Influenza is becoming more severe: infectious disease specialist warns against self-medication and delayed treatment
The current flu season in Ukraine is primarily characterized by massive morbidity at the outpatient level. At the same time, doctors have already recorded an increase in the number of severe cases with respiratory failure and bacterial superinfections requiring intensive care. Such complications are increasingly common not only among older people, but also among patients under 40.
Infectious disease doctor Olha Holubovska emphasizes the importance of timely medical care. According to her, rapid flu tests work well this season, and can be used even at home to start treatment as soon as possible.
She warns against self-medication: do not abuse antipyretics and start taking antibiotics from the first days of illness. Diarrhea at the beginning of the disease is not a reason to prescribe antibacterial drugs, in particular levomycetin, as it can lead to serious complications such as agranulocytosis and severe leukopenia, which significantly complicate treatment.
The expert also emphasizes that one should not wait for the disease to “go away”. If, after starting antiviral therapy, there is no improvement the next day, you should immediately consult a doctor. The condition can deteriorate sharply at any time, and access to medical care, especially on the eve of the holidays, may be limited.
According to Golubovska, the activity of the influenza virus continues to grow in Europe. The predominant strain of influenza is A(H3N2), which has undergone several mutations and partially escapes the protection of vaccines, and there is an increase in A(H1N1)pdm09 cases. At the same time, the number of COVID-19 cases has decreased dramatically.
Despite this, the doctor hopes that this season will not be as catastrophic for hospitals as the previous one. She emphasizes that for each individual, only timely diagnosis and proper therapy are crucial to prevent a severe course of the disease.
