Every year 3-5 million cases of influenza is registered globally with Nepal being a common infection occurring country. Nepal experiences semiannual cycle of influenza infection, firstly during the winter months of January-February followed by the rainy months of July-August.
Influenza is a mild illness that usually gets recovery achieved fully and swiftly in a short time. From children to adults, this virus spreads and nurtures while only a few proceed to the stage of lethality or even death.
In todays, article we will discuss on 2 of the highly contagious strains of influenza, i.e. Influenza A and Influenza B. We will also launch a brief comparison on both of these influenza virus along with other frequently asked questions.
Introduction To Influenza A And Influenza B
Influenza A and B both are renowned to cause seasonal flu accompanies by symptoms such as fever and cold. The A strain is a more common occurrence counting for 75% of all flu cases. This flu A virus is further classified by medical science into two subtypes on the basis of proteins found on its surface.
What is unique is that these strains can actually join together birthing various strains under the same Influenza A class. These strains are H1N1 and H3N2, responsible for maximum infection rates. This nature is what makes the flu A a flexibly mutating strain. This again leads to affecting maximum humans, difficult for the immune system to detect and deploy immediate antibodies.
Influenza B is one of the main types of flu viruses which circulate in epidemics, mainly in people. However, while Influenza A is seasonal, has subtypes, and the ability to create pandemics, Influenza B is not easily altered genetically.
But non-seriously it can cause severe sickness to children, elderlies and other persons with impaired immunity. Seasonal flu vaccines cover all the two main groups of the virus: B/Victoria and B/Yamagata.
Symptoms Of Influenza A And B
The symptoms of influenza A and B are somehow identical in nature. Let’s peep into the symptoms in detail:
- Cough with a fever
- A sore throat
- stuffy or runny nose
- Aches in the muscles or body
- Weariness
- A headache
- Cools Sweats
- Appetite loss
Difference Between Influenza A and Influenza B
As discussed earlier, the two varieties of flu that spread during different seasons are named Influenza A and Influenza B and although their symptoms seem similar, difference exists too.
Influenza A virus is more exotic, capable of infecting a number of mammals, birds as well as pigs. This ability to cross species makes it more likely to cause epidemics as identified by the H1N1 and H3N2 strain. On the other hand, Influenza B affects only human and does not possess such feature of pandemics as that of A.
While Influenza A has several subtypes, Influenza B has two main lineages: B/Victoria and B/Yamagata. Both are present in the yearly flu shot however due to the fact that Influenza A tends to be more diverse it is more likely to lead to serious epidemics and worst sideways than Influenza B.
Influenza B as a rule does not possess as high lethal potential as the above-described A. Yet, it still accompanies severe seasonal epidemics and can cause severe sickness in certain categories of population. However, both Influenza A and B are easily transmittable, and preventing and early treatment is critical to minimizing their effects.
Could You Have Influenza A And B At The Same Time?
The answer to this burning query is a big yes! One can have both these influenzas at the same time. The reasons behind this is that having antibodies from one type of influenza doesn’t protect against the other.
Similar to that of Covid-19, although the disease is named “Corona Virus”, different variants require different antibodies to fight against the contamination.
Although, contracting Influenza A and Influenza B at the same time is a rare incident, the level of commonality hasn’t yet been precisely identified.
Diagnosis And Treatment
Identifying Influenza A and B normally involves examining other symptoms because they are usually indistinguishable from other genomic respiratory infections. Often, the healthcare providers may enquire symptoms such as fever, common cold, sore throat, and general body aches.
Further tests with greater sensitivity include RIDT, or PCR for the detection of virus in samples of respiratory tracts. These tests assist in differentiate between Influenza A, Influenza B and other viruses causing similar symptoms.
Moving on to the treatment part, the management of both Influenza A and B is largely symptomatic. This means the patient is advised to rest and take plenty of fluids and fever can be reduced by medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
There are drugs that significantly shorten the length of the illness if started early. Widely prescribed ones being Tamiflu and Relenza, both of which are antiviral agents.
These antiviral drugs target both A and B receptors, the challenge, however, is that they are most efficient if taken in the first 48 hours of an attack.
In some instances, especially those groups most vulnerable to the virus, other measures like admission into the intensive care unit and other interventions for complications like pneumonia may be recommended.
For both types of influenza, vaccination is still the safest bet to prevent as the flu shot that comes out every year is for the different strains for both Influenza A and B.
