The flu is an unpredictable virus. Severity of outbreak depends on many factors, including which of the three types are spreading to how many people are vaccinated. Flu can also come in disguise because it can be spread by unsuspecting hosts who do not immediately know they are infected. Flu also has its complications. A bout of flu can lead to the onset of other, sometimes more serious diseases. Prevention is usually the best defense.
Types
Although various upper respiratory ailments are attributed to the flu virus, only three types of flu virus exist, type A, type B and type C. Type A influenza lives in animal hosts such as pigs and some birds, as well as humans. It is best known as the cause of the avian flu outbreak and the H1N1 epidemic. Type B virus is spread through humans and needs no host animal. It has been the cause of serious epidemics. Type C is not as bothersome as the former two. It is rarely, if ever, the cause of major outbreaks, and its symptoms are usually milder.
Symptoms
MayoClinic.com says that flu is a viral infection affecting the upper respiratory system. That includes the lungs, throat and nose but not the gastrointestinal system, stomach and intestines. Unlike a cold, which appears slowly, the flu hits hard and fast and makes you feel much worse. You are likely to experience headache, cough, sore throat, achy muscles and a fever.
Vaccinations
Each year, flu data is gathered from 130 influenza centers worldwide to determine what is spreading and what trends are showing in the disease. Data is further analyzed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, the National Institute for Medical Research in the United Kingdom, the Victoria Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory in Australia and the National Institute for Infectious Diseases in Japan. Their combined findings dictate which flu vaccines are most needed for the flu season. The CDC highly recommends that everyone receive a flu shot early in the season, especially those at high risk.
Epidemics
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that influenza epidemics occur when mutations within the virus happen at a rate faster than the medical and pharmacological community can produce antibiotics effective against the new viral changes. As new strains appear within the same flu season, the body's antibodies produced from an original bout of flu do not recognize the new invader. Type A and type B are responsible for major outbreaks of flu.
Complications
Most healthy individuals have little to worry about if they catch the flu. After a few days of down time, they are back to normal. But for those in high-risk categories such as children under 5, adults over 65 and those who have underlying medical conditions such as asthma, stroke, heart disease and other chronic illnesses, other serious complications could arise. Pneumonia is the most likely and potentially the most deadly influenza-related disease, followed by ear and sinus infections and bronchitis.
Prevention/Solution
The easiest way to prevent flu is through a vaccine. But other habits can prevent it from spreading and you from catching it. Stay home when you're sick, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, your arm or your elbow, instead of your hand, when you sneeze or cough, keep clear of people who appear ill, and keep your hands clean.
