Cold and flu bugs on the attack in Central Florida

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Cold and flu bugs on the attack in Central Florida

By Robyn Suriano | Sentinel Staff Writer

Posted February 22, 2002

Stubborn colds and sudden flu-like illnesses are circulating around Central

Florida, sending patients to crowded doctors' offices and clearing out some

classrooms as the sick season descends on the region.

Overall, doctors say the illnesses are not unusual for this time of year,

although some have noticed a particularly stubborn cold that is making

people cough much longer than typical.

" There is a really nasty cold bug going around, " said Bill Toth, an

epidemiologist with the Orange County Health Department. " Coughing can last

as long as four or five weeks. "

Orlando is in the top five cities nationwide for prevalence of respiratory

tract infections this week, according to a monitoring system run by Bayer

Corp., which surveys thousands of doctors to see what is bringing people

into their offices. Orlando is currently at 8.9 with 10 as the highest

possible rating.

When cold and other virus bugs are that widespread, it's hard to avoid

getting sick, but doctors say people can reduce their chances of illness by

getting enough rest and eating right to keep their immune systems at full

strength.

" Unfortunately, you can do everything right and still get sick, " said Dr.

Winnie King, an emergency medicine physician with the CentraCare clinic in

Altamonte Springs. " If you're in contact with other people, you're at least

going to be exposed to these germs. "

Things got so bad one day last week at Parke House Academy in Winter Park

that school administrators asked parents to consider keeping their children

at home. About 10 kids from the preschool classes alone had to be sent home

within an hour after falling ill with a sudden virus that was causing

diarrhea and vomiting.

" In our four years of being open, we've never had to recommend children not

coming in, " said Dietzel, director of the preschool program at the

academy. " But we wanted to save other kids from getting it if we could. "

Unfortunately, if you do get sick with a virus that causes either cold or

flu-like illness, there isn't much you can do but ride it out. Rest and

drink plenty of fluids to help your body recuperate. If a cold causes

congestion or coughing, King said, people might ask their pharmacists for

advice on over-the-counter drugs that provide relief.

If symptoms persist longer than a week or the person develops a fever of 101

or more, they should see their doctor. Though antibiotics are not useful

against viral infections, some bacterial infections can piggyback an initial

cold.

The virus may weaken the body, allowing bacteria that normally cause no harm

to build up in a person's airways, said Dr. Hornick, an internal

medicine specialist at Orlando Regional Medical Center.

In that case, people may need antibiotics to knock the bug out of their

system.

Beyond that, Hornick said people might reduce the duration of a cold by

refraining from blowing their noses continually.

" It's been proven that when you blow your nose, you blow as much of that

gunk back into sinuses themselves and therefore prolong the symptoms, " said

Hornick, who advises people that " just a dab will do. "

Robyn Suriano can be reached at rsuriano@... or

407-420-5487.

Copyright © 2002, Orlando Sentinel