Influenza commonly known as flu is a viral infection of upper respiratory tract – nose, throat, bronchial tubes and lunges. Its prevalence reaches peak during the winter, while the incidence greatly varies from year to year. About 36,000 deaths and 200,000 hospitalizations are directly associated with influenza alone in the United States each year. Flu [...]

Flu is caused by three types or strains of viruses: influenzavirus A, influenzavirus B and influenzavirus C. Type A influenza is the most severe form and is responsible for deadly pandemics which strike every few decades and is characterized by constant mutations. It can be subdivided into different subtypes according to the antibody response to [...]

The signs and symptoms of flu occur after 1 to 4 days after the infection, most commonly after two days. Initially, the flu symptoms greatly resemble the symptoms of common cold and thus both viral infections are often confused with one another even by professional medical practitioners. Flu is usually identified by high fever and [...]