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Do antibiotics help cure 'flu?
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No. 'Flu, or influenza, is caused by a virus and antibiotics do not treat viral infections. Some antiviral treatments for 'flu have and are being developed although their effectiveness is limited as they only seem to shorten the length of the illness by one day. (See the Cochrane Review 'Amantadine and rimantadine for preventing and treating Influenza A in adults' for more details). There are three types of 'flu (See the netdoctor website):
- Type A which is the most serious and most common type. It breaks out every 2-3 years.
- Type B which is less serious but only breaks out every 4-5 years
- Type C which is mild, similar symptoms to a cold.
There are however, many strains of these types of 'flu which is why we can get 'flu more than once (see the immune system section of this site for more details). Usually the best treatment is rest and drinking lots of fluids. But for those at risk - according to the NHS that is the following groups - yearly 'flu vaccinations from your doctor are recommended:
- chronic respiratory disease, e.g. asthma
- chronic heart disease
- chronic renal (kidney) disease
- diabetes
- people with damaged immune systems due to disease or treatment
- those over 65 years old
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Related Resources
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Date of Posting: 14/01/2003
Date of next Review: 13/01/2005
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Related Questions:
How do flu vaccines work?
Will antibiotics get rid of my cold?
What remedies will help?
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MeSH keywords:
Antiviral Agents; Influenza; Amantadine; Rimantadine; Influenza Vaccine
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