Originating in Veracuz, Mexico, the April 2009 outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus, also known as the swine flu, has grown into a global pandemic. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of December 5, 2009,...
Influenza, often referred to as the flu, is a type of viral infection that attacks the respiratory system including the nose, lungs and throat. If left untreated, the flu could lead to severe, life-threatening conditions. Most doctors suggest...
Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by a number of different flu viruses. Originally referred to as swine flu, the H1N1 is a new Type A viral strain that first appeared in April 2009. The virus quickly spread worldwide,...
"Flu" is a generic term for a respiratory infection produced by several distinct influenza viruses, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). More than 200,000 people are hospitalized and about 36,000 people die from the flu in the...
Swine flu is the common name for the novel strain of influenza now known as H1N1/09. Although the name suggests otherwise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), swine flu does not affect animals. Symptoms of swine flu...
The Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1919 has been dubbed "the mother of all pandemics" by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention because it remains one of the most lethal outbreaks of infectious disease in human history,...
If your toddler comes down with the flu, you'll know it because of sudden fever, head or muscle aches, chills and fatigue, with a runny nose or cough coming later. Sometimes there is also diarrhea, vomiting or a sore throat. The American Academy...
According to a 2008 article in the journal "Vaccine", influenza strains are constantly evolving and mutating through two processes known as "antigentic shift" and "antigenic drift" genes. Therefore, laboratories around the world routinely collect...
The CDC classifies FluMist as a "live attenuated influenza vaccine," which means that it is a weakened form of the actual influenza virus. An aerosolized suspension of the weakened virus is inhaled, and infection results when the virus crosses the...
Grapefruit seed extract is derived from the seeds, white membrane and pulp of the grapefruit. It is sold as a food supplement due to its high antimicrobial, antifungal and antibacterial properties, also making it a popular tool for fighting...
Swine flu is the common name for the H1N1 influenza strain first identified in March 2009. According to the World Health Organization, swine flu is a pandemic with cases identified in more than 200 countries and linked to more than 12,000 deaths....
The first step in making a vaccine is identifying the virus it is intended to target. In the case of influenza, there are several strains, each of which mutates frequently. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), laboratories around the...
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 5 to 20 percent of the U.S. population is infected with influenza each year. The spectrum of disease associated with influenza ranges from mild, self-limited respiratory infection to fatal...
The influenza virus, or the flu virus, is easily spread from person to person. The flu is highly contagious and passes from one person to the other through direct contact. One way it can spread is by inhalation. When an infected person coughs or...
Influenza, or the flu, is a viral infection that affects your lungs, throat and nose. The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, or NFID, states that over 60 million people in the United States experience this infection each year, usually in...
The H1N1 virus is often called the "swine flu" because some of the genes are similar to the strain that occurs in U.S. pigs. In truth, the H1N1 virus is very different from the virus that normally circulates in U.S. pigs because the virus also has...
Getting the seasonal flu shot is the single best way to avoid getting the flu each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2009, an additional vaccine was approved for the pandemic H1N1 or swine flu strain. In...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccination is the best way to protect yourself from influenza. Influenza vaccines are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. In addition to the influenza virus, influenza...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), influenza causes more than 200,000 hospitalizations and 35,000 deaths each year, especially in elderly people. In many cases, influenza can be avoided through seasonal immunization.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the seasonal flu vaccine is the number one way to protect yourself from flu. Flu Mist is a live attenuated seasonal flu vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)...
The swine flu, also known as H1N1, first showed up in the United States in April 2009. On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization, or WHO, declared a pandemic of H1N1 flu as the virus began spreading quickly around the world. Swine flu's...
Swine flu is the common name for the novel strain of influenza virus now known as H1N1. According to the World Health Organization, swine flu is a pandemic with laboratory-confirmed cases in more than 200 countries and linked to more than 12,000...
Influenza, commonly called the flu, can leave you dehydrated and with a loss of appetite. Vomiting and diarrhea deplete your body of electrolytes, minerals essential to optimum metabolic functioning. It is imperative to maintain proper nutrient...
"Flu" is a generic term for a syndrome of respiratory infection produced by several distinct influenza viruses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 200,000 people are hospitalized and about 36,000 people...
Swine flu is a type of influenza referred to as H1N1. It can occur throughout the year but is most common during the seasonal flu months in late fall through early spring. The swine flu has been known to cause some of the similar symptoms of...
It takes approximately six months to make an effective flu vaccine. In every case, the first step is to identify the virus or viruses the vaccine is intended to target. This is a complicated process. According to the World Health Organization,...
The avian flu, or "bird flu," is the H5N1 virus found commonly in wild birds and domesticated fowl. The disease is highly contagious among birds but, according to the CDC, relatively rare in humans. Most cases of infection in humans have resulted...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the term "flu" is used to describe infection from a number of different viruses, including influenza A, influenza B and H1N1. Pneumonia, by contrast, refers to a lung infection and...
Tamiflu is an antiviral drug that is used to relieve the symptoms of influenza and reduce the risk of serious complications. The use of drugs such as Tamiflu is increasing, partly due to increasing resistance to older drugs and partly because of...
Influenza, more commonly referred to as the flu, is a viral infection that attacks the respiratory system, including your nose, throat, bronchial tubes and lungs. The flu should not be taken lightly. Thousands of people die of complications due to...
Bird flu has led to the deaths of hundreds of millions of wild and domestic birds and to a small number of human deaths. Bird flu remains difficult for humans to contract. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments of bird flu in...
