Answer:
Influenza and stomach flu are caused by different viruses and cannot be prevented by similar vaccines. Moreover, infleunza infection or flu vaccine does not have any direct effect on autism. URIs infections may occur by different infectious agents and shall be treated accordingly. the Question wise answers are explained below.
Explanation:
1. Influenza can cause mild to severe illness and is different from cold. People suffering from flu has fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headaches, muscle aches, and severe fatigue.
2. Flu shots are strongly recommended to protect against influenza but does not help with stomach flu also known as gastroenteritis. Stomach flu is an infection caused by rotaviruses and noroviruses, and is not caused by the Influenza virus. Hence, flu shot protecting the body from influenza virus is not effective in stomach flu or gastroenteritis.
3. Influenza virus attacks the respiratory system including nose, throat and lungs, whereas, gastroenteritis attacks the intestines. Hence both influenza and stomach flu may have similar as well as contrasting symptoms. Influenza causes coughing, congestion, fever, chills, headache and muscle aches. Gastroenteritis causes fever, chills, headache, body aches, vomiting and diarrhea. The risk of influenza and gastroenteritis can be reduced with washing hands often with disinfectant. Hygienic drinking water is also necessary to avoid stomach flu as it causes diarrhea and food poisoning. Flu shots are given annually for influenza virus protection and two oral vaccines of rotavirus are given to young infants for avoiding stomach flu or gastroenteritis.
4. Flu shots provides immunity against specific strains of flu virus including influenza A strain- H1N1 and H3N2, and influenza B strain. The trivalent flu vaccines protect against both Influenza A strain, whereas, the Quadrivalent vaccine help against both the influenza A strains and also the influenza B strain. These flu shots are given through a needle, cell-based version, and in the form of a recombinant vaccine which does not contain the virus or eggs. The mild side effects produced after taking the influenza vaccine include low grade fever, aches, redness and swelling at the site of injection, soreness etc. which happens to occur in only 1-2% of people taking the vaccine.
Serious allergic reactions may also occur in some people such as difficulty breathing, swelling of eyes or lips, high pulse, high fever and dizziness. Children may have runny nose, wheezing, fever, muscle ache, vomiting and headache as side effects to the flu vaccine.
CDC suggests that influenza infection or influenza vaccines taken during pregnancy are not associated with risk of autism in fetus. The idea evolves from the fact that inflammatory cytokines may be produced from the injection of influenza virus in vaccine form. However, this proposition is not evident from clinical trials conducted on autistic children who are diagnosed and those who are at risk of autism.
5. The upper respiratory tract infection occurs in the sinuses, nasal passages, pharynx and larynx region. Hence, the upper airways is blocked and symptoms of inflammation in the tract, cold, congestion and difficulty in breathing occurs. URIs are either caused by viruses or by bacteria in some cases. The URIs are infectious and may spread from person to person through air and touching of objects exposed to virus. Coming in close contact with patient, poor hygiene and avoiding frequent hand wash, and low immunity in HIV etc. are some of the risk factors of URI.
Antibiotics are not given in URIs unless a bacterial infection is the cause of airways blockage. Hence, URIs are generally treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acetaminophen, Antihistamines and cough medications. Steroids and decongestants are also given in patients who are suffering from severe airways blockage and congestion. In immune-compromised patients who are already suffering from other disease conditions, anti-bacterials and anti-viral antibiotics are given to treat the URIs.