| Haemophilus influenza b vaccine | <virology> A vaccination that is given to infants to protect against infection with haemophilus influenza b, an important cause of neonatal sepsis. Typically administered at 2, 4, 6 and 15 months. Children who are aged 15 months to 5 years, who have not received the vaccine, should be given a single injection of haemophilus b conjugate vaccine. Acronym: HIB (26 Mar 1998) |
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| Haemophilus influenza meningitis | <disease> A form of meningitis caused by the bacterium haemophilus influenza. Inflammation of the membranes (meninges) covering the brain and spinal cord can result after infection with this organism. Influenza meningitis occurs most frequently in children under 5 years old. Onset may be sudden or occur more slowly after an upper respiratory infection. Symptoms and features include fever, headache, stiff neck, photophobia and mental status changes. Infants may be irritable and exhibit poor feeding associated with fever. Severe cases may progress to seizures, coma and death. Treatment always includes high-dose systemic antibiotics and corticosteroids may also be used in some select cases. (27 Sep 1997) |
| Hong Kong influenza | Influenza caused by a serotype of influenza virus type A and first identified in Hong Kong. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Spanish influenza | Influenza that caused several waves of pandemic in 1918-1919, resulting in more than 20 million deaths worldwide; it was particularly severe in Spain (hence the name), but now is thought to have originated in the U.S. As a form of swine influenza. (05 Mar 2000) |
| swine influenza | An acute respiratory disease of swine caused by strains of influenza virus type A; it is believed to have become adapted to swine in the United States during the great human pandemic in 1918; fatal cases, as in such cases of pandemic influenza in man, are commonly associated with secondary bacterial pneumonia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| swine influenza viruses | Strains of influenza virus type A which cause influenza of swine and can infect humans. (05 Mar 2000) |
| immunization, influenza | See Immunization, flu. (12 Dec 1998) |
| influenza | An acute viral infection involving the respiratory tract, occurring in isolated cases, in epidemics or in pandemics striking many continents simultaneously or in sequence. It is marked by inflammation of the nasal mucosa, the pharynx and conjunctiva and by headache and severe, often generalised myalgia. Fever, chills and prostration are common. Involvement of the myocardium and of the central nervous system occur infrequently. A necrotising bronchitis and interstitial pneumonia are prominent features of severe influenza and account for the susceptibility of patients to secondary bacterial pneumonia due to Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Staphylococcus aureus. The incubation period is one to three days and the disease ordinarily lasts for three to ten days. Influenza is caused by a number of serologically distinct strains of virus, designated A (with many subgroups), B and C. Synonym: flu, grippe. (18 Nov 1997) |
| influenza a | A particular genus of influenza virus. Prone to genetic variability, the influenza vaccine must be updated annually. Symptoms of influenza include fever, muscle aches, headache, malaise, chills, cough and sore throat. (27 Sep 1997) |
| influenza B | Influenza caused by strains of influenza virus type B; outbreaks are usually more limited than those due to influenza virus type A, although infections by the two types are clinically indistinguishable; occasionally associated with Reye's syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| influenza bacillus | <bacteria> Bacterium sometimes associated with influenza virus infections, causes pneumonia and meningitis. (18 Nov 1997) |
| influenza C | Influenza caused by strains of type C influenza virus; the disease is milder than that caused by types A and B and has become uncommon in recent years. (05 Mar 2000) |
| influenza meningitis | <pathology> A form of meningitis caused by the bacterium haemophilus influenza. Inflammation of the membranes (meninges) covering the brain and spinal cord can result after infection with this organism. Influenza meningitis occurs most frequently in children under 5 years old. Onset may be sudden or occur more slowly after an upper respiratory infection. Symptoms and features include fever, headache, stiff neck, photophobia and mental status changes. Infants may be irritable and exhibit poor feeding associated with fever. Severe cases may progress to seizures, coma and death. Treatment always includes high-dose systemic antibiotics and corticosteroids may also be used in some select cases. (27 Sep 1997) |
| influenza nostras | Influenza, usually of a less severe type, occurring with some degree of regularity during the winter season, especially in the larger cities of the world. Synonym: influenza nostras. (05 Mar 2000) |
| influenza type a | A common acute viral infection of the nasopharynx and respiratory tract which occurs in epidemic forms. A common cause is the Influenza a virus. Annual vaccination is recommended for those in high risk groups (health care workers, elderly and immunocompromised) for influenza infection. Common symptoms include runny nose, fever, weakness, headache, body aches, muscle aches, nausea and back pain. Treatment of symptoms has been successful with amantadine or rimantadine. (27 Sep 1997) |