Detecting Summer Flu Symptoms
By Tiffany Aller, Contributor
The influenza virus, typically diagnosed as either strain A or strain B, can range from bothersome to life-threatening for patients who are exposed. Although the summer flu is rare, since flu season in the northern hemisphere and United States typically doesn't begin until October, according to the CDC, it's still possible to contract the virus during warmer months.
Summer flu symptoms are largely the same as those experienced during other parts of the year. Nurses need to be alert for those symptoms, even during the off-season for influenza, so they can make timely referrals for treatment and differentiate from other illnesses with similar symptoms.
Seasonal Flu Predominance
Influenza A and B are predominantly diagnosed between October and March, with cases peaking in February. The Centers for Disease Control has tracked flu diagnoses for many decades, and its data shows that the flu is present mostly during colder months, although it isn’t the cold itself that causes the flu. Rather, the cold enables the flu virus to remain stable and thus highly contagious.
The CDC uses FluView, a weekly surveillance system, to track how many patients are diagnosed throughout the country. During the peak of flu season, more than 20,000 cases may be diagnoses in a single week. Typically, the number of cases are reduced in the summer, but when patients or nurses do contract the flu, they can be miserable.
Understanding summer flu
Explaining why some patients still contract the flu during the summer, well outside of the normal flu season, can be tricky. In some areas, the virus may persist beyond flu season — the CDC says some areas are susceptible through May and beyond.
Additionally, Amesh A. Adalja, MD, FIDSA, FACP, FACEP, explains that “It is important to remember that though influenza is uncommon in the summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it is winter in Southern Hemisphere. Travelers returning from the Southern Hemisphere could have contracted influenza there and it is important to always ask about travel history for anyone with symptoms of an infectious disease.”
Detecting summer flu symptoms
Although so many fewer patients are susceptible to the flu during the summer than the winter, nurses should remember to screen carefully by remaining alert for flu symptoms. Some of those symptoms include:
- Having a high temperature or feeling chilled
- Sore throat or cough with mucus
- Aches and pains throughout the body
- Head pain, tiredness and dizziness
Remember that not every patient will have every symptom. In particular, many summer flu patients will not have a fever. Also remember that these same symptoms can be indicative of the common cold, other viruses, Lyme disease, bronchitis or even pneumonia. Evaluate each patient individually and always administer a flu test if you suspect that may be a possible diagnosis.
The summer flu may not be common, but some patients still battle it each off-season. Through careful analysis and detection, you can help ferret out cases and ensure all patients receive proper care.
Subscribe to our travel nursing newsletter to stay updated on the flu and other nursing news. Scroll up to the form!