You probably think of an infectious disease like a cold, flu, or COVID-19 as an acute problem. They make you sick for a while, and then—with the right antiviral medicine or antibiotic, along with supportive care—you feel better. But there are long-term consequences of infectious diseases that you probably don’t think about, but that can damage your health—or even kill you. Here’s what you need to know to stay healthy after the infection.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the 2022-23 influenza season infected 31 million people with the flu, hospitalizing 360,000 and killing 21,000. One little-
known way the flu can harm you: The inflammation accompanying the illness increases the risk of post-flu heart attacks and stroke. One out of eight adults hospitalized with the flu develops serious heart complications—and 7 percent die from them.
There are several steps you can take to reduce the risk:
Get vaccinated. The flu vaccine can prevent the disease or prevent a severe version of the disease that causes hospitalization and death.
See your doctor as soon as you get sick. Most mothers bring a sick child to the pediatrician immediately. But adults tend to put off medical care, thinking they’ll be better soon, or not wanting to “bother” the doctor.
That’s a big mistake—because if you have the flu (or COVID-19) the time to start treatment with antiviral medications is right away, as soon after the onset of symptoms as possible. Prompt antiviral treatment can reduce the risk of the infection becoming more serious.
Stay active, even during the acute phase. Many people go to bed and stay in bed until they feel better, but if you’re a senior (particularly if you’re already frail), staying in bed might mean you stay sick, never recovering completely—or even dying. That’s because the longer you’re horizontal, the more you lose muscle mass, and the weaker you become—possibly leading to long-term sickness and death.
The smarter strategy: Even during the acute phase of the flu, stay somewhat active. Sit up in bed. Or sit on the side of the bed with your feet on the floor. Or get out of bed and into a chair. Or, with a caregiver supporting you, walk around the room.
Practice social distancing. During the influenza season, avoid close, sustained contact with a lot of other people. Stream a movie rather than going to the movies. Keep family gatherings to a minimum. And if you do attend a social event with a lot of people, wear a mask.
Long COVID refers to the persistence of symptoms caused by the acute illness for three months or longer. Some people have mental confusion, aches and pains, or reduced lung capacity. Sustained fatigue is common—you’re not as vigorous or strong, your energy doesn’t last as long, and you may go to bed earlier and sleep more.
Although scientists are still figuring out the cause of long COVID, a strong possibility is that the acute illness triggers an inflammatory response that doesn’t turn off. To avoid or recover from long COVID:
Get vaccinated and use antivirals early in the disease. These two steps can cut the risk of severe disease, and severe disease is more likely to produce long COVID.
Go to a long COVID clinic. Your disease is real, not “all in your head”—a fact respectfully acknowledged and carefully treated at the long COVID clinics you can now find throughout the United States. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has established 53 RECOVER (Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery) clinics. For more information, see www.recovercovid.org.
Use memory exercises. Research shows that memory exercises—like crosswords puzzles and Sudoku—can help a person with long COVID cope with brain fog and confusion.
See a physical therapist. Regular physical therapy, usually assisted with a pain-relieving non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug like ibuprofen, can help you regain strength and mobility.
For organ damage, see an appropriate specialist. If you have scarring in your lungs or decreased kidney or liver function (two other possible symptoms of long COVID) see an appropriate specialist for help.
An estimated 50 to 80 percent of American adults have oral herpes (HSV-1), a virus that causes cold sores or fever blisters in or around the mouth. The same virus can cause encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord that can cause long-term disability—even Alzheimer’s disease. If you suspect a herpes infection, see your doctor immediately for diagnosis and treatment because the quicker the problem is resolved with antiviral medication, the less risk it poses for long-term damage.
This acute viral infection of the liver can increase the risk of liver cancer.
Symptoms of hepatitis B include abdominal pain, fever, joint pain, loss of appetite, dark urine, nausea and vomiting, weakness and fatigue, and yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice). Hepatitis B vaccination is now recommended for everyone up to the age of 60. If you’re 60 and under and haven’t been vaccinated yet—now is the time.
To reduce the risk of long-term problems, if you suspect you have hepatitis, see a doctor for diagnosis. And if you have hepatitis B, follow the doctor’s recommendation. That should include regular checkups to monitor the amount of virus in your body and the condition of your liver. There are also daily medications to reduce viral load, like entecavir (Baraclude) and tenofovir (Vemlidy, Viread).
