Influenza B, new wave arriving in Italy with warning for children

A new wave of flu is about to arrive in Italy.
The alert for type B influenza comes above all for the youngest, most fragile subjects who are easily affected by the virus.
Giovanni di Perri, head of the Infectious Diseases Department at the Amedeo di Savoia in Turin, explained that the new wave of type B influenza is nothing other than the pathology we have learned to know.
These include high fever, cough and cold, "but there is always the risk of serious complications, particularly for the little ones", he warned.
Therefore, pay particular attention to newborns and children up to 5 years of age, who are at risk – even if at a low percentage – of meningitis.
If the circulation of the enterovirus is added to type B influenza, the result is a long management of disparate symptoms, which in addition to fever and the respiratory system, also affects the gastrointestinal system.
read also Influenza arrived early for children, symptoms and how the vaccine works What is type B influenza? Respiratory flu is caused by a virus that affects the airways (nose, throat and lungs).
It is an endemic virus that appears in the cold season (between autumn and winter) but which now stretches its fingers towards spring.
In Italy the peak has always occurred between December and the end of February, but this year the higher temperatures have slowed down the appearance of the flu and its peak.
Influenza is therefore a viral infection of the airways, caused by different viruses with great ability to mutate, which is why they present slightly different characteristics every year.
The viruses responsible belong to the Ortomyxoviridiae family and cause respectively type A influenza (most common), type B and the less widespread type C.
It will be type B influenza that will give pediatricians a hard time.
What are the symptoms of influenza B? The flu almost always presents with mild symptoms, but there are cases in which the symptoms become more serious.
It depends a lot on the category affected and in the case of the type B flu arriving, it is precisely the fragile group affected that is frightening: children between 0 and 5 years old.
Among the most common symptoms of influenza (type B and not only) we find: cough sneezing sore throat watery eyes chills fever headache muscle pain tiredness * general malaise Every year, as we have already told in other in-depth articles, the flu occurs with some changes in the symptoms, due precisely to the high ability of the viruses that cause the respiratory disease to mutate.
Type B influenza changes more slowly, it is true, but this should not be underestimated.
The combination of symptoms, in the most severe symptomatic forms, can lead to complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, inflammation of the muscle tissue (myositis), myocarditis (inflammation of the heart) and sepsis.
In some cases, the effects of the symptoms can lead, as explained by the head of the Infectious Diseases Department of the Amedeo di Savoia in Turin, Giovanni di Perri, to complications such as meningitis, albeit in a low percentage.
read also What test to do to find out if it is flu, Covid or another virus How long does influenza B last and how is it treated? The symptoms have a variable persistence, between 3-4 days to a week or little more (within 2 weeks).
Even after the acute phase of the disease is over, some symptoms may persist, such as weakness or a cold.
In more serious cases, however, the progression of the disease is slower and much depends on the level of criticality reached.
The cure for type B influenza exists and is a series of over-the-counter medicines.
Generally the symptoms disappear easily, but in cases of children or persistent high fever it is best to contact your doctor for suitable therapy.
Vaccination is fundamental, as it prevents the (often underestimated) complications of the virus.
The vaccine is recommended for all people from 6 months of age.