Cover of Show 1492: What Really Works Against Winter Infections

Show 1492: What Really Works Against Winter Infections

Show 1492: What Really Works Against Winter Infections

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We are only about a month into fall, but flu season is already underway. Today we are considering the best actions to take against winter infections. First, however, we asked our guest expert about measles. There have been large outbreaks in so many places this year. Why is measles such a big deal? One reason is that measles induces “immune amnesia,” so that our bodies forget how to fight off infections they have previously overcome. The MMR vaccine for measles, which prevents infection extremely well, does not have the same deleterious effect on the immune system. Consequently, vaccinated people maintain their protection not only against measles but also against polio or diphtheria if they have gotten those immunizations. At The People’s Pharmacy, we strive to bring you up‑to‑date, rigorously researched insights and conversations about health, medicine, wellness and health policies and health systems. While these conversations intend to offer insight and perspective, the content is provided solely for informational and educational purposes. Please consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to your medical care or treatment. How You Can Listen You could listen through your local public radio station or get the live stream at 7 am EST on Saturday, October 24, 2026, through your computer or smart phone (wunc.org). Here is a link so you can find which stations carry our broadcast. If you can’t listen to the broadcast, you may wish to hear the podcast later. You can subscribe through your favorite podcast provider, download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of the page, or listen to the stream on this post starting on Oct. 26, 2026. What Really Works Against Winter Infections? Our guest, Dr. Roger Seheult, is certified in pulmonary and critical care medicine, as well as internal medicine and sleep medicine. So he is eminently qualified to tell us how to prevent and treat respiratory infections that are so common in the wintertime. We asked him why these problems are so prevalent in winter. He suggested that lower levels of humidity, temperature and sunlight might all play a role. When we asked whether the phenomenon of people gathering from across the country for Thanksgiving and Christmas might be important, he pointed out that Australians also gather for Christmas and New Year’s. Yet their flu season does not coincide with those holidays, but rather with their wintertime in June and July. Limited sunlight might be far more relevant than most of us imagine. The immune system is more active when exposed to sunlight. As with measles, where the immune amnesia is a serious lingering problem, the consequences of many winter infections can go far beyond coughing and sneezing. More people die from heart attacks during flu season than at other times of the year. In fact, there are more cardiac deaths than deaths from influenza. Other infections also have deleterious impacts on the rest of the body systems. As we learned during the pandemic, COVID-19 can trigger diabetes. Consequently, we ought not dismiss these infections lightly. Testing for Winter Infections In the hospital, when Dr. Seheult and his colleagues admit a patient, they test to see what type of infection has made the person so sick. Most of the usual infections produce similar symptoms: cough, congestion, runny nose, fever, wheezing and body aches. Body aches are more common with influenza than with colds, but there is a significant overlap in symptoms that makes it hard or impossible to diagnose based on clinical appearance alone. To treat inpatients, doctors first test them. The test will reveal quickly which of 13 different viruses have made the patient ill. Sometimes, more than infection is contributing to the misery. While we do not have access to such sophisticated tests at home, we can purchase tests that will identify COVID-19, influenza A and influenza B. Knowing what infection is causing trouble can help a doctor prescribe a treatment, if there is one. Treating Respiratory Infections Once the physicians have identified the cause of the infection, they can determine if there is a treatment. There are a few for influenza A. Perhaps the best known is oseltamivir (Tamiflu). However, while Tamiflu have been shown to shorten the duration of the flu, Dr. Seheult cautioned us not to expect too much. Taking Tamiflu can shorten the duration of the flu from about a week to roughly six days, on average. For many other infections, we do not have effective treatments. Influenza B, for example, does not respond well to Tamiflu. There are no treatments for infections like human metapneumovirus either. Tapping the Power of Fever What people often do in such cases may be counterproductive. Very often parents give their children acetaminophen to bring a fever down. Adults may take an NSAID such as ibuprofen or naproxen, or perhaps they too will take acetaminophen. That is a mistake because fever is part of the body’s ...
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