After the seasonal 'winter' flu, mainly due to the type A influenza virus, cases of influenza due to another type of virus, the B virus, have been increasing in recent weeks: "This influenza syndrome mainly affects children and the peak is expected between March and April", the president of the Italian Society of Paediatrics (SIP) Anannamaria Staiano told ANSA, inviting us to avoid "alarmism" by reassuring families.
"After influenza A, we now expect a new peak in cases over the next two months due to the type B influenza virus. It is - explains the president of paediatricians - an influenza virus very similar to the type A virus that we know, therefore there is no alarm."
Furthermore, he clarifies, "the contagiousness of this virus is less than type A, therefore we do not expect the millions of cases already recorded with virus A which peaked between December and January.
Currently, however, cases of influenza are mainly due to type B virus".
As for the symptoms, "they overlap with those known for the flu: fever, respiratory symptoms, muscle pain but the complications - adds Staiano - are very rare and the duration of the symptoms is about a week".
Staiano also recalls that the influenza B virus is covered by the quadrivalent influenza vaccination, administered with the vaccination campaign since last October: "This vaccination in fact covers two strains of the influenza virus type A and two strains of type B".
Therefore, those who are vaccinated also have coverage for influenza B, renamed as the 'spring' flu.
With respect to the behaviors to be adopted, the pediatrician recommends the use of antipyretics and anti-inflammatory drugs and a period of rest.
Instead, she concludes, "antibiotics should absolutely not be used, as they are effective against bacterial infections but not against those caused by viruses".
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