MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – This year’s flu epidemic just got a lot more complicated.
“There are a lot of viruses that cause these symptoms,” said Clark.
It’s the season of sickness and though the flu is most common, there’s a possibility your symptoms could be another ‘copy cat’ virus.
“When you go to your doctor and you get checked and you’re flu negative well you know you’re sick from something,” said Navicent Health Pediatrician Dr. Edward Clark.
One of the most common is the adenovirus. It looks and feels like the flu but it’s an entirely different disease.
“It’s like a great mimicker. It can cause ear infections, it can cause laryngitis–a sore throat. It can cause meningitis, it can cause pneumonia, and those cold symptoms as well,” Clark told 41NBC.
He says it’s just as contagious as the flu but not as easy to test.
“We don’t have a quick test to check for those like we do for the flu A and B.”
But it’s even more difficult to get rid of.
“Adenovirus is a hardy virus. It is not easily killed like the alcohol hand wipes, alcohol stuff–it won’t kill adenovirus,” he explained.
Because both the flu and adenovirus can cause pneumonia, they are both life threatening. Testing for the flu is your best bet to find out which one you’re dealing with.
“That’s usually an in-office test. They call it the rapid flu but checking for these other viruses the rhinovirus or the adenovirus, there are some tests. They’re very expensive, they send off ,they’re not going to be rapid.”
Of course also taking the necessary health and safety precautions to make sure you don’t end up with either virus.
Clark says bleach is the best way to get rid of adenovirus and whether you’re at school, at work or at the grocery store making sure to wash your hands constantly will help you avoid getting sick.