Fighting a fever when you have the flu is good for the body, not for its neighbors. A study shows that antipyretics increase the number of infections.
“When they have the flu, people often take medicine to fight the fever. Nobody likes to feel bad, but it turns out that this comfort comes at a price, the infection of others, ”explains Dr. David Earn, lead author of a study published on January 22 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Fighting fever accentuates influenza epidemics. This is the result of a model from McMaster University (Canada).
Epidemics amplified by 5%
Aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen are targeted in this study. They are generally prescribed to patients with the flu, in order to fight against fever. But that doesn’t mean they’re no longer contagious, as Dr Earn explains: “People think the risk of infection is reduced because the fever is lower. In fact, it is the opposite: it is possible that the sick release more virus because their fever has been lowered. “
To reach these conclusions, the McMaster University team gathered the results of studies in humans and the ferret, the closest animal model for human influenza. Some had shown that the ferret expels more virus particles when given antipyretics. The researchers used a mathematical model to assess how applicable this data is to humans. Treatment to lower fever in a patient with the flu would increase the number of cases of seasonal flu by 5%. According to data from the Sentinels network, 2.4 million French people are affected by the virus each year. At least 120,000 flu patients could be spared according to the McMaster University model, which does not include the length of contagiousness duration or the propensity of patients to leave their homes.
A beneficial fever
Is fighting fever beneficial in the event of the flu? This reaction can stimulate the immune response and fight the virus. Researchers do not yet understand how it works, but do know that it is a symptom of illness. “Because fever can actually help decrease the amount of virus in a sick person’s body, and reduce the chances of passing them on to others, taking drugs that lower it can increase transmission,” says Dr. Earn.
This study could therefore add water to the mill of detractors of antipyretics. “As always, Mother Nature knows better than we do. Fever is a defense mechanism to protect us and others, ”insists Dr. Paul Andrews. “People are often advised to take antipyretics, and medical texts assume it’s safe. This opinion must change. The movement has already been initiated at the level of pediatricians. Ibuprofen and aspirin, potentially harmful to children, are no longer prescribed for them. Paracetamol is prescribed less and less for moderate fevers.
To protect yourself from the flu, a few simple precautions can be applied: wash your hands regularly, avoid public transport during an epidemic peak, get vaccinated. Patients with the flu should confine themselves as much as possible. To avoid infecting their loved ones, it is recommended that they cover their respiratory tract with a mask, wash their hands more often.
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