Flu, Colds, Fever
Fever
Fever is when body temperature raises above the avarage value (about 37°C in humans).
Fever can be low (up to 37.5°C), mildly (up to 38.5°C), high (up to 39.5°C), and hyperpyrexia (more than 39.5°C)
Although there are several causes of fever, they all lead to an activation of immune system with the consequent hypotalamus' action of both increasing heat production that impedes microorganisms reproduction, and vasocostriction.
Therefore, fever is a defensive device of the body.
Cold
Cold is an infective disorder of upper respiratory system (nose and throat)
It features sneezes, nasal discharge, nasal congestion, catarrh, sore throat, cough, headache, fatigue.
While flu is a quite severe viral affection of respiratory tract, cold can be due either to allergies, irritations, or nose malformation, besides viruses
Yet, even if it's less severe than flu, cold may develop some complications. These are chiefly caused by bacterial infections and include:
- bacterial rhinosinusitis
- midly-acute rhinootitis
- bacterial bronchitis
- bacterial pneumonia
Flu
Flu is a contagious disease due to a RNA virus.
It spreads quickly with seasonal epidemies worldwide. The recurrent epidemies are probably due to virus mutations during the years.
The virus of flu is transmitted mainly by airborne through cough and sneeze of infected people. At the beginning, virus affects pharynx, larynx, air tube, and bronchial tube, where it reproduces itself. Then, infection spreads to other area of respiratory system. The reproduction period, aka incubation, lasts beween 18 and 72 hours.
The main symptoms are:
- chills
- fever higher than 38°C
- malaise
- bone, muscle pain and headache
- appetite loss
- increased chances to develop cough, cold, sore throat, etc.
Generally, flu lasts no more than a week.
Yet, it can lead to complications, such ad pneumonia.
Flu-caused pneumonia can be primary or secondary.
Primary pneumonia is caused by virus infection that spreads into lungs. It most likely affect people with cardiovascular disorders or elderly people with pre-existing respiratory disorders.
Secondary pneumonia, aka bacterial pneumonia, is caused by the weakening of immune system linked to virus infection, but also by other pre-existing factors.
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