Mix of the virus and bacteria swept across Serbia, mutated flue is threatening us and not even a vaccine helps, and the real epidemics is yet to strike us

The vaccine the citizens of Serbia took against the flue didn't work in many cases, so there is a large number of people were swept away by the virus, despite the fact that they received protection. There are rumors in the medical facilities that this was a wrong vaccine, actually the vaccine which didn't contain the viruses circulating in this season.

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The experts say that this is not a wrong vaccine, but to tell the truth, they mention that it contains the modified flu virus A (H3N2), but they stress it hasn't appeared among our population.

A severe form of influenza-like illness for citizens who have received a vaccine explain that bacterial infections such as pneumococcus occur in many influenza patients, so the clinical picture becomes much more serious.

The flu virus arrived in Serbia on December 14th, 2017. It was first registered in Belgrade and Vojvodina. According to the official data of the Institute for public health of Serbia "Dr. Milan Jovanovic Batut", two types of viruses are present at the moment A (H1N1) and B which is more dominant. 

Foto-ilustracija: FreeDigitalPhotos/David Castillo Dominici, vectorolie

TYPE B IS DOMINANT 

Vaccine "Vaksgrip", the one our country got this year, is a split, of French manufacturer "Sanofi paster", and besides these two types, it has - A (H3N2).

However, it doesn't have the changed, half-mutated type of A virus (H3N2) which is expected to reach our country, because the composition of the vaccine was established much sooner when the new type of virus was not active. 

- So, A (H3N2) is present in the vaccine, but in the previous, nonmutated forme, because the vaccine arrived earlier. It was developed for our northern hemisphere at the end of last and at the beginning of this year. And the vaccination began sooner this year, which is good on one hand, but on the other that half mutated virus can create a problem, and the vaccine can work in just 30% of the cases - explained the epidemiologist, prof. Dr. Branislav Tiodorovic for our portal.

Foto: Pixabay

THE VACCINE DOESN'T CONTAIN THE CHANGED TYPE A (H3N2)

There are citizens who took the vaccination and the flue got them, prof. Tiodorovic said that it wasn't done by the changed type A (H3N2). 

- Only the type B has been confirmed on our territory, which was isolated, and A (H1N1) just a few days before. About the changed virus, it can occur that people get sick from virus although they received a vaccine - the prof. Dr. Tiodorovic said for Telegraf.

He mentions that there are no chances that it is a wrong vaccine, and he explains that the changed A (H3N2) in relations to the ordinary form can cause more distinct clinical image.

- Because it is new, our organism can show high fever, pain in muscles and wrists, they can put a man into a bed, but then I note, there is no such virus. There were announcements that the form of flue can cause the more pronounced clinical signs and maybe even epidemics, but we can't speak about that it wasn't isolated here.

Foto: Milena Đorđević

MIXED DANGEROUS COMBINATION - FLU PLUS BACTERIAL INFECTION 

The problems people are complaining about, although they have been vaccinated, are explained that a bacteria often appear which additionally complicates the health conditions - so-called mixed form. 

- What happens now and what can be quite problematic is so-called mixed form, and those are people who, besides flu, have some bacterial infection. Namely, when a virus chunks our immune system, it creates a room for bacteria which use the situation to create an additional health problem. Pneumoniae infection often goes with the flu. We have experience from pandemics and those who were infected with pneumoniae got over flue easier. That is a reason more to vaccinate older people besides children with pneumoniae, because their immune system is weaker - mentions our interlocutor.

Foto: AP/Tanjug

THE INCREASE OF SICK IN THE OTHER PART OF FEBRUARY

According to him, it's not too late to get vaccinated. It takes 15, or usually 20 to 21 days to get immunity.

Also, prof. Tiodorovic said that people get sick with flu more often in the second part of February.

- Northern parts - Belgrade and the vicinity, and Vojvodina have the increased respiratory infections similar to flu, while there are missing in central part of Serbia. When children go to school we can expect an increase in other parts of the country.

(Telegraf.co.uk / Lj. Racic / lj.racic@telegraf.rs)