Definition
Summer flu is a form of influenza caused by viruses that occurs mainly in summer and shows general symptoms of a flu-like infection, including fever, headache and aching limbs. The course of summer flu is generally milder than that of the “real” flu, which tends to occur in the winter months – influenza. The pathogen, usually the Coxsackie virus, is also different from the influenza virus, the trigger of the classic flu.
The transmission of the viruses is largely comparable to that of a “normal” flu – they are mainly spread via a so-called droplet infection. In this case, coughing or sneezing causes a catapult-like distribution of the viruses into the ambient air. Surfaces afflicted with viruses can also be passed on to the mucous membranes through contact via the hands and thus penetrate the human body and cause summer flu.
Causes
The causes of summer flu are, on the one hand, contact between the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose or mouth and the viruses that cause it. On the other hand, a previously weakened immune system promotes the outbreak. The viruses penetrate into the body cells, multiply there and thus trigger the familiar flu symptoms such as fever, rhinitis, headache and aching limbs.
The weakening of the immune system can be triggered by hypothermia on the one hand. Staying in air-conditioned or draughty rooms often leads to dry mucous membranes, as well as to subsequent stress with strong temperature differences when leaving. Combined with a too low fluid intake or even wrong clothing, this can lead to a weakened immune system. On the other hand, immunodeficient, already existing illnesses can also be the cause. Children and elderly people are particularly at risk, as their immune system is more vulnerable.
Diagnosis
Non-specific symptoms of mild severity, such as headache and aching limbs, fever and possibly a mild cold, may indicate a flu-like infection. If this occurs in the summer months, the diagnosis of summer flu is obvious. Diagnostic means, such as the detection of the virus in a laboratory, are very costly and usually do not correspond to the standard of medical procedure, as the considerable costs often do not match the severity of the disease. The duration and burden of the infection are usually not very great.
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