Influenza Virus Symptoms

Evariste Wendyam Ringtoumda emerged in 2018 as a teen advocate in Burkina Faso for people who have, with difficulty, learned to live with disabilities, and in his case, it came like a thunderbolt -at only age 7 he was stricken with meningitis. He fainted on his way to school. He lived, but meningitis robbed him of his hearing and speech. For a time, he had to guess what his own parents were saying to him by watching their mouths move. Over time and by struggling through hard work and difficulties in school, he learned sign language and started reclaiming more and more of his young life. With the expected rollout of a new vaccine coming soon, children in the so-called 'meningitis belt' across central Africa may be spared the kind of struggles and challenges facing Evariste and millions like him affected by what can be a killer infection. According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, in 2019, there were an estimated 236 000 deaths and 2.51 milli...

The Brockton Campus of the VA Boston Healthcare System provides primary care and specialty services, including inpatient and outpatient mental health, long-term nursing care, palliative and hospice care, spinal cord treatment, and more. The Women's Health Center at Brockton offers women Veterans comprehensive healthcare services. Both the Homeless Veterans and Women Veterans programs are regional referral centers for Veterans throughout New England. The Chronic Spinal Cord Injury Unit offers specialized programs and respite care for Veterans with spinal cord injuries and disabilities. Click on a service for more details like location, contact, and appointment information. Adblock test (Why?)

By: Kristina Bryant, MD, FAAP Many people don't realize how serious influenza (flu) illness can be, even for previously healthy kids and teens. (See "Why Flu Vaccines Top Our Back-to-School List Each Year," below.) Children also play a role in spreading the flu in their homes and communities. Last flu season started earlier than usual. By October 2022, a record number of children under age 4 years were hospitalized with the flu—the most in 10 years. As a parent, the best thing you can do to protect your children and others from the flu is to get them vaccinated. Influenza viruses change yearly. All children age 6 months and older need a flu shot every year. C hildren should get their influenza vaccine when the shots become available, especially if they need two shots this season. That way they will be protected before flu starts circulating in your community. It takes about two weeks after the shot to build immunity. Which flu vaccines are available? Ther...

It feels like everyone is getting sick right now. COVID. Flu. RSV. Sometimes, more than one at once. So how do can you stay healthy for upcoming holiday travel and gatherings? Dr. Sabrina Assoumou, an infectious disease specialist at Boston Medical Center and assistant professor at Boston University School of Medicine, and Dr. Shira Doron, chief infection control officer and epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center, join the show to give us the latest on our least favorite holiday tradition: respiratory viruses. Editor's Note: Boston University owns WBUR's broadcast license. WBUR is editorially independent. This segment aired on December 12, 2023. Adblock test (Why?)

The Indian Health Service's (IHS) Influenza-like Illness Awareness System (IIAS) captures flu vaccination coverage among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) patients who received care in an IHS and in some Tribal or Urban Indian (I/T/U) healthcare facilities. The health care personnel flu vaccine coverage is captured through the IHS National Immunization Reporting System (NIRS) and includes employees who work in IHS and in some tribal and urban healthcare facilities. There may be gaps in both the IIAS and NIRS systems since not all I/T/U healthcare facilities report. Data are available  via Indian Health Service. Adblock test (Why?)

Why get vaccinated? Hepatitis B vaccine can prevent hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is a liver disease that can cause mild illness lasting a few we​eks, or it can lead to a serious, lifelong illness. Acute hepatitis B is a short-term illness that can lead to fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, jaundice (yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements), and pain in the muscles, joints and stomach. Chronic hepatitis B is a long-term illness that occurs when the hepatitis B virus remains in a person's body. Most people who go on to develop chronic hepatitis B do not have symptoms, but it is still very serious and can lead to liver damage (cirrhosis), liver cancer, and death. Chronically-infected people can spread hepatitis B virus to others, even if they do not feel or look sick themselves. Hepatitis B is spread when blood, semen or other body fluid infected with the hepatitis B virus enters the body of a person who is not infected. Peop...

How much does a flu vaccine cost? Most health insurance plans cover the cost of a flu shot if you visit an in-network provider. You can typically find free flu shots without insurance at your job or school. Other places that might offer free flu shots include local pharmacies, grocery stores, health departments, churches and synagogues, and community centers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone aged 6 months and older (with just a few exceptions) get a flu shot before the end of October of each year. Flu season typically begins in October and peaks from December to February. Read on to learn where to get free flu shots without insurance and how long they last. SDI Productions / Getty Images The flu shot is free if you have health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). These plans will not charge you a copayment or coinsurance if you visit an in-network healthcare provider, even if you have not me...

Staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines helps you have the best protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death. COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective, and widely available. To find COVID-19 vaccine locations near you: Search Vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233. When are you up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines? The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends that everyone 5 years and older should get 1 updated COVID-19 vaccine, at least two months after getting the last dose of any COVID-19 vaccine. For young children, multiple doses continue to be recommended and will vary by age, vaccine, and which vaccines were previously received. People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get additional doses of updated COVID-19 vaccines. Talk to your health care provider about additional updated doses. Visit Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines | CDC to learn i...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Opinion: Vaccinating health workers builds crucial vaccine systems    Devex

Dealing with thick, discolored toenails - Harvard Health New research suggests that people who are hospitalized in an intensive care unit are far less likely to develop pneumonia if their teeth are brushed twice daily. They also need ventilators for less time, are able to leave the ICU more quickly, and are less likely to die in the ICU. \n ","content":" \n \n \n Maybe we should add toothbrushes to the bouquet of flowers we bring to friends and family members in the hospital — and make sure to pack one if we wind up there ourselves. \n New Harvard-led research published online in...

Photo: Justin Paget/Getty Images St. Luke's Health System of Idaho and its health plan have partnered with TytoCare for virtual primary care at home. TytoCare's Home Smart Clinic devices and kits will be made available to St. Luke's employees and St. Luke's Health Plan members beginning in 2024.  These virtual visits will be covered with a $0 copay. St. Luke's Health Plan is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the not-for-profit health system. "As we remain true to our commitment of supporting employee well-being, we have chosen to offer TytoHome kits to our employee population first," said Erin Simms, vice president of Human Resources for St. Luke's.  WHY THIS MATTERS The Home Smart Clinic replicates the doctor's office in the home. It enables health plans and providers to deliver on expected ROI and drive improved health outcomes, TytoCare said. It is FDA-cleared to perform heart, lung (including AI-powered wheeze detection...

Viruses are always finding new ways to change and adapt to their surroundings in an effort to infect people. This is how they're able to reproduce. We see that happen every year with influenza and we've seen that happen with COVID-19 and its many variants. But what about fungi? Can they also evolve and survive in humans? HBO's The Last of Us raised that question when it premiered. Based on a video game of the same name, The Last of Us presents a world ravaged by fungi that are able to adapt and infect humans at a rapid rate even though they couldn't infect humans before. While the game and show are entirely fiction, there's some scientific concern involving new and emerging fungi that are infecting humans for the first time. And some fungi that have been around for a while are even becoming resistant to anti-fungal medications. That means some common fungal infections are becoming harder to treat. Clinical microbiologist Anisha Misra, PhD, explains which fungi are...