The flu is a viral respiratory infection that every year affects the lives of thousands of people. Five medical and scientific societies come together to address the flu and offer six key points to improve patient care.
With the aim of improving the approach to influenza and the care of its patients in this prevalent disease, the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC), next to the sSocieties of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (SEIP), they Family and Community Medicine (semFYC), of Preventive Medicine, Public Health and Health Management (SEMPSPGS), and the Spanish Vaccinology Association (AEV), have carried out a consensus document that focuses on the diagnosishe treatment and the prophylaxis of infection with this virus.
He Dr. Francisco López Medrano, SEIMC spokesperson and co-author of the documentexplains that they intend to “help facilitate the clinical, microbiological and preventive approach to infection by influenza viruses and, consequently, to reduce its important consequences on the morbidity and mortality of the population”.
Improve the quality of care for patients
In this way, the document collects six keys that seek to improve the care and quality of care for patients in relation to influenza virus infection:
- clinical microbiology: the clinical picture presented by these patients cannot be clinically distinguished from that produced by other respiratory viruses, therefore it requires a microbiological diagnostic study.
- Pneumonia as an alert: the possibility of infection by this virus should be considered as a trigger in all patients who develop pneumonia.
- The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique: is the “gold standard” for the microbiological diagnosis of influenza. In addition, the criteria for carrying out the epidemiological surveillance study have been outlined in order to detect new variants early and, in this way, be able to design the vaccines for the following season with more precision.
- neuraminidase inhibitors: the patients in whom this treatment is indicated are those who present a high risk of evolution to severe forms and those who suffer from pneumonia in relation to the infection by this virus.
- Prevention, prevention and more prevention: the best tool against flu pathology is prevention. The use of a mask by patients and the health personnel who care for them is one of the main recommendations.
- Vaccination: aimed mainly at people over 65 years of age, various types of immunocompromised patients or people with other chronic lung, heart, kidney, liver diseases, etc.
Vaccines as a mode of prevention
“The flu caused more than 52,000 hospitalizations y 15,000 deaths attributable to this disease. It is estimated that, in that same season, the vaccination program for people over 65 years of age prevented 39 % of deaths among hospitalized cases with flu”, stresses the doctor Jaime Jesús Pérez, president of the AEV.
Alarming data highlighting the importance of vaccines to help prevent influenza virus infection, reduce the severity of symptoms if an infection were to occur, as well as reduce associated mortality and morbidity and its impact on patients .
For her part, the Dr. María Fernández Prada, Secretary of the AEVemphasizes “vaccinating people who are at higher risk of complications, as well as those who can transmit the disease to other vulnerable people.”
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