Recommended
The so-called "super flu" caused by influenza A H3N2 will have high circulation in Mexico during this winter season, warned Dr. Francisco Moreno, an infectious disease specialist and head of Internal Medicine at the ABC Medical Center, during a radio interview with Azucena Uresti.
According to the specialist, this is not a new pandemic, but it is a virus with a higher capacity for transmission, which could translate into an increase in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, not due to greater lethality, but due to the volume of infected individuals.
¿Qué es la influenza A H3N2 y por qué le llaman “supergripa”?
Dr. Moreno explained that the H3N2 virus is not new. It was first identified in 1968 and was responsible for the so-called Hong Kong flu, the third influenza pandemic recorded in the world.
Currently, this subtype is once again predominant because it has the ability to "trick" the immune system, even in people who have had previous infections, which facilitates its spread.
"They call it a super flu because there are a higher number of infected people, not because it is more lethal," the specialist clarified.
In European countries like the United Kingdom, up to 80% of influenza cases correspond to H3N2, a pattern that, according to Dr. Moreno, could be repeated in Mexico.
¿ H3N2 es más peligrosa que la influenza común?
No. The infectious disease specialist highlighted three key points:
- No es más letal que otras variantes de influenza.
- La vacuna contra la influenza sí protege contra enfermedad grave y muerte.
- Responde al oseltamivir, el antiviral disponible actualmente.
Therefore, he insisted that there is no need to be alarmed, but there is a need to prevent infections through vaccination, hygiene, and measures learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Síntomas de la supergripa H3N2
The symptoms are not different from those of traditional influenza, but they can present intensely:
- Fiebre
- Dolor de cabeza intenso
- Dolor muscular y corporal
- Malestar general
- Tos
- Congestión nasal
- Dolor de garganta
¿Cuándo acudir al hospital por influenza A H3N2?
Dr. Francisco Moreno was emphatic in pointing out the warning signs that do require immediate medical attention:
- Falta de aire
- Dificultad para respirar
- Oxigenación menor a 90%, medida con oxímetro
- Sensación de que la infección “bajó al pecho”
"When the infection affects oxygenation, it is no longer in the upper respiratory tract, but in the bronchi and lungs," he explained.
In these cases, you should NOT wait, and you should go to the hospital or contact a doctor.
Grupos más vulnerables
The risk of complications is higher in:
- Adultos mayores
- Personas con enfermedades respiratorias
- Pacientes con enfermedades crónico-degenerativas
- Personas no vacunadas
For this reason, the specialist recommended resuming the use of oximeters, face masks, and thermometers, especially during gatherings and holiday seasons.
¿Sirven las vacunas de influenza?
Yes. Dr. Moreno confirmed that the tetravalent influenza vaccine, administered in public and private institutions, decreases the risk of severe disease, as do vaccines against pneumococcus and COVID-19.
"If you haven't been vaccinated, it's worth getting vaccinated," he concluded.
[Publicidad]