What To Do About The Flu (NAPSA)—Flu viruses spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing from people with influenza. Most adults maybe able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to five days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someoneelse before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. In fact, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that most influenza infections in children were not diagnosedclinically. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5 to 20 percent of the population will get the flu and up to 200,000 people will be hospitalized. Worse, every year, approximately 36,000 people in the U.S. die from influenza. Influenza can also lead to secondary complications including pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus and ear infections and worsening of chronic health conditions. Influenza is a contagious disease caused by a virus that attacks the respiratory tract and has a variety of symptoms, including muscle aches, fever, headache and sore throat. Because the flu can be diffi- A rapid diagnostic test for influenza can help physicians identify flu accurately. cult to diagnose based on symptomsalone, it is critical that you get tested so that appropriate treatment can begin as soon as possible. Onetest that has gained widespread popularity among physicians is the QuickVue Influenza test, a fast and painless test that can check for the presence of the influenza virus. The test is simple and can provide results in 10 minutes orless. Using a rapid diagnostic test like the QuickVue test can prevent unnecessary testing and treatment. Thus sparing you and your child from additional tests, which can sometimesbedifficult. For more information, visit www.flutest.com or ask your physician aboutflu testing.
