
Do not lower the temperature at any cost, but lower it if you feel unwell and always in people with heart disease
Ventilate the room - the concentration of the virus in the air of a closed room increases
Stay at home throughout the feverish period and for at least a day after the temperature normalizes
Use separate utensils and towels, cover your mouth when coughing with your elbow
Especially protect from contact with pregnant women, the elderly and people with chronic diseases

Frequently asked questions: Flu

How can you tell if it's the flu and not a cold?+

The main landmark is the beginning. The flu begins suddenly, with high fever, severe aches and headaches, while the nose is dry in the first days. A cold develops gradually, with a runny nose and throat, and is more easily tolerated. The exact answer is given by PCR or rapid test.

Why should antivirals be started in the first 48 hours?+

These drugs prevent the virus from leaving infected cells and spreading further. While reproduction is active, they change the course of the disease. By the third or fourth day, the peak of reproduction has passed, and the benefit drops sharply. Therefore, if you suspect you have the flu, it makes sense to consult a doctor on the first day.

Do you need an antibiotic for the flu?+

For uncomplicated influenza, no, the virus is not sensitive to antibiotics. An antibiotic is prescribed when a bacterial infection has occurred: the fever has returned after improvement, purulent sputum has appeared, shortness of breath, and signs of pneumonia have appeared in the image.

Can pregnant women get the flu vaccine?+

The inactivated vaccine is approved and recommended for pregnant women, since influenza is more severe during pregnancy. An additional effect is that antibodies are transferred to the child and protect him in the first months of life, when vaccination is not yet possible. The duration and drug are agreed with the doctor.

How many people are contagious?+

An adult sheds the virus about a day before the onset of symptoms and another 5–7 days after; children and people with reduced immunity take longer. The most contagious are the first three days, when the temperature is highest.

Why does weakness last so long after the flu?+

The virus damages the epithelium of the respiratory tract, and the immune response takes up a lot of resources. Fatigue, sweating and decreased exercise capacity for 2-3 weeks are common. If weakness increases, shortness of breath or palpitations appear, an examination is needed.

The information on this page is for reference only and does not replace a doctor consultation. Only a qualified specialist can make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment after an in-person examination.

Where it is treated flu в Ташкенте

Опасен обычно не сам грипп, а его осложнения: вирусная и бактериальная пневмония, миокардит, обострение астмы и сердечной недостаточности. Приём терапевта, инфекциониста и лабораторная диагностика в Ташкенте:

H 1 reviews ★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.5