What Is Flu B?
8. Are There Complications of Flu B?
Although most cases of flu B clear up on their own, there are complications associated with it, especially in high-risk groups. Pneumonia is a common complication for the elderly and individuals with chronic illnesses. Because the flu virus targets the lungs, bacteria can increase quickly in the airways, and this leads to bacterial pneumonia. Other complications related to respiratory symptoms include sinus infections, bronchitis and ear infections.
Myositis, which is muscle inflammation, is a complication that occurs mostly in children. Reye’s syndrome, which is a neurological disease that causes confusion, delirium and vomiting, also occurs in children and adolescents. This is often caused when aspirin is used to alleviate flu symptoms. A rarer complication is encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain that causes headaches, seizures, drowsiness or coma.
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