Influenza is a respiratory illness that is caused by viruses. It is a contagious infection most commonly transmitted by breathing in droplets expelled by an infected person through sneezing or coughing.
Other Transmission Mode
Influenza can also be transmitted by touching a surface with the virus on it and then touching the mouth, eyes or nose.
Symptoms
Symptoms typically appear within two to three days after the initial infection. Symptoms include fever, body aches and pains, headaches, chills, dizziness and a lack of energy.
Deaths
According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, more than 36,000 people are killed annually in the United States by seasonal influenza.
Prevention
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the best way to prevent influenza is to get an annual flu vaccination.
Complications
Complications from influenza include pneumonia, bronchitis, ear and sinus infections and encephalitis, which is an infection of the brain.
Higher Risk
The people most at risk for complications from influenza include children between the ages of six months and two years, people with certain health conditions, people over the age of 50, women who have been pregnant three months and people living in a long-term care facility.
