Simply Breathing Can Spread the Flu, New Study Suggests

Jovialis

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You don't have to cough or sneeze to spread the highly infectious flu virus according to a new study. The University of Maryland suggests the flu may be passed on through infected individuals simply breathing.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-01-flu-required.html

Abstract

There is little prior data on influenza virus shedding into, and the infectiousness of exhaled aerosols, contributing to uncertainty about the importance of airborne influenza transmission. We screened 355 volunteers with acute respiratory illness and report 142 cases with confirmed influenza infection who provided 218 paired nasopharyngeal (NP) and 30-minute breath samples (coarse >5 um and fine <=5 um fractions) on days 1 to 3 post symptom onset. We assessed viral RNA copy number for all samples and cultured the NP swabs and fine aerosols. We recovered infectious virus from 52 (39%) of the fine aerosols and 150 (89%) of the NP swabs with valid cultures. The geometric mean RNA copy numbers were 3.8x104/30-min fine, 1.2x104/30-min coarse aerosol sample, and 8.2x108 per NP swab. Fine and coarse aerosol viral RNA was positively associated with body mass index (fine p<0.05, coarse p<0.10) and number of coughs (fine p<0.001, coarse p<0.01) and negatively associated with increasing days since symptom onset (fine p<0.05 to p<0.01, coarse p<0.10) in adjusted models. Fine aerosol viral RNA was also positively associated with having influenza vaccination for both the current and prior season (p<0.01). NP swab viral RNA was positively associated with upper respiratory symptoms (p<0.01) and negatively associated with age (p<0.01) but was not significantly associated with fine or coarse aerosol viral RNA or their predictors. Sneezing was rare, and sneezing and coughing were not necessary for infectious aerosol generation. Our observations suggest that influenza infection in the upper and lower airways are compartmentalized and independent.

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/01/03/194985







 
Has anyone else caught a huge sinus bug? I have a dr's appt next week to detect what's behind my head feeling like it's ready to explode around the temples and eyes, my dizziness, hearing problems and agitation. I'm in bad shape
 
Not only that but a person infected with the flu can spread it to others a day before their own symptoms even appear!
 
Yes, I have a couple of friends (in U.S.) who have just recently had very aggressive sinus infections with accompanying ear infections that last about 2 weeks. Not flu related.
 
Yes, I have a couple of friends (in U.S.) who have just recently had very aggressive sinus infections with accompanying ear infections that last about 2 weeks. Not flu related.
Thanks! I can't wait to kick it out, I slept through my alarm once because of it :)
 
Take flonase every day. I haven't had a serious cold or sinus infection since I started taking it, and I used to get them constantly. I started it for allergies, along with a daily allergy pill, but this was a side effect. It may not work for some people, but it works for me. I think it changes the lining of the nasal passages. My ear, nose and throat guy told me that's what happens with some people, and he was right.
 
Take flonase every day. I haven't had a serious cold or sinus infection since I started taking it, and I used to get them constantly. I started it for allergies, along with a daily allergy pill, but this was a side effect. It may not work for some people, but it works for me. I think it changes the lining of the nasal passages. My ear, nose and throat guy told me that's what happens with some people, and he was right.

Thank you for the advice!! I never knew that, but I'll definitely look into this. Anything to erase the brain fog that's turning me into a zombie as well as the mood issues, hearing loss, dizziness and feeling like my head is gradually becoming a hot air balloon
 
Take flonase every day. I haven't had a serious cold or sinus infection since I started taking it, and I used to get them constantly. I started it for allergies, along with a daily allergy pill, but this was a side effect. It may not work for some people, but it works for me. I think it changes the lining of the nasal passages. My ear, nose and throat guy told me that's what happens with some people, and he was right.

I'm allergic to dust, which makes my life an absolute hell. I'm currently taking amox-clav for a sinus infection.
 
I'm allergic to dust, which makes my life an absolute hell. I'm currently taking amox-clav for a sinus infection.

I never had any allergies until I was in my mid-twenties and then they started: dust, mold, tree pollen in the spring, ragweed in August. I also started getting horrible colds which as much as three times a year would turn into sinus infections. I tried all those "natural" remedies, even that little pot (Neti?) for cleaning out your nose. Nada. Plus, I found it sort of disgusting. :)

I went to the specialist and he put me on Zyrtec and Flonase. Bingo! If I run out and don't take them for a few days or a week I can tell the difference right away. I hate being dependent on a medication, but hey, it beats the terrible headaches and that distanced, cloudy feeling when you're trying to conduct your life. I haven't gotten bronchitis since either, and I used to get that periodically too.

You can only take the flonase once a day, because it's a steroid. If I've been around people with a cold or I'm on a plane I supplement with saline nasal sprays.

Oh, I have found a few natural remedies do work. When you get that scratchy throat that is usually followed by a cold or flu, gargle a couple of times a day with warm salt water. It usually works for me. I think it's because it's sort of like lysol. :) I do that with cuts or when blisters break. I'm constantly getting fingers burned while cooking.

The other thing that helps is tea with lemon and lots of honey if you catch it at the very beginning. The lemon juice is again a type of antiseptic, and honey is a natural antibiotic. Once you're really in it you need the heavy duty meds.

I've started getting the flu shot, and so far so good.
 
I never had any allergies until I was in my mid-twenties and then they started: dust, mold, tree pollen in the spring, ragweed in August. I also started getting horrible colds which as much as three times a year would turn into sinus infections. I tried all those "natural" remedies, even that little pot (Neti?) for cleaning out your nose. Nada. Plus, I found it sort of disgusting. :)

I went to the specialist and he put me on Zyrtec and Flonase. Bingo! If I run out and don't take them for a few days or a week I can tell the difference right away. I hate being dependent on a medication, but hey, it beats the terrible headaches and that distanced, cloudy feeling when you're trying to conduct your life. I haven't gotten bronchitis since either, and I used to get that periodically too.

You can only take the flonase once a day, because it's a steroid. If I've been around people with a cold or I'm on a plane I supplement with saline nasal sprays.

Oh, I have found a few natural remedies do work. When you get that scratchy throat that is usually followed by a cold or flu, gargle a couple of times a day with warm salt water. It usually works for me. I think it's because it's sort of like lysol. :) I do that with cuts or when blisters break. I'm constantly getting fingers burned while cooking.

The other thing that helps is tea with lemon and lots of honey if you catch it at the very beginning. The lemon juice is again a type of antiseptic, and honey is a natural antibiotic. Once you're really in it you need the heavy duty meds.

I've started getting the flu shot, and so far so good.

I actually missed taking my pill this morning, which is annoying; part of why I hate being on medication too. For allergies I believe I've tried zyrtec before as well. I also think Claritin-D 12 hour or 24 hour works well also. But it specifically needs to be the brand with D, because the other version isn't strong enough. For me the worst is when it gets in the way of sleeping. I think there are also a series of shots one could take to become un-allergic to something. Which is something I'd like to look into.

I also started becoming allergic to these things in my 20s. In addition to dust, I'm also allergic to certain types of pollen, trees and mold.

Being allergic to dust is the worst, because even though I clean it up at home, there's still a lot of it in the office. The custodians do a horrible job of keeping the office dust-free.
 
Angela,

So I guess you get the fogginess as well? That's the worst symptom. I hate feeling dumb and having to work my brain twice as hard to do tasks i usually have no issue with.

And sadly, a woman died from neti pot usage, I think it was a parasite that got to her brain. Really sad, but it gives me another reason to avoid it
 

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