MEKT

I rapidly became sick, massive drainage via nose and eyes. high fever (103), chills, sweats, shaking, vision became blurry and violent coughing.

Went to the hospital last night because I started to hallucinate because of my fever. The pressure started to build up all over my body causing very bad cramping and pain.

The nurse swabbed my throat and nose. I got a chest x-ray also to make sure it was not pneumonia. The x-ray was clean but the swab came back with a diagnosis of influenza type A.

A little info on Influenza type A.
nfluenza Type A is the most common and also the scariest of the three influenzas, causing the most serious epidemics in history.

Baigent SJ, McCauley JW.
Division of Molecular Biology, Institute for Animal Health, Newbury, UK. sue.baigent@bbsrc.ac.uk
The virulence of a virus is determined by its ability to adversely affect the host cell, host organism or population of host organisms. Influenza A viruses have been responsible for four pandemics of severe human respiratory disease this century. Avian species harbour a large reservoir of influenza virus strains, which can contribute genes to potential new pandemic human strains. The fundamental importance of understanding the role of each of these genes in determining virulence in birds and humans was dramatically emphasised by the recent direct transmission of avian influenza A viruses to humans, causing fatal infection but not community spread. An understanding of the factors involved in transmission between avian and mammalian species should assist in the development of better surveillance strategies for early recognition of influenza A virus strains having human pandemic potential, and possibly in the design of anti-viral strategies. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

influenza type a medical dictionary
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.