When it comes to influenza, we are all familiar with it. Perhaps it is because it is talked about every year, or perhaps because there are so many people around us who talk about influenza casually, so that too many people are not familiar with the epidemic. Familiarity with colds is high, but in fact, very few people actually know about influenza.

A cycle of 20 to 30 years

Since humans first recorded detailed records of influenza outbreaks, major influenza outbreaks have shown cyclical characteristics, generally lasting 20 to 30 years. The longest interval between outbreaks is 39 years.

1918-1919 Spanish influenza (virus type H1N1), this influenza outbreak resulted in 20-40 million deaths.

The 1957-1958 Asian influenza (virus type H2N2) first originated in Guizhou, China, and then attacked Japan and Southeast Asian countries. It was also prevalent in the Middle East, Africa, the United States, Canada and the former Soviet Union. The incidence rate of this worldwide pandemic is as high as 15%-30%.

The 1968-1969 Hong Kong influenza (virus type H3N2), according to statistics from the International Red Cross, affected at least 55 countries and regions around the world.

The elderly and children are high-risk groups

Experts say that influenza is caused by three types of influenza viruses: A (A), B (B), and C (C). of acute respiratory infectious diseases. Influenza A virus can cause a worldwide influenza pandemic. Influenza B viruses often cause local outbreaks, while influenza C viruses mainly appear in scattered forms and generally do not cause epidemics.

The potential harm is greater for patients with chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD. Once infected with influenza virus, it is easy to induce respiratory diseases. Influenza virus is closely related to chronic airway diseases. The interaction between inflammation can cause respiratory infections in patients with chronic respiratory diseases to become more severe. Inflammation caused by infection can also aggravate chronic respiratory diseases, forming a vicious cycle and increasing the hospitalization and mortality rates of patients with chronic respiratory diseases, which has serious consequences. quality of life of these patients.

Deaths from influenza are more common in patients with cardiovascular disease than in patients with other chronic diseases. Research reports have shown that both acute myocardial infarction and stroke are characterized by high incidence in winter, and the annual peak of heart disease deaths is consistent with the peak of influenza and respiratory infections. Influenza can trigger fatal heart attacks. During an influenza epidemic, the number of deaths from heart attacks increases by one-third compared to non-epidemic periods, and patients with heart disease have a one-tenth increased risk of dying from coronary heart disease. Almost all diabetic patients attach great importance to controlling blood sugar, but they neglect to take precautions against influenza and pneumonia. During the influenza epidemic, the number of diabetic patients hospitalized with influenza was 6 times that of usual times. Due to influenza or pneumonia The number of deaths is three times the usual number