Influenza Infection

Side Effects of the Flu

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 After-Effects of the Flu

"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...

Complications From Tamiflu

Tamiflu, the brand name for oseltamivir, is an antiviral medication used in the treatment of uncomplicated illness due to the influenza infection. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tamiflu for use in adults and children 1...

Herbal Remedies for Influenza

Influenza, commonly known as "flu," is caused by a viral infection and is characterized by symptoms including chills and sweats, a dry cough, nausea, fever and vomiting. Influenza is highly contagious, and according to the University of Maryland...

Facts About an Influenza Pandemic

Five to 20 percent of the U.S. population is infected with influenza each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to World Health Organization epidemiological records there has been an average of three flu...

What Systems Are Affected by the Flu?

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 5 to 20 percent of Americans are infected by influenza viruses each year. Influenza produces a spectrum of disease, ranging from mild, self-limited respiratory disease to life-threatening...

Diagnosis of Influenza Virus

Influenza is a viral illness that usually occurs during the late fall, winter and early spring months. There are several types of influenza viruses, with influenza A and B being the most common types that cause illness in humans. Each season, a...

Selenium for the Flu

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...

H1N1 Influenza Symptoms

H1N1 influenza, or the swine flu, is a novel influenza virus. The virus circulates during the year, with increased prevalence during the winter months. It is transmitted from person to person via airborne droplets from coughs or sneezes. But...

Causes of Head & Neck Pain

Pain originating from neck structures can radiate to other parts of the body, including the head. Although a significant amount of head pain comes from the neck, certain conditions or health problems can cause head-only or head and neck pain. Head...

How Does FluMist Work?

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...

Turmeric & the Flu

Influenza is a highly contagious disease caused by different strains of viruses that primarily attack the respiratory system. Influenza infections, also known as the flu or grippe, typically last up to five days and produce more serious symptoms...

How Is the Flu Transmitted to a Human Through a Raccoon?

Raccoons, also known as procyon lotor, are common animals widely distributed throughout the United States and North America. In a 2009 article in the journal "Avian Diseases," the authors describe the role of wild raccoons in spreading the H3N6...

Types of Flu Vaccines

The flu is a common respiratory system illness caused by the influenza virus. The severity of the illness ranges from mild to severe. On average every year, about 36,000 people in the United States die from causes related to influenza infection,...

The Flu's Effects on Hyperactivity & Agitation

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), between five and 20 percent of the U.S. population gets influenza each year. While most people with influenza complain of fever, fatigue and lethargy, in very rare cases, influenza infection...

About the Flu

The flu is a blanket term given to respiratory infections that can come from a variety of different, but related, viruses. There are three major types of influenza viruses, with two of them responsible for the seasonal flu outbreaks that occur...

N-acetylcysteine and Influenza

Influenza, commonly referred to as flu, is a viral infection that lasts for about a week and is characterized by fever, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and weakness. N-acetylcysteine, or NAC, may be used as an adjuvant therapeutic drug for...

How to Heal Bronchitis With Oregano Oil

Bronchitis is a condition characterized by deep coughing and soreness of the chest and throat, according to Dr. James Balch and Mark Stengler, authors of "Prescription for Natural Cures." It typically occurs during an influenza infection, and...

What Are the Causes of Influenza?

Influenza is an acute infectious disease that affects the respiratory tract. It is characterized by the abrupt onset of headache, fevers, chills, muscle pains, severe malaise, cough, sore throat and rhinitis. The acute illness generally resolves...

Vitamins to Prevent the Flu

Influenza, more commonly known as the flu, is a viral infection that affects your upper respiratory system, causing symptoms such as congestion, cough, headache, fever, chills and fatigue. It is a highly contagious illness and is spread through...

What Systems in the Body Are Affected by the Flu?

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 5 to 20 percent of Americans contract the influenza (flu) virus each year. Flu produces a spectrum of disease, ranging from mild, self-limited respiratory disease to...

Side Effects of Influenza

Influenza is a viral infection that affects the bronchi, throat, nose and occasionally the lungs. The virus, also known as the flu, is transmitted from person to person through small particles and droplets produced when infected people sneeze or...

Flu Recommendations for Children

The flu, or influenza, can have devastating effects on children. Most of the deaths attributed to the H1N1 virus were in children and in adults with chronic health problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), around 20,000...

Swine Flu Signs in Infants

The H1N1 influenza virus causes swine flu. Unlike previous influenza viruses, which usually affected the elderly, H1N1 has an increased prevalence among young people and children. It is spread from person to person by contact with infected...

Flu Types

Influenza is a virus that causes respiratory infection, but the symptoms affect the whole body. FluFacts.com, an informational website sponsored by the biotechnology company Genentech, describes these symptoms as headache, high fever, sneezing,...

Fatal Lung Diseases

Lung diseases are a common cause of death among Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, chronic lower respiratory diseases killed 127,924 Americans in 2007, and influenza and pneumonia killed 52,717. The...

How the Flu Kills

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), one way in which all types of influenza can cause serious and fatal complications is through infection of the brain and its surrounding tissues. The influenza virus...

How to Get Kids to Take Tamiflu

Tamiflu is a trade name for the prescription drug oseltamivir. It remains a popular but controversial treatment for influenza infection in children. In August 2009, the U.K.-based newspaper "The Guardian" warned against the use of Tamiflu for...

Influenza Health Video (Video)

Influenza, or the flu, is a viral infection that affects the respiratory system including the nose, throat and lungs. Learn about influenza including symptoms, treatments and diagnosis in this health and disease video.

Flu Health Video (Video)

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 Health Video (Video)

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...