The flu is an infectious condition caused by viruses. This condition is highly contagious and the viruses can be contracted be entering in contact with already infected people. The viruses that cause influenza are transmitted through air so their spreading is very easy. If one infected person sneezes or coughs, the virus can be spread to everyone around the infected person and also on the objects. An effective mean of preventing the flu during its seasons is an impeccable personal hygiene.
For many people, the seasonal maladies are easy to overcome but for the elderly it can be more difficult because they can encounter complications like: otitis, bronchitis, heart diseases and pneumonia. Some cases may even degenerate into serious pulmonary diseases like viral pneumonia. The people that present this risk are those suffering from other already existing conditions like asthma or chronic bronchitis, people with weakened immune system and people with respiratory sensibilities because the flu first attacks the respiratory tract.
This condition represents the inflammation and infection of one or both the lungs producing high quantities of mucus in the respiratory tract. Its most common symptoms are shallow and difficult breathing, chest pain, exacerbated productive cough, wheezing and fever. Previous infections like flu or cold, which developed complications, is believed by the doctors to be strongly related to the appearance of the pneumonia. The viruses that cause influenza or other common seasonal maladies are also responsible for some types of pneumonia. Most of the types if pneumonia are developed by viral infectious agents.
In the winter season, influenza affects around 30-50 millions Americans. The most affected categories of people, that sometimes require hospitalization, are those affected by other chronic diseases or with impaired immune system and the older people. Most cases of flu are very well dealt with by otherwise healthy people. Every year more than 115 thousands persons are hospitalized because of influenza and more than 20 thousands are killed by complications and viral pneumonias associated with flu.
The viral pneumonia cannot be prevented ore cured with the common medications for flu. Specific medications are required for the treatment of a serious condition like pneumonia. A doctor should be consulted when a person shows any of the symptoms of pneumonia for a prescription of a proper treatment.
It is a lot easier and more indicated for measures of prevention to be taken against complicated and severe maladies that can be triggered by the seasonal viral infections. Pneumonia in bacterial or atypical forms requires a special vaccination but the milder viral forms of pneumonia which are caused by the common flu viruses can be prevented by the flu vaccination. Persons that have predispositions for complications of flu infection are also recommended to take a pneumococcal vaccine along with the flu one. This vaccine, which requires only one shot, can provide safety against this kind of infection for the rest of the person's life.