Influenza Diagnostic–qpcr & Rapid Tests

Australia has had increasing record flu numbers so far, an elevated risk level of flu in Shenzhen to moderate, flu is raging around the country.
Influenza surveillance data released by both the World Health Organisation and the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention show that influenza activity has increased this year compared to the previous year. Since mid-May, there has been a rapid rise in influenza-like cases in China’s southern provinces, with influenza A (H3N2) subtype influenza viruses dominating. Experts point out that influenza prevention and control needs more attention under the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic.

*History of Influenza
The unusual and deadly influenza pandemic that broke out in Europe from January 1918 to December 1920 infected 500 million people, a quarter of the world’s population at the time, and killed between 17 million and 50 million people, making it the deadliest virus-induced epidemic in human history.

*What is influenza?
Influenza: The full name is influenza, an acute respiratory infection caused by the influenza virus. Influenza viruses, including influenza A, B and C. Influenza viruses often mutate, and there are many subtypes under each type. The common ones are Influenza A (H1N1) [referred to as New A1], Influenza A (H3N2) [referred to as A3], Influenza B (Victoria) [referred to as BV series] and Influenza B (Yamagata) [referred to as BY series], which are also the ones with the highest proportion of infection in the population. The current pandemic is influenza A. The predominant strain is “A3”, the A (H3N2) subtype of influenza virus. Influenza usually breaks out in a particular season, hence the common name seasonal influenza.

*What are the characteristics of influenza A?
1. Highly variable and difficult for the population to produce a continuous and stable immune barrier weakness, so it is highly contagious and easily spread by crowd gathering.
2. The symptoms are high fever, generalized pain, chills, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, etc. However, some cases may develop into severe influenza due to complications such as pneumonia, and a few severe cases may progress rapidly and die due to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and/or multiple organ failure.

*Treatment and prevention and control?
1. Early diagnosis and treatment: There are now specific drugs for influenza viruses, such as oseltamivir, which can be administered in a timely manner to alleviate symptoms as soon as possible and prevent secondary infections and serious illnesses such as pneumonia, while avoiding the abuse of antibiotics.
2. Vaccinate actively to prevent illnesses before they occur: Every year, the International Health Organisation (WHO) identifies the predominant strains of influenza based on statistical analysis of influenza strains prevalent worldwide, and produces targeted vaccines. Therefore, active vaccination every year can greatly reduce the incidence of serious influenza illness.

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