Practical Home Doctor

Author: Li Xuan, Chen Weiping / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-06-01
Features:
1. Influenza
Influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza viruses, commonly referred to as the flu. The pathogens are mainly type A, B, and C influenza viruses, which are transmitted through droplets. Due to the high variability of influenza viruses, if the population lacks immunity to the variant strains, outbreaks are likely to occur. Clinical features include sudden high fever, generalized aches, severe headache, fatigue, and relatively mild respiratory symptoms. Infants, the elderly, and the frail are prone to complications such as pneumonia. This condition falls under the category of "episodic cold" in traditional Chinese medicine.
[Diagnostic Key Points]
1. The onset of the flu is not clearly seasonal, with more cases occurring in winter and spring. The disease is highly contagious among the general population, with a course of 1–2 weeks.
2. The virus is primarily transmitted through droplets from sneezing, coughing, or speaking. It may also spread indirectly through contaminated utensils, tea sets, towels, etc.
3. The epidemic features include sudden onset and rapid spread. Major pandemics are mainly caused by type A influenza viruses; type B influenza is often localized or sporadic, though it can also cause pandemics. Type C influenza generally causes only sporadic cases. If a large number of upper respiratory tract infection cases occur within 1–2 days, or if an area is experiencing an outbreak, these should be considered diagnostic evidence.
4. Simple influenza has a sudden onset, with symptoms such as fever, headache, generalized aches, and fatigue, while respiratory symptoms are relatively mild. Nasal congestion, runny nose, and dry cough may occur. Physical examination reveals acute febrile appearance, flushed cheeks, red conjunctiva and pharynx; dry rales may be heard in the lungs. Fever peaks within 1–2 days of onset, subsiding within 3–4 days, with other symptoms gradually improving. However, upper respiratory symptoms may persist for 1–2 weeks before gradually resolving.
5. Worsened influenza is more severe than simple influenza. Symptoms include high fever, exhaustion, restlessness, shortness of breath, severe cough, bloody sputum, cyanosis, and heart failure. Lung auscultation shows decreased respiratory sounds, diffuse rales, but no signs of pulmonary consolidation. Chest X-rays reveal diffuse nodular shadows in both lungs. Antibacterial treatment is ineffective. If the patient remains febrile and the condition worsens daily, death from respiratory and circulatory failure often occurs within 5–10 days.
6. Laboratory Tests
- Blood tests: White blood cell count is reduced or normal, with relative lymphocytic; if white blood cells are significantly elevated, it often indicates secondary bacterial infection.
- Nasal mucosal smear: Inclusion bodies are observed in epithelial cells, with a fluorescent antibody staining positive rate of over 90%.
- Serological tests: Hemagglutination inhibition test or complement fixation test shows a four-fold increase in antibody titer in paired sera.
[Treatment Based on Differentiation of Syndromes]
1. External Wind-Heat Syndrome
Symptoms: High fever, mild chills, sweating, headache, thirst, dry and painful throat, short and dark urine; thin yellow tongue, floating and rapid pulse.
Treatment: Relieve exterior wind-heat and ventilate the lungs.
Formula: Modified Silver Needle Decoction:
- Polygonum 15g, honeysuckle, forsythia, burdock seed, fresh reed root, andaventive 10g each,
- Bupleurum, light bamboo leaves 6g each, mint 5g, and licorice 3g.
Decoction, once daily.
2. External Wind-Cold Syndrome
Symptoms: Severe chills, mild fever, head and body pain, no sweating, nasal congestion with runny nose, itchy throat and cough, thin sputum, and aching limbs; thin white and moist tongue, floating pulse.
Treatment: Relieve exterior wind-cold and ventilate the lungs.
Formula: Modified Jingfang Baidu Decoction:
- Bupleurum 12g, wind-fang, peucedanum, schizonepeta, angelica, bupleurum, and paeonia 10g each,
- Ligusticum and angelica 6g each.
The following text is in Chinese and does not require translation:
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