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Colds and the flu - Prevention
Description
An in-depth report on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of colds and flu.Alternative Names
Influenza; Strep throat; Bird flu; Avian influenza
Prevention:
Because colds and flus are easily spread, everyone should always wash their hands before eating and after going outside. Ordinary soap is sufficient. Waterless hand cleaners that contain an alcohol-based gel are also effective for everyday use and may even kill cold viruses.
Antibacterial Products
Antibacterial soaps add little protection, particularly against viruses. In fact, one study suggests that common liquid dish washing soaps are up to 100 times more effective than antibacterial soaps in killing respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which is known to cause pneumonia. Wiping surfaces with a solution that contains one part bleach to 10 parts water is very effective in killing viruses.
Temperature
Colds are not caused by insufficiently warm clothes or by going outside with wet hair.
Resources
- www.cdc.gov/flu -- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- www.niaid.nih.gov -- National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases
- www.who.int/csr/disease/influenza/en -- World Health Organization
- www.cdc.gov/vaccines -- National Immunization Program
- www.immunize.org -- Immunization Action Coalition
- www.entnet.org -- American Academy of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery
- www.cdc.gov/flu/avian -- Avian Influenza Information
References
American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases. Recommended childhood and adolescent immunization schedule: United States, 2005. Pediatrics. 2005 Jan;115(1):182.
Caruso TJ, Prober CG, Gwaltney JM Jr. Treatment of naturally acquired common colds with zinc: a structured review. Clin Infect Dis. 2007;45(5):569-74.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Key Facts About Seasonal Influenza (Flu). Available online.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2007-08 Influenza Prevention & Control Recommendations: Vaccination of Specific Populations. Available online.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Acute Respiratory Disease Associated with Adenovirus Serotype 14 -- Four States, 2006-2007. MMWR. 2007;56(45):1181-84.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. FDA Approves New Laboratory Test To Detect Human Infections With Avian Influenza A/H5 Viruses. February 3, 2006.
Harper SA, Fukuda K, Uyeki TM, Cox NJ, Bridges CB. Prevention and Control of Influenza: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep. 2005 Jul 29;54(RR-8):1-40.
Hayden GF, Turner RB. Acute Pharyngitis. In: Behrman RE, Kliegman RM, Jenson HB, eds. Behrman: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 17th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders; 2004.
Interagency Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance. Executive Summary: 2006 Annual Report on Progress on "A Public Health Action Plan to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance." Draft release, June 2007. Available online.
Jefferson T, Demichelli V, Rivetti D, Jones M, Di Pietrantonj C, Rivetti A. Antivirals for influenza in healthy adults: systematic review. Lancet 2006 Jan 28;367(9507):303-13.
Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2008. MMWR. July 17, 2008/57(Early Release);1-60.
Reveiz L, Cardona AF, Ospina EG. Antibiotics for acute laryngitis in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Apr 18;(2):CD004783.
Sasazuki S, Sasaki S, Tsubono Y, Okubo S, Hayashi M, Tsugane S. Effect of vitamin C on common cold: randomized controlled trial. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2006;60(1):9 - 17.
Shah SA, Sander S, White CM, Rinaldi M, Coleman CI. Evaluation of echinacea for the prevention and treatment of the common cold: a meta-analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2007;7(7):473-80.
Simasek M, Blandino DA. Treatment of the common cold. Am Fam Physician. 2007;75(4):515-20.
Taverner D, Latte J. Nasal decongestants for the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Jan 24;(1):CD001953.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Nonprescription Drugs and Pediatric Advisory Committee Meeting. Joint Meeting of the Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee and the Pediatric Advisory Committee October 18-19, 2007. Available online.
World Health Organization: Neuraminidase Inhibitor Susceptibility Network. Monitoring of neuraminidase inhibitor resistance among clinical influenza virus isolates in Japan during the 2003-2006 influenza seasons. Weekly epidemiological record. 2007;82(17):149-50.
World Health Organization. Cumulative Number of Confirmed Human Cases of Avian Influenza A/(H5N1) Reported to WHO. December 16, 2008. Available online.
- Reviewed last on: 6/17/2009
- A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Greg Juhn, MTPW, David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital (2/10/2009).
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