Influenza and its management: an overview

Abstract

Influenza is an acute infectious disease probably due to a filterable virus, characterized by fever, catarrhal inflammation of the respiratory or gastro- enteric tract, or profound nervous disturbances marked by headache, insomnia, convulsions, delirium, neuritis or mental depression. The influenza virus is notoriously known for its unique ability to cause recurrent epidemics and global pandemics during which acute febrile respiratory illness occurs explosively in all age groups. The present paper highlights all these aspects of influenza and its management.