The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a weekly update on influenza activity for Jan. 28 through Feb. 3. It reported that influenza activity is widespread in 11 states and Tennessee is one of them.
Widespread is defined as outbreaks of flu-like illness representing more than 50 percent of a state’s population. That isn’t news to ETSU Student Health Services. Barbara Knight, health education coordinator for SHS, reports that the clinic is currently seeing 70 to 80 very sick students a day.
“Approximately 35 percent of those have flu-like symptoms and another 40 percent have severe respiratory symptoms as a result of possible virus infection and poor oxygen exchange. We have not seen many patients with gastrointestinal virus, maybe five or six a week,” Knight said.
SHS believes most of what is going on is an influenza virus. “At this point, the number of patients with this virus is common for this time of year, but we are keeping alert for any situation that might get out of control,” Knight says.
The flu season runs through April and in an average flu season, 20,000 Americans die and 110,000 are hospitalized because of complications from influenza illness. Almost none of the 35 percent of patients SHS treated with flu-like symptoms had received a flu shot. Knight said, “Receiving the injection does not mean that you have no chance of getting the flu, but definitely an injection can make the illness less severe if you do happen to catch it.”
Typical influenza illness includes the following symptoms: fever, usually 100 degrees to 103 degrees in adults, and respiratory symptoms such as, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, muscle aches and extreme fatigue.
Most people who get the flu recover completely in one to two weeks, but some people develop serious and potentially life-threatening medical complications such as pneumonia. Such complications can occur at any age.
Knight offers a few points of advice to flu sufferers: get plenty of rest. The less tired you are, the better you can deal with the symptoms.
Drink plenty of liquids and relieve headaches with Tylenol or ibuprofen, not aspirin. Studies have shown that aspirin may actually spread the virus and increase nasal stuffiness.
Using decongestants can help make breathing easier; however, do not take decongestants for more than three days. Their prolonged use causes rebound congestion and aggravates nasal stuffiness.
Use antihistamines for itching, sneezing and nasal discharge. Knight does not recommend taking a combination of over-the-counter drugs and suggests taking only what is needed for specific symptoms.
Student Health Services wants all students and faculty to remain aware of infectious mononucleosis or the Epstein-Barr Virus. This virus is a member of the herpes virus family and is one of the most common human viruses.
Mono is passed by saliva. Intimate contact, such as kissing or drinking immediately after another, spreads the infection and it has an incubation period of from one to two months.
“Fewer than 10 percent of the people who get mono know from whom they caught it from,” Knight said.
The symptoms of infectious mononucleosis are: swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, fever, fatigue, headache, poor appetite, muscle aches, nausea and occasionally a skin rash.
Mono occurs worldwide and most people will get this virus at some time in their lives. The CDC has found that infectious mononucleosis is almost never fatal.
Student Health Services is located in the lower level of Lamb Hall and operates as a nurse managed clinic under the guidance of ETSU College of Nursing. Hours of operation are: Monday through Friday,
Students may visit the clinic, call 439-4500 or visit the Web site at: www.etsu.edu/studenthealth.

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