Is there a cure for influenza?
As with many other viral illnesses, there is no cure for influenza. Influenza can lead to serious bacterial infections, such as pneumonia. Influenza can be mild in some people but in others it can be very serious causing hospitalization and even death especially in elderly people, young children or people weakened by other medical conditions. Even healthy people who get influenza can be very sick for about 1 – 2 weeks.
People with the flu are advised to get plenty of rest, drink plenty of liquids, avoid using alcohol and tobacco and, if necessary, take medications such as paracetamol (acetaminophen) to relieve the fever and muscle aches associated with the flu. Children and teenagers with flu symptoms (particularly fever) should avoid taking aspirin during an influenza infection (especially influenza type B), because doing so can lead to Reye’s syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease of the liver. Since influenza is caused by a virus, antibiotics have no effect on the infection; unless prescribed for secondary infections such as bacterial pneumonia, they may lead to resistant bacteria. Antiviral medication is sometimes effective, but viruses can develop resistance to the standard antiviral drugs.
