Widespread use of medication that brings down a fever could actually increase the number of influenza cases by tens of thousands, according to a new study from McMaster University in Ontario. Flu season in Canada lasts from November to April affecting millions of people each year. It causes illness, sometimes death, and absences from work and school. So governments are keen to find ways to limit its spread through research.
Fever can reduce amount of virus
Fever can help lower the amount of virus in a person suffering from the flu and that may make them less contagious. It follows that supressing that effect could make it easier to spread the disease.
Taking a mathematical look at other studies, researchers concluded that if there is widespread use of drugs like ibuprofen, acetaminophen and acetylsalicylic acid it could increase cases of flu by five per cent and deaths by more than a thousand.
“Stay home”
“We conclude that it’s probably a good idea for people to be more careful about what over-the-counter drugs they take,” said Benjamin Bolker, researcher and professor of math, statistics and biology at McMaster University. “If you decide to take those drugs…you should make sure to take extra steps to restrict your contact. You should stay home from work. If you’re going to give your kids these drugs you should keep them home from school and play dates.”
“Feeling better? Stay home”
Flu can spread faster if people take fever-reducing meds, feel better and go to work or elsewhere putting them in contact with other people sooner. This is something the researchers plan to look at in a follow-up study using interviews with students on campus.
Bolker hope the results will help health officials designing yearly influenza plans.
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