New and old techniques to fight the flu bug

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New and old techniques to fight the flu bug

How to safeguard yourself this winter

04:09 PM CST on Tuesday, January 8, 2008

By LISA MARTIN/Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

As we enter peak flu season, Dr. Donna Casey hopes her friends and

family are using this year's Christmas gift from her: a toothbrush

sanitizer.

" If you cultured a toothbrush, you'd be appalled by all the germs

there, " says the internist affiliated with Presbyterian Hospital of

Dallas. " Same goes with a grocery cart or elevator button or any

handrail in an airport. "

Say you brush against the offending item and then touch your mouth.

Quicker than you can say gesundheit, you've become a statistic: You're

among the 5.percent to 20.percentÖ of Americans who, according to the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will catch the flu this year.

A serious illness characterized by fevers, aches and chills, the flu

also has become big business. Kleenex Anti-Viral Tissues, which claim

to kill 99.9.percent of cold and flu viruses, are hot sellers.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers have become ubiquitous. And, like the

toothbrush sanitizer, a whole generation of gadgets relies on

ultraviolet rays to zap bugs and purify everything from countertops to

rooms.

" I don't want to turn people into germaphobes, but a lot of this stuff

really does work, " Dr. Casey says.

Consider that the influenza virus has been known to thrive for up to

eight hours on certain surfaces or in the air. Humidifiers with

ultraviolet technology will pull oxygen from the room into a chamber

that destroys germs. Or consider a handheld wand such as the $60

Cleanse Light, available at tone, which shoots out UV rays.

Swipe the unit over anything, and you've become a germicidal terminator.

The best protection

Innovative and effective as they may be, no one is claiming that

products can take the place of the most-recommended defense against

the flu: a vaccination.

" The single best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated

every year, " says Dr. , president of the American Medical

Association. " Many people don't realize that influenza continues to

circulate well into the spring, and that they can still benefit from

getting vaccinated in January or beyond. "

According to a mid-December survey by the University of North Texas,

55 percent of adults in the area intend to get the flu vaccine and 64

percent of those polled with children said they plan to have their

kids vaccinated. But, " historically, a much smaller percentage

actually gets a flu vaccination, " says Ruggiere, director of

UNT's Survey Research Center.

Beyond the high-tech gear and the vaccination, most doctors recommend

going old school to safeguard yourself. That means a healthy diet,

exercise and vigilant hygiene. Frequent and thorough hand washing

remains the first line of defense.

" A lot of people ask, `What's the best soap to use, antibacterial or

regular soap?'. " says Dr. Jane Sadler, a family physician on staff at

Baylor Medical Center at Garland. " In order for antibacterial soaps to

truly be more effective than regular soaps, you need to do about a

30-second scrub, and most people don't do that. "

Gel protection

Dr. Sadler likes antibacterial hand-sanitizing gels, too. " It's

recommended that you use about a quarter-sized dollop of hand gel, "

she says. " If your hands are dry in 10 to 15 seconds, you probably

didn't use enough. "

Dr. Tyler , staff physician and vice president of development

for Clinic, says he and his wife keep sanitizing gel in almost

every room of their house. " You can teach your kids at a very young

age to do things like wash their hands, which are habits they'll have

for life. "

Some physicians, however, think we can become too obsessed with

cleanliness and say that's causing us to get sick, but not with the

flu. According to Dr. Marc Mc, M.D., a pediatric allergist at

the University of Michigan Health System, " We've developed a

cleanlierÖ lifestyle, and our bodies no longer need to fight germs as

much as they did in the past. As a result, the immune system has

shifted away from fighting infection to developing more allergic

tendencies. " He cites studies that indicate that families with three

or more children tend to have fewer allergies, which he attributes to

greater exposure to bacteria and viruses.

Despite the high-tech trend toward flu-busting, Dr. says the

basics such as avoiding sick people, plus good hygiene, can make a

huge difference in whether you get sick.

" The whole notion of warding off the flu isn't rocket science, " Dr.

says. " You minimize your risk significantly if you take care of

yourself and use your common sense. "

But what if, despite all your best efforts, you get the flu?

" I tell my patients to call me within 48 hours … and I'll give them

Tamiflu, which is the No..1 way to knock the flu out. If you don't

take Tamiflu, you can expect the flu to take 10 to 14 days to run its

course, " Dr. Casey says.

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FLU FACTS

Each year, more than 20,000 children younger than 5 are hospitalized

as a result of the flu; in all, more than 200,000 Americans will be

hospitalized with flu and complications.

Around 36,000 Americans die from the flu each year.Ö //cdc site//

A severe pandemic could result in 90.million people getting sick and

could kill about 2.25.million Americans.

675,000 men, women and children in the U.S. died in the 1918 flu pandemic.

Three worldwide flu pandemics occurred during the 20th century.

SOURCE: The American National Red Cross

SYMPTOMS

Especially at the onset, it can be tricky to determine whether you

have a cold or the flu, which almost always is the more serious of the

two illnesses. Here are the most common flu symptoms, some of which

may overlap with a cold.

Fever, usually high

Headache

Tiredness, often to the point of exhaustion

Cough

Sore throat

Runny or stuffy nose

Body aches

Diarrhea and vomiting, particularly for children

If you think you may have the flu, see a doctor so you can be tested,

particularly if you're 65 or older, have a chronic medical condition

or are pregnant. Young children should see a pediatrician right away.

Anyone in these categories runs an additional risk of complications.

Treatment at the onset of illness can significantly reduce the

duration of the symptoms.

SOURCE: National Institutes of Health